It's The End Of The World As We Know It Series

Postcards: Obadiah (Part 2)

It’s the End of the World as We Know It

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

02- 11-2024

It’s the End of the World

Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted the rapture of the church would happen on May 21, 2011, with the end of the world happening three months later on October 21, 2011.

Many people quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and gave money to Camping’s ministry to publicize warnings to non-believers.

When the rapture didn’t happen in May he changed his prediction and said that the rapture and the end of the world would happen on the same day in October.

When that didn’t happen, he released a statement saying, “We humbly admit that we were wrong about the timing.” Many of his followers disavowed Camping, realizing he was a cult leader.

Herbert Armstrong was one of the first televangelists and the founder of the Worldwide Church of God. He predicted the end of the world in 1936, 1943, 1972, and 1975.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses predicted that the end of the world would happen in 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984.

On December 21, 2012, many misinterpreted the Mayan calendar and announced the end of the world. A man in China even built an ark for his family to hide in. He also made a lot of money selling survival kits.

In 1806, a domesticated hen in Leeds, England began laying eggs inscribed with the message “Christ is Coming.” Many people flocked to see the hen. Unfortunately, it was discovered the hen’s owner had written the message on the eggs and reinserted them into the poor hen’s body.

From Y2K to the Haley’s comet panic of 1910, people have been predicting the end of the world even though Jesus specifically said that only the Father knows the time of His return. (Matt 24:36)

Vermin Supreme, who is running for president for the fourth time, is the only candidate with a plan for the end of the world zombie apocalypse.

There have been dozens of end-of-the-world movies, ranging from the profane “This is the End” to the comical “Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the atom bomb” to the Christian cheese of the Left Behind movies.

With all these false predictions no wonder the rock group REM cynically sang, “It’s the end of the world as we know it / and I feel fine!”

Review from Last Week

Last week, we covered verses 1-14 of the minor prophet Obadiah and learned that the Edomites would be judged for their pride, self-sufficiency, and “violence toward their brother Israelites.”

Obadiah announced that the destruction would be final, systematic, and total.

Esau and Jacob were the twin sons of Issac and Rebecca whose conflict started in the womb. Their descendants were still fighting centuries later.

What exactly did the Edomites do?

When Israel came out of Egypt and wanted to pass through the land of the Edomites to enter into the Promised Land, the Edomites wouldn’t let them (Numbers 20:14-21).

· The Edomites opposed Saul and were conquered under David and Solomon (1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Kings 9:26).

· In the days of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Edom joined with Moab and Ammon to attack Judah, but the Lord fought for Judah and defeated them (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-27, which describes the famous battle that was led with praise).

· The Edomites successfully rebelled against King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:16-22).

· King Amaziah of Judah brought them back under subjugation (2 Kings 14:9-11).

· The Edomites again attacked Judah in the days of King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17).

What we will learn is that the Edomites kicked Israel when they were down and God is going to deal with them for that.

* They Refused to Help

On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

When the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem in 586 BC and razed it to the ground, the Edomites did nothing.

It becomes obvious that Obadiah was a witness to this scene.

They watched from the sidelines. They refused to help.

* They rejoiced in their misfortune

You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.

Look at the words that Obadiah uses - gloat, rejoice, boast. This wasn’t just passive. They enjoyed watching the destruction and verbalized joy over the misfortune of their brothers.

David wrote:

“Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. “Tear it down,” they cried, “tear it down to its foundations!” (Psalm 137:7)

They ran into to take advantage