The Minor Prophets

The Minor Prophets Lesson 2 Obadiah

Strategy For Studying Minor Prophets • Background of the prophet • Contemporary and historic background • Main points of the prophet • Practical lessons for today

Background Of The Prophet • Obadiah means “Servant of Jehovah” • Nothing revealed about his character or background • Date of writing is uncertain but often placed at around 845 BC contemporary with Elisha’s ministry • Theme – destruction of Edom contrasted with exaltation of Mount Zion

Background Of The Prophet • Edom falls because of its pride • Edom falls because of hostility toward Israel, God’s people, their cousins • Zion, Israel, to be exalted pointing to Messianic kingdom under Jesus where Jew and Gentile are made one spiritual body, Jesus’ church

Brief History of Edom • Edomites were descendants of Esau, twin brother of Jacob • Nation located south of Dead Sea • Land characterized by cliffs on which they built their cities • Great conflict between Esau and Jacob

Brief History of Edom • Esau and Jacob later reconciled • But, there was endless conflict between Edom and Israelites • By 100 AD no sign of Edom’s existence

Edom Descendants of Esau Twin Brother of Jacob • Gen 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. • Gen 25:23 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger."

Edom Descendants of Esau Twin Brother of Jacob • Gen 25:24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. • Gen 25:25 Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau.

Edom Descendants of Esau Twin Brother of Jacob • Gen 25:26 Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

Esau Sells Birthright To Jacob • Gen 25:28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. • Gen 25:30 and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom. • Gen 25:31 But Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."

Esau Sells Birthright To Jacob • Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, "First swear to me"; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. • Gen 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Rebekah and Jacob combine To Steal Isaac’s Blessing For Esau • Gen 27:15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. • Gen 27:16 And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. • Gen 27:17 She also gave the savory food and the bread, which she had made, to her son Jacob.

Rebekah and Jacob combine To Steal Isaac’s Blessing For Esau • Gen 27:22 So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." • Gen 27:23 He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him.

Esau Holds Bitter Grudge Against Jacob • Gen 27:40 "By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck." • Gen 27:41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Jacob and Esau Reconciled • Gen 33:4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. • Gen 33:5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, "Who are these with you?" So he said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."

Edom Refuses Israel Passing Through Their Land • Num 20:14 From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us; • Num 20:15 that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

Edom Refuses Israel Passing Through Their Land • Num 20:16 'But when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

Edom Refuses Israel Passing Through Their Land • Num 20:17 'Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king's highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.'" • Num 20:18 Edom, however, said to him, "You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you."

Edom Refuses Israel Passing Through Their Land • Num 20:19 Again, the sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else." • Num 20:20 But he said, "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and with a strong hand.

David Subdues Edom • 2Sa 8:14 He put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the LORD helped David wherever he went.

Edom Rebels Against Judah • 2Ki 8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. • 2Ki 8:21 Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; but his army fled to their tents.

Edom Rebels Against Judah • 2Ki 8:22 So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

Main Points of Obadiah • God’s Judgment Against Edom Vs. 1-9 • Reasons For God’s Judgment Against Edom Vs. 10-16 • The Exaltation of Israel Over Edom Vs. 17-21

God’s Judgment Against Edom • Oba 1:3 "The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, In the loftiness of your dwelling place, Who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to earth?' • Oba 1:4 "Though you build high like the eagle, Though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.

God’s Judgment Against Edom • Oba 1:5 "If thieves came to you, If robbers by night-- O how you will be ruined!-- Would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleanings?

Reasons For God’s Judgment Against Edom • Oba 1:10 "Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever. • Oba 1:11 "On the day that you stood aloof, On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem-- You too were as one of them.

Reasons For God’s Judgment Against Edom • Oba 1:12 "Do not gloat over your brother's day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast In the day of their distress. • Oba 1:13 "Do not enter the gate of My people In the day of their disaster. Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity In the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth In the day of their disaster.

The Exaltation of Israel Over Edom • Oba 1:17 "But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions. • Oba 1:18 "Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken.

The Exaltation of Israel Over Edom • Oba 1:21 The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau, And the kingdom will be the LORD'S.

Possible Ultimate Fulfillment of The Exaltation of Israel Over Edom • Jesus now reigns over Heaven and earth • His spiritual kingdom is composed of all people who willingly obey Him, both Jews and Gentiles

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Mat 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. • Mat 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, • Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Mar 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. • Mar 16:16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Luk 24:46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, • Luk 24:47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Rom 11:13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, • Rom 11:14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. • Rom 11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Rom 11:16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. • Rom 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,

Jesus’ One Spiritual Kingdom Composed of People From All Nations • Rom 11:18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Strategy For Studying Minor Prophets • Background of the prophet • Contemporary and historic background • Main points of the prophet • Practical lessons for today

Both Individual and National Pride Are Destructive • Pro 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. • 1Co 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. • Psa 9:17 The wicked will return to Sheol, Even all the nations who forget God.

Mistreatment of Brethren Is Sinful • Oba 1:10 "Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever. • 1Co 8:12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

Silently Approving of Evil Is Sinful • Oba 1:11 "On the day that you stood aloof, On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem-- You too were as one of them. • Eph 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

Rejoicing In The Fall of Your Enemies Is Sinful • Oba 1:12 "Do not gloat over your brother's day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast In the day of their distress.

Rejoicing In The Fall of Your Enemies Is Sinful • Pro 24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; • Pro 24:18 Or the LORD will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him.

Nations Like Individuals Reap What They Sow • Oba 1:15 "For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.

Nations Like Individuals Reap What They Sow • Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. • Gal 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Enslavement To Bitterness Is Destructive • Heb 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; • Heb 12:16 that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

Enslavement To Bitterness Is Destructive • Heb 12:17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Enslavement To Bitterness Is Destructive • Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. • Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Persecuting The Lord’s People Is Persecuting The Lord • Act 9:1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, • Act 9:2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Persecuting The Lord’s People Is Persecuting The Lord • Act 9:5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

God Always Preserves His People In Times of Divine Judgment • Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, • Heb 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

The Minor Prophets