Bible Study - Special - Seeking Justice in an Unjust World - Obadiah 1-17 - January 16, 2022

 

Bible Study – Special – Seeking Justice in an Unjust World – January 16, 2022

This is a special lesson inserted between two series of study. It is taking a view of justice in an unjust world.

Our focus scripture is Obadiah 1-4, 10-17

Join GOD in pursuing justice in the face of indifference and oppression through the writing of the Prophet Obadiah. There are several Obadiah’s in the Bible, therefore we do not know much about this Obadiah. We do know that GOD’S message through him was straight, clear, hard and to the point.

This is a very timely lesson. Our scripture goes back to the fraternal twin boys born to Isaac and Rebecca. The boys were Esau and Jacob. Esau was the first born and Jacob followed Esau grasping at Esau’s heel. Scripture tells us that the younger twin, Jacob, would rule over the older twin, Esau. Jacob’s children became the Israelites and Esau’s descendants became the Edomites. Jacob’s ancestral line leads to JESUS.

Background scripture - Genesis 25:19-32:

The Birth of Jacob and Esau – (Hatfield’s and McCoy’s except Jacob and Esau were blood kin – twins)

¹⁹ These are the family records of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac. ²⁰ Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. ²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord was receptive to his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. ²² But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” ^[k] So she went to inquire of the Lord. ²³ And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb;
two peoples will come from you and be separated.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.

 

GOD knew this and let nature take its course.

²⁴ When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. ²⁵ The first one came out red-looking,^[l] covered with hair^[m] like a fur coat, and they named him Esau. ²⁶ After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand. So, he was named Jacob.^[n] Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

²⁷ When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman,^[o] but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.^[p] 28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.^[q]

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

³² “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

We fast-forward to Esau and his family growing to become a nation of people living in Petra and being referred to as Edomites. Petra was located in a difficult area to get to, rocky, mountainous area and perfect for defending it. The Edomites had become arrogant and self-sufficient because they felt physically secure and invincible. But GOD is the great equalizer.

Jacob settled in Jerusalem and came under attack from surrounding enemies.

A battle took place and Jerusalem was defeated and ransacked.

The Edomites looked on and rejoiced in the defeat of Jerusalem and they did not come to their aid.

Jerusalem was chosen by GOD. People from far and wide came to Jerusalem to Worship GOD and have the priests to offer sacrifices for their sins. GOD was punishing those who lived in Jerusalem. The Edomites could have come to their aid but instead they looked on what was taking place with an attitude of, “they are getting what they deserve” and did not try to help them.

Yes, those in Jerusalem were being punished by GOD but what is the attitude of GOD/JESUS toward such people? Let’s read Luke 6:35-36:

³⁵ But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

GOD led the Prophet Obadiah to write this short overview regarding the attitude of the Edomites toward the Israelites when the Israelites were being defeated by those hostile to her. The Edomites looked on but did not lift a finger to help them. Let’s explore!

This is a lesson about those who could have helped but did not. They gloated in the defeat and ravaging of those less fortunate than they were. It is an attitude that many of us can have toward others, especially those we do not care for. When we do not like a certain person or group of people and bad things happen to them, many generally think they are getting their just desserts. We may have longed for them to get zapped but we did not want to be the ones to zap them. We gloat and GOD hates gloating. HE calls us to help when we can.

We in America have a wonderful opportunity to reach out to be the voice of the many babies being aborted, or reach out to those with various ethnic/social/racial backgrounds who are struggling, our Afghan brothers and sisters who have been uprooted from their homeland and coming to America to begin a new life.  

Did you know that there are over 65,000 Afghans at various military locations in the United States and in other countries seeking asylum in the USA? Samaritans Purse has a program to help relocate them called, Samaritans Purse Afghan Resettlement Program. It is very comprehensive and well thought out.  

There are other people groups from various countries seeking asylum? Do we see them as a nuisance or an opportunity? What does JESUS call us to do?

Let’s explore the words of GOD through the Prophet Obadiah and apply them to us today.

The Edomites thought they were safe and secure because they lived in a high, rugged, safe place hard to get place. As a result, they had become arrogant and self-sufficient. But GOD had a message for them. In essence, don’t let your security keep you from helping or coming to the aid of those in need of your help.

America, this is a message to us. This is not a message for open borders but organized outreach to others in need for various reasons.

Let’s read Obadiah 1-4:

¹ The vision of Obadiah.

Vision generally refers to a supernatural revelation from the LORD. In the book of Revelation, we can read the vision from JESUS, the Apostle John had regarding end-times.

Edom’s Certain Judgment

This is what the Lord God has said about Edom:

We have heard a message from the Lord;
an envoy has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up, and let’s go to war against her.”^[a]
2 Look, I will make you insignificant
among the nations;
you will be deeply despised.
³ Your arrogant heart has deceived you,
you who live in clefts of the rock^[b][c]
in your home on the heights,
who say to yourself,
“Who can bring me down to the ground?”
⁴ Though you seem to soar^[d] like an eagle
and make your nest among the stars,
even from there I will bring you down.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

When we think we are safe and secure that is when we need to pay attention. JESUS told the parable of “A rich man’s land was very productive. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? ¹⁸ I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

Death is the equalizer. What if we gain the world but lose our soul? Where is our treasure?

