Sunday School Lesson for 8/3/2003:

Study Obadiah 4:1-4, 10, 11, 15, 21 Edom's Condemnation

Questions and answers below.
TIME: about 840 B.C                                    PLACE: Judah

Obadiah 1-4, 10, 11, 15, 21

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have
heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen,
Arise
ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly
despised.

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the
clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who
shall
bring me down to the ground?

4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among
the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord
.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and
thou shalt be cut off for ever.

11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the
strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his
gates,
and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done,
it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and
the kingdom shall be the Lord's
.

Lesson Background

  Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. It is a pronouncement
of judgment against Edom. While it might seem insignificant, it becomes
important
when we realize that judgment against Edom is mentioned in more Old
Testament books than against any other nation. The importance of the nation
might come
from its founder's ties to Israel.
  Conflict between Israel and Edom began while Jacob and Esau were in
Rebekah's womb (Gen. 25:22-26). Esau eventually moved to Mount Seir and
became the
founder of the Edomites (36:89). When Israel was traveling back to Canaan
from Egypt, Edom refused to allow them passage through their territory (Num.
20:14-21). Throughout Israel's history, there were animosities between the
two nations. It was a culminating act of animosity on the part of Edom
against
Israel that caused God to condemn them to complete destruction.

Warning to
Edom
(Obadiah 1-4)

Obadiah
 means "servant of Yahweh." About this prophet we know only what we learn
from this short book that bears his name. Nothing is said about his parents
or
his family, nothing about his birthplace or his home, nothing about how or
when or where he delivered God's message to Edom. The prophet hides in the
shadows;
God's message stands in the spotlight.

1. To whom was Obadiah's vision concerning? How do we know it came from God
(v. 1)?

  Obadiah's vision concerned the nation of Edom. While the prophets
ministered primarily to the people of Israel, occasionally their messages
were about
other nations (Jonah is a good example of this). In this case the vision
declaring judgment against Edom would have been an encouragement to the
people
of Israel, who had been the objects of Edom's destructive wrath. It would
have reminded them that God did have a special relationship with them and
would
take vengeance on their enemies for them.
  The message given through Obadiah had its origin with God. He is referred
to in Obadiah 1:1 as "Lord God," using the two names 'Adonai and "Jehovah."
Adonai refers to Him as the Sovereign, and "Jehovah" refers to Him as the
one who has a covenant relationship with Israel. "Although the background of
the prophet is obscure, the source of his message is not. It was
supernaturally given by God, and was not motivated by unholy vengeance"
(MacArthur, ed.,
The MacArthur Study Bible, Nelson). It is reiterated that the report is
"from the Lord."

2. What was the report circulating among the nations, and how did God fit
into that report?

  The report ("rumour") being heard was that a messenger had been sent among
the nations to gather them together against Edom. Since God was behind the
activity, it was implied that He had now given the command for the nations
to rise up and move against her. Throughout the Bible it is clear that God
uses
the nations of the world to accomplish His will. Prophetic Scriptures
foretell the involvement of the nations prior to and during the tribulation.
The
message to Edom was a warning that God was about to take action.

3. What was the outcome foretold for nations coming against Edom (v. 2)?

  The outcome of God's move against Edom was her destruction. She would be
made small among the nations of the world, and she would be greatly despised
by them. Such a warning was probably met with scorn and derision by the
Edomites because of their strength. The capital city was Sela, later known
as Petra.
It was a highly fortified, rock-enclosed area where it was almost impossible
for enemies to invade. The people of Edom felt invincible and could not
imagine
how circumstances could possibly be as Obadiah described.
  If God uses the nations of the world to accomplish His will, certainly
that should remind us that nothing we do or say can thwart Him. The best way
for
us to approach life is with a determination to obey Him implicitly and allow
Him to accomplish His will for and through us. We can also be encouraged by
the fact that nothing done against us will succeed unless He allows it to.
God is sovereign and in complete control. This can be either a warning or an
encouragement to us, depending on our attitude toward Him.

