Obediah: The Lords Word to the Wicked

Introduction

Open to Obadiah, we will look at verse 1-9. Obadiah 1-9.

Amos was the shepherd intercessor through him God gave us a little glimpse into his wrath to warn us to flee to Christ.

Unless Christ, intercedes for you and says Lord relent Aaron is to small, Brian.

You are to small,

You require someone that will step in between and say Lord relent

We know that our Christ did only with words intercede

There is no more fear, because there is no more wrath left.

Those who had Amos interceding for them had to live in fear of renewed wrath,

Locus

Fire

The sword

When Christ intercedes there is no more wrath left.

When Christ does not intercedes even if God relents for a time, they are only storing up wrath for later.

Romans 5:2"But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgement will be revealed"

The book of Obadiah is a look at what happens when God fights for his people.

Obadiah is writing after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians

The Edomites inspite of being descendants of Abraham and rounding up the feeling Judais and turned them over to the Chaldeans.

Christians from history have understood this book as comfort in times of trouble.

“Throughout history, when the church has suffered at the hands of God’s enemies, the message of the prophecy of Obadiah has provided inspiration and support. It reminds us that God cares for His persecuted people, and behind their present circumstances He is always at work for them.”[1]

The enemies of right, the enemies of God’s church may seem to prosper for a time.

But King Jesus is coming and he will dependence just both in this life and ultimately after the resurrection.

Please Stand for the Reading of God’s Word

Obadiah 1–9 ESV

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord. 5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night— how you have been destroyed!— would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 6 How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you— you have no understanding. 8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

May God Bless the Reading of His Holy, Infallible, and Sufficient Word

Let’s Pray.

Transition

All of God’s declarations again Edom, came to pass. Edom dos not exist anymore, but Israel does. Edom is destroy and Israel is global, because where ever the saints of God are there the Israel of God is, and their she has ownership though her King Jesus, the line of David whom God has given every nation to rule.

The destruction of Edom is that antitype type that is a picture of the destruction of God’s enemies.

You may remember when we were in Isaiah 63, the blood drenched king that came from crushing Edom. Throughout the scripture Edom is used to refer to the wicked betrayers devoted to destruction.

“For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.” (Is 34:5, ESV)

Through Obadiah God shows his people a picture of the victory he will have over all the vile, wicked, perverse, betrayers.

Body

The Lord Speaks to his Church: Rise up!

Obadiah 1 ESV

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”

John Calvin comments here, “OBADIAH’S preface is, that he brought nothing human, but only declared the vision presented to him from above. We indeed know that it was God alone that was ever to be heard in the Church, as even now he demands to be heard: but yet he sent his prophets, as afterwards the apostles; yea, as he sent his only begotten Son, whom he has set over us to be V 2, p 422 our only and sovereign Teacher. Obadiah then by saying that it was a vision, said the same, as though he declared, that he did not presumptuously bring forward his own dreams, or what he conjectured, or discovered by human reason, but that he adduced only a celestial oracle: for חזון, chezun, as we have observed in other places, was a vision, by which God revealed himself to his Prophets.”[1]

It’s really important that we understand this is God word to his people, about a destitution he will bring about.

Especially in this day where God’s Wrath is so down played.

Many people cannot fathom a God the devotes entire nations to destruction.

They make excuses for the Old Testament.

But the Lord has I have sent my Messenger,

Notice how this is echoed in Paul’s words,

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Ac 17:30–31, ESV)

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Heb 1:1–2 , ESV)

In the days of Obadiah the messenger was “at many times and in many ways" now the word if firm, all men every where are to repent.

Now id the is the day of the Lord and God call all into Judgement.

The Lord says “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” (Ob 1, ESV)

If those the hear Obadiah’s message where to arise for battle how much more are we to do the same.

We who have the ultimate messenger.

Church God is calling us into battle against the wicked vile betrayers of this world.

Our weapons are not of this world, they are the gospel, the repentance call.

To those the would murder children in the womb we say repent.

The those the mutilate children with drugs and surgeries, lying to them that with just a few durgs and a knife a boy can become a girl or a girl a boy, we say repent.

To those that practice witchcraft on our town square we say repent.

Tot he leaders that will not bow the knee to king jessu was say repent.

