Entrust Yourself to God

Introduction

Please turn in your Bible’s to the book of Obadiah, that is the book of Obadiah. I have a small desire in regards to our preaching schedule coming up, which is I want to preach Luke 2 on the Sunday before Christmas. This leaves a four week gap in our preaching schedule since I want to preach through the book of Luke next. So, what we are going to do is take the next four weeks and to look at the four shortest books of the Bible. These books are each one chapter and therefore make it hard to do a series with them. So, we will be looking as the big wisdom we can get from the Bible’s four shortest books. We will begin this miniseries with the book of Obadiah. The shortest book in the OT and the only OT book we will work through in this series.

We live in an evil world. A world in which those who do evil seem to get a way with it. We ask the question “What are we supposed to be doing in the midst of this evil?” We are are often fooled into to thinking that the times we live in are uniquely evil, and therefore the times call for a unique response from the church. We need something new, different, something in your face and bold to respond to the world’s current evils. We need to make a stand (or a TikTok, Youtube short, Instagram post etc.) the decries the world’s evil. And yet, when we read our Bibles we quickly learn that evil has been around since Genesis 3 and the people of God accomplish nothing in carnal attempts to disuaide evil. Our internet rage content reminds me of Peter’s attempt to protect Jesus by cutting off the ear of the high priest servant. Lots of pomp and zeal… but lacking godliness and true impact. Jesus says to Peter, John 18:11 “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”” Jesus can take care of himself.

Listen to this quote from the great Puritan preacher Johnathan Edwards, “But how did he [Jesus] show his holy boldness and valor at the time? Not in the exercise of any fiery passions; not in fierce an violent speeches, and vehemently declaiming against, and crying out of the intolerable wickedness of opposers, giving' their own in plain terms; but in not opening his mouth who afflicted and oppressed, in going as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers, is dumb, not opening his mouth praying that the Father would forgive his cruel enemies, cause they knew not what they did; not shedding others' blood but with all-conquering patience and love, shedding his own. Indeed one of his disciples, that made a forward pretense to boldness for Christ, and confidently declared he would sooner die with Christ than deny him, began to lay about him with sword: but Christ meekly rebukes him, and heals the wound he gives. And never was the patience, meekness, love, and forgiveness of Christ, in so glorious a manifestation, as at that time. Never did he appear so much a lamb, and never did he show so much of the dovelike spirit, as at that time. If therefore we see any of the followers of Christ, in the midst of the most violent, unreasonable and wicked opposition, of God's and his own enemies, maintaining under all this temptation, the humility, quietness, and gentleness of a lamb, and the harmlessness, and love, and sweetness of a dove, we may well judge that here is a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (Edwards, Religious Affections)

So, if you want to know what I think we should be doing in the midst of the wicked world; first and foremost we must entrust ourselves to the Lord. We must be a people who are willing to do what we read in our scripture reading this morning. We need to seek to bel like Jesus who, 1 Peter 2:23 “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Now the book of Obadiah is a great help to us in this regard because we see four reasons why we can entrust ourselves to the Lord in the midst of evil. When evil seems to be winning we can entrust ourselves to the Lord because of the four promises that God makes to Israel through the prophecy of Obadiah.

The book of Obadiah is a prophecy from the prophet Obadiah against the nation of Edom, shortly after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian empire. God’s people, Israel were disobedient to the Lord and broke their covenant with God by worshiping idols. Therefore, God allowed the Babylonian empire to come in and conquer Israel. Many of the people were then taken into exile, that is they were made to live in various parts of the Babylonian empire. Dispersing conquered populations was a way to maintain control. It is harder for a people to rise against you when they are spread apart. When the Babylonians arrived to conquer Israel, the nation of Edom helped Babylon. This was seen as a betrayal by the Israelites because their patriarch, Jacob was the twin brother of the patriarch of Edom, named Esau. They were “cousins” in a way. And Israel felt like their cousin betrayed them when Edom allied themselves with Babylon against Israel. So Obadiah is used by God to give Israel this prophecy concerning Edom, so that they would not lose hope during their exile.

I want us to see four promises God makes Israel concerning Edom, that will give us good reason to entrust ourselves to Him as we encounter evil of various kinds in modern life.

God Will Humble the Proud v. 1-6

Obadiah 1–6 “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!” Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 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?” 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. 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? How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out!”

