Judgement on the Horizon

Obadiah 1-21 - Riley Boggs

This morning we find ourselves in the shortest book in the Old Testament, the book of Obadiah. A book that has likely been turned past far more than it has been turned to, and yet holds the same weight and importance as any other book found in our Bibles. But just because it is important and authoritative does not mean that it is easy to understand. As I read through it just a moment ago, some of you might have thought, “What in the world is happening here?” Or maybe some of you began to zone out around verse 9 because it was getting a bit too hard to track.

This book can be a bit difficult for a few different reasons. First, this is book was written by the prophetic Obadiah. The Lord instructed him what to write and he wrote it. We can see that in verse 1. This is a vision of Obadiah that is being written down and yet the starting phrase is, “Thus says the Lord God.” And so, that makes it a bit tricky already because it’s a prophetic writing. But, even further, this book is prophetic poetry. So we have different phrases and wordings and rhythms that are being used throughout to make a point, which means more effort and careful reading is required to understand what is being said. And if that doesn’t make it difficult enough, you have to know the background of what is being mentioned to even understand what is happening. There is a great deal of a history precedes this book and without knowing the dynamics at play, you’ll end up missing what is happening. 

Here’s how I want to take on this task. The first thing I want to do is tell you the background to this book and what has led to it. Then, I want to tell you the two-fold purpose of the book. And then finally, we will briskly walk through 5 different things I want you to see in this book.

Alright, let’s talk about the history. If you will, turn with me just for a moment to Genesis 25. We’re going to read a section of this starting in verse 19. “19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac,20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

Some of you are starting to piece it together and some of you are wondering how that was supposed to help you understand the book of Obadiah. Let me explain what I’m trying to show you here. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, then Isaac and Rebekah have twins, Jacob and Esau. We just read that there. These brothers were constantly in conflict. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob in what we just read and then a few chapters after this Jacob steals his father’s blessing from Esau. There is a time of reconciliation we see at one point, but regardless these two brothers seem to always be in brotherly conflict.

Jacob would go on to be renamed Israel by God and so from him, we get the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people throughout the Old Testament. Esau, however, would also become the father of a nation. That nation is Edom. And, in verse 23 the Lord says Rebekah has 2 nations in her womb and that one will be stronger and that the older, Esau, will serve his younger brother Jacob. So then, the conflict between the brothers expands and now it isn’t just a personal conflict, but a national conflict. You have Israel and you have Edom, 2 nations from 2 brothers.

Now flip back over to our text this morning. This prophetic poetry, the book of Obadiah, is God pronouncing judgement on Edom because of their sinful actions towards His people, Israel. More specifically, their sinful actions against the Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. It is this brotherly conflict that can be seen throughout much of the Bible being confronted by the Lord Himself. Now, you might be wondering, what did the Edomites do that warranted God pronouncing judgement on them. I’ll show you that in our text in just a minute in the first point, but first I want you tell you what R.C. Sproul says is the two-fold purpose of this prophecy. He says, and I think he’s right, the first purpose is to warn the Edomites that judgment is coming. But secondly, the purpose is to comfort and reassure God’s people. I bring that out because if it were just the first purpose, it might be hard for us to find application for our lives. However, because the second purpose is to comfort and reassure God’s people, there is very real applications for each one of you here. With that in mind, the first thing I want you to see in our text this Edom's sinfulness on full display.

1.) Edom’s sinfulness on full display

Our God is a good and fair judge. He will never judge someone incorrectly because He knows all things and has perfect judgement. So when we read texts like this, where there is harsh judgement being pronounced on a nation, our gut reaction shouldn’t be, “Do the Edomites really deserve this?” If the Lord does something, such as pronounce judgement, we can be sure that it was the right thing to do. 

With that being said, in the beginning of this book, we read exactly why the Lord has pronounced His judgement on them in verse 10. That same brotherly conflict is called to mind as the actions of Edom towards Judah are recounted. Look at what the Lord says they have done. Verse 10, “Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.”

