Obadiah (3)

Overview of Obadiah

Read the text of Obadiah.

Where does Obadiah fit in the Bible?

See table of contents and the sections of the O.T. English Bible. Why is this important to notice? because Obadiah's place in the text of Scripture holds vital part of the unfolding purposes and promises of God. if we are going to understand the message of Obadiah correctly then we must understand it in light of the grand narrative of God’s plans of redemption.

Transition: A small memo containing a major punch! So now lets look at Obadiah more specifically to see what is being communicated. See video.

Overview of major theme: The kingdom shall be the Lord’s. In other words God is most high and will remain in His triumphant position. How is this demonstrated in Obadiah? 3 observations to help get acquainted and see an overview of Obadiah....

1. Those who are against God’s people are against God.

(Genesis 12:1-3) Notice God’s commitment to preserve His promise and His people. Being an enemy of God is not a good place to be found on judgment day.God will judge the nations. No kingdom will rise above God’s kingdom. No people, nation, or tribe will escape the day of the Lord. Not Edom, nor any other nation that opposes God.

Transition: We should ask the question how has and will God do this? How will he judge the nations? Answering this takes us to our second observation. God always has the first and final word.

2. Christ Connection.

We must notice a Christ connection at this point. The covenant promise of God to and through the nation of Israel included a blessing to all nations. That blessing is realized and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. When He came to earth and began preaching the theme of His message was , “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Then, God the Son fulfilled this promise of God the Father by suffering the deserved judgment of those who are originally enemies of God. Romans 5:6-11 As those who have been blessed by the covenant of God extended to the nations in Christ, we can be thankful for the cup that Jesus has drank on our behalf. As those being reconciled we must rejoice in Christ who was brought low in order that we might be raised to newness of life. (Christology)

Romans 5:6–11 ESV

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Transition: Obadiah will teach us that God will bring His enemies low, that God in Christ Jesus has judged the nations, and a final observation is this...

3. God will resist the proud and restore His praise.

...in Mount Zion.

i. Have you ever experienced the principle of reaping what you sow? Story of young man trying to get in lunch line first.

ii. Edom fell. The historical record confirms that the nation of Edom fell to other surrounding nations so much so that they never recovered.

iii. James and I Peter both reference the truth that God resists the proud by gives grace to the humble. And...

IV. What we will find with Edom and certainly in our own lives is that when we seek to raise our heads against God and grow smug in our self-security and self-idolatry that pride will most assuredly lead to experiencing the truth of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

V. That does not have to be the case. We are graciously called to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God and in doing so the praise of our own glory is replaced with the praise of God’s glory. So let it be said of us, that we humbled ourselves before our God.

Transition: Today, those who belong to Christ may be tempted to look at our world and think God is not most high. We may see the sway of evil among the nations and think God has not restored His praise among the nations. We may even be tempted to look at our own lives, families, and immediate context and think God is not ruling anything. Will justice come? It will come speedily Luke 18:7-8

Luke 18:7–8 ESV

And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The message of Obadiah also has a future fulfillment. It was certainly fulfilled in Edom, it certainly points us to the messianic fulfillment in Christ as he brought the possibility of praise to the all the nations of the earth through His death, burial, and resurrection, but it also points to a future fulfillment in the days to come.

Closing: In same way that God’s people perhaps wondered what in the world God was up to when Edom stood aloof and strangers carried off their wealth, we too may be tempted to question where is God when it seems like every social/ cultural structure in our world is plagued with evil. And so we are well reminded that God will restore His praise in Mount Zion. He is ruling and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s. (Eschatology) Is He King of your life today?

Is He King of my life?