“For the day of the LORD is approaching for all the nations!
Just as you have done, so it will be done to you.
You will get exactly what your deeds deserve.
For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
so all the nations will drink continually.
They will drink, and they will gulp down;
they will be as though they had never been.
But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape,
and it will be a holy place once again.
The descendants of Jacob will conquer
those who had conquered them.
The descendants of Jacob will be a fire,
and the descendants of Joseph a flame.
The descendants of Esau will be like stubble.
They will burn them up and devour them.
There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!”
Indeed, the LORD has spoken it”.
(NET)
So things are looking bad. God’s people have been robbed, chased out of town, hunted down, handed over to their enemies, some even killed (vv.10-14). Generally throughout history, God’s people have suffered. Here in Obadiah, God has pronounced judgement on those who have done wrong as only the Holy, pure, just, judge can do (Revelation 16.5-7).
But, judgement is not the end. There is always hope for the future. Look at vv.17-18 here:
“But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape,
and it will be a holy place once again.
The descendants of Jacob will conquer
those who had conquered them.
The descendants of Jacob will be a fire,
and the descendants of Joseph a flame.
The descendants of Esau will be like stubble.
They will burn them up and devour them.
There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!”
Indeed, the LORD has spoken it”.
There will be deliverance for God’s people.
We know so because the Word of God says so.
It also says that
“The descendants of Esau will be like stubble.
They will burn them up and devour them.
There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!”
Indeed, the LORD has spoken it”.
To the best of my reading around, Edom fought with Israel against Rome between 66-70A.D., were crushed, and were wiped out as a people. The Word of God never fails to come true.
So, yes, there will ultimately be deliverance for God’s people, and it came through His Son. It came through the exact imprint of His nature walking in a human body, Jesus Christ.
For us now as New Covenant believers to receive this deliverance from slavery to sin, from bondage to fleshly lusts, to receive deliverance from the coming consequences of our sinful selves we need only call on His name to be saved. The Word says this, a fitting Scripture for us to think on today:
“For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”.
(Romans 10.5-13)
James Travis 