Minor Prophets Major Message: Pride Series

Minor Prophets Major Message

Pride

Obadiah 1-21

#minorprophets

INTRODUCTION… Obadiah is the shortest… guinnessworldrecords.com/records/

If Obadiah was a spy, he’d be French spy Richebourg (1768-1858) during the French Revolution

If Obadiah was a street, it be Ebenezer Place in Wick, Scotland

If Obadiah was a Pokémon, he’d be joltik

If Obadiah was a completive body builder, he’d be Pratik Mohite of India

If Obadiah was a James Bond film, it would be Quantum of Solace

If Obadiah was a WWE Championship reign, it would be Andre the Giant

What do all of these have in common? They are the shortest.

This morning we are going to look at the shortest and smallest book of the Old Testament. In terms of all the books in the Bible, Obadiah is #4 by word count.

#1 3rd John with 219 words

#2 2nd John with 245 words

#3 Philemon with 335 words

#4 Obadiah with 440 words

#5 Jude with 461 words

What is Obadiah about? I have read articles in the past that said (overviewbible.com/least-popular-book-bible/) according to web searches and other statistics that Obadiah is the least studied or least popular book in the Bible.

SERIES INTRODUCTION

In the Bible, when God wanted to get His people’s attention He would often do something demonstrative like speak from a burning bush or lead by a pillar of cloud or shake the ground or do a miracle in nature. God did all of those things. God also spoke through people we call prophets.

We know some of the names of these folks whom God called to be His prophets: Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Huldah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Anna, John the Baptist, and many more. God calls the people through His prophets and gives them directions in their relationship with Him. God calls the people through His prophets and encourages their faithfulness and warns them that faithlessness would have dire consequences.

This morning we are continuing our journey in the last twelve books of the Old Testament which I have called “Minor Prophets Major Message.” I want to focus each week on one of these specific prophets and the message that he brought to the people of God because those messages are also important for us. Today we focus on the prophet Obadiah.

TRANSITION

We begin by looking at his pronouncement.

I. PRONOUNCEMENT (VERSE 1a)

READ OBADIAH 1a (ESV)

“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:”

Obadiah makes it very clear in the first part of verse 1 that everything he is about to share is from God. None of what he is about to say are his ideas. None of what he will share are his opinions. Every word he shares in these 21 verses are from God. How does he let us know that?

First, Obadiah says that he has had a vision. The word that Obadiah uses, “chazown,” sounds like something you might order at a pizza place, but is actually an important word. The word means “divine communication.” Obadiah received divine communication from God and is relaying it to us.

Second, Obadiah points out that the One giving this message is in charge. He is the Sovereign Lord. He is the “Lord God” (ESV, KJV). He is the one in charge of the Universe and everything in it and we had better take note when He speaks. This is an authoritative Word from God.

Third, Obadiah says that he has heard the message given to a messenger or ambassador of the Lord. Obadiah is not speaking his words. Obadiah is not sharing his attitudes or what he thinks will happen, but rather he is reporting what the messenger from God has pronounced to the nations.

Who is this prophecy given to? I want you to notice that this prophecy is not even directed to Israel. It’s not directed to God’s people. God’s people are involved, but the warning or the message from God is for the people of Edom who are the descendants of Esau. If you will remember, in Genesis 25, Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was the son through whom the nation of Israel came and Esau was also blessed with many descendants (Genesis 36). Genesis 25:30 shares with us Esau’s nickname was Edom and Genesis 36:43 states directly, “This was Esau the father of the Edomites.” This prophecy is directed to the descendants of Esau who live in the area outside of Israel to the southeast.

TRANSITION

We know that this small book was a message from God to the descendants of Esau sent by His messenger Obadiah. What does Obadiah say? Obadiah’s message to the Edomites is centered around pride and how it will be their downfall.