To the world, we say repent.

Because God has Fixed a day and he will destroy the wicked.

Transition

God has said to the wicked, I will make you into nothing and take every thing you have, there is no place to hid from my wrath. See verse 2-4

The Wicked Exalt themselves

Obadiah 2–4 ESV

2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.

There is no escaping my judgment God says.

Edom was located in a mountainous region, they had mountain fortresses and the thought, we are untouchable here.

The Lord said, do not let your heart device you.

The wicked build for themselves trust in this fortresses.

This is no different today than in the days of Obadiah,

I am America, I have the biggest army, I have the most nukes, I have the most advanced fight jets.

The Lord says, when my judgement comes, your nuclear weapon will count for nothing.

Your fighter jets will not save you.

Look around you, we live in a nation that shakes its fist int eh face of God, murdering, lying, evil all around, and the people have no fear.

Rightly the Apostle Paul writes “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Ro 3:18, ESV)

This is the natural state of the whole human race.

Dear Saints, remind yourself every day, there is no place to escape God’s wrath but the rock the was cleft for you and for me.

Do not let wicked prideful ideas take root in your mind, fight them with the word of God.

Transition

When God’s Judgment lands its incomprehensible to the natural man. Remember what Jude said, “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.” (Jud 10, ESV)

The wicked do not fear the wrath go God, they go the slaughter like unreasoning animals.

This is precise what is ment when Obadiah said “you have no understing. Look averse 5-7

Utterly Plundered

Obadiah 5–7 ESV

5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night— how you have been destroyed!— would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 6 How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you— you have no understanding.

would they not steal only enough for themselves?

The destruction I will send will leave you utterly destitute

We see the emphasis int he double question.

Thieves and grape gatherers

The Lord speaks to them again, he has already said you wont find any strength in your fortresses, and now he said and if you turn to your allies from strength it will not be there. Moreover you will find they are you enemies.

“you have no understanding”

Like Pharaoh the hearts of the wicked are hardened against the warring.

The warning is there, they have no excuse and yet like cattle run march oblivious to the slauter.

Christian this march of the zombies is happening right now before your eyes.

One more woke business

One more general calling them selves a women when they are in fact a man.

One more murder mill

One more child traffic or mutilated

One more ticket indoctrinated youth

One day the whole house comes down

The wicked not only run towards their deselection they be their own hatred for God bring it down on this own heads.

“all who hate me love death” (Pr 8:36, ESV).

If you can see this, if you tremble at the thought of the wrath this nation is storing up for its self.

If you can see how this world is destroying itself, the be every so grateful to Our Father in heaven because that a gift.

The nature man cannot see these things, they have no understanding,

but the registrant heart, the new creation in Christ, the new man can see.

Remember what verse one told us to do “Rise Up!”

Call the world to repentance, it may yet be that God will have mercy on them and grant repentance to this nation.

Remember Ninivah. Ninivah was no less wicked then Edom. even more so.

God sent his preacher and they were granted repentance.

Transition

The Lord Continues in verse 8-9 that just a fortresses, crops, houses, allies cannot save, neither can wisdom or valor.

Might and Wisdom Cannot Save

Obadiah 8–9 ESV

8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

“Will I not on that day” is really important phase, there is a time where the wicked seem to prosper.

Seems, is the right word, the Psalmist wrasts with this in Psalm 73.

“Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.” (Ps 73:1–5, ESV)

The Christian mind set is different, “

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:3–12, ESV)

So though is seems the wicked prosper, the Lord has set the days and they are only storing up fro themselves wrath.

They trust in the wisdom,

The that wisdom is demonic, James tells us (Jas 3:15)

That wisdom has no understanding. Imagine believe that nothing exploded 100 billion years ago and now we have everything.

The wisdom and might of the wicked will count for nothing on the day of the Lord.

Conclusion

But the Lord preserve the righteous, those in Christ.

God gives them understanding,

God gives them Faith

The scriptures tell us that ‘

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Ps 33:18–19, ESV)

As the wicked bring their own destruction down on them all around us beloved, trust in the Lord and warn the world to repent.

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–25 ESV

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

References

[1] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 1555.

[2] John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 421–422.

Bibliography

Calvin, John, and John Owen. Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.