4. What was the sin that caused Edom to feel she was invincible (v. 3)?

  Edom is described as being deceived by an incomplete evaluation of her
natural defenses. She looked at her impregnable fortress and concluded that
she
was invincible, but she left God out of the picture. The pride in her heart
resulted from feeling there was no way for any human enemy to overcome her
because of the rugged surroundings protecting her.
  The Hebrew word translated "pride" is especially important in this case.
It is based on a root word that means "to seethe," or "to boil up." It is
used
in this context as meaning "to be presumptuous." This root is the same as
what is used in Genesis 5:29 in saying that Jacob "sod /pottage" (meaning he
cooked some stew) as Esau came home from the field. When something cooked
boils up, it is the response to heat applied to it. The figurative idea is
self-exaltation
rising (or boiling up) from a false assurance-in Edom's case the false
assurance that nothing could interfere with her circumstances.
  This was the pride of Edom, and the reason for her self-assurance is given
in Obadiah 1:3. The people lived in cliff homes high above ground level,
making
it appear that no enemy could access them. This resulted in a deep sense of
security, for they could not imagine away for enemies to get to them. They
could easily repulse anyone trying to reach them because an enemy would have
to climb up from below and would be an easy target when he approached.

5. What question did Edom proudly ask, and how did God respond (vs. 3,4)?

  Since the people lived in such heights and since they felt so invincible,
the nation as a whole was asking, "Who shall bring me down to the ground?"
(v.
3). God's answer was very direct: I will "bring thee down" (v. 4)! In
leading up to this response, God described Edom's location as similar to
that of
an eagle's nest. Eagles build their nests on lofty locations out of reach of
potential predators. God likened their location to being "among the stars."
  It made no difference to God that Edom lived in natural fortifications
that come. As the sovereign God, He is in firm control of everything.
Nothing is
impossible for Him. Edom had not considered His role in this matter. When
the word went out from God for the nations to gather together against Edom,
her
future was clearly limited. Her smug sense of security and impregnability
was near its end even though she did :not yet realize it. There is no
opposition
to God that will ever succeed.
  The encouragement for us in this warning is the truth that when we are
right with God, no opposition can defeat us. We must be certain, then, that
we
are pleasing to Him. To call upon Him in times of emergency without having a
daily walk with Him is the height of presumption.

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Charge Against Edom
(Obadiah 10, 11)

  Edom would fall for the same reason that many nations had fallen before
and since that time: Edom would fall because of wickedness. Next we see
exactly
what type of wickedness it is that condemns Edom.

6. What had happened to cause God to announce Edom's destruction (vs.
10,11)?

  In verses 5-9 God described the extent of Edom's destruction. He said
robbers steal without taking everything in sight and those who pick grapes
leave
gleanings. He then contrasted that by saying nothing would be left in Edom.
Even the nations then at peace with them would turn against them, laying a
trap for them without their being aware of it. All their wise and mighty men
would be dismayed and destroyed, and ultimately "every one of the mount of
Esau may be cut off by slaughter."
  God is not erratic; so there must have been good reason for Him to
determine
such utter desolation upon Edom. It is given for us in verses 10-14, where a
description is given of a particularly vicious act of violence against
Israel.
In Deuteronomy 23:7 God commanded Israel, "Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite;
for he is thy brother." Edom had long since forgotten that relationship. It
is even more difficult to understand when we recall that Jacob and Esau were
twins.
  Because of Edom's violent act against Israel, she was going to be shamed
and eventually destroyed forever. The description of her violent act is
given
in Obadiah 1:11-14, where a series of indictments is spelled out. First, she
stood by and watched while some foreign nation attacked Jerusalem, casting
lots for her and taking the people away as captives.

  Second, she rejoiced over the devastation her brothers were going rough
(v. 12). God said Edom should not have looked on with sympathy for the
enemy,
nor should they have rejoiced over Israel's calamity. Third, she spoke
proudly about seeing Jerusalem get what she felt she deserved. Fourth, she
entered
Jerusalem, looked around with satisfaction, and looted for herself after
seeing the city in its decimated condition (v. 13).

  Finally, Edom's people stood in the roads while the occupants of Jerusalem
attempted to flee from the enemy and cut off their escape. Those they caught
they turned over to the captors (v. 14). In that day of great distress for
Israel, Edom allied herself enemies and against her own relatives.

7. Edom stands condemned because of actions against "thy brother Jacob."
Family relationships are important to God; what can we do to strengthen our
own
family relationships?