Edom has been violent towards Judah themselves, and they have stood and watched as other nations have come against them. They have actively sinned against God’s people,  they have passively sinned against God’s people, and they have been incredibly prideful throughout it all. We see that in verse 3 where the Lord says that the pride of their hearts has deceived them and think that no one can bring them down. They are an arrogant and sinful people whose sinfulness is certainly known by those in Judah who have suffered at their hands directly and at other hands while they stood by and watched. But their sinfulness is not only known by Judah, but it is known by God. And God is not one to turn to allow His people to suffer at no cost. He sees, He knows, and He brings about judgement on those who harm His people, and we see this, which is our next point, very clearly in this text.

2.) There is certain judgement coming to Edom

When I was little, I had a pretty extreme fear of storms. I would get panicky and anxious and so scared whenever storms would come. The weather radio buzz and the voice that would follow it, were terrifying to me because I knew what that meant. Ironically, at some point the fear turned into fascination and I love storms now. But regardless, I have this vivid memory of a storm coming over a hill when I was little. I remember standing in the doorway on the side of our house and looking out. Our property ended probably 150  feet from the door and then it turned into a field and sort of just rose in the distance for a long way. Well, I was looking out that way towards the dark sky, knowing that a storm was coming and already anxious because of it, and all of sudden I saw a wall of wind and rain crest the hill. The way it was coming over the hill cause the dust to kick up and so it looked like a massive wall of rain, dust, and wind barreling towards me. I remember feeling incredible fear and dread when I saw that. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I think this book, this prophecy, likely made the Edomites feel the same way, or at least it should have. When they heard this, they should have trembled at the thought of the judgement of the Almighty God coming to them.

Look at how the Lord talks about this judgement. First, in verses 3-4 He answers their mocking claim of, “who will bring  us down?”. To that the Lord says, “though you soar aloft like an eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.” The Lord is going to bring them to nothing. And it isn’t as if they aren’t a strong and wise, according to the worlds standards, nation. God says that this is the case in verses 8-9. But He also says that none of those matters, because He will destroy the wise men out of Edom and that every man, even those who are strong, will be cut down. There is no one, no matter how mighty Edom might be, who can stop the judgement that is to come from God.

If we didn’t know what the latter half of this book says, we might think that is the end of it. Edom is wicked, God is going to judge them, the end. But no, it goes further than this. In fact, there is judgement coming not only in Edom, but in all nations, and that is what I want you to see in the third point.

3.) What is true of Edom, is true of all nations

In verse 15 this truth is laid out. Look at what He says. “For the day of the Lord is near upon all nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.”

Now, before we get into this, I want to take a brief second and explain a question some of you might have. When the text says, “all nations”, does that include nations today? And then what about the promises that we are about to read being made to Judah? Are they only promises to Judah, or are they promises to all God’s people? How does all of this work out? It’s important we flesh this out before we go any further, and the answer to all of those questions, is yes. 

In one sense, the judgement being pronounced on all nations is only applicable to the nations who were present in the time in which this was written. The same is true about the promises to Judah. In one sense, those promises to God’s people at that time. However, in another sense, these pronouncements of judgement and the promises to God’s people extend all the way to us, and to those who will come after us. How is that the case? 

The Old Testament is always pointing forward and foreshadowing a greater reality. There is always this greater judgement, this greater King, greater priest, greater prophet, and greater kingdom. We see examples and types, or shadows, of these things throughout the Old Testament. But then, all of a sudden, the Son of God clothes Himself in humanity, and everything changes. Now the great King, priest, prophet is here. Now the Kingdom has really begun. And Jesus comes declaring what message? Turn from your sin, follow me, less you face the judgement of God.

So in one sense, this judgement being pronounced on Edom and the surrounding nations is limited. But in a greater sense there is going to be, for all people who do not turn to Christ, judgement to come. And so, what I want you to see is that what is true of Edom, is true of all nations. No nation and no person fall outside this scope of God’s judgement.

