WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.910 called Hosea, joel Amos Obadiah. 00:00:02.910 --> 00:00:09.686 We'll start by reading this for us the vision of Obadiah. 00:00:09.686 --> 00:00:13.609 This is what the Lord, god, has said about Edom. 00:00:13.609 --> 00:00:16.707 We have heard a message from the Lord. 00:00:16.707 --> 00:00:20.408 An envoy has been sent among the nations. 00:00:20.408 --> 00:00:24.550 Rise up and let's go to war against her. 00:00:27.899 --> 00:00:29.042 Look, I will make you insignificant among the nations. 00:00:29.042 --> 00:00:29.864 You will be deeply despised. 00:00:29.864 --> 00:00:32.770 Your arrogant heart has deceived you. 00:00:32.770 --> 00:00:46.381 You who live in clests of the rock, in your home on the heights, who say to yourself who can bring me down to the ground, though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars? 00:00:46.381 --> 00:00:49.767 Even from there, I will bring you down. 00:00:50.046 --> 00:00:51.590 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:00:51.590 --> 00:00:56.845 If thieves came to you, if marauders by night, how ravaged would you be? 00:00:56.845 --> 00:00:59.633 Wouldn't they steal only what they wanted? 00:00:59.633 --> 00:01:04.465 If grape harvesters came to you, wouldn't they leave a few grapes? 00:01:04.465 --> 00:01:10.171 How Esau will be pillaged, his hidden treasure searched out. 00:01:10.171 --> 00:01:13.896 Everyone who has a treaty with you will drive you to the border. 00:01:13.896 --> 00:01:18.710 Everyone at peace with you will deceive and conquer you. 00:01:18.710 --> 00:01:19.838 Those who eat your bread will set a trap for you. 00:01:19.838 --> 00:01:23.302 He will be unaware of it In that day. 00:01:23.783 --> 00:01:25.167 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:01:25.167 --> 00:01:33.956 Will I not eliminate the wise ones of Edom and those who understand, from the hill country of Esau, temen. 00:01:33.956 --> 00:01:40.393 Your warriors will be terrified, so that everyone from the hill country of Esau will be destroyed by slaughter. 00:01:40.393 --> 00:01:43.626 You will be covered with shame and destroyed forever. 00:01:43.626 --> 00:01:48.210 Because of violence done to your brother, jacob, on the day you stood aloof. 00:01:48.210 --> 00:01:53.906 On the day strangers captured his wealth while foreigners entered his city gate and cast lots for Jerusalem. 00:01:53.906 --> 00:01:56.033 You were just like one of them. 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:00.765 Do not gloat over your brother in the day of his calamity. 00:02:00.765 --> 00:02:05.852 Do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction. 00:02:05.852 --> 00:02:09.566 Do not boastfully mock in the day of distress. 00:02:09.566 --> 00:02:13.701 Do not enter my people's city gate in the day of their disaster. 00:02:13.701 --> 00:02:21.807 Yes, you Do not gloat over their misery in the day of their disaster and do not appropriate their possessions in the day of their disaster. 00:02:21.807 --> 00:02:34.283 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives and do not hand over their survivors in a day of distress, for the day of the Lord is near against all the nations. 00:02:34.283 --> 00:02:37.389 As you have done, it will be done to you. 00:02:37.389 --> 00:02:39.961 What you deserve will return on your own head. 00:02:39.961 --> 00:02:45.072 As you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. 00:02:45.072 --> 00:02:48.388 They will drink and gulp down and be as though they had never been. 00:02:48.388 --> 00:02:54.205 But there will be a deliverance on Mount Zion and it will be holy. 00:02:54.205 --> 00:02:59.153 The house of Jacob will dispossess those who dispossessed them. 00:02:59.153 --> 00:03:07.846 Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire and the house of Joseph a burning flame, but the house of Esau will be stubble. 00:03:07.846 --> 00:03:11.834 Jacob will set them on fire and consume Edom. 00:03:11.834 --> 00:03:17.872 Therefore, no survival will remain of the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken. 00:03:19.281 --> 00:03:22.413 People from the Negev will possess the hill country of Esau. 00:03:22.413 --> 00:03:25.295 Those from the Judean foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. 