God does great works through humble people who serve Him.
In Romans 1:1, Paul introduced himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus.” On an official document requiring self-identification Paul might have indicated “other” and filled in the blank with the phrase, “Servant of Jesus Christ.” Paul self-identified as a “servant of Christ” in Philippians 1:1; Galatians 1:10; and Colossians 1:7. To Paul the title, “Servant of Christ” was a title of honor.
In Romans 6:15-20, Paul explained that all human are either slaves of sin or righteousness. Christ sets people free from the “sin” master to serve the “righteous” master. The “sin” master ruins people. The “righteous” master (Christ) redeems people. Paul describes himself as happily bound to Christ for life. He uses the metaphor of a marriage covenant with Christ in Ephesians 5:25-27. Christ loves, cherishes and protects His servants.
The word for “servant” in the original Greek text is δοῦλος (Doulos). This servant is not a free individual serving for wages. This servant has sold himself or been sold by someone else to be as a slave to a master. In the case of Christians, Christ did not purchase us with silver or gold. He purchased us with His blood when He died for our sins on the cross. Therefore, we deem it an honor to serve and love Him in return.
The title of “The Lord’s servant” is attached to Moses in Joshua 14:7, to David in 2 Samuel 7:5, and to Elijah in 2 Kings 10:10. It is an honorary title from the Lord.
“The vision of Obadiah. ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, ‘Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle.’) Behold, I will make you small among the nations. You shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord.” Obadiah 1:1-4
The Lord communicated with His servant Obadiah visually. The Lord revealed to Obadiah that the people of Edom were about to experience tribulations due to their pride and abusive ways.
When the Edomites saw the Israelites diminished due to continuous attacks from enemies, they started pecking at the Israelites as chickens peck their wounded. They pecked them to death.
The nations of Israel and Edom began with twin brothers named Jacob and Esau. Sin came between them. Sin created distance between them. Sin created animosity between them.
In Obadiah 1:3-4, the Lord told Edom that He would weaken them. They wrongly assumed that no one could humble them. God promised to bring them down from their high perch.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon ruled the known world until the Lord humbled him. Daniel 4:33-34 says that he ate grass like an oxen due to losing his understanding. In Daniel 4:37, he testified, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”
What about the great empires of our age? Have they made nests (space stations) in the stars? Have they become so self-confident as to disregard and despise believers in God?
“If thieves had come to you, if robbers by night—oh, how you will be cut off!— would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, would they not have left some gleanings? Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! All the men in your confederacy shall force you to the border. The men at peace with you shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it. Will I not in that day, says the Lord, even destroy the wise men from Edom, and understanding from the mountains of Esau? Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.” Obadiah 1:5-9
Thieves tend to steal valuables and leave other items behind, but God was going to ensure that Edom’s losses were particularly painful. They had betrayed their brother when he was at his lowest point and in his most vulnerable condition. God hates abusive behavior.
At one point, it seemed to Israel that Edom had earned their trust. They were at peace with one another. They ate bread together. But at that very point, Edom was plotting to rob and abuse Isreal. God prophesied on Edom trials that even the wisest among them could not resolve.
“For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on the other side—in the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem—even you were as one of them. But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity. Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped. Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress.” Obadiah 1:10-14
Edom’s list of criminal offences were long. They sided with their brother’s enemies against him. They joined with foreign people traffickers to steal people and sell them. They rejoiced in their brother’s calamity. They spoke proudly against their brother. They took his belongings. They killed anyone who tried to escape from them.
“For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near. As you have done, it shall be done to you. Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. For as you drank on My holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually. Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, and they shall be as though they had never been.” Obadiah 1:15-16
The Bible says in Galatians 6:7-10, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
“But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness. The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble. They shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.” Obadiah 1:17-18
Israel was experiencing a momentary setback. God was dealing with their sin, but once, they returned to holiness unto the Lord, they would repossess their previous possessions, namely their land. They would eventually consume Esau (Edom) as a fire consumes stubble.
“The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, and the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the South.” Obadiah 1:19-20
“The south” refers to the Jews who shall repossess their own land and add to it the mountains of Edom. “The lowland” refers to the Jews who shall repossess their own land and add to it the land of the Philistines. “The fields of Ephraim and Samaria” refers to repossessing land that previously belonged to them. “Benjamin shall possess Gilead” refers to the region east of the Jordan River. Benjamin shall repossess their own land as well as the adjoining land eastward. Israel shall possess land as far north as Zarephath which is in Sidon. In short, God was going to turn Israel’s temporary setback into a setup for a great advancement. [JFBC]
Imagine how alarming Obadiah’s prophecy was to Edom. The Isreal that they assumed was dead was going to resurrect to life and be stronger than before. They should not have mocked and abused their brother when he was down.
The resurrection of the nation of Israel from the dead was vital to the fulfillment of prophecy about Messiah. The Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem and crucified in Jerusalem. The most important resurrection is the resurrection of people from the dead to be with God forever. In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
“Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” Obadiah 1:20
This prophecy was fulfilled on two levels. First, the Jewish Maccabees conquered the Edomites. Secondly, Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” This too shall come to pass.
Obadiah, the servant of the Lord, was blessed. Via his personal relationship with God, Obadiah knew what was going to happen to proud and abusive people and what was going to happen to servants of God’s Word. Thus, he joined his voice and face to God and proclaimed His Word.
“Our Heavenly Father, please graciously grant each of us such a close and fruitful relationship with You that we too speak Your Word to people who are at risk of perishing without knowing You. I pray this in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”
[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
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