A Whole Book in a Day
Obadiah is a neat book in that it is only 1 chapter long. So we will start it and finish it in a
day. For the record, in just over a week
we’ll read both 2 John and 3 John in the same day. And earlier in the year (February) you’ll
remember reading the book of Philemon all in one day, too. Banner year!
While I jest, I do think it is neat to say today that you read an entire
book of the Bible in a day.
History
Obadiah is written after the fall of Jerusalem. The Babylonians had taken Jerusalem and the
Hebrew people of Judah were fleeing for their lives. While this was happening, the Edomites went
around and rounded up these refugees and turned them over to Babylon. The point of Obadiah is that the Edomites
(people of Esau) should be treating their kin (people of Jacob) better than
this. Obadiah will tell Edom that God
will repay their desire to take advantage of the fall of the Hebrew people.
The Sin of Edom
Edom’s greatest sin is in their pride. They know where they live. They know that the mountain and hill country
in which they live is difficult terrain.
They believe that their natural circumstances will protect them. They are proud in their supposed security.
However, Obadiah reminds them that there are more ways to be conquered
than through the military oppression of the Babylonians. Thieves can come in and steal away that which
is precious. “Harvesters” {slavers} can come in and take away
their fruit {population}. No, they will be pillaged.
None of this talks about the ultimate truth, which is that God can
reach them wherever they are. God is not
fearful of the hazardous terrain in which they live. Even if their home was among the stars, God
could bring them down. In their pride,
they have committed the same fault as the people of the Tower of Babel. They believed themselves to be unstoppable
and they have forgotten about the supremacy of God. They believed themselves unreachable and have
forgotten about the power of the Most High.
Like the tower of Babel, Edom will be torn down and the people scattered
around the world.
Shame of Edom
When the Babylonians finally conquered Judah the Edomites lined up
to look what they could plunder. They
allied themselves with Babylon and cut off the way of the fugitives. They gloated over the fall of their
neighbors.
Of course they did all of this because they were thinking about
themselves. In that end, can I blame
them? When I see someone stepping out of
line and about to get nailed, don’t I get right in line with authority and try
to use their disobedience as evidence of my superior obedience? Am I never guilty of using someone else’s
downfall to elevate my position and make people less likely to come after me
next? Of course I am. That’s just what it means to be a flawed
human being.
God’s point is that the Edomites shouldn’t be doing it. They shouldn’t be kicking the Hebrew people
when they are down. They shouldn’t be
allying themselves with the enemy just to save their own neck. They shouldn’t be looking out for
themselves. They need to repent rather
than continue in the errant behavior.
Judgment Shall Come
I was watching a movie this past weekend and one of the characters
made an incredibly interesting point. We
never hear anything modern about an Edomite, a Philistine, a Phoenician, an Aramian,
a Chaldeans, a Babylonian, an Assyrian, etc.
For example, nobody is walking around claiming to be Babylonian in
heritage. They are just gone. Yes, they existed. Yes, they left archaeological evidence as
proof of their existence. But they are
no more.
They were wiped from the face of the planet. They were absorbed seamlessly into other
cultures. Their nationality was simply
lost and merged with some other nation of the day.
Yet, this isn’t true about the Hebrew people. Even though they were brought under captivity
by nations who have been lost, the Hebrew people have not been lost. We still know who the Jewish people are and
can even point to modern Jews!
This is evidence of the judgment that Obadiah proclaims here to
the Edomites. Because of their refusal
to be humble and repent, they shall be consumed. Unlike the Hebrew people – who will have a
remnant – the Edomites will be no longer.
They will become a part of someone else and their culture will be absorbed
and destroyed.
Return of the Lord’s People
This is where Obadiah leaves off the prophecy against Edom. God wants Edom to hear their judgment and
destruction and then hear how the Hebrew people will continue. God’s people may have years of captivity
under the world ahead of them, but a faithful remnant will persevere. Faithful people will always persevere because
God is bigger than this world.
But when we live for the world, we will simply be absorbed into
the world as the world changes around us.
When the things I live for are destroyed or consumed by the world, I am
absorbed into the world and lost. But
when I live for God, He is able to retain me and keep me. It is God that is the difference between the ancient
Hebrew people and the ancient nations around them that have simply melded into the
course of history.
<><
No comments:
Post a Comment