00:03:25.295 --> 00:03:25.497 They will possess the territories of of Esau. 00:03:25.497 --> 00:03:26.105 Those from the Judean foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. 00:03:26.105 --> 00:03:31.040 They will possess the territories of Ephraim and Samaria, while Benjamin will possess Gilead. 00:03:31.040 --> 00:03:42.050 The exiles of the Israelites who are in Hala and who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, as well as the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sephard, will possess the cities of the Negev. 00:03:42.050 --> 00:03:55.173 Saviors will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the hill country of Esau, and the kingdom will be the Lord's Amen. 00:03:55.173 --> 00:03:56.514 Father, thank you for your word. 00:03:56.514 --> 00:04:01.310 Again, we cry out to you to give us good things from your word tonight. 00:04:01.310 --> 00:04:02.592 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:04:05.001 --> 00:04:10.429 Obadiah is probably one of the least familiar books in the Bible, I think, to most people, even most Christians. 00:04:10.429 --> 00:04:16.463 I do with the boys on Friday night Christian service brigade. 00:04:16.463 --> 00:04:28.288 We do this thing we call sword drills sometimes, where I give them a passage and they have to all look it up and the first one to get there and stand up and start reading it wins that sword drill. 00:04:28.288 --> 00:04:30.261 Right, like the Bible is the sword of the spirit. 00:04:30.261 --> 00:04:36.622 You want to know how to handle your sword and so sometimes give them easier ones, sometimes harder ones. 00:04:36.622 --> 00:04:41.120 Sometimes I'll throw in like all right, josiah, chapter four, verse six, charge. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:45.226 And then I'll start looking and I'll say wait, wait a minute, that's not a book of the Bible. 00:04:45.226 --> 00:04:46.910 I'll say, correct, you've won that one. 00:04:46.910 --> 00:04:51.983 But then they know in the back of their mind that that could be a trick I'm doing sometimes. 00:04:51.983 --> 00:04:59.024 So there have been times where I've said Obadiah 15, charge, and I'll get two of them. 00:04:59.024 --> 00:05:00.807 That's not a book of the Bible, yes, it is. 00:05:00.807 --> 00:05:02.091 Get open and start looking. 00:05:02.572 --> 00:05:18.141 So this is not the most common book of the Bible for us, but the book of Obadiah shows us that the seed of the serpent will be crushed by the seed of the woman. 00:05:18.141 --> 00:05:26.764 Obadiah shows us the seed of the serpent will be crushed by the seed of the woman, shows us the seed of the serpent will be crushed by the seed of the woman. 00:05:26.764 --> 00:05:27.867 And we think, well, wait a minute here. 00:05:27.867 --> 00:05:30.632 I didn't see the word serpent anywhere in Obadiah. 00:05:30.632 --> 00:05:37.100 I didn't hear a lot of talk about seed. 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:37.822 Where are you getting that? 00:05:37.822 --> 00:05:45.235 I'm going to try to show you that from scripture tonight by setting Obadiah in the context of more of the whole of scripture, especially what's come before it. 00:05:47.223 --> 00:05:52.591 The first thing to note with Obadiah is that it's not primarily about the people of Israel. 00:05:52.591 --> 00:06:01.033 Verse one says this is what the Lord, god, has said about Edom. 00:06:01.033 --> 00:06:16.036 Yes, there are prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel who include oracles against other nations, but most, all of the prophets are mainly talking about Israel. 00:06:16.036 --> 00:06:24.906 Sometimes, maybe more the northern kingdom, sometimes more the southern kingdom, you will have Jonah, who was sent specifically to the Ninevites to talk to them. 00:06:24.906 --> 00:06:30.471 But this is one of the very few prophecies where you read through this book as we did. 00:06:30.471 --> 00:06:34.170 It's just one chapter and it's all about Edom. 00:06:34.170 --> 00:06:41.173 So, yes, the house of Jacob, another name for Israel, is mentioned. 