The vision or prophecy begins with God declaring that a messenger has been sent among the nations who cries out, “Rise up! Let us rise against Edom for battle!” God promises to make Edom small among the nations and utterly despised. And He tells them that the pride of their heart has deceived them. They have said in their heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground!” Edom was a proud nation that did not believe they could be conquered. Edom was a rocky and mountainous region, its main city Teman referenced in verse 9 sat on a large plateau. The people of Edom though that because of the terrain they lived in, they would not be conquered. The location of their nation and cities would on the high ground. It would be difficult in ancient warfare to fight uphill, and so they were proud like eagles and lived high up in mountains. And their faith was in their geography and it fueled their pride.

Yet, God promises to make them small and despised among the nations. Obadiah even makes the statements that thieves would be less destructive then what is coming. They would only take what they need. Grape gatherers would at least leave the gleanings.. that is the small portions of the crops that weren’t really worth taking the time to gather. But because they had offended the Lord by raising their hand against His people, God would see that they were destroyed. They will be completely pillaged and their treasures sought out!

This is a reminder that God will have the last word, that even when it seems like evil is winning God is not done. I once heard a saying, “In the end it will all be ok, if it not ok, then it is not the end.” What a helpful little saying for the Christian. You can entrust yourself to the Lord because you know how the story will end. There will be suffering, persecution, and evil in this life. However, the Son of God will return and He will make all things right. He will judge the nations and all of those who rose up against Him. Romans 12:19–21 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Feeding your enemies, giving them drink, is not something you do if you think they have a chance of winning. If think your struggle with evil will be a close battle you don’t give any advantage to your adversary. But when the outcome is sure, when you know that your enemy stands no chance then you do not fret if it seems like they have the upper hand for a brief moment. It’s like arm wrestling a prideful middle schooler, you might let them get close to pinning you, but only because it sets them up for greater humiliation when you pin them with ease. God lets our enemies exalt in their pride, because the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

T/S- God will humble the proud and He will often do so by giving them over to their own foolishness.

God Will Make the Wise Into Fools v. 7-10

Obadiah 7–10 “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. Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.”

The Edomites say themselves as wise as they made treaties and covenants with the Babylonians. They felt like the wise decision was to betray Israel and join the larger army of Babylon. The references to eating bread is a reference to the covenant or treaty promise which often included a meal at this time between nation rulers. And yet, these allies were the very ones that drove Edom to its borders. The Babylonians betrayed Edom and invaded them after they conquered Israel. It turns out the power hunger of Babylon was not satisfied in the conquering of Israel. They still wanted more.

And so the wise men of Edom who chose to ally themselves with Babylon were proven fools as the Babylonians invaded Edom. Edom did violence to Israel, his brother Jacob, and therefore God would see Edom cut off forever. Even once Israel returned from exile and rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple Edom did not fair as well. As we learned when we studied the book of Malachi after the Babylonians, the Edomites were conquered again by the Nabateans, an Arab group of tribes. After this the the Edomites were forced south to Negev where they became the Idumeans. The Idumeans attempt to rebuild and they are conquered by the Hasmoneans (Jews in the 2nd century BC). Then the Romans entered this space and the Idumeans only inhabited a small place south of Judea. Herod the Great was Idumean, but after the AD 70 when Rome destroyed Jerusalem the people group ceased to exist.

The irony here is the self-destructive nature of their “wisdom.” Their alliance with the Babylonians may have been the very thing that led to their downfall. The way the prophecy is written seems to suggest that when the Edomites were tricked. They were deceived by those who were at peace with them, a trap was sent for them. It may have been that when the armies of Edom left their mountainous fortifications to destroy Israel this provided Babylon the opportunity attack Edom while they were out in the open. We don’t know exactly what happened, but it does seem their trust in Babylon led to the Edomites falling into some sort of trap.

How often is this the case with those who make an alliance with the things of this world. 2 Peter 2:18–19 “For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they (false teachers) entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” Don’t be drawn into alliance with the enemy by the passions of your flesh. This world promises freedom, but it is self-destructive. Worldly liberalism eats itself from the inside out. It seems good, but it is death. It is a sad thing to watch people and organizations be drawn into allegiance with the world, but know that God always has a plan. He will make the wise of this world foolish and the foolish of the world wise. There will be times when it seems like evil is winning, but give it time. The truth is the truth and it will be brought to light. In the meantime keep entrusting yourself to the one who judges justly.

T/S- God will use our suffering just like he used Israel’s exile, for our good and His glory. The world is evil, but our focus is not on the world, but the one who will judge the world. Our third reason to entrust ourselves to God is that He will judge the world.

