Obadiah

Resources:

• Obadiah Reading Guide
• Obadiah Teaching Notes
• Obadiah Video

Overview:

• Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament – only one chapter. Obidiah means “servant of the Lord” and is mentioned 11 times in the Old Testament.
• Obadiah is a series of judgments against the people of Edom –  a nation that existed on the other side of the Dead Sea from Israel.
• The people of Edom had a shared ancestry with Israel (they both came from the family of Abraham). Abraham and Sarah begat Isaac and Rebekah who gave birth to Jacob (who later started Israel) and Esau (who later started Edom).
• When Esau was 40 he took two Canaanite women as his wives – he continued to stray from God’s laws because they weren’t supposed to marry foreigners.
• Esau was very jealous of Jacob (see Genesis 25-27). This jealousy resulted in ongoing tensions between Edom and Israel.
• When Jerusalem eventually fell to Babylon, Edom plundered other cities in Israel and killed Israeli refugees.
• Obadiah warns Edom of God’s coming judgement because of the way they have been treating Israel.

Notes on the video:

• v1: 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!” 
• v2: Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised.  
• v3: 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?”
  • The Edomites had a false sense of security from living in high caves where they felt they were untouchable. God can always see us and our sins. We cannot hide from God and are never untouchable by God.
• v4: 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.  
• v5: 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? 
• v6:  How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 
• v7: 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.  
  • All of your allies and neighbors will conquer you or turn their backs on you because you haven’t been obeying God’s laws.
• v8:  Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 
• v9: And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.  
  • See Genesis 36:11 – Teman was a grandson of Esau.
  • The army will be defeated.
• v10: Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 
  • Edom would be covered with shame and destroyed forever because of their violence toward Jacob/Israel. There was no promise to Edom that anything would survive God’s judgement.
• v11: 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. 
• v12: 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. 
• v13 :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.
  • This was a warning to not loot the cities during their downfall.
• v14: Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.
• v15: 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. 
  • Verse 15 declares the Day of the Lord is near for all nations. Edom is an example of how one day God will judge all nations for their failure to follow God’s laws. The Day of the Lord is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
  • Note: Edom is spelled with the same letters as “humanity” in Hebrew. This means Edom’s rise and fall is a parable of how God will one day judge all nations for their pride and failure to follow God’s laws.
• v16: 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. 
  • They are going to drink from the cup of God’s wrath.
• v17: 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. 
• v18: 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.
  • Restoration is coming for the Jews and those who obey God’s laws.
• v19: 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. 
• v20: 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. 
• v21: Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord‘s.
  • “Saviors” doesn’t refer to multiple saviors – this is referring to the people who have obeyed God’s laws for hey will be saved from God’s judgment.
  • See Revelations 11:15 for more clarity on the Day of the Lord.
  • Obadiah’s words are a warning to those disobeying the Lord but an encouragement for Israel.
  • While the minor prophets include many judgments and warnings, God’s judgement is never His final word. Everyone that follows God’s laws will be spared judgement and will be restored.

Group Discussion:

• Obadiah is a bit of a heavy read with all the warnings and threats of judgment but it ends on a hopeful note – those who follow God’s laws will be spared His judgment.
• Edom was wiped out – it was in a canyon. It was easy to defend but hard to attack. This location led to their pride and eventually to their fall.
• The animosity between Esau and Jacob continued as a bad relationship between Edom and Israel. This is a good warning to stand by the Jews when they face difficult times.

Prayer Requests:

• I gave praise (thanks) for:
  • my health and other blessings I take for granted
  • my wife and my children
  • my son’s 27th birthday
  • the ability and resources to  travel to see my daughter this weekend for Father’s Day
  • the Bible Study Group
  • Jim’s leadership and daily messages of inspiration
• I prayed for:
  • my wife and kids
  • my marriage and all of our marriages and relationships
  • a safe round trip down to WA and back this weekend
  • our countries (US and Canada) – to heal divisions within them and between them and for a future revival
  • our leaders to govern well according to God’s will
  • a possible job or self-employment opportunity to better provide for my wife, my children, my church, and my community

Amos 4-6

Resources:

• Amos 7-9 Reading Guide
• Amos 7-9 Teaching Notes
• Amos 7-9 Video

Overview:

• Amos chapter 7 contains several visions and prophecies that illustrate God’s justice and mercy towards Israel.
• Amos chapter 8 is a prophetic message that warns of severe consequences for Israel’s societal injustices and spiritual decay. 
• Amos chapter 9 highlights the dual nature of God’s character, portraying Him both as a righteous judge and a merciful restorer. It emphasizes that while God’s judgment is severe and unavoidable, His mercy and grace are abundant, offering hope for restoration and blessings to His people. 

Notes on the video:

• Amos is one of the minor prophets. The books of the minor prophets are shorter and contain fewer chapters.
• Amos’ message is to the Northern Tribes.
• Saul, David, and Soloman had a unified kingdom. They later split into separate kingdoms and stopped walking with the Lord. The minor prophets were attempting to bring these kingdoms back into alignment with the Lord.
• Amos 7-8 is a message of judgement.  Amos 9 is about restoration.
• The Lord was showing images to Amos to help him understand the potential judgement that could happen if people continue to defy the Lord.
• Amos 7

• Amos 8

• Amos 9

• The ending of Amos is beautiful – it proves God is good and merciful. He give us the promise of restoration.
• Most of the minor prophets are warnings of judgement to the Northern Tribes.
• Prayers and Praise
  • Thanks for the group
  • Thanks for my wife, my Canadian family, my kids
  • Prayers:
    • For our families, marriages, relationships, and friends.
    • For the US and Canada to heal their relations and grow closer.
    • For the US and Canada to also heal their relations within their respective countries and for a revival to spread and return us to Christian values.
    • Prayers for the people that were impacted by the terrible attacks in Boulder, CO last week.
    • Prayers for our friend Shizod who is sharing the gospel with new Christians in Pakistan.
    • Prayers for our friend Ray who is out of work and struggling.