The End of the Story

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Edomites was exposed as their sin, and then he actually gave a number of other sin besides pride that leads to the downfall of the Edomites.

If you're new with us today, and you don't know much what's going on with Obadiah, in a nutshell, here's the story of Obadiah. Obadiah is a word from God to a prophet named Obadiah, written about the downfall of the Edomites.

The Edomites are the descendants of Esau. The book of Genesis tells us about two twins, Jacob and Esau. What was unusual is that the Lord has decreed that the older will serve the younger.

In the book of Genesis, we read about this conflict between two literal brothers, Jacob and Esau. Their descendants are referred to in the Old Testament as brothers, but the nations have conflict between them, between the Israelites and the Edomites.

When the word of God comes to Obadiah, it's a word of judgment that's coming for the Edomites. And he spells out their sin.

They were guilty of pride. They were guilty of violence. They did not help Israel when they were able to. They mocked and laughed the downfall of Jerusalem.

They went and looted as the city was in upheaval. And what we see now in verses 15 to 21 at the end of this prophecy is what we're going to call the end of the story.

But the end of the story functions in two ways. There's the end of the story of the Edomites. But that really is a picture pointing to a greater reality of the end of all things.

We'll see that as we work through this text. I want to show you three things here at the end of Obadiah, verses 15 to 21, that we need to make note of.

First, there's going to be judgment for the wicked. Verses 15 to 18 describes that. There will be judgment for the wicked.

Verse 15 says, For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you.

Your deeds shall return on your head. But what we see is this prophecy of the downfall of the Edomites. Now we know this came to pass because there are no Edomites.

You've never met one. They don't exist. The prophecy has already long ago come to pass. But what we see in Obadiah is a bit of a shift where the Edomites are representative for us for any and all people who would oppose the things of God.

The fact of the matter is, judgment not only came to the Edomites, though that's historically true, judgment also awaits any and all who would oppose the Lord.

He speaks of the day of the Lord. It's a common theme throughout the Old Testament. The nation here, Edom, serving really as a preview of what awaits any who would oppose the things of God.

As you have done, it shall be done to you. Your deeds shall return on your own head. All of their sin, their negligence, their arrogance, their thievery will come back upon them.

And so it's true for any who oppose the Lord. There are those in our world today, to be sure, who mock the people of God, who take delight in the downfall or the sickness of the righteous.

There are those who love to see the church persecuted. There are those who love to mock those who proclaim salvation found in the name of Jesus Christ.

But what we see in the nation of Edom is a very clear warning of what happens to any and all who would reject the truth of God.

And it could be true even this morning that there could be even gathered among us those who are polite and kind and respectful, yet in your own heart, even this morning, rejecting the things of God.

As I mentioned last week, it bears saying again that as this prophecy is given by God through Obadiah to the Edomites, Edom was doing just fine.

But God said a day of reckoning is coming. Verse 16, speaking of the judgment for the wicked that will come, is a bit of a difficult verse for us to interpret precisely.

It says, for as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually. They shall drink and swallow and shall be as though they had never been.

The you in verse 15 is singular. The you in verse 16 is plural. The difficulty for us is to know in verse 16, as you have drunk on my holy mountain.

Is this still speaking of Edom or is this switching now to Judah? One way to interpret this is to say this is speaking of Judah.

As Judah has drunk on my holy mountain. In the Old Testament, that phrase of drinking in this way is most often associated with judgment. You're drinking the judgment of God.

Even as we celebrate the Lord's Supper in a few moments, we think back to Jesus in Gethsemane drinking the full cup of the wrath of God. So this could be saying as Judah, as God's people have drunk, as they have taken in the judgment of God, which happens to them as they are attacked, so all the nations shall drink continually.

In other words, it could be saying as Judah was punished by God, so all the nations will be punished by God. Verse 16 could be a reference still to Edom as you, Edom, have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually.

What's the point? The point's the end of the verse. That all the wicked nations will drink and swallow as though they had never been.

