The Prophet Obadiah

Illus: In the year 2008, all 7,100 of the Starbuck’s Coffee shops closed for one day for employee training. The coffee chain said the in-store-training program would foster enthusiasm in its 135,000 U.S. employees and improve the quality of drinks made by Starbucks.

Starbuck’s felt that to continue the lead in coffee sales, it was necessary for them to evaluate and re-train their employees.

A day after evaluating and re-training at Starbucks, they welcomed customers back into their shops with a new promise posted on the door: "Your drink should be perfect every time. If not, let us know and we'll make it right."

Many successful businesses recognize the need to train their employees and evaluate their performance. The army does efficiency reports to keep the military operating smoothly!

Illus: It is said that one Sargent in the army was written up in a way no Sargent in the army would want to be written up. The report stated:

• "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and shows signs of starting to dig."

• "His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity."

• "I would not allow this employee to breed."

• "This Sargent is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't be."

• "He works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."

• "When he opens his mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there."

• "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."

• "This Sargent should go far - and the sooner he starts, the better."

• "This Sargent is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

Evaluations can serve the purpose of warning people. Obadiah issues a clear warning.

Whenever we have to tell someone that they have fallen short, it should be to help them, because we care. This is not always the case. Sometimes “performance counseling” is merely a “chewing-out” which helps no one.

The purpose of a reprimand is to assist, restore, and teach - NOT PUNISH!

Let’s look at-

I. THE MAN

In Obadiah 1:1, we read, “The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.”

Obadiah’s name means, “servant of God”.

• The Book of Obadiah is the first of the Minor Prophets we have in the scriptures.

• Obadiah consists of only twenty-one verses and is the shortest book in the Old Testament.

Illus: The great Robert Murray McCheyne said, “Something we should always remember, that if we neglect any part of the Bible it will leave us with some spiritual weakness or handicap. We all understand what it means to have a physical handicap: short of sight, dull of hearing, or incapacitated in some other way. So shall we be if we are ignorant of any part of Scripture: all Scripture is profitable. That is the basis upon which we are looking at what often are neglected portions of the Word of God.”

Although the Book of Obadiah has only twenty-one verses and is the shortest book in the Old Testament, it is equally inspired with all the other Scripture.

It doesn't matter how weak we are in grace or gifts, we are as much a part of the true church as those with great gifts and great grace.

God has put these little books in the Bible as well as the bigger ones, to remind us that He doesn't judge a people according to their size or the amount of grace they have.

WHO IS OBADIAH? We can not be sure which Obadiah wrote this book. Thirteen different people are called by this name in the Old Testament

• The writer of this book also may have been...The Obadiah sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in Judah - 2 Chronicles 17:7

• The writer of this book could have been the Obadiah that was one of the overseers in repairing the temple under Josiah - 2 Chronicles 34:12

• One Jewish tradition identifies him as the one that was Ahab's steward. He hid 100 prophets from Jezebel, Ahab's wife - 1 Kings 18:3-4 He feared the Lord from his youth - 1 Kings 18:12

The Scholars aren’t sure which one wrote this brief message. Many believe that Obadiah the steward of King Ahab that hid 100 prophets from Jezebel later became Obadiah the prophet!

The prophet Elijah came to the servant Obadiah and said, in 1 Kings 18:8-12, “…Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.”