Growing up, you hear things like “You get out what you put in” and “No pain, no gain.” All of it is meant to motivate a person to put the hard work in so that you will get the intended result. There is a flip side to that thinking. If you purposely do something wrong to hurt someone, it may come back on your head. That is what we see today as we look at Obadiah.
Obadiah 1:15
“For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.”
Perpetual Thorn
I love saying the name “Obadiah.” It sounds cool but the meaning of his name in Hebrew is even more incredible. It means “Worshipper of Yahweh.” While we don’t know much about him, there are fifteen mentioned in the Old Testament. He is a prophet that is prophesying judgment on Edom. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Isaac’s son. Israel wanted to pass through Edom on the way to the Promised land, but they wouldn’t let them. They were a perpetual thorn in Israel’s side and laughed when Israel went through captivity. God sends Obadiah to tell them that their day of judgment is coming and everything they have done will return on them.
Sowing and Reaping
A lot of what people call “Karma” is really the reaping of what they have already sowed. The principle of reaping and sowing is rock solid and irrefutable. If you sow goodness and kindness, you will reap it tenfold. If you sow wickedness, you reap evil. It will come back on your head. Reaping isn’t like a boomerang. It’s like a seed. Some seeds shoot up fast while others take their time. You never know when the return on your investment will come.
It May Come Back on Your Head
Edom was wiped out by the Romans around 60 AD, and Obadiah’s prophecy came true. That was over 400 years after Obadiah said it. Something that you are going through may be the result of something you did a while ago. You may have done something good, and you don’t think it was any benefit. Hold on. At the same time, you may think you got away with something. Be careful. It may come back on your head.