Let’s read Obadiah 10-14:

Edom’s Sins against Judah

¹⁰ You will be covered with shame
and destroyed forever
because of violence done to your brother Jacob.

 

Edom’s sin was that they saw that Judah was being punished severely and rather than offering them a helping hand, they joined in with those punishing Judah. The point is a nation had fallen upon hard times and so do our neighbors, friends, relatives and loved ones. Where or to whom can a person turn to when trouble come his or her way? GOD calls those who have the right relationship with HIM to be HIS ambassador. GOD loves you and so do I.

 

We read about GOD’S judgment followed by the reason for HIS judgment and HIS expectations for us:

¹¹ On the day you stood aloof,
on the day strangers captured his wealth,^[g]
while foreigners entered his city gate
and cast lots for Jerusalem,
you were just like one of them.

 

When you sit back and watch and do nothing you become just like those doing the evil deed.

¹² Do not^[h] gloat over your brother
in the day of his calamity;
do not rejoice over the people of Judah
in the day of their destruction;
do not boastfully mock^[i]
in the day of distress.
¹³ Do not enter my people’s city gate
in the day of their disaster.
Yes, you—do not gloat over their misery
in the day of their disaster,
and do not appropriate their possessions
in the day of their disaster.
¹⁴ Do not stand at the crossroads^[j]
to cut off their fugitives,
and do not hand over their survivors
in the day of distress.

 

In verse 12, GOD was punishing HIS chosen people, the Israelites and warned the Edomites about taking advantage of them during this time and adding to their misery. We are to reflect the light of JESUS when others come under GOD’S punishment/wrath. It is not condoning why GOD is punishing those experiencing difficulties but being an encourager and showing GOD’S love in spite of our prejudice.

 

Do not be a party to the evil deeds of others, even though GOD is punishing them. When GOD punishes, those being punished realize that GOD is the disciplinarian. Does that mean we are to add to GOD’S wrath? No! We are to go to them and offer help in the name of JESUS. It still may mean “if you do the crime, you do the time or punishment” as required by the law. Our part as Christians may be to offer food, shelter, transportation, a listening ear, and the list goes on.

 

Let’s read Obadiah 15-17:

Judgment of the Nations

¹⁵ For the day of the Lord is near,
against all the nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
what you deserve will return on your own head.
¹⁶ As you have drunk on my holy mountain,
so all the nations will drink continually.
They will drink and gulp down
and be as though they had never been.
¹⁷ But there will be a deliverance on Mount Zion,
and it will be holy;
the house of Jacob will dispossess
those who dispossessed them.^[k]

 

The term, “for the day of the LORD is near”, carries several meanings.

-         To announce the LORD’S judgement on the nation of Israel for its failure to love GOD and love its neighbors.

-         The prophets used this phrase to announce GOD’S deliverance of HIS people from their oppressors.

-         It can be used to reference GOD’S judgment on foreign nations.

-         It can also be used to specify the nation GOD was going to judge.

-         A time when GOD would break the yoke of oppression from the shoulders of the people.

-         In this case, GOD promised HE would bring HIS justice on the Edomites and all the nations soon.

-         What will GOD do? As you have done, it will be done to you;
what you deserve will return on your own head.

What can Christians do? They can speak up for those who do not have a voice. This can be unborn babies, abused children, handicapped, mentally challenged, poor, needy, disabled, elderly, discrimination, abused women or men and the list goes on ----

Opportunity surrounds us as we seek to serve our LORD.

Obadiah reminded the people of the nations that they had tasted the wrath of GOD. There will be payday someday. The house of Jacob will rise again because they are obedient to GOD’S call and will return.

¹⁶ As you have drunk on my holy mountain,
so all the nations will drink continually.
They will drink and gulp down
and be as though they had never been.
¹⁷ But there will be a deliverance on Mount Zion,
and it will be holy;
the house of Jacob will dispossess
those who dispossessed them.^[k]

 

This gives us all hope, especially for those of us who have tasted the love of GOD through faith in JESUS and gone astray. Yes, GOD punishes but HE also welcomes those who repent and come to HIM with open arms. Experiencing GOD’S wrath does not mean there is no hope for us. The real question is, are we experiencing GOD’S wrath or our own bad judgment or stupidity. Often, when we experience issues in our life, it is for our learning experience. In fact, it shows GOD’S love for us. HE disciplines those HE loves. Repent and come back to HIM because GOD loves you, as HIS child. He will welcome you with open arms and put a robe on you, sandals on your feet and a ring on your finger. He will have the fatted calf killed and have a banquet.

Blessings!!!