There has been, and there always will be, those who want to hurt God’s people. They want to see you, and other Christians around the world, suffer. And what I want you to know is that God sees it and knows it, and judgement is coming on all those who do it. Now, in our context this may feel a bit distant. Or maybe this judgement can feel harsh because you’re thinking of a time someone belittled you because you were a Christian, but you moved past it, and this intense judgement seems unwarranted. But, I think we might be a bit blinded by our context to see the truth of this.

Each and everyday believers around the world wake up in fear of their life, their families lives, and their well-being, simply because they follow Christ. And an evil man or woman, wants to see them suffer because of it. For more Christians than we will ever realize, they long for this day of judgement because they have watched those who they loved dearly be hurt, or even killed, by those who hate God, and they want judgement. And they long for judgement for 2 reasons. One, because they desire justice to be done. And secondly, because judgement and salvation go hand-in-hand, which is our fourth point this morning.

 4.) Judgement and salvation go hand-in-hand

Look at verse 17 and following. Right after this harsh judgement is pronounced, this is what He says. “But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.” Not only will there be judgement on those who harm God’s people, but there will be salvation for those who are His people. And then, in verse 18, He flips back to judgement again. “18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.”

Judgement and salvation go hand-in-hand, that is what we are supposed to see here. If you have no judgement on those who are harming God’s people, you have no salvation for those who are being harmed. If the people who are being harmed are never saved, then those who are harming them will never be judged. Both are needed in order to accomplish what both intended to do.

Look at verses 12-14. The Lord gives a warning to the Edomites telling them to not harm Judah anymore. Look at what he says, “But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. 13 Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.”

Would any of these warnings mean anything to the Edomites if the Lord would never bring judgement? Of course not, the Edomites would continue to do what they had been doing. And if that were the case, there would be no salvation for Judah. But, because judgement is coming, salvation is coming. And this salvation is coming in the form of an eternal kingdom and that is sure and complete, which is our final point this morning.

5.) There is a sure and complete kingdom coming

If you’ll remember, I mentioned that there is a two-fold purpose for this book. The first purpose is to warn the Edomites that judgment is coming. The second is to comfort and reassure God’s people. I think the final 3 verses of this book are where we really see that second purpose fulfilled. Look at them with me. “Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. 21 Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.”

Without getting into the weeds of all of this, let me just tell you what is happening here. The boundaries of Judah are being restored. Places that they have lost because of the evil of the Edomites, they are being promised by God that they will regain them. But even more than that, their boundaries are being extended even further. This is why this prophecy is supposed to bring those in Judah comfort and reassurance. Their God, the God of all creation, has promised to restore them. And so, despite their circumstances, Judah can look forward in hope. 

The same is even more true for us today. Despite all the persecution and wrongful suffering that Christians might endure now, there is a sure and complete kingdom coming. All believers will be restored, and all things will be made right. The kingdom will lack nothing and there will be no presence of evil whatsoever. It will be far greater, far better, than we can imagine. Listen to how it is described in Revelation 21:1-4. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

That is what we have to look forward to. The kingdom is here in part right now, Jesus declared that when He was on Earth. We are the kingdom. And as we go out and make disciplines, we are building a kingdom that will one day be completed, just like this. Until then, we must walk in faith and obedience.

Let me say one more thing before I close. At the time Obadiah wrote this, Edom was strong and powerful. It’s not as if Obadiah saw the victory coming and penned the Words of the Lord. Judah didn’t see Edom’s downfall coming. And yet, Obadiah wrote in faith and Judah believed in faith. There are some of you here today who might have doubts and reservations about the coming kingdom. The burdens of this world feel really heavy and at times you wonder if it’s real or if you’ll make it. My encouragement to you is two-fold. First, the Lord keeps all of His promises, and He will finish the work He began in you. Second, don’t lose heart. Press on in faith and obedience, and if you find yourself beginning to falter, reach out to someone in the church. I know that all of them would find immense joy in helping you to press on.