Don't Miss This! Lessons From the Minor Prophetsਨਮੂਨਾ

Obadiah & Nahum: The Fall of the Proud

The prophets Obadiah and Nahum delivered messages of judgment against two nations that had long been enemies of Israel — Edom and Assyria. Their prophecies remind us of an unchanging truth: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, was written as a warning to Edom, the descendants of Esau. Edom took pride in its seemingly impenetrable mountain strongholds, believing they were untouchable (Obadiah 1:3-4). But when Babylon attacked Jerusalem, Edom stood by and even participated in Judah's downfall, plundering what was left (Obadiah 1:10-14). Because of their arrogance and betrayal, God declared their destruction: "As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you" (Obadiah 1:15). Their confidence in their power and position would not save them.

Nahum's prophecy, written over a century later, was directed at Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. Though God had once shown mercy to Nineveh in Jonah's time, the city had returned to its brutal ways, oppressing and terrorizing other nations. Assyria saw itself as invincible, yet Nahum declared: "The Lord has given the command concerning you: 'You will have no descendants to carry on your name'" (Nahum 1:14). Nineveh, once the most powerful city in the world, would fall completely — and history confirms that it did, utterly destroyed in 612 BC.

Both Obadiah and Nahum confront the danger of unchecked pride. Edom relied on its fortress-like mountains, while Nineveh relied on its military strength. Yet both fell, proving that no nation, ruler, or person is beyond God's reach. Pride blinds us, making us think we are self-sufficient, untouchable, or even above accountability. But God humbles the proud and lifts up the lowly (Luke 1:52). The choice before us is clear — will we trust in our own strength, or will we humble ourselves before the Lord, our true refuge?

Father, guard our hearts against pride. It is so easy to trust in our own abilities, to feel secure in our own strength, forgetting that all we have comes from You. Teach us humility, that we may seek You as our refuge and not lean on our own understanding. May we never be like Edom or Nineveh, blind to our need for You. Instead, draw us close to You, where true strength is found. In Jesus' name, Amen.