Tonight, I want us to look in
the manner of prophecy of Obadah. Obadah. Each year, for several years,
I have tried to read through the Bible, reading three chapters
in the Old Testament and one chapter in the New Testament
each day. You may easily read through the
Bible. I usually begin in the book of
Genesis and go through that way, and I encourage everyone at least
one time to read the Bible straight through. But this time I began
with the Minor Prophets, reading the Minor Prophets on the first
day, Hosea. And I read this prophecy last
week. It's the shortest of these 12
Minor Prophets. It only has 21 verses. There's
only two books in the whole Bible that are shorter than this, and
that is 2 and 3 John, 21 verses in this prophecy. Someone might
say, well, how do we know that this is the inspired word of
God? We know this because The Apostle
Paul asked the question, what advantage then hath the Jews? And he said chiefly, to them
was committed the oracles of God, that is, the word of God. And so the books in our Old Testament
were the books that the Jews accepted as being inspired. Never question about these Old
Testament books, because the Jews recognized the inspiration. I think in some of the Jewish
books, they had the 12 minor prophets as only one book, but
we have them divided into the 12 prophecies. In reading through the scriptures,
I know we always look for Christ. That's always our goal, to see
if we can see Christ, because we know that all the scripture
some way points to him or testifies to him. Our Lord told the Jewish
leaders of the day when he was here in the flesh, he said, search
the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life.
Well, when he told them to search the scriptures, this was part
of the scriptures that he told them to search. And he said,
and they are they which testify of me. Now, as you read through
this letter or this prophecy of Obadiah, It is basically one
of judgment, one of judgment. Obadiah is prophesying the judgment
that God is going to bring upon Edom. But as I read through it
several times, I said, well, where is Christ in this prophecy? And I believe we see him in verse
17, where the prophet said, but upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance. In other words, to the church,
Mount Zion, the deliverer, the deliverance and the deliverer
is promised. But after reading the prophecy
several times, I think the key word, the key message for us
is found in verse 18, where you read the very end,
for the Lord hath spoken it. For the Lord hath spoken it. And that concerns all the scriptures. Whether it be prophecy of destruction,
prophecies of judgment, or promises of blessings, all is going to
take place, why? Because the Lord hath spoken
it. God's Word is sure, no matter
where we find it. Now, the prophecy begins in verse
one, declaring that the vision, the prophecy, concerns Edom. The vision of Obadiah, thus saith
the Lord God concerning Edom. And I want us to look at this
prophecy today and four divisions. First of all, who was Edom? The vision, the prophecy, concerns
Edom. Who was Edom? Well, the Edomites
were the descendants of Esau. And the name Edom literally means
red. This name was given to Esau. Because he sold his birthright
for some of Jacob's red pottage. Esau, red. Look back with me
into the book of Genesis. Genesis chapter 25. Genesis chapter
25 in verse 30. And Esau said to Jacob, feed
me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am faint. Now notice, therefore, because
of him desiring this red pottage, therefore was his name called
Edom. And if you have a Bible with
a marginal reading, you see in the margin, it means red. Also look in Genesis 36, Genesis
36, verses 8 and 9. We're answering the question,
rather, who was Edom? Edom is the descendants of Esau. Here in Genesis 36, verses 8
and 9, Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. And these are the generations
of Esau, the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. Also look with
me in Deuteronomy chapter two, where we are told where they
were given their habitation. In Deuteronomy chapter two, In verse number 12, the Orams also dwelt in Seir
before time, but the children of Esau succeeded them when they
had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their stead. as Israel did unto the land of
his possession, which the Lord gave unto them. The Edomites,
they dispossessed the Horems from the land of Seir." Now,
the word Seir means hairy, hairy, H-A-I-R-Y, hairy, and it could
It could not possibly be simply a coincidence that when Esau
was born, he was given that name Esau because he was hairy. Look back to Genesis 25, 25 again. Genesis 25 and verse 25. Remember Esau was a twin, Esau
and Jacob. Verse 24 says, and when her days
to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her
womb, and the first came out red all over like an hairy garment. He was hairy. Esau was. And so he is given, he and his
descendants are given a mountain range by the name of Seir, S-E-I-R,
which means hairy. And this mountain range, it wasn't
just one mountain. I know it's called Mount Seir,
but it wasn't just one mountain that they were given, but it
was a mountain range, which from what I read, lay to the south
of the Dead Sea. So who was Edom? Obadiah, the
vision of Obadiah, thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom. A second thing I wanted us to
consider is when did Obadiah prophesy? Now, when you read
through this prophecy, and it's very easy to read through it,
much of it is spoken as if these actions of Edom had already taken
place. Look in verse 11. In the day
that thou stoodest, that is, Edom, you stood on the other
side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces,
that is, the nation of Judah, and foreigners entered into his
gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in
the day that he became a stranger. Neither shouldest thou have rejoiced
over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Neither shouldest thou have spoken
proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered
into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Yea,
thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day
of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the
day of their calamity. Now reading those three verses,
it sounds like what they did was already done. when Obadiah
gave this prophecy. It sounds like what they were
accused of doing, charged with doing, they had already done. But I believe that this prophecy
of Obadiah took place sometime before Jerusalem was captured
by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed. We cannot be certain about that.
