God’s Oracle Against A Secure Nation
Modified from Zeke Flores
I. Introduction:
A.What would you do if you
had been warned about your nation’s impending downfall?
B.Obadiah warned Edom about
the their certain end
C. We can know that God has an interest in every nation for they all
exist because of Him.
1.
“He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the
earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their
habitation...”
Acts 17:26
II. Edom had a history of antagonism with Israel that started with the
first two men of each nation.
A. Jacob & Esau were twins and were fated for animosity.
1.(Genesis 25:21-26)
Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the
LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children
struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I
like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her:
"Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your
body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve
the younger." So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth,
indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a
hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother
came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob.
Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
(NKJV)
B. Thus begins a struggle
that would last for centuries.
III. God’s ordains their punishment through the prophets.
A.Ezekiel 35
B.(Joel 3:19) "Egypt
shall be a desolation, And Edom a desolate wilderness, Because of violence
against the people of Judah, For they have shed innocent blood in their
land. (NKJV)
C.(Amos 1:11-12) Thus says
the LORD: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn
away its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast
off all pity; His anger tore perpetually, And he kept his wrath forever. But I
will send a fire upon Teman, Which shall devour the palaces of
Bozrah." (NKJV)
D. The reasons for their imminent downfall stem from their attitude and
actions against their brother, Israel.
1. Obadiah 1:10-14 "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. (NKJV)
2. Since the Edomites were related to the Israelites, their hostility
was more reprehensible.
E. Their seemingly secure place in the hills and cliffs of the
mountains would not protect them.
1. Obadiah 1:2-4 "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.
(NKJV)
F.Though the prophecy was
directed to a certain people, the lessons contained in the book are timely.
IV. Every nation has its future in its own hands –
Obadiah 1:15 "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.
(NKJV)
A. The difference will be in the direction each nation chooses to go.
B. How? Consider these passages.
1.Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a
nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
(NKJV)
2.Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation
whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (NKJV)
3.Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be
turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. (NKJV)
C.Nothing is so costly to
governments as sin and unrighteousness.
1. Think of the money spent to fight wars, curb crime, and care for
criminals.
a)$78 billion for the criminal justice system,
b)$64 billion for private protection,
c)$202 billion in loss of life and work,
d)$120 billion in crimes against business,
e)$60 billion in stolen goods and fraud,
f)$40 billion from drug abuse,
g)$110 billion from drunk driving.
2.When you add up all the costs, crime costs
Americans a stunning $675 billion each year. `(Crime in America, Kirby Anderson,
www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/crime.html
3.Annual cost of $4,500 per household.
1)http://www.ncpa.org/studies/s229/s229.html
4. Not to mention all the peripheral damage to others caused by sin.
D. God deals with sinful nations!
1.Sodom & Gomorrah.
2.Nineveh.
3.Babylon.
4.Rome.
5.Edom.
a) Makes no difference if a nation acknowledges God or not - ALL are
accountable to Him.
6. Is America next?
a) Sin and unrighteousness abound and multiply daily in our land
b) Sexual sin, drugs/alcohol, dishonesty, gambling, greed,
disintegration of home & family, etc.
c)The crime clock continues to click:
1)One murder every 22 minutes
2)One rape every 5 minutes
3)One robbery every 49 seconds
4)One burglary every 10 seconds.
Crime in America, Kirby
Anderson, www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/crime.html
d) Acts and concepts unthought-of & unthinkable a generation ago are
now accepted as normal in our society.
7. Will God look on America as He did the ancient world?
a)Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. (NKJV)
E. We as a nation must get back to the principles that we were founded
on.
1. John Adams (2nd Pres): “It
is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which
freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure
virtue.”
2. Ben Franklin:
“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and
vicious, they have more need of masters.”
3. We must start with prayer –
a)1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all
men, (NKJV)
4. Then we must get involved –
a)1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ; (NKJV)
b)1 Peter 2:13-16 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as
to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise
of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men-- as free, yet not using liberty as
a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
(NKJV)
c) Petitions, letters to elected officials, letters to newspapers, ANY
communication that sheds moral
light.
d) Unless Christians shine their light, this country like all others
that preceded it, is headed for destruction.
d)
V. Compromising with the enemy makes for strange bedfellows - Obad.
:6-7
Obadiah 1:6-7 "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. (NKJV)
A. Edom’s alliances proved false.
1. When crunch time came, their “friends” turned out to be foes!
B. Christian must align themselves on the side of truth.
1. We have a responsibility to God & truth first.
a) Eph 5:6-12
b) When we “fellowship” those who teach/preach/ hold to error, we
become as one of them.
2. The cost may sometimes be heavy
a) Matt 10:32-39
3. We must build unity at every opportunity, but there are times when
division is necessary. Unity at the expense of truth is too expensive!
4. Not that we should be rude, crude, or unfriendly, but we should
lovingly, yet firmly, stand for truth & right.
VI. Pride goes before destruction
A. It did for Edom! –
Obadiah 1:3-4 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.
1. False sense of security made them complacent, ripe for attack.
B. When a false sense of security exists arrogance creeps in,
submission to God reliance on Him goes out.
1. 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 Now these things became our examples, to
the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And
do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The
people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Nor let us commit
sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand
fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed
by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed
by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they
were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
2. Obviously had something to do with their assumption that God would
take care of them no matter what - Pride!
a) 1 Cor 10:12 “Let him who thinks he stands...”
b) 1 Pet 5:5b-7 Likewise you younger people, submit
yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be
clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the
humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for
you. (NKJV)