On the Canon's Margin
June 16, 2013 | Patrick Preheim
[worship leader reads Obadiah] We don’t often delve in into the epistle known as Obadiah. In all my church going years, in fact, I have never heard a sermon on Obadiah. Has anyone?? And after Kelly’s oration just now you are probably wondering why we are spending any time on it at all. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament: all of 21 verses. It is directed primarily to the Edomites, and what has Edom to do with Saskatoon? Obadiah along with Nahum share “the dubious distinction of being the only prophetic books that do not appear in the Revised Common Lectionary” (Francisco O. Garcia-Treto, Book of Nahum (The New Interpreters Bible commentary series; volume VII), p. 596). Curious that the big brains behind the Lectionary would omit Obadiah and Nahum while the staff at this church subject its people to these rousing oracles—thank you Anita and Patrick! And then there is the post MCC sale hang over from which many of us are suffering. It is a known fact that too much farmer’s sausage and roll kuchen adversely affect hearing, especially in church at sermon time. Surely my work is cut out for me today. So here we go.
Obadiah actually has quite a bit in common with an MCC sale. In both the MCC sale and the book of Obadiah, for example, we find undercurrents of familial relationship. An important dimension of any relief sale is the opportunity Anabaptists from different congregations have in working together. One Saturday a year I make the rounds of a large hall admiring the way in which theological diverse kin have joined together in a common cause. Hutterite, Bergthaler, conservative, liberal, traditional, post-modern, former Mennonite, upstanding Mennonite—for a week within the year we set aside the differences which make judgmentalism so easy to support relief and development. It makes me think of Psalm 133 which begins, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” The yearly event positively affirms the sibling relationship we have with many others.
Historically, Edom and Israel are brothers. In case we have forgotten the connection between the two tribes Obadiah gives us textual hints. When speaking of Edom he often refers to their ancestral founder who was Esau. 7 times Obadiah invokes the name of Esau. Twice in this short letter Obadiah reminds us that Jacob and Esau were brothers and that their descendants ought to have acted more brotherly towards each other. It is as if these brothers have forgotten the reconciliation which happened in Genesis 33. After a 21 year separation Jacob tells Esau, “to see your face is like seeing the face of God” (Gen 33.11). Something dreadful happened between the brothers since that time. They grew distant. They began to compete with each other for grazing land. They became jealous of the other. If it is pleasant when kindred live together in unity, then it is quite unpleasant when kindred live together in conflict. I dare say the Israelites and Edomites would have benefitted from an MCC sale to bring the kin together.
What do I take from this? Congregationally speaking, acts of charity and mission work will enable us to maintain unity amidst our diversity. One of the visionary intentions the board of deacons has put before us is the hope that as a congregation we will become more engaged collectively in community service. While there will be a social benefit for those whom we serve there will be an equally significant impact on the internal climate within the congregation. We will become even more tolerant of the theological differences among ourselves as we join together in service. It has been true for Mennonite Disaster Service, in Mennonite Central Committee relief sales, and it will be true for this congregation as well.
Another point of intersection between Obadiah and the MCC relief sale is that refugees are of central concern. If you receive the Canadian Mennonite you will remember the back page article from May 27 (Julie Bell, “MCC sets new target for Syria crisis campaign”( volume 17; no 11)) which begged supporters to help meet the enormous demands of the Syrian refugee situation. While the bulk of MCC’s work has been in humanitarian assistance, MCC is also supporting peace building programs, some with a special focus on trauma recovery. This is good stuff and the kind of thing toward which the non-penny proceeds from yesterday’s sale will go. It almost makes me feel better about that additional plate of vereneka I wolfed down early afternoon.
Obadiah was penned after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. Seeing a chance to improve its quality of life the kingdom of Edom aligned itself with the Babylonians in the conflict. Verses 12-14 particularly draw attention to Edomite callousness and cruelty toward Judean refugees. They participated in the looting of Jerusalem. They confiscated pasture land and wells. They took advantage of refugees fleeing the war. Obadiah has hard words for those who exploit refugees.
Several weeks ago I heard a radio report about the dire situation of Syrian exiles living outside established refugee camps. One woman has gone into business match making young Syrian women with older men from surrounding countries. Parents do not like trafficking their daughters, but for many interviewed they feel as if they have no option. There is no work. Hunger is slowly killing the family. The future looks bleak. Perhaps the daughter will go someplace where there is adequate food and shelter. And the money paid for the bride will sustain the rest of the family a few months more. These are not choices I or any parent would want to make.
When I hear this story as compared with the work MCC is doing in the region I do not think about an extra plate of perogies. Actually, it makes me consider one less meal out or a weekly fast with the money saved going to MCC’s relief work in the Middle East. Obadiah does not mince words. We will be judged for the way we respond to the refugee—in Syria and in Saskatoon. These are not the other, they are our long lost brothers and sisters from another tribe.
