◄ What Does Obadiah 1:21 Mean? ►

Although it is only has 21 short verses, the book of Obadiah has a major message to deliver. It rehearses, with powerful candour, God's hatred of sin, His righteous demand for vengeance on His enemies, and His judgement on the gentile nations, who oppress His people.

But Obadiah also identifies God's wonderful plan of redemption for the oppressed nation of Israel. He speaks of God's gracious blessing on believing Jews, which will be finalised with the establishment of the Kingdom of God, and the millennial rule of Jesus Christ our Saviour, "for the deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be the Lord's." The message from Obadiah is a thumbnail sketch of all the prophetic writings in Old Testament Scripture, which outline God's wrath against a Christ-rejecting sinful world. He gives a profile of the crimes of Edom, and pinpoints their destruction, which will take place on the mountains of Esau. He uses 'Edom' and 'Esau' as a picture of His judgement on ALL the ungodly gentile nations of the world, and on those who reject God's Word and abuse His people.

This powerful, punchy message indicates what will happen to all God's enemies globally. A day is coming when all Israel will be saved. God's people will be fully restored to their promised land, and Christ will be enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords, upon Mount Zion's holy hill.

The land, which was stolen from the people of God and divided amongst the nations will be fully restored, and in the final section of his discourse, we are presented with a picture of the terrible consequences, for those that rise-up haughtily against the God of the universe, foolishly renounce His Word, and pridefully reject His gracious offer of salvation.

Obadiah begins by prophesying the destruction of Edom, which can also be identified as the land of Esau, on the other side of the Jordan and beyond the Dead Sea. But he ends by reminding us that God is in control and that the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will never fail. He prophecies of Israel's future deliverance, where God will use His people to be a, "flame to devour... the house of Esau."

On that day, a joyful procession will take place, "where the deliverers will ascend Mount Zion, to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be the Lord's." We know that time is fast approaching, but first, Israel must go through that terrible time of Jacob's trouble - that time of great tribulation, during which period God's people will be purged and purified - redeemed and restored.

And what of the Church, which is Christ's body? Well, we are not appointed to face the wrath of God, for Christ took the punishment for our sin, when HE was made sin for us, and the wrath of God, which we deserve, was poured out on Him in our stead when He died on Calvary's Cross, for the sin of the world.

We, who are His Body are not appointed to go through that great time of trouble. Instead, we who are believers in this dispensation of grace will be raptured into His presence - for a day is coming when the trump of God will sound, the voice of the archangel will shout, the dead in Christ will rise from their graves and we that are alive and remain will be caught up with them, into the air, to be with the Lord forever.

Let us comfort one another with these words, as we occupy until Christ comes, and tell forth the wonderful glory of His name, to a lost and dying world, who need Jesus as their God and Saviour.

Heavenly Father, as the world gets darker and increasingly dangerous, I recognise that we are living in perilous times. But praise Your holy name that You have told us the end from the beginning, through holy men of God, like Obadiah - and Jesus Christ, Whom You sent to be our Kinsman-Redeemer. Thank You that as perfect God and sinless man, He paid the price for my sin. Give each one of Your children an increasing urgency to share the good news of the gospel of grace with those that are dead in their sins, before that great and terrible Day of the Lord begins. Give us courage, patience, endurance, and a heart to seek the lost. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.