Hope & Humility in the Face of Pride, Obadiah
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Context of Obadiah
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. But, the book of Obadiah is directed to a people known as the Edomites for their part in helping to capture the Israelites who fled the Babylonians. Not only did the Edomites help capture Israelites for the Babylonian empire, they also took over some of the home and villages that were abandoned by those taken captive.
The Edomites are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Esau and Jacob were born to Isaac, Isaac was the son that was promised to Abraham. This means that the Edomites are relatives to the Israelites… Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and the Edomites are the descendants of the brother of Israel.
Instead of aiding and defending their relatives, the Edomites conspired with the enemy of their brother and invoked the wrath of God. Look with me at Obadiah verse 1-14
Obadiah 1–14 (ESV)
1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.
5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night— how you have been destroyed!— would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 6 How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you— you have no understanding.
8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.
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. 12 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.
These verses establish God’s case against the Edomites, and the following verses declare the Lord’s judgment on the Edomites and all the other kingdoms of the world.
Obadiah 15–18 (ESV)
15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. 16 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. 17 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. 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.
Obadiah 19–21 (ESV)
19 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.
Implications of the message of Obadiah
Pride is Deceitful
In verses 3-4 God points out to the Edomites that their pride has led to this moment.
The Edomites have proven the truth of Scripture; Isaiah 5:21 says, “Woe to those who consider themselves to be wise and judge themselves clever.”
The Edomites have considered themselves to be wise and discerning in their actions against Israel… but they did this because Pride blinds us. Pride blinds us to the truth of our spiritual condition.
Pride leads us to consider ourselves and our actions as better than they really are.
Pride infects the mind and the heart.
“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:5). Instead of harboring thoughts of love to others, the proud man harbors judgment and bitterness. Instead of expressing kindness and compassion, he expresses disparagement. He is convinced of his superiority in achievement, intellect, morality, or spirituality. He is self-obsessed.Pride is first an attitude of independence from God. It is synonymous in Scripture with scoffing, arrogance, foolishness, evil, and wickedness. It is directly opposed to the humble, God-fearing, meek, lowly, trusting, faith-filled disposition that is pleasing to God. “Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate,” he says (Proverbs 8:13). And no wonder. How could it be otherwise? (https://www.challies.com/articles/god-hates-pride/)
God Hates Pride
“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him.” So says wise old Solomon. And heading up the list of these seven deadly sins is “haughty eyes” (Proverbs 6:16-17). Haughty eyes are an arrogant man’s windows to the world. From the lofty perch of his own superiority, he uses them to look down upon others. From his self-made pedestal, he fancies he can see with greater clarity than his Creator.
“According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” - CS Lewis
Ultimately Pride is Practical Atheism
Psalm 10:4 (ESV) says, “4 In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Pride is the rejection and opposition to who God is… which in turn is a rebellion to what God has said and what God is doing.
Pride is a state of mind or, more essentially, a condition of the heart in which a person has supplanted the rule of God over his life with the rule of his own will. Instead of depending entirely on God, as was God’s design, a proud heart now looks to itself to decide what is good and evil. This was exactly the folly of Adam and Eve when they determined to disobey God to become like God.
There is Hope in the Promise of God
The hope for Israel in the days of Obadiah was the Day of the Lord.
Verse 15 says, “15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.”
God made a covenant with Israel, and He promises to keep that covenant on what is referred to here as the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is a day of God’s judgment, and on the day of judgment all those who are against God will be condemned and those who are with God will be spared.
Verse 17-18 says, “17 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. 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.”
Those who escape the Judgment Day of the Lord are those who have a covenant relationship with God.
And the Covenant implied here in Obadiah is the one God made with Abraham.
Genesis 15:1-6 (CSB), “After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great. 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.” 4 Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
God promised to make Abraham the father of a mighty nation through one son… and that son was Isaac.
Isaac then had 2 sons, twins: Jacob and Esau. Jacob is Israel… and Esau is the father of the Edomites… and God says through Obadiah that the Edomites would be removed from the earth and that the house of Jacob, and his son Joseph, will escape on the Day of the Lord/ Judgment.
The basis for Israel’s escape is the covenant relationship it has with God. So this Word from Obadiah brings us to the significance of covenants.
Remember that Covenants are the backbone of the Bible. The plan of salvation is revealed through the series of covenants between God and his people.
Thom Schreiner writes, “The Bible isn’t a random collection of laws, moral principles, and stories. It is a story that goes somewhere; it is the story of redemption, the story of God’s kingdom. And the story unfolds and advances through the covenants God made with his people.”
The covenants that God made in the OT are all fulfilled in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.
I want to make sure that you understand how Jesus Christ is connected to the Covenant that God made with Abraham
In the covenant God made with Abraham he did something that opens our eyes and clarifies the gospel message:
God promised to take the curse on Himself in Genesis 15
The problem of sin is problematic for the covenants… When a covenant is made, both parties participate to symbolize that the curse will come on them if they fail. But, when you see what happened in the covenant ceremony with Abraham you see the gospel.