00:06:41.173 --> 00:06:50.581 You can see that in verse 17 and in verse 18 as well, but the whole book is more about Edom. 00:06:50.581 --> 00:06:55.910 So who was Edom? 00:06:55.910 --> 00:07:03.564 If Obadiah is unfamiliar as a prophet, edom's not the most familiar place people? 00:07:03.564 --> 00:07:04.024 What is it? 00:07:04.024 --> 00:07:06.271 Well, there's a clue here. 00:07:06.271 --> 00:07:15.300 For us, it's a very huge clue, because there's a name that comes up frequently in the book and that's the name Esau. 00:07:16.281 --> 00:07:21.007 Esau runs parallel to Edom in this prophecy. 00:07:21.007 --> 00:07:32.745 So judgment against Edom is judgment against Esau and judgment against Esau is judgment against Edom. 00:07:32.745 --> 00:07:34.430 I'll give you an example of that. 00:07:34.430 --> 00:07:35.692 Look at verse number eight. 00:07:35.692 --> 00:07:51.242 In that day this is the Lord's declaration Will I not eliminate the wise ones of Edom and those who understand from the hill country of Esau? 00:07:51.242 --> 00:07:56.432 It's not talking about two entirely different things. 00:07:56.432 --> 00:08:00.163 It's another way of saying the same thing. 00:08:00.163 --> 00:08:05.475 Edom is the place of Esau. 00:08:07.862 --> 00:08:11.874 Verse 9, if you look at verse 9, mentions Teman. 00:08:11.874 --> 00:08:31.000 According to Genesis 36.15, teman is the grandson of Esau, esau, esau. 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:32.462 So Edom is the place of Esau and the place of Esau is going to be judged. 00:08:32.462 --> 00:08:33.885 What are they going to be judged for? 00:08:33.885 --> 00:08:37.113 Well, I'm going to highlight just two things here. 00:08:37.113 --> 00:08:39.833 They're going to be judged for pride. 00:08:39.833 --> 00:08:42.495 You see that in verses three and 4. 00:08:42.495 --> 00:08:44.537 They have an arrogant heart. 00:08:44.537 --> 00:08:50.248 They think that they live in the clefts and on the heights they're soaring like an eagle. 00:08:50.248 --> 00:08:56.847 It even describes them as making a nest among the stars, and yet God's going to bring them down. 00:08:57.801 --> 00:09:11.741 Similar to the sermon this morning, doug brought out this language of pride that kind of goes back to the Garden of Eden, but then the Tower of Babel, where the people thought they could exalt themselves to God and God comes down and levels them. 00:09:11.741 --> 00:09:26.573 Similarly, here, these Edomites, these people who have descended from Esau down through the years, there's an arrogance in their heart that thinks they can exalt themselves but God's going to bring them down. 00:09:26.573 --> 00:09:35.509 They're also judged for their opposition to God's people and we find that in verses 10 through 14. 00:09:35.509 --> 00:09:46.611 So it says in verse 10, they'll be covered with shame because of violence done to your brother, jacob. 00:09:46.611 --> 00:09:53.804 Okay, esau, the historic original Esau, had a brother named Jacob. 00:09:54.687 --> 00:10:02.668 Descendants of Esau, edomites, descendants of Jacob, israel, and we'll come to that as we go into this more. 00:10:02.668 --> 00:10:09.094 But here just observe that they're covered with shame because of violence done to Jacob. 00:10:09.094 --> 00:10:12.022 Well, what's if they didn't do it? 00:10:12.022 --> 00:10:13.986 Why are they being covered with shame? 00:10:13.986 --> 00:10:17.740 Well, they didn't step in to help in any way. 00:10:17.740 --> 00:10:24.447 Instead, they laughed and scorned the people of God and they took advantage of the people of God in a difficult place. 00:10:24.447 --> 00:10:35.654 So you can keep reading down in some of those verses For example, in verse number 12, it says do not gloat over your brother in the day of his calamity. 00:10:35.835 --> 00:10:41.607 So the Edomites are gloating over the nation of Israel's misfortunes. 00:10:41.607 --> 00:10:43.220 Think about it this way. 00:10:43.220 --> 00:11:01.009 If you think about the nation of Israel like a sheep okay, think about them like a sheep you had these big nations like Assyria or later, like Babylon they're going to come in and just cause havoc among the Israelites. 