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Call to worship: Psalm 115:1-11

Text: Obadiah 1:1-21

Summary:

Summary: Obadiah, minor prophet, but big for God and the preservation of His Word to His people. His vision concerns the hope of Israel in the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom that rules all others and will not hold them guiltless for their sins. The word is specific to the judgment of Edom for her national pride and her unjust treatment of God's people. The prophecy reminds us that God is the King of nations, sovereign in every dispensation, Witness, Judge, and Jury of all our activities under Heaven. There will be a Day of judgment---but also a way of escape. Though Israel has undergone so many desolations, Zion will be holy, a fire that consumes the wicked, particularly in the Day that the Savior of saviors shows up in Jerusalem. In that Day, the Kingdom behind all will come to the fore of history and be established over Mt. Esau, as over all the world. To this end, few can be thanked more for their labors than this obscure prophet, Obadiah.

Sermon Outline:

1: Obadiah, humble servant to the Word of our King. (1:1a)

2: Our King's ability to humble our enemies. (1:1b-4)

3: Our King has a Day for humbling our enemies. (1:5-16)

4: Our King's humility in establishing His Kingdom. (1:17-21)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. 1. Read Obadiah. You will also benefit by reading 2 Kings 8:20-22, Psalm 137:7, Lamentations 4:18-22, and Ezekiel 25:12-14 with 35:1-15.
2. 2: From the passages provided above, why is there an entire (albeit brief) book in the Bible against the nation of Edom (Esau)?
3. 3: Who is speaking in this prophecy? And to whom? And against whom? And for what reason? And what is the Lord's sure Word to them? Why is humility so important to God? What is true humility? Can an unbelieving person (nation) be truly humble? What is the benefit of true humility? See 1 Peter 5.
4. 4: What will Edom do against Judah (1:10-14)? On account of it, what will the Lord do to Edom (1:5-9, 15-16)? To what does the Day of the Lord refer? What principle does Obadiah set down in 1:15? Is there any hope of escape for sinners?
5. 5: What hope does Obadiah afford Judah? Though things seem hopeless for them, what will become of God's people in the future? Is there a Savior of saviors to come? To Whom belongs the Kingdom? When will the Kingdom of God come to the foreground of history?
6. 6: What is the message of Obadiah for Judah, and how does it relate to the people of God today? As the Bible progresses, and we come to the NT, who is 'the Israel of God,' and what does Edom typify? What is the Church's hope when beat down and dispossessed by the world? Who has all authority in Heaven and on earth, and what is His charge to us (Matthew 28:16-20)?