(Obadiah 3,4) 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?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.

The book of Obadiah is a prophecy of the destruction of the nation of Edom.  The Lord makes it clear that Edom will be destroyed because of its sin.

What sin is that?  In a word: pride.  It was this pride that caused the Edomites to think more highly of themselves than they ought.  They had become narcissistic, egocentric, concerned more with themselves and self-absorbed.  This thinking of themselves higher than they should seemed to have led to violence against their brethren (God’s people in Judah).

Part of the prophecy in this very short book tells us that the “wise men” and those of understanding out of Edom will be destroyed.  This, in turn, brings down Edom.

I believe the Bible clearly makes a difference between wisdom and knowledge.  When Solomon went before the Lord, he asked for both wisdom and knowledge.  I don’t think it is hard to grasp that knowledge is an accumulation of information and wisdom would be how to use the information one has.

I may be off base, but this seems to be a problem today.  As a society, we have all kinds of information at our fingertips.  We are in the Information Age.  Using this information has developed all kinds of technology at an amazing rate.  (One tiny example: That smart phone you bought last year is antiquated already).

However, knowledge without the wisdom on what to do with that knowledge can produce disastrous results.  Pride runs unchecked.   Entitlement, arrogance, and a myriad of wickedness can easily ensue and still be justified in the minds of those affected.

Edom was warned.  The people ignored the warnings.  Soon that nation was brought low.  Certainly we can avoid such a fate.  Can’t we?