00:11:01.009 --> 00:11:08.308 So Assyrian Babylon would be like a lion or a bear coming in and just devouring the sheep. 00:11:08.308 --> 00:11:11.078 But then you have the Edomites. 00:11:11.078 --> 00:11:22.287 They weren't as big and bad and grand as the Assyrians or the Babylonians, but it's almost like they're like the hyenas. 00:11:22.287 --> 00:11:25.798 They're just sitting over there laughing and they're waiting. 00:11:25.798 --> 00:11:29.397 As soon as the lying gets done, we'll go in and pick up some of the scraps. 00:11:29.397 --> 00:11:31.604 This'll be great, all right. 00:11:31.604 --> 00:11:37.938 And God says you're going to be judged for that attitude towards Israel. 00:11:37.938 --> 00:11:44.809 Now, yeah, I've seen the Lion King a lot, but it works here. 00:11:44.809 --> 00:11:47.279 Okay, they're laughing, but they're also. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:52.038 There's a devilish sort of intent to what they're planning to do. 00:11:52.038 --> 00:11:54.735 They're going to pick at Israel's carcass, so to speak. 00:11:56.839 --> 00:12:02.767 So why does Obadiah keep saying Esau, esau, esau? 00:12:02.767 --> 00:12:05.431 I mean this is taking place. 00:12:05.431 --> 00:12:14.065 We don't know exactly when Obadiah wrote, but probably a thousand years or so after Esau himself actually lived. 00:12:14.065 --> 00:12:17.600 So why doesn't it just say the Edomites or the descendants of Esau? 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:18.522 Why Esau? 00:12:18.522 --> 00:12:21.148 You know he's long gone. 00:12:21.148 --> 00:12:39.443 Obadiah wants us to see that there's something happening in his day that's a repeated pattern and fulfillment of something that's been going on for centuries and centuries, and centuries Started a long, long time ago. 00:12:39.443 --> 00:12:45.605 That's why he's using this kind of language, and he wants us to keep in mind these kind of patterns as we read the Bible. 00:12:45.605 --> 00:12:47.804 So hold your finger here on Obadiah. 00:12:47.835 --> 00:12:49.399 Let's go back to Genesis 25. 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:53.589 Genesis 25. 00:12:53.589 --> 00:13:13.895 Back to Genesis 25. 00:13:13.895 --> 00:13:15.398 Genesis 25, this is where we first encounter Esau. 00:13:15.398 --> 00:13:16.239 Genesis 25, verse 19. 00:13:16.259 --> 00:13:18.181 These are the family records of Isaac, son of Abraham. 00:13:18.181 --> 00:13:19.462 Abraham fathered Isaac. 00:13:19.462 --> 00:13:31.115 Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean from Paddam Aram, and the sister of Laban, the Aramean. 00:13:31.115 --> 00:13:32.956 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. 00:13:32.956 --> 00:13:45.104 The Lord was receptive to his prayer and his wife Rebecca conceived, but the children inside her struggled with each other and she said why is this happening to me? 00:13:45.104 --> 00:13:52.403 So she went to inquire of the Lord and the Lord said to her two nations are in your womb. 00:13:52.403 --> 00:13:57.326 Two peoples will come from you and be separated. 00:13:57.326 --> 00:14:03.128 One people will be stronger than the other and the older will serve the younger. 00:14:03.128 --> 00:14:08.667 When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 00:14:10.475 --> 00:14:14.524 The first one the CSP translation here. 00:14:14.524 --> 00:14:23.327 The first one came out red looking, covered with hair, like a fur coat it's such a vivid description of this baby right. 00:14:23.327 --> 00:14:26.857 And they named him Esau. 00:14:26.857 --> 00:14:29.841 So there's our introduction to Esau. 00:14:29.841 --> 00:14:37.277 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau's heel with his hand. 00:14:37.277 --> 00:14:40.381 So he was named Jacob. 00:14:40.381 --> 00:14:48.519 So right from the very outset in the womb, we've got Jacob versus Esau and they're struggling. 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:50.962 They're battling when they're born, struggling. 00:14:50.962 --> 00:14:55.970 They're battling when they're born, jacob's grabbing at his heel, they're battling. 