  The first structure of human relationships God instituted was the family
(Adam and Eve). Later, God developed His plan of salvation based on family,
promising
that Abraham would be the "father of many nations." In the New Testament,
relationships in the church are compared to the family, beginning with God
being
"our Father."

  The close bonds that normally form between family members benefit us in
many ways. Families ensure that the youngest, oldest, and weakest members of
society
are taken care of. They pass down treasures from one generation to the
next-skills for living, wisdom, and faith as well as property. They offer a
sense
of identity, belonging, and unconditional love. The home is the first place
we learn how to live peacefully with other people. Parents need to model
that
kind of relationship for their children. They need to insist on the children
's treating others in the family with love, courtesy, and respect.
Consistent
rules backed by a consistent example is critical to passing on godly family
values.

Overthrow of Edom
(Obadiah 15, 21)

  The facts are stated clearly. First, God said proud Edom was to be brought
low because of Edom's violence to Israel and help to Israel's enemies. Now
the last two verses of our text relate the final outcome of all this.

8. What is meant by "the day of the Lord" (v. 15)?

  The Bible speaks of the day of the Lord in many places. It is a foreboding
phrase of judgment. It is a time of the Lord's victory and His enemies'
defeat.
That time is near for Edom. What Edom has done to others eventually is
turned right back on that country's own head. Such is the ultimate fate of
all nations
that oppose God and His people.
_ftnref1
It will be that way when God comes to judge the nations of the world. "As
thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon
thine
own head" (Obad. 1:15).

9. God condemned Edom for standing "on the other side" when Judah fell. How
are we sometimes guilty of standing aloof when someone is in trouble? In
what
ways should we-as individuals, as churches, and as nations-help those we see
in trouble?

  Jesus addressed this issue in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke
10:25-37). There, a priest and a Levite purposefully avoided a situation
where they
should have helped.

  Individuals, churches, and nations have different roles in this regard.
Christians should live by the "law of love," which says anyone in need
should
be considered our neighbor, not our enemy. Sometimes churches can do things
that individual Christians cannot. And certain projects, such as feeding
millions
of starving refugees, are so daunting that only entire nations can make a
significant difference. We can't always expect a secular nation to live by
Christian
values, but Christians and their churches can show that it is possible to
offer service rather than self-interest.

10. How will Israel be protected from the coming destruction (v. 21)?

  The deliverance described in verse 17 will be fulfilled during the
millennium. At that time the people of Israel will be back in their land and
ruled
by their Messiah. All the territory on earth that has been promised to
Israel will be occupied by them (vs. 19-20). Edom will no longer have a
single survivor
left, as determined by the Lord (v. 18). All nations that have ignored and
rebelled against the Lord will drink of His wrath and cease to exist (v.
16),
especially those that have opposed God's chosen people and tried to destroy
them in their land. "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion" (v. 21). The
scope of this verse is unique. It embraces the near view, with the return of
saviors (judges) to dispense justice to the God-fearing remnant who have
taken
over the place," by the destruction of their enemies its focus.

  The last phrase, "and the kingdom shall be the Lord's", is the ultimate
fulfillment of the future kingdom of the Lord Jesus (Dan 2:44; 7:14, 27;
Zech
14:9; Lk 1:33; Rev 11:15).

CONCLUSION

  Perhaps it seem strange that the Lord used Babylon to punish Israel
(Jeremiah 25:9), and then rebuked Edom for helping in that punishment. But
this is
just another example of God's customary way of working with evil nations. He
will use one wicked nation to punish another, and then turn around and
punish
the first nation for its own wickedness. (This is a major theme of the book
of Habakkuk.)
_ftnref1

  These lessons are for all nations of the twenty-first century! Read
history and learn. The God of all history still casts a watchful eye over
all nations
today.

PRAYER

  Forgive our sins, O Father, and guide us daily that we shall sin no more.
By Your grace may we have our home forever in that kingdom that shall never
be destroyed, the only kingdom that shall stand for all eternity. In Jesus'
name, amen.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

  Trust the Lord and do right.

ANTICIPATING THE NEXT LESSON

  Joel 1:1 through 2:32 provides the scriptural background for Joel's call
to repentance in next week's lesson.
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To get out of a hard situation,
try a soft answer.
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
YBIC, Thomas And YSIC, Linda.
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