Major News from Minor Prophets
Obadiah: God cares for His own
This prophecy is against Edom. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the older twin brother of Jacob. They were constantly at odds with Jacob’s descendants. They refused to let Moses and the Israelites pass through their land. In fact, Edom was always ready to aid any nation wanting to attack Israel.
When Rome conquered Israel, Caesar made Herod, an Edomite, King of the Jews.
King Herod was a descendant of the Edomites He ruled as governor of Galilee from 47 to 37 B.C. He was then promoted to rule as king over all Palestine from 37 to 4 B.C. He became famous for building cities, fortresses, and temples throughout the land but generally opposed by the people because of his Edomite ancestry.
In 40 B.C. Jewish rebels and Persians had joined together to push the Romans and Herod their puppet king out of Palestine. But in 37 B.C. Herod came back with the Romans and again took control of Jerusalem. Ever since the Jews had shown a continual desire to overthrow Herod.
There was a dark and cruel streak in Herod’s character that showed itself increasingly as he grew older. His mental instability, moreover, was fed by the intrigue and deception that went on within his own family.
When Rome destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Edomites were wiped out.
We know nothing about Obadiah. His name means “Servant of the Lord.”
He shows up to deliver God’s message against Edom.
But Obadiah’s brief walk-on appearance has its place in the Word of God.
Obadiah’s Message: it’s dangerous to try to make it in life without the Lord.
1. God promises deliverance
Obadiah 1:17—“But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.”
You know, that’s the meaning of the word salvation—to be delivered. So God’s promise of deliverance is actually an assurance of salvation for the faithful.
No matter how heavy my burden, if I take it to God, He will deliver me; no matter how great the temptation, if I take it to God, He will deliver me.
The Psalmist offers this reassurance to the faithful, “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most high shall abide under the tabernacle of the Almighty... surely He shall deliver you from the trap of the hunter and from persistent evil doers. He will cover you with His feathers and under His wing we will find trust...we will not be afraid of the terrors of the dark, nor of the arrows that are fired at us through the day...a thousand will fall at your side and 10,000 at your right hand, but you will be safe.”
2. God promises to make us holy
Obadiah 1:17—“But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.”
The promise of holiness is really an assurance to the faithful that God will set us apart for a special purpose.
The promise of holiness is really a promise of justification. God has promised that if I’m faithful to Him, He will take my wrong and make me right. And I don’t know about you, but I need God’s justification. I can’t be holy on my own, but holiness is available to me through His gracious justification, which is extended to me when I am faithful to Him.
I love to read what Isaiah writes about the day God brought him into holiness.
Isaiah 6: In the same year that King Uzziah died, he saw the Lord, high and lifted up. He said that the train of God’s robe filled the Temple and, when God spoke, the power of His voice caused the doorposts to quake. He said that God was so holy that angels danced around the Temple all day just singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory.” And Isaiah said that when he saw the Lord in His holiness, he saw himself for who he really was. He said of himself, “I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips, from a people of unclean lips.” But God didn’t leave Isaiah in that pitiful state, but He sent an angel to him. The angel swooped down and took a live coal from off of the altar and came to Isaiah and touched his lips with the coal. And then the angel declared, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
That’s justification. When God touched us, He makes up for our short-comings; He does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. And once we are justified, our new state of holiness gives us a new purpose in life. For when Isaiah knew that he had been justified, the question was asked by God,
“Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And Isaiah was quick to respond in his sanctified state, “Here I am Lord. Send me.”
The promise to the faithful is that God will deliver and He will make us holy. And with our holiness, we are given a new purpose for our living. With our holiness, we will follow after things that are transcendent rather than the things that are temporary, and what we do we will know is right because we will be sent in the power of the Holy Spirit to do those things that God has assigned to us to do.
3. God prepares an inheritance.
Obadiah 1:17—“But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.”
What exactly is that? Well, if you cut through all of the legal language, an inheritance is simply that which someone has set aside for you to enjoy. And when I think about an inheritance from the Lord, I know that he has set aside some wonderful things for me.
He has set aside companionship for me—Matthey 28: “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
He has set aside authority for me—John 15: “If you abide in Me and my Word abides in you then you may ask what you will and it will be done for you.”
He has set aside protection for me—Isaih 41:10: “Be not afraid of their words, for I, the Lord am with you, and I will protect you and keep you.”
He has set aside provision for me—“If you eat of My bread and drink of My water, you will never be hungry or thirsty again.”
He has set aside power for me—Acts 1: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth.”
But more than anything, the inheritance I’m looking for is what awaits me on the other side. Jesus said, John 14: “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you will be also.”
We can rest in that promise; we can plan for heaven. A poll was done a few years ago asking Americans the question, “Do you think you are going to heaven?” 119 out of every 120 people said, “Yes, I think I am going to heaven.”
Reality is quite different than most people’s perception. Matthew 7:13 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
The majority of the people follow the wide road, which leads to hell. The minority of the people follow the narrow road that leads to heaven. It’s not always wise to follow the crowd; they just might lead you down the wrong road.
Many have not made their preparations for heaven.
But in order to plan for heaven, we must do something here and now; we must respond to the invitation! Scripture is very clear as to who will have access into heaven.
Revelation 20:15 “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Is your name written in the book of life?
Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer, tells a story that illustrates the importance of having our names written in the book of life. Several years ago, she was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the invitation, the reception would be held on the top two floors of Seattle’s Columbia Tower, the Northwest’s tallest skyscraper. She and her husband, Roy, were excited about attending.
At the reception, waiters in tuxedos offered luscious hors d’oevres and fancy foods. The bride and groom approached a beautiful glass and brass staircase that led to the top floor. Someone ceremoniously cut a satin ribbon draped across the bottom of the stairs. They announced the wedding feast was about to begin. Bride and groom ascended the stairs, followed by their guests.
At the top of the stairs, a maitre d’ with a bound book greeted the guests outside the doors. “May I have your name please?”
“I am Ruthanna Metzgar and this is my husband, Roy.”
He searched the M’s. “I’m not finding it, would you spell it please?”
Ruthanna spelled her name slowly. After searching the book, the maitre d’ looked up and said, I’m sorry, but your name isn’t here.”
“There must be some mistake,” Ruthanna replied. “I am the singer. I sang for this wedding ceremony.”
The gentleman answered, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you did. Without your name in the book you cannot attend the banquet.”
He motioned to a waiter and said, “Show these people to the service elevator, please.”
The Metzgars followed the waiter past the beautifully dedorated tables laden with shrimp, whole smoked salmon and magnificent carved ice sculptures. Adjacent to the banquet area, an orchestra was prepared to perform, the musicians all dressed in dazzling white tuxedos. The waiter led Ruthanna and Roy to the service elevator, ushered them in, and pushed G for the parking garage.
After locating their car and driving several miles in silence, Roy reached over and put his hand on Ruthanna’s arm. “Sweetheart, what happened?”
”When the invitation arrived, I was busy,” Ruthanna replied. “I never bothered to RSVP. Besides, I was the singer. Surely, I could go the reception without returning the RSVP.”
Ruthanna started to cry. – not only because she had missed the most lavish banquet she’d ever been invited to, but also because she happened to get a small taste of what it will be like someday for people as they stand before Christ and find their names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
For heaven’s sake, have you made your reservation?
In 1962 Bob Dylan wrote the following words:
“How many times can a man turn his head, and pretend that he just doesn’t see?”
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Edmund Burke, Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)
“Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” (James 4:17).
There is no middle ground in our battle with evil. There are times when we must pick a side and take a stand.
Truth demands a choice.
“Aim at heaven and you’ll get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you’ll get neither.”
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