00:14:55.970 --> 00:15:06.724 And the prophet here the prophetic word says there's going to be two nations and what's happening to them as babies is going to keep happening to them. 00:15:06.724 --> 00:15:09.775 And we see that play out over the course of history. 00:15:09.775 --> 00:15:11.657 Give you a few examples here. 00:15:12.038 --> 00:15:13.438 Turn over to Numbers, chapter 20. 00:15:13.438 --> 00:15:18.663 Numbers 20. 00:15:18.663 --> 00:15:30.756 Israel needs passage as they're traveling through the wilderness to get through to where they need to go. 00:15:30.756 --> 00:15:37.447 Verse number 14, moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. 00:15:37.447 --> 00:15:39.950 So this is many years later now. 00:15:39.950 --> 00:15:44.471 Yes, there's two peoples Jacob has had his descendants, esau has his descendants. 00:15:44.471 --> 00:15:46.697 Jacob's descendants are out of Egypt. 00:15:46.697 --> 00:15:48.342 They're on their way to the promised land. 00:15:48.342 --> 00:15:53.364 They need some passage here and they request for the king of Edom. 00:15:53.364 --> 00:15:54.265 Hey, let us go through. 00:15:54.265 --> 00:15:57.619 And they give the story. 00:15:57.619 --> 00:15:58.981 Verse 17,. 00:15:58.981 --> 00:16:01.128 Please, let us travel through your land. 00:16:01.128 --> 00:16:05.403 We won't travel through any field or vineyard or drink any well water. 00:16:05.403 --> 00:16:06.936 We'll travel the king's highway. 00:16:06.936 --> 00:16:18.544 Verse 18, but Edom answered him you will not travel through our lands, but we will come out and confront you with the sword. 00:16:18.544 --> 00:16:25.966 But these people, they have the same parents. 00:16:25.966 --> 00:16:29.224 Ultimately there were brothers back at no, but not now. 00:16:29.224 --> 00:16:29.745 There's tension. 00:16:30.654 --> 00:16:32.240 Go over to 1 Samuel 14. 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.083 1 Samuel 14. 00:16:33.083 --> 00:16:35.793 1 Samuel 14. 00:16:35.793 --> 00:16:43.402 Verse 47. 00:16:43.402 --> 00:16:56.577 When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction, israel. 00:16:56.577 --> 00:17:05.215 He fought against all his enemies in every direction, against Moab, the Ammonites, edom. 00:17:05.215 --> 00:17:07.923 So now, years later, in the promised land, supposed to be putting out the enemies, didn't do that completely. 00:17:07.923 --> 00:17:09.046 Judges come through. 00:17:09.046 --> 00:17:15.397 Now King Saul's on the stage and there's still this thorn in Israel's side, more than one. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:17.464 But Edom is mentioned specifically here. 00:17:17.464 --> 00:17:20.275 And then last, let's go to 2 Chronicles. 00:17:20.275 --> 00:17:22.915 These aren't the only examples, but 2 Chronicles 28. 00:17:22.915 --> 00:17:42.586 Just look at one verse, verse 17. 00:17:42.586 --> 00:17:51.970 The edomites came again, attacked judah and took captives. 00:17:54.250 --> 00:18:05.709 So even though Edom is not as big and burly as Assyria, then later Babylon, they're a continual enemy of the people of God over the years. 00:18:05.709 --> 00:18:09.038 Brother versus brother, people versus people. 00:18:09.038 --> 00:18:15.386 Edom is an archetypal enemy of God's people. 00:18:15.386 --> 00:18:22.261 I don't mean by that mythical there was battles, they really happened Not mythical. 00:18:22.261 --> 00:18:30.001 But what I mean by that is, in the Bible Edom is portrayed as there's something deeper going on here. 00:18:30.001 --> 00:18:39.007 There's a particular exemplary pattern of what it looks like to be opposed to the people of God, and you find it in Edom. 00:18:39.007 --> 00:18:40.992 They're not the only ones. 00:18:40.992 --> 00:18:51.164 Babylon has a similar idea in scripture, but Edom is this perpetual enemy of the people of God, of the people of God. 00:18:51.164 --> 00:19:12.363 And so when prophets like Obadiah denounce the Edomites, he's showing us that there's a deep pattern that really all those who stand opposed to the people of God are going to face. 00:19:12.363 --> 00:19:13.325 What the Edomites face. 00:19:13.325 --> 00:19:15.249 That's the pattern that's going on here. 00:19:16.996 --> 00:19:22.967 Now I went back to Genesis 25, but I really didn't go back far enough, did I? 00:19:22.967 --> 00:19:32.368 In that pattern, brother versus brother, struggling two peoples Is the first time we find that in the Bible. 