So if you take this as speaking to Judah, it's saying, though you had the judgment of God come against you, yet the judgment coming for the other nations will be complete.

And that's true. If you take the you in verse 16 as a reference to Edom, it's saying, though you have celebrated in one sense on the holy mountain, which they did when they looted Jerusalem once they were under attack, we looked at that last week, yet you will drink the judgment of God and all the nations who oppose Him will drink and swallow.

It's as if they will drink themselves to death, meaning the judgment of God will ultimately be so heavy against them it will be as though they had never been.

Meaning what? Meaning they will be thoroughly wiped out. And either way you interpret the you in verse 16, that conclusion is clear.

And that conclusion came to pass and serves as an object lesson of what awaits all people who oppose God.

They will not stand. The wicked will be judged.

Verse 17 says, But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape. And it shall be holy and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.

In other words, God's people have a future. Judgment awaits them, yes, but God has a plan for His own.

What you see in verse 17 is beginning to show us a preview of the coming kingdom of the Lord. a reference here, not just to the near fulfillment of what happens when they return from exile, but a picture of what awaits in the millennial kingdom.

Verse 18, the house of Jacob shall be afire, and the house of Joseph aflame. Jacob refers to the south, Joseph refers to the northern kingdom, and the house of Esau stubble.

They shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken. It tells us that Judah, people of God, are going to face judgment, and they do.

605, Babylonians come against them, 586 BC, temple is destroyed, they're led away into 70 years of captivity, and they return.

But as we'll see in just a moment, Edom will be wiped out, which reminds us yet again that you don't need to worry about vindication.

That belongs to the Lord. This has been a theme that's come up in this book the last several weeks, and it bears repeating because it's repeated in the book itself.

That God keeps record of sin. You don't have to. You don't have to settle all accounts on this earth.

The Lord will. Now, the fact that God keeps record of sin is quite unsettling. because if he were to mark each transgression against you and hold it against you in the end of judgment, none of us would stand.

Here's the good news of the gospel, that while in our sin, we stand completely guilty before God in Christ on the cross, our sin is put upon him so that those who would believe in him when we stand before the Lord, what is done is our record has been cleaned, cleansed by the blood of Christ so that we stand before God on the basis not of what we've done but on the glorious truth of what Christ has done for us.

And this is our only hope. This is why for those who oppose the Lord, they will not stand.

Because they will stand before the Lord in judgment based on their record and that verdict will be guilty and they will not stand any longer.

But lest you think this is simply a story about old nations in a far away place a long time ago, this is merely a preview of what will be true for all people.

Those who belong to him will be covered by grace. Those who reject him will face judgment and they will not stand.

But because that's true, you don't have to go through your life being unnecessarily unsettled by the sin around you.

Yes, it should bother us when someone dishonors the Lord. Yes, it should grieve us when people parade their sinfulness. Yes, it should hurt us when people do wrong against us.

Of course those things are true. I just want you to be reminded and encouraged by this fact. You don't have the weight of the world upon your shoulders to make sure everybody gets what's coming for them.

You don't have the power to do that. You don't have the authority to do that. And listen to me, you don't have the responsibility to do that.

Verse 15 clarifies, for those who are against the Lord, as they have done, it shall be done to them, their deeds will return on their own head.

We are to speak the truth. We are to call sinners to repent. We are to serve. We are to love.

We are to seek God's grace to forgive. And for those who continually mock the things of God and think they're getting by with it and forever will get by with it.

Let me take you to the end of verse 18. The Lord has spoken. The Lord has spoken.

you is the place of rest for God's people. The Lord has said those who believe in him will never perish but have everlasting life.

Your confidence in your security as a Christian is the Lord has spoken. At the same time the Lord has also said those who oppose him and die in their sin will be judged.

The Lord has spoken. You do not have the responsibility to settle all accounts and make all things right. The Lord will do that.

The Lord has declared that will be and the Lord has spoken. It's amazing how simple life gets when you choose to rest in the authority of what God has declared.

