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Obadiah


Resources:

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:

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

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Amos 4-6

Resources:

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
Group Discussion:
  • 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.

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Amos 4-6

Resources:

Overview:

  • Amos chapter 4 emphasizes the consequences of the people’s choices and the importance of true repentance. God had intervened multiple times to guide the people back to Him, but their actions did not reflect genuine repentance. Instead of performing rituals, true repentance involves a heart transformation, seeking justice, and showing compassion to the oppressed.

  • Amos chapter 5 focuses on the importance of justice and righteousness over religious rituals. It begins with a lament for Israel’s fall, predicting that the nation will be severely diminished, with only a small fraction of its people surviving the coming judgment.

  • Amos chapter 6 is directed at those who are at ease and secure in Zion and Samaria. It criticizes the wealthy and powerful for their complacency, luxury, and lack of compassion for the poor and oppressed.

Notes on the video:

Group Discussion:

  • Again, it’s a shame that they are moving so fast through the Minor prophets in the videos.
  • God gave the Israelites multiple opportunities to seek Him. We can take hope and be thankful that God is the Restorer and He always looks to restore.
  • Jeremiah asks why his pain is unending – God reminds Jeremiah the pain is happening because he is not seeking God.
  • Amos 5:6 is the original “hellfire and brimstone” preaching. We talk a lot about the goodness of following Jesus but not about the fact that Jesus serves as our advocate and clears our sins, helping us avoid the punishment of going to hell.
  • The group reviewed Praise and Prayer requests.
    • I am thankful for:
      • my relationship with my wife, kids, and my Canadian family
      • my health
      • our Bible study group and our ongoing meetings
      • having the resources to do things like wine tasting and going to the movies
    • I am praying for:
      • our countries and its leaders
      • my children – to keep them healthy, safe, and successful and to surround them with positive influences
      • my wife to sleep better and for the volume of work she’s facing to be more manageable for her team
      • the Christians in Seattle that were recently persecuted by a crowd of AntiFa bullies, for the city to better defend religious freedoms, and for the members of Seattle AntiFa to reconsider their actions and avoid acting like this in the future
      • the homeless in our countries
      • the opportunity to locate a full-time job or some other form of steady income so that I might better provide for my wife, children, church, and my community