00:19:32.368 --> 00:19:37.521 Struggling Two peoples Is the first time we find that in the Bible. 00:19:37.521 --> 00:19:38.807 Jacob and Esau no, that's why I said it's an archetypal pattern. 00:19:38.807 --> 00:19:39.570 It's actually not even the first time. 00:19:39.570 --> 00:19:48.618 We can go all the way back to Cain and Abel and the very first two sons struggled and one killed the other. 00:19:48.618 --> 00:20:07.596 And then God, even going back to the curse, told Eve already there's going to be serpent type of people and life-giving type of people. 00:20:07.596 --> 00:20:17.815 You're going to eventually Eve is going to be a seed of the woman that crushes the head of the serpent. 00:20:19.601 --> 00:20:25.113 But in the meantime it often seems like the seed of the serpent is winning. 00:20:25.113 --> 00:20:46.401 Cain's the one that kills Abel when Jacob and Esau are born, jacob's grabbing at Esau's heel, jacob's not cutting off his head and later in the story Esau's pretty wealthy and Jacob spends quite a lot of time wandering around the wilderness. 00:20:46.401 --> 00:20:49.884 Now he has possessions, but he has that encounter with God. 00:20:49.884 --> 00:20:54.307 Jacob's the one that ends up limping through life. 00:20:54.307 --> 00:21:02.535 Why did God let Edom beat up on Israel all those years? 00:21:02.535 --> 00:21:15.708 Yeah, sometimes David was victorious, or Solomon, but why did God let those hyenas come in and scrape at the carcass of Israel once Assyria came through? 00:21:15.708 --> 00:21:25.740 It seems like the seed of the serpent, the one opposed to the people of God, is winning, is winning, is winning. 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:27.844 But that's not the end of the story. 00:21:28.765 --> 00:21:37.996 Obadiah is giving us the end of the story here, and it's more than just a story of two nationalities. 00:21:37.996 --> 00:21:45.893 That's one reason why in the book of Hebrews, in chapter 11, jacob is described as a man of faith. 00:21:45.893 --> 00:21:52.594 In the very next chapter, esau is an example of someone who doesn't have true repentance. 00:21:52.594 --> 00:22:04.085 Now, I'm not saying that every single descendant of Jacob had true faith or that every descendant of Edom didn't, but I'm saying there's something more than just an ethnic identity. 00:22:04.085 --> 00:22:22.029 It's about those who are trusting in God, seed of the woman, grabbing hold of his promises, promises or those who are serpent-like, wanting to destroy the people of God, like Pharaoh in Egypt wanted to destroy the people in Egypt. 00:22:22.029 --> 00:22:27.246 Go back to Obadiah. 00:22:27.246 --> 00:22:28.586 If you're not there, go to Obadiah. 00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:42.532 Obadiah powerfully gives us the end of the story, and the end of the story is destruction for the Edomites. 00:22:42.532 --> 00:22:48.211 The end of the story is destruction for those who stand opposed to God. 00:22:48.211 --> 00:22:52.230 We don't hear too much about the Edomites today, do we no? 00:22:52.230 --> 00:22:59.123 Pretty much obliterated, wiped out, scattered, kind of mingled into other groups over history. 00:22:59.123 --> 00:23:03.512 But that's the end result of everyone who stands opposed to God. 00:23:03.512 --> 00:23:10.413 As great as they may seem at some point in time, their end is destruction and death. 00:23:13.401 --> 00:23:14.986 Even within the book you can see that. 00:23:14.986 --> 00:23:16.269 Look at verse 15. 00:23:16.269 --> 00:23:26.049 For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations. 00:23:26.049 --> 00:23:30.056 Where did all the nations come into this? 00:23:30.056 --> 00:23:34.763 Wasn't this a prophecy about Edom and their mistreatment of Israel? 00:23:34.763 --> 00:23:36.365 Yes, it was. 00:23:36.365 --> 00:23:45.776 But even within this book, obadiah is saying what's going to happen to Edom is going to happen in a greater way to all the nations. 