God Will Judge the World v. 11-16

Obadiah 11–16 as we listen to these verses being read listen for the word “day” (try to count) and listen for the last time it is used. “On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.”

The Lord makes several commands to not cause distress and calamity upon his people. He also tells Edom they are not to stand aloof on the day strangers carried off Israel’s wealth. They are not to boast or gloat in Israel’s misfortune, they are not to profit from Israel’s loss of wealth and they are not to capture those who were fleeing the city. Which might have been Edom’s part in their betrayal. 2 Kings 25:4–6 “Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him.” It is possible the Edom was a part of the Babylonian army that chased down theses who were fleeing. Now, throughout these commands the word day is used over and over. Did you get a count? 11 times total, 10 times associated with the commands to not harm, gloat over, or take advantage of Israel and the 11th time is in Obadiah 15–16 “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.”

The day of the Lord is a phrase used in the prophets to refer to the final day of God’s judgement. And the promise made here is that people will be judged according to deeds. As they have done, it shall be done to them. Their deeds shall return to their own heads. What they drank or took from God, via Israel, they will drink. What the took will be taken, what they did will be given back to them. These commands were already broken as Obadiah records them. Edom would have already done these things, but none of these things are the kind of things you need to be told not to do. Don’t plunder your neighbor is something Edom knew not to do. God is giving the commands as indictments against Edom. They are guilty, and therefore they will incur a right judgement for their guilt.

It is a stern warning for us, ally with the world and you will be judged according to your deeds. Respond to the world with worldliness, respond to carnality with carnality and beware. Sinful behavior is not justified just because you are the “right side.” You will bring it back to your own head that which you done. As you have done, so it shall be done to you. This is why it is so important to entrust yourself to God before you act. It is why I placed this sermon first. There is action to be taken, but rude comments, angry words, gossip and slander, seeing other people as enemies to be avoided or even attacked rather than image bears of God who are need of grace are carnal responses to carnality. Let us be warned. Be like Jesus, who when reviled did not revile in return. Instead, he entrusted himself to God.

God has promised to judge this world. He will not let any evildoer get away, He is totally just! When we seek vengeance, we say with our actions God’s justice won’t be enough. In the same way that He punished Edom, so He will punish those who disobey His commands today. He will judge this world, and one day His rule and reign will be experienced without the presence of evil.

God Will Reign! v. 17-21

Obadiah 17–21 “But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken. Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”

God foretells of the return of the Exiles. He declares that some of Israel will survive or escape the Babylonian exile. And the people of Israel will eventually be the source of Edom’s judgment. In the 2nd century BC the Jews conquer Edom. But even more importantly the new Israel, that is Jesus, will be the one who judges all of the living and the dead. Edom and all of those who walk in the way of Edom, who despise the people of God will be judged. They will be conquered by the Son of God. The locations listed in verses 19-20 are places in which Israelite exiles were placed who would return and inhabit various places in the land of Israel and Edom. Obadiah geographically spans the Babylionian empire and then does the same thing for Israel. Exiles from all over the empire will return and inhabit the promised land from north to south to east to west. God will restore Israel. God will use saviors or men to conquer these places. But look at the last line of the book of Obadiah. This is the lynchpin promise for this morning. The kingdom shall be the Lord’s. Why should you and I entrust ourselves to the Lord in the midst of evil? Because the kingdom is the Lord’s. God is the king and ruler of this world, and when things seem out of control to us, they are not. The king sits on the throne regardless of our perception of any cultural moment.

Conclusion

We entrust ourselves to the Lord because He is the king who humbles the proud. He is working in this world and He allows evil to rise up from time to time because He is not worried about being conquered. He has no fear of losing His throne and so He is willing to allow evil a foothold here and there so that he might be his glory on display as he humbles the proud. Those who put their trust in the world will be humbled. He is is the king who is all wise. When the world thinks itself wise he will from time to time allow them to build themselves up in their so called wisdom. He is not worried about being outsmarted or looking unintelligent. He doesn’t care that fools follow the foolish and declare themselves wise. He knows it will come to and end. And as people come to the end of themselves, I believe the Lord uses humiliation and foolish to pave the way towards repentance and faith. We need to trust the God knows what He is doing. He will not let evil win. The day of the Lord is ever drawing nearer and on that great and awesome day His judgement will be rendered and His peace will be extended to all of the world. He will destroy all evil and He will rule and reign forever. Until then, we are to trust in his promises and entrust ourselves to the Lord. Let’s pray.