There are 13 Obadiahs in the Old Testament. And none of them,
none of the 12 other than this one, this could not have been
any of those other Obadiahs. The one that I think most of
us think of or remember the most is when Elijah met Obadiah. Remember, Elijah had told the
king there would not be rain upon the earth for until he spoke
his word. We know it lasted three and a
half years. And at the end of that three and a half years,
he came back. God sent Elijah back to Israel. And who did he come in contact
with? Obadiah. But it wasn't this Obadiah. It wasn't this Obadiah. But I
believe that this prophecy was prophesied sometime before these
things actually happened. But it's written as though they
had already taken place. And there again, it reminds us
of God's word that it will come to pass no matter how long, no
matter what takes place in the meantime. God's Word is going
to be fulfilled. Heaven and earth may pass away,
but not one jot nor one tittle of the Word of God is going to
pass away until it is all fulfilled. Now why, why preacher, do you
believe that this prophecy was given before Jerusalem was actually
destroyed? I believe so because we know
the prophet Jeremiah did prophesy before and up to the destruction
of Jerusalem. And what's amazing about that
is, or revealing about that is, Jeremiah quoted Obadiah. Jeremiah prophesied before Jerusalem
was destroyed, and he quoted Obadiah. I wanna just give us
one example, but if you look here in Obadiah verse four, the prophecy was, though thou
exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among
the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord. Now turn with me to Jeremiah
chapter 49, And this is just one, there are
several of these verses in Obadiah that Jeremiah quoted. So the
prophecy evidently, most certainly was written, given before Jeremiah
prophesied and he prophesied before Jerusalem was destroyed. But here in Jeremiah chapter
49, And just to show that this concerns Edom, verse seven says,
concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Now look down
to verse 16. Thy terribleness hath deceived
thee, and the pride of thine heart. O thou that dwellest in
the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill,
Now notice, though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the
eagle. Isn't that what we read in Obadiah?
Absolutely. Though thou makest thy nest as
high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith
the Lord. The Lord hath spoken it. That's
what we see, the Lord has spoken it. And maybe Obadiah prophesied
several years, many years before Jeremiah prophesied, and maybe
people began to think, well, that prophecy's not going to
be fulfilled. Time has gone on. But Jeremiah
quotes the prophecy himself as to show that God's word will
be fulfilled. The Lord hath spoken it. God's Word will certainly come
to pass. Even if years pass, even if years
lapse between Obadiah and Jeremiah, it makes no difference. God's
Word is sure. Let God be true and every man
a liar. And remember the words of the
Apostle James in the New Testament. He made this statement, known
unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. And
so before Jerusalem was destroyed and before Edom took advantage,
they mistreated their brother, that is Judah, and God brought
judgment upon them for their actions. God knew that from before
the foundation of the world. So God could prophesy years before
the prophecy comes to pass, but it's going to come to pass because
known unto him are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Now here's a third subject or matter, and I, I put down what
important lesson should we learn from this prophecy? What is the
important lesson that we should learn from this prophecy? And
here it is. Those who suffer, those of mankind
who suffer the wrath of God in hell, do so because of their
sin. Everyone, everyone who suffers
the judgment of God, everlasting destruction, separation from
God, will suffer that penalty because of his or her sin. Obadiah prophesies the absolute
destruction of Edom. Notice back here in Obadiah,
verse nine, the absolute destruction of this nation. Verse nine, and
thy mighty men, O Teman, that was a city in Edom where wisdom
evidently was especially plentiful. Thy mighty men, O Teman, shall
be dismayed to the end that every one, not most, not the largest
percentage, that every one of the Mount of Esau may be cut
off by slaughter. And then notice down again in
verse 24, excuse me, verse 18, And the house of Jacob shall
be afire, and the house of Joseph aflame, and the house of Esau
for stubble. And they shall kindle in them,
and devour them. And there shall not be any remaining
of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it. But here is the lesson. When we think and read about
the destruction of Esau, his descendants, we automatically
think about the difference that God made between Jacob and Esau,
these two twins. God said, Jacob have I loved,
Esau have I hated. Look with me in Romans chapter
nine. Romans chapter 9, beginning with
verse 11. For the children, that is Esau
and Jacob, being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob
have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Now sometimes men will say, well
that just means that he loved Esau less. The point is, God
made a difference. God made a difference between
these two men. He loved Esau, he hated Jacob. Or he hated Esau. What shall
we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? That's what men automatically say, isn't it? When they hear
this truth, when they hear the word of God, that's not fair.