00:23:45.776 --> 00:23:53.781 The day of the Lord that's coming on. 00:23:53.781 --> 00:23:55.286 Edom is going to come for everyone that stands opposed to God. 00:23:55.286 --> 00:24:05.590 The only deliverance, according to verse number 17, is this Mount Zion, the holy people, the Israel of God. 00:24:05.632 --> 00:24:10.588 So right here, at this point, you can insert Pastor Doug's whole sermon from a Sunday ago. 00:24:10.588 --> 00:24:13.250 If you didn't hear it, go back and listen to it on sermon audio. 00:24:13.250 --> 00:24:14.878 But there's this wonderful and beautiful day ago. 00:24:14.878 --> 00:24:16.201 If you didn't hear it, go back and listen to it on sermon audio. 00:24:16.201 --> 00:24:20.792 But there's this wonderful and beautiful idealized imagery of the people that truly understand what it means to trust in God. 00:24:20.792 --> 00:24:28.901 They're the ones who survive, they're the ones who flourish in the end in the grand scheme of God's plan and his story. 00:24:30.361 --> 00:24:33.323 And you get down to the very last phrase of the book. 00:24:33.323 --> 00:24:36.825 And you get down to the very last phrase of the book, verse 21,. 00:24:36.825 --> 00:24:40.767 The kingdom will be the Lord's. 00:24:40.767 --> 00:24:43.107 That's the end of the story. 00:24:43.107 --> 00:24:54.214 No matter how much it seems like the people of God are suffering or defeated now or being opposed by Satan and his enemies throughout the ages, the end of the story is the kingdom will be the Lord's. 00:24:54.214 --> 00:25:12.826 That's why Revelation, chapter 12, verse 11, says or, I'm sorry, revelation 11, 15 says this the seventh angel blew his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. 00:25:12.826 --> 00:25:15.749 Doesn't that sound like what Obadiah is saying here? 00:25:15.749 --> 00:25:19.630 Doesn't that also want to make you just blast Handel's Messiah? 00:25:19.630 --> 00:25:25.951 That's the guy that, and he shall reign forever and ever? 00:25:25.951 --> 00:25:29.265 Well, it makes you want to just say Lord Jesus, come quickly. 00:25:29.265 --> 00:25:31.310 That's the end of the story for people that know him. 00:25:31.310 --> 00:25:41.022 Story for people that know him. 00:25:41.042 --> 00:25:48.185 So Obadiah shows us that this seed of the serpent now come down through the Edomites, but really all the nations who stand opposed to God is going to be destroyed in the end. 00:25:48.185 --> 00:25:54.826 Obadiah is emphasizing, in one sense, more that destruction than the deliverance for God's people. 00:25:54.826 --> 00:26:06.671 And it's okay, We've got to be careful of our hearts but to say, lord, we want to see your enemies judged, we want to see you victorious and your righteousness vindicated. 00:26:06.671 --> 00:26:10.569 So it's in one sense more about that. 00:26:10.569 --> 00:26:18.614 But you might ask well, how is this seed of the serpent? 00:26:18.614 --> 00:26:22.582 It's battling brothers, battling nations. 00:26:22.582 --> 00:26:25.247 How will they be destroyed? 00:26:25.247 --> 00:26:28.252 You need the rest of the Bible to fill that story out. 00:26:28.252 --> 00:26:30.124 Obadiah doesn't fill in all those details. 00:26:30.124 --> 00:26:33.792 Right here he just speaks of the success of God's people. 00:26:33.792 --> 00:26:38.303 Right here he just speaks of the success of God's people. 00:26:38.323 --> 00:26:46.261 But Revelation 12, 11 says that the people of God conquer the serpent by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. 00:26:46.261 --> 00:26:51.913 So we want to read any part of the Bible in light of the whole of what's going on. 00:26:51.913 --> 00:27:02.173 We conquer, and Revelation 12 speaks specifically of this great dragon, conquered by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. 00:27:02.173 --> 00:27:17.520 We're not given physical swords and spears, the way that Israel was, but we're given something even more eternally powerful the sword of the Spirit that is the Word of God. 00:27:17.520 --> 00:27:27.301 We're not given a task to try to coerce someone to follow God, because they have to have a change in their heart. 