Genesis 15:7-18 (CSB)
7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “Lord God, how can I know that I will possess it?” 9 He said to him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half. 11 Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was setting, a deep sleep came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed. 14 However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. 15 But you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”, 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the Brook of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River:
Because god caused Abram to fall into a deep sleep, only one of them participated in the covenant ceremony, and that means that God covenanted to take on the curse for the failure of Abraham. As DA Carson says,
“And in the symbolism of the cut animals, the two parties are supposed to walk between the cut up animals and implicitly they are saying: “Let this be done to me. Let my body be cut up and trashed if I were to break this covenant.” But in this vision slumber of Abram, only the fire pot that represents God goes between the two animals, as if God himself takes on the entire curse all by himself. That is chapter 15.” D.A. Carson
Jesus received the curse of sin on the cross and achieved salvation for all who believe.
Salvation is by faith, not by works, as God said in Genesis 15:6 that, “6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
God declares Abraham righteous because he trusted in the promise that God made in Him. The New Testament affirms that man is condemned by his works and justified by faith.
Galatians 3:6 (CSB), 6 just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness?,
Romans 4:3 (CSB)
3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.,
James 2:23 (CSB)
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,, and he was called God’s friend.
Righteousness is received faith, not achieved by works
Romans 4:23–24 (CSB)
23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Justification results in a humble confidence. Your salvation is because of the work of Christ. He lived a sinless life… Where Adam’s works brought sin and death Jesus’ works bring forgiveness and eternal life.
Faith is depending, trusting, believing that God will do all that He has promised in Christ.
Ephesians 2:4–5 (CSB)4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!
God saves us by His grace… we have nothing to boast in except Jesus Christ!
And because we have nothing to boast about, we are humble where the Edomites and a host of others since then were prideful.
Humility follows God like a shadow
Humility is foundational to our faith and to a life of faithfulness.
“If you plan to build a tall house of virtues, you must first lay deep foundations of humlilty.” - Augustine
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” - CS Lewis
“Humility follows God like a shadow… when God goes, humility goes.” - John Piper
Humility guards against the attacks of the Devil.
In the way that pride leads to the fall… Humility serves to guard against the attacks of the devil. He plays to your flesh and pride and humility clings to the truth of the gospel and its dependence on God.
“Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility” - Jonathan Edwards
Humility trusts that God’s plans are good
Obadiah reminds us that God is sovereign over every single nation, king, and army… and because God is sovereign and good, we can trust that God’s plans are good.
This means that we trust Him when things are not going as we planned… would like… or have prayed.
It means that when things are not like we want them, the first thing is look at our own heart and sinfulness.
It means that we trust God’s plans and focus on being faithful in the midst of the work God is doing. (Jesus is our example in all things, especially this)
Do you trust God?
Are you deceiving yourself into thinking that you are right and God is wrong? Or that you are right and everyone else is wrong? Humility means that you consider the potential of you being prideful and/or wrong over and over again.
You must trust God that what Christ did was enough for you… that He achieved your salvation on the cross, and that by believing in Him you receive salvation by faith through the grace of God.
Are you living humble and faithful to God… don’t leave this morning without coming to the place where you trust the Lord and commit yourself to living humbly and faithfully to the Lord.
Why preach Obadiah? Because your people need to bask in the comfort that God will bring justice to those who target the innocent. Abortion, genocide, racial injustice, acts of terrorism, and many other species of violence make us cry out for justice. But God will bring closure and comfort in his time. And that is a message most clearly preached from the book of Obadiah.
https://www.9marks.org/article/obadiah/
The message, however, concerns more than Edom. It is placed in the context of a day of judgment on all nations when they receive just recompense for all their deeds (vv. 15–16). Thus the deliverance on Mount Zion will be final, the inheritance they regain will be theirs forever (v. 17), and the Lord’s kingdom (v. 21) will be a universal one. Obadiah’s word against Edom, then, may be interpreted in light of Isaiah’s more general prophesy that “the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below” (24:21); and as a result “the people of the world learn righteousness” (26:9), “he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth” (25:8), “cities of ruthless nations will revere” the Lord (25:3), “the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples” (25:6), and he “will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before its elders, gloriously” (24:23; cf. Mic 4:7).
Billy K. Smith and Franklin S. Page, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, vol. 19B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 175–176.
Obadiah’s God is sovereign over the nations of the earth. They may create chaos by mistreating God’s people; they may seem to get by with impunity, but the day of the Lord will come and set things right. The Lord’s sovereign reign will be established. J. Limburg identified some of the relevance of Obadiah to modern readers with his statement that “the Book of Obadiah brings an important message about oppressors and the oppressed, betrayers and those who have been betrayed. Arising out of a time of national crisis, it has a word for ‘innocent bystanders’ and also for survivors.”17 What at first glance can appear to be pure, primitive hate can be seen more correctly, upon close examination, to be God’s punitive justice.18
17 Ibid., 127.
18 Wolff, Obadiah and Jonah, 22.
Billy K. Smith and Franklin S. Page, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, vol. 19B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 176.