Obadiah 1:3: “The pride of your heart has deceived you, / You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, / Whose habitation is high; / You who say in your heart, / ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?'”

November 19th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The nation of Edom was well fortified because they “[dwelled] in the clefts of the rock,” but this caused pride to well up in them. Solomon noted in Proverbs the downfall pride causes: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). God warned them of their sin: “The pride of your heart has deceived you.” Pride was the sin that started in Lucifer’s heart, was passed on to Adam and Eve in the garden, and still continues down through individuals and nations to this day.

Rome ruled as one of the world’s greatest superpowers for 8 centuries. But in the beginning of the 5th century after Christ, a barbarian king, Alaric king of the Visigoths, arrived at Rome’s gates, threatening to conquer the great power. At first they scoffed that anyone would think they could bring them down. They threatened to send their great armies against Alaric. He responded, “The thicker the grass the more easily scythed.” Seeing that they could not defeat him, they asked what it would take to make him leave. He demanded that his soldiers be allowed to pass through the city and take anything they wanted, including any barbarians that had been enslaved by Rome. “What will that leave us?” Rome cried. “Your lives,” Alaric replied. And with that Rome’s centuries as the world’s unbeatable superpower came to an end.

“LORD, we have moved far away from You as a nation. Please forgive our sins and send revival to our children once again.”