I have probably given more commentary than 21 verses warrant, so let us push on to Nahum.
[Worship leader reads Nahum 2:10-3:7] In an article on Nahum “Elmer A. Leslie [wrote] of the ‘poetic genius’ of the prophet” which “ranks with the highest in the Hebrew Bible.” This favorable comment was “refreshing to read because a fair number of scholars seem to have great disdain for this...prophet of God. Samuel Sandmel described Nahum’s work as a ‘hymn of hate,’” (David Zucker, Israel’s Prophets: An Introduction for Christians and Jews, p. 141). The object of Nahum’s beautifully crafted scorn is the Assyrians. Do some remember two weeks ago when we heard a glowing report about the Ninevites and their livestock from the book of Jonah? Jonah aside, by Ancient Near East standards the Assyrians were a rough group. In Nahum we hear about the brutality of the Ninevites and the judgment coming to them. The harsh litany of Nahum is akin to the disparaging remarks I have heard Mennonites make of Soviet Communists, or some of the Aboriginal sentiments shared at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding white Christians. Be ye a Mennonite survivor of Stalin or an aboriginal survivor of residential schools it is no joy having your family torn apart, your land confiscated, or your culture purged. In this comparison we find ourselves implicated in Assyrian like atrocities through our skin colour, our faith, and the benefits we inherited from the people in power. This uncomfortable link makes me consider how we might become the “good” Ninevites of Jonah rather than the “bad” Ninevites of Nahum. On this point I have a story.
Garry Koop, bless his soul, has been fostering a connection with the 1st Nation reservation nearest us: The Whitecap Dakota 1st Nation just south of Saskatoon. Garry left a message one Saturday in May saying that they were putting up their summer sweat lodge and we were invited to come out and help. Meet at 1:00. I didn’t get the message until 1:45. I didn’t get to Whitecap until 2:30. It took me several wrong turns and the humility to ask for directions before I got to the site at 3:00. There was no Garry to be found, but it seemed to be perfect timing because a group was just covering the willow frame with canvas. Ron, the elder, introduced me to the gang. Once the structure was up we chatted while eating fry bread. Ron invited me back out on Thursday for the 1st summer sweat. I said I would try to make it. They told me to bring a big towel, something you feel comfortable sweating up, and fruit to share afterward at a common meal.
I had never been to a sweat before, so I went out with trepidation. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are claustrophobic, afraid of the dark, or have a heart condition which intense heat and steam affect. A few of the guys were really helpful in telling me when to stand, which direction to turn, how to get smudged. Even then, though, I made a few cultural gaffes. Ron was very forgiving. The time in the sweat lodge was essentially a 3 hour prayer service with breaks for people to stretch, cool off and rehydrate. I approached it as a worship service and it was that for me. In addition, I feel as if my connection to Ron, Sheldon, Nancy, Diane, and the others has been strengthened. It feels as if a new chapter is being written in Assyrian / Israeli relations. While there is still much to be sorted out between aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples, for me it is beginning to feel a bit more like Jonah than Nahum.
I have a few concluding thoughts about the books of Obadiah and Nahum. First, Obadiah and Nahum are theological books and not ethical blueprints for us to implement. I agree with Elizabeth Actemeir that in these two prophecies God is the sole arbiter of human history who will not let the wicked go unpunished. (Elizabeth Actemeier, Nahum-Malachi (Interpretation commentary series), pp. 5-7). Jesus was familiar with Obadiah as well as Nahum and yet did not take it upon himself to implement the judgement of God. Particularly in Matthew’s gospel we find Jesus warning of the great day of judgement in which sheep, goats and wolves all get sorted. Eight of Matthew’s parables have violent endings. But Jesus leaves that final judgement to God. Preaching / proclamation is the ethic Jesus took from Obadiah and Nahum. We are Christians and do well to follow the lead of our Lord and Saviour. And that takes me to a second point.
Obadiah and Nahum are the only two canonical books which are directed exclusively to foreign nations. Most of our biblical literature is addressed to the people of God with periodic statements about or to the outsiders. The presence of these two books in the canon tells me that God loves the nations enough to judge them. Is it not interesting that God is holding foreign nations accountable to a moral and ethical code of which they may have no clue?? There is no moral relativism here! And if this is the case, then we (God’s chosen ones) should be clear in sharing about the love / judgement of God with the nations. The stuff Obadiah and Nahum reference is the kind of thing our world needs to hear: treat the refugees well or you will contend with God Almighty; the crack of a whip in a sweat shop will incur divine wrath; displacing whole peoples for economic gain is wrong. This may seem obvious to the likes of you and me, but the world needs to hear it. Those in positions of power as well as the downtrodden need to hear this message. It is solace to the weary and soul saving to the powerful. So let us take our Sing the Journey songbooks and join in a musical setting which affirms God’s abiding mercy and judgement. StJ #13, “My soul is filled with joy”
