Obadiah: A Prophetic Message to World Pride

The Book of Obadiah unpacked. What lessons we can learn from this ancient book? An exposition of the message of this minor prophet. Very relevant to a world consumed with praising godless pride.

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, just 21 verses. Obadiah means: Worshipper or Servant of Yahweh.

Edom was a prideful people. God rebukes pride. Obadiah issues God's message of justice, humility, and hope.

God rebukes Edom for mistreating its neighbour, Judah. God's judgment is against Edom’s pride.

Our world considers pride a virtue, but the Bible tells us the opposite. It tells, of Edom, “the pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.”

Man's pride is destructive. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.

Pridefulness of the heart is a very serious sin. Pride blinds the hearts. It blinds people to their need of God. Edom proudly trusted in their might, their riches, their allies, their wisdom. Yet they did not trust in God. They were prideful in their self-will. They boasted, “Who shall bring me down?”

Proverbs 16:5 says that everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.

God will bring down the proud. They will fall. Pride is dangerous. People can get this high opinion of themselves – an intellectual superiority. Edom made a load of foolish decisions. Pride leads to downfall. God opposes the proud; God resisteth the proud but he giveth grace unto the humble.
Interestingly, the sin of Sodom, among other things, was pride (Ezekiel 16:49).

Edom also vainly trusted in its riches - its wealth. Materialism leads people to think they don’t need God; they've got it all.

Edom were cousins to Israel, but they allied themselves with God's enemies; they trusted in men who actually turned against them. Edom joined in with the Babylonians - with God's enemies. When the children of Judah were suffering these Invaders came and caused destruction. Edom had selfishly stood by as a spectator and joined in the looting of Judah, and gloated over their suffering.

Edom is a picture of pride, of the prideful. Proverbs 16:18, Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Edom suffered the judgment of God, as prophesied, and was destroyed in 70 AD. Edom’s judgment is a preview of the judgment that has yet to come on all nations. They will yet face the Day of the Lord.

Obadaih teaches us three things about the LORD.

1. God is Judge

We can know the gracious pardon of our judge, because of Calvary.

The Day of the Lord will mean two things: the destruction of the wicked, and the deliverance of the righteous. The godless will see the cup of God’s wrath poured out at the Judgment. For them, it's a day of judgment and trembling.

The righteous will be victorious and will know God's mercy. For us the Day of the Lord is a day of hope, of gladness and joy.

2. God is our Deliverer

Upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance and there shall be Holiness…

Our Lord has set us free; He's the Redeemer. He's promised deliverance for you. There shall be Victory upon Mount Zion. There shall be holiness. How we need to have the grace of God for His salvation and for His work of holiness. We can know it because of Mount Zion; Mount Calvary.
The time is coming where God will deliver his people in the ultimate Deliverance; the end time Victory.

He is our righteous judge. He is our gracious deliverer. Also,

3. God is King

He's the king. His is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. The kingdom of God shall come. His ultimate Kingdom. He'll establish His kingdom, His dominion, His rulership - over all the Earth. And he shall reign for ever and ever.

The pridefulness of Edom represents sinful man in his own fleshly, self-governing ways. It brings destruction and misery.

There is a judgment day coming - the day of the Lord. For us, who are the saved, it's a day of rejoicing, it's a Day of Victory.

The major lesson of this book is: God hates Pride. Rather, let us humble ourselves before God. Let's not be self-sufficient, trusting in ourselves. Let go of pride and self-deception.

God promises deliverance and victory for His people. We can trust that God will bring about His purposes in our lives.

Thy kingdom come! We have great hope, just days ahead again. Let go of pride, and humble yourself, and trust the Saviour.

You can enter God's kingdom today if you haven't already. Our Lord offers pardon to such as we, unworthy though we be.

He is a gracious King, full of compassion and full of grace. The King of glory. Yield to His rulership over your hearts by faith. And He shall reign for ever and ever!