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retaliation will return

Obadiah 12-16 (JDV)

Obadiah 1:12 Do not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction; do not boastfully mock in the day of affliction.
Obadiah 1:13 Do not enter my people’s city gate in the day of their disaster. Yes, you — do not gloat over their misery in the day of their misfortune, and do not appropriate their possessions in the day of their disaster.
Obadiah 1:14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives, and do not hand over their survivors in the day of distress.
Obadiah 1:15 For the day of Yahveh is near, against all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; retaliation will return on your own head.
Obadiah 1:16 As you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. They will drink and gulp down and be as though they had never been.

retaliation will return

The prophet speaks of a day of Yahveh in which all the nations will be judged based on how they treated other nations. He warns Edom not to do what they are considering. Every one of these thoughts about taking advantage of Judah were plans that the Edomites were actively planning.

How about you. Are you planning how to get ahead by taking advantage of a neighbor’s bad fortune? Are you secretly happy when things don’t go well with one of your local enemies. God’s message for all of us is to stop thinking such thoughts. The day of Yahveh is nerar. Retaliation will return on our own head. Love your neighbor as yourself.