Life stays pretty simple. The Lord has given us as a church instructions of what we're to do.

We strive to keep that pretty simple. The scriptures told us when the church gathers what we're to do. We strive to keep that pretty simple.

What does the Bible say the church must do? We sing the truth. We're to pray. We're to pay attention to the public reading of God's word. And we're to preach God's word in season out of season.

What we do in this sanctuary each Lord's day is pretty simple because we don't want to complicate what God has given to us that is simple and clear. We're to simply make much of Christ.

And when we do that as a church it keeps our ministry pretty simple. When we do that as individual believers and families it keeps our life pretty simple. We just simply say what has God spoken Let's do that!

And even when you look at the most complex parts of humanity God has spoken salvation in no other name in the name of Jesus we proclaim that name we call all men to repent act 17 those who believe in him find salvation and those who don't will face him in eternal judgment the Lord has spoken don't let your life get too complicated here there's just a few things the church must do let's do those there's just a few things in the worship service we must do let's emphasize those and there's just a few truths that we can't afford to ever forget that grace is available in

Jesus and those who die in their sin will face judgment we aren't the final arbitrator of justice God is he has promised to take care of it the Lord has spoken let's rest in his decree judgment for the wicked awaits number two this truth is just as strong though the wording in the text much more brief there will be restoration for God's people there will be restoration for God's people I'm going to read verse 19 but as I read I'm just going to insert geographically where these regions are so you can get a sense and a feel of what they would have heard as they are hearing the good news that God will restore his people those in the

Negev that's to the south shall possess Mount Esau that's to the west and those of the Shephalah that's the lowlands shall possess the land of the Philistines they shall possess in the land of Ephraim in the land of Samaria that's the north and Benjamin that's the south and shall possess Gilead east of Israel northern Jordan all this to say verse 20 the exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad and shall possess the cities of the Negev meaning what meaning all the land God has promised to his people will be theirs!

which tells us God will keep his promise God will keep his promise!

what's interesting to think about this in a historical context is in 605 and 586 BC as Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians surround Jerusalem and invade Jerusalem and tear down the walls and tear down the temple and take the people and lead them out into three waves of deportations what we know as the exile it seems like God's people are done it seems like the wicked nations are just fine but this word from heaven to

Obadiah about the Edomites for the comfort of Judah reminds them that no matter what you see in any one snapshot in history God's word will come to pass that Israel will remain and the Edomites will not now could you go through some snapshots of history where that looks really hard to declare you bet just give it time and you'll see God's word is true this word of comfort here is a comfort for us too because just like the people of God in the Old Testament we today in the new covenant have promises that God has made to us that we cling to and are there some snapshots in your life where it may feel hard to believe that promises like

God works together for good all things for those who love God and are called according to his purpose ever have a time in your life in a snapshot in time where it would feel hard to believe that's true or Philippians he who began a good work in you will complete it ever have a time in your life where it feels hard to think that God is still at work in your life we could go through promise after promise after promise in the New Testament and there may be a moment in time where if you took a picture of your life and zoomed in really close you would say I'm not sure I see this working for good I'm not sure how about this the trials of this life second Corinthians are called light and momentary did the hardest days of your life in that moment feel light the pain you're going through feel momentary but we cling to that promise in a snapshot in time it may feel like this has no longer been true but you give it time and you wait and you trust and one of these days when you behold him face to face and you look back at your life and experience the glories of heaven you will say by comparison with no doubt what I endured for a few years on earth it was light it was momentary because glory is that amazing and you'll see better than ever that he did continue to work in your life and he did not forsake you so these promises and these prophecies given to the prophet

Obadiah are there to strengthen the people of God to understand that you may go through seasons of your life where it feels contrary to what God has said but here is where we rest again verse 18 the Lord has spoken and what he has declared will come to pass there will be a literal future for his people and there will be judgment for the wicked and one last thing that is made mention of here in verse 21 and that is that the Lord does and shall reign saviors shall go up to mount zion to rule mount esau and the kingdom shall be the Lord's think of saviors here in verse 21 not in the context of how we would say Jesus is our savior as if there's a plurality of saviors think of it in terms of deliverers how in the old testament

