When Gloating Becomes Judgment

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Bible, wedged between Amos and Jonah. His message was directed towards the Edomites—Esau’s descendants—because when Jerusalem was destroyed, they didn’t just idly stand by; they actually took pleasure in it. They laughed, gloated, and even took part in the looting. Their disdain was rooted in the rivalry of Jacob and Esau (though the brothers made peace with one another). Instead of showing any sense of decency or grief, they made their brother's slaughter into a moment of pride.

God’s response through Obadiah was crystal clear: “As you have done, it will be done to you” (1:15). In other words, the same approach you took against others will be taken against you. Edom thought they were untouchable, but their gloating sealed their fate.

And honestly, you see the same spirit today. Left-wing radicals (not the entire Democratic Party) have openly celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Just like Edom, they’re rejoicing over devastation instead of mourning the loss of life or condemning the violence. Obadiah’s warning still rings true—when you celebrate another’s downfall, you invite the same judgment upon yourself. We may have freedom of speech, but our words aren’t free of consequences.

That’s why Charlie’s death cannot be in vain. This should be a moment that wakes us up to the need for a return to honest social discourse—a return to sanity, science, and common sense. We must stop the foolish indoctrination of our young people. I once heard, “The first generation excuses sin. The next generation normalizes sin. The third generation lives in sin.” This is where we are and what we’ve allowed society to come to. This mindset of normalizing and accepting violence and sin didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t take “overnight” to correct what we as humans have broken. We don’t have to agree on everything, but we do have to stop treating each other as enemies to be destroyed and return to morality. We cannot debate based on our feelings, but instead use facts. Let his life and legacy be a call to collaboration, a reminder that our strength as a nation is found in the courage to stand together, not in celebrating each other’s destruction.