00:27:27.301 --> 00:27:30.791 And you can coerce actions, but you can't coerce a heart change. 00:27:30.791 --> 00:27:44.931 But we are given the ability to speak the testimony of what Jesus has done to conquer the devil, of what Jesus has done to bring victory over sin, of what Jesus has done to bring in an everlasting kingdom. 00:27:47.381 --> 00:27:51.869 So by all means, go vote on Tuesday. 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:56.218 But no, that's not the ultimate way. 00:27:56.218 --> 00:27:57.740 The seat of the serpent is going to be defeated. 00:27:57.740 --> 00:28:03.573 So I'll say that again go vote, but no, that's not the ultimate way. 00:28:03.573 --> 00:28:05.001 The seat of the serpent will be defeated. 00:28:05.001 --> 00:28:13.460 I mean, maybe you should go vote on Tuesday, then go out to the parking lot, get in your car and just crank handles Messiah, with the windows down so everyone can hear it. 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:15.105 I don't know, are you allowed to do that? 00:28:15.105 --> 00:28:16.529 And I'm not sure if you're allowed to do that or not. 00:28:16.529 --> 00:28:18.285 Probably you're not really advocating everything. 00:28:18.285 --> 00:28:21.583 If some people end up in jail on Wednesday I'll come visit you. 00:28:21.583 --> 00:28:23.630 It's George Frederick Handel's fault, it's okay. 00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:33.568 But our hope is in the conquering lion of Judah the lamb who was slain. 00:28:33.568 --> 00:28:35.130 That's the beautiful thing here. 00:28:35.130 --> 00:28:53.182 It can be discouraging sometimes as Christians, when we're kind of maybe we feel like Jacob We've got some possessions, we've got some things, you know, we've got churches in different places, but we're kind of in the wilderness limping along. 00:28:53.182 --> 00:28:56.592 But that's not the end of the story. 00:28:56.592 --> 00:28:59.785 Obadiah gives us the end of the story. 00:28:59.785 --> 00:29:03.053 The promised land is much nearer than we think. 00:29:03.053 --> 00:29:08.710 And then enemies of God, as Paul says Satan to the church of Rome. 00:29:08.710 --> 00:29:12.042 Satan's going to soon be crushed under your feet. 00:29:12.763 --> 00:29:16.050 Let's pray, lord, thank you. 00:29:16.050 --> 00:29:24.413 Thank you that we have such confidence to know that your judgment is not lingering. 00:29:24.413 --> 00:29:31.851 You're patient, you're wanting more and more to come to repentance and we have nothing to say. 00:29:31.851 --> 00:29:33.012 But thank you for your grace. 00:29:33.012 --> 00:29:35.307 It was your grace that led us to repentance. 00:29:35.307 --> 00:29:36.767 Your goodness brought us to repentance. 00:29:37.381 --> 00:29:49.229 We do want many who are right now the seed of the serpent, many who are right now Edomites in their heart, opposed to the things of God and the people of God. 00:29:49.229 --> 00:29:54.372 We want them to come and know the beauty of Mount Zion. 00:29:54.372 --> 00:29:59.645 We want them to know what it means to be an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no guile. 00:29:59.645 --> 00:30:06.287 We want them to know what it looks like to have faith that Eve had the mother of all the living ones. 00:30:06.287 --> 00:30:10.720 So, lord, be gracious to grant salvation to many. 00:30:12.143 --> 00:30:14.307 And yet we, at the same time, want to pray. 00:30:14.307 --> 00:30:16.511 Come quickly, lord Jesus. 00:30:16.511 --> 00:30:27.907 How long, while the blood of the saints and the martyrs cries out for justice, while the enemies of God rage against your Holy One, your anointed Son. 00:30:27.907 --> 00:30:30.673 Oh, vindicate your Son, glorify yourself. 00:30:30.673 --> 00:30:40.190 We pray that soon would be the end of all things, that soon, in the grandest and fullest sense, the kingdom of this world would become the kingdom of our Lord in Christ. 00:30:40.190 --> 00:30:46.231 That he might reign forever and ever this true seed that we trust in Jesus Christ, our hope. 00:30:46.231 --> 00:30:48.815 We pray all these things in Jesus' name, amen.