That's not fair. For God to choose one and not
choose the other, that's not fair. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? Is God unfair? Is God unjust? God forbid, the
apostle answers, doesn't he? For he saith to Moses, I will
have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose
have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that
my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath
he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, why,
why doth God yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou
that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the
potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honour and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing
to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with
much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,
and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory. even us whom he hath called,
not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles." Here's the
lesson. When we think and read about
the destruction of Edom, and our minds go back to the truth that God has declared
concerning Jacob and Esau. Now it's clear from scripture,
as one writer said, that vessels of mercy are vessels of mercy
and shall never be vessels of wrath. And vessels of wrath are
vessels of wrath and shall never be vessels of mercy. It is also
just as clear from scripture that no one goes to hell because
of God's purpose. God and I don't see Bill in here
right now, but he was telling, there he is, he was telling me
of speaking with someone not too long ago about God's sovereignty
and the man said, well, I just can't believe God created any
man to send him to hell. He didn't. He didn't. God did not create men just to
send them to hell. All men are created for God's
glory, first of all. Everything that He has created
is for His glory. But vessels of mercy are prepared
by grace for glory. But notice vessels of wrath are
fitted, fitted to destruction. And man fits himself. He fits
himself for destruction. Men, women, all who suffer eternally
the wrath of God, do so because of their obstinate, willful rebellion
and their unbelief. Esau, he is in hell today because
he despised Christ, because he preferred the world to the Son
of God, because he preferred a bowl of beans to gratify his
flesh for a moment He preferred that to God's eternal inheritance
of grace. Now, Edom would perish just as
Obadiah prophesied. Edom would perish. They would
be absolutely cut off, but for the same reason. Not because
God purposed their destruction, but because of their hatred of
God and His people, which is displayed in their conduct here. Edom would be and was destroyed. They were destroyed even before Christ came. They were destroyed, but they
were destroyed for their sin. And I want you to notice where
it all begins. where it all begins, the sin
of Edom. Notice in verse 3. The pride of thine heart hath
deceived thee. That's where it all begins. Esau, Edom, his thought was that
he was invincible. His home or habitation was in
the high cliffs, in the rocks, and he was convinced that they
could not possibly be destroyed. But this is true of all men by
nature, all men who perish under the wrath of God. Their hearts
deceive them, the heart which is desperately wicked and deceitful
above all things. And Jeremiah said, who can know
it? And man deceives himself. He
deceives himself because of his pride and because no doubt his
refusal to hear the word of God, to hear the message of Christ. But notice the last thing here,
the promise deliverer coming to Mount Zion in verse 17. I said, this is where we see
Christ. The Redeemer shall come to Zion. That's from Isaiah 59 and verse
20. But upon Mount Zion shall be
deliverance. And that verse, the Redeemer
shall come to Zion, is quoted by Paul in Romans 11. And instead
of Redeemer, it is Deliverer. There shall come out of Zion
the deliverer, or there shall come to Zion the deliverer. John Gill said deliverer and
redeemer have the same signification, really. In the law that God gave to Israel
at Sinai, provision was made for people who needed deliverance. There was a year of Jubilee. The 50th year was a year of Jubilee,
and that's when all debts were canceled, all property was restored
to the rightful owners, and people were allowed to go back to their
homes. The year of Jubilee. If you look
with me in Luke chapter four, I believe it is. Yes, Luke chapter
four. And verse 18. The Lord Jesus, you're familiar
with this passage. When he came back to Nazareth
after he had been baptized and tempted in the wilderness of
Satan, he returned to Nazareth and goes into the synagogue on
the Sabbath and they hand him the scroll. And he finds a place
in the book where it was written, verse 18, the spirit of the Lord
is upon me. Because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight
to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, and others,
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." The acceptable
year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee. And then notice in verse
21, the Lord Jesus said, this day is this scripture fulfilled
in your ears. So there was provision in the
law for deliverance the year of Jubilee. Well, you say that
only came around every 50 years. I understand that. But there
was another provision in the law for those who needed to be
delivered. And that was of the kinsman redeemer. If a man had in poverty sold
himself into servitude, then he could be redeemed. His property
could be redeemed. But there was three requirements
for a man to redeem another man. Number one, he had to be kin
to him. The Lord Jesus Christ became bone of our bone and flesh
of our flesh, that he might be our kinsman, redeemer. Number
two, he had to be able. If he was in debt, he couldn't
redeem anyone else. The Lord Jesus Christ, he had
no sin of his own, did he? And number three, he had to be
willing. He had to be willing. And all three of those we find
in our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. And since our Lord came,
this year of Jubilee has continued until tonight, until today. It is still the year of Jubilee. The Lord hath spoken it. All that come unto me, I will
and no wise cast out. That's what he spoke. That's
what he said. All that come unto me I will
in no wise cast out. If a man doesn't come, he cannot
blame that on God's purpose. He bears the fault himself. The Lord has spoken it, and everything
that he has spoken, it is the truth. It shall come to pass. Well, I pray the Lord would make
this a blessing to all of us here tonight. Obadiah. I don't know if I've ever preached
from Obadiah before, probably never will again, but it's part
of all scripture given by inspiration of God, isn't it?