How do you preach a book like Obadiah? The prophecy is one of judgement and it would be tempting to launch into a hell fire and brimstone denunciation of the congregation. But is that what they need to hear. Even if rebuke and challenge is needed, does Obadiah’s message properly fit?
If you feel uncomfortable with such an approach, then that might be down to one crucial point. Obadiah’s rebuke isn’t directed at God’s people. Rather, he addresses the people of Edom, the descendants of Esau.
Esau was Jacob’s brother so there should have been a kindred spirit. However, Edom had proved an adversary rather than an ally. They had blocked the Israelites’ route to the promised land. Now, they had not only sat back whilst Judah had been attacked by the Babylonians, they had taken advantage themselves.
Obadiah serves as a warning to those who oppose God’s, people. It isn’t the church that stands condemned in contemporary application but those who take joy and delight when God’s people suffer.
Still, the message would not have been addressed directly to the Edomites, at least in its final form. Instead, it was the Jews who would have heard it read. So, how were they would have heard it? Well, first as encouragement. Here was a reminder that God was still sovereign and had not forgotten his people or his covenant with them. They were vindicated.
Secondly they were meant to be challenged. If Edom should have acted like a brother but had not, then even more, those who were part of God’s people should have stood by each other.
So, how do we hear this as the church today? Well, first there is encouragement. God sees the opposition we face. God does not forget us, not his covenant with us in Christ. God does not forget the enemies of his people either.
Secondly, when Christians neglect the body and are unconcerned or even seek personal advantage from the differing of brothers and sisters, then we need to know that God takes notice. We will be called to account.
However, more importantly still, we need to apply Obadiah to and through Christ. First, he is the true Israel. God will vindicate Christ against his enemies. So are we the ones who stand with Christ and experience his shame, dying with him to rise with him and be vindicated justified in him or we stand against him, outside of him.
The truth is that we all deserve Edom’s judgement. It is only because Christ came and bore Edom’s disgrace that we can know the vindication of God’s people.
Faithroots 