God raised up judges raised up deliverers to do that so it speaks of the coming kingdom of God in the future as he will raise up deliverers protectors helpers to accomplish his final purposes and in the end all of this happens because the Lord reigns the kingdom shall be the Lord's Philippians 2 gives us words to express this coming reality verse 9 God has highly exalted him speaking of Jesus and bestowed on him the name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father can I give you the end of the story as it applies to the

Edomites a little later after this prophecy is given they would be invaded by the south and Edom would experience wave after wave attack after attack against them never truly put back together as a nation in the 5th century BC something else happens the Nabataeans come against the Edomites they're forced to move down to the south in a place known as Edomia south of Judah by the time you get to the New Testament you'll only hear of one Edomite that's it just one Herod in the first century around the year 70

AD the Edomians the relocated Edomites joined together with the Jewish people there to try to fight against Rome when they come to destroy the temple and after 70 AD the Edomites are never heard from again never the Lord has spoken the Lord keeps his word but the the same God who has kept his word about bringing judgment to the wicked is the same God who gives you this word!

that one day he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more and neither shall there be mourning!

or crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away and he who was seated on the throne said behold I am making all things new also he said write this down for these words are trustworthy!

and true! And he said to me it is done I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end!

How do you know as a Christian that your future is heaven? How do you know that heaven will be a place of joy and worship and victory?

How do you know that heaven will be a place with no sorrow or tears or death? How do you know that that's going to be true for us for all eternity?

Well in Revelation 21 it's because the Lord says it is done. Is there another place we could go where God has spoken and tests to see can God make good on his word?

Well we could go to Obadiah and look how God gave a promise of judgment to a people the Edomites who at the time were fine but were soon to face the judgment of God and the guarantee of it was simply this God has spoken so when I read Obadiah here's what I come away with God keeps his promises and a lesson I can learn from the Edomites is that what God says he will do he will surely do and when

I read Revelation 21 the promise of the glory of heaven is summed up in three English words it is done because God has spoken the story of Obadiah is not merely a history lesson it's a theological lesson those who oppose God will be judged those who are his people will be delivered and that has not changed as Christians of course we understand that ultimately our sin was paid for by Christ that it's on the cross that we see the atonement for our sin and the Bible has given us what we call the

Lord's Supper a time for us to hold in our hand and drink the bread representing the body of Christ and to hold in our hand the cup and to drink it remembering the sacrifice of Christ as we declare that the truth that we will see the Lord and that we will be with him in heaven is only true because of the work of Jesus Christ but because on the cross Jesus said it is finished we have yet one more place to go because because Revelation 21 says our promise of heaven is this it is done is there somewhere else we could go where we could see does Jesus do what he says well we could go to the cross couldn't we where Jesus said destroy this temple on the third day I will build it up he was killed he was laid in the tomb this is really simple if the body is there he cannot do what he said if he is risen we have one more place to go to believe that he does what he promises and friends the tomb is empty he is not there

God has spoken it is finished it is done and the Lord's supper reminds us of our trust in his promise let me invite you if you would to bow your head and close your eyes as the deacons of our church come to join me and we prepare to receive the elements as always if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ saved by grace through faith if you've been baptized as a public profession of your faith in Christ we want to invite you if you're a member of our church participate with us if you're not a member of our church but you're a believer baptized saved by grace through faith and you're in good standing with your local church we invite you to also participate with us as we receive the elements if there's not been a time in your life where you have trusted in Christ as your savior we invite you if you would just let these elements pass by moms and dads make sure that you shepherd your children and help them with this if they need to let the elements pass help them to do that and we pray you would use even today as a chance to explain the gospel to them while we prepare to serve you let me give you a moment if you would just to confess sin in your own heart as you pray to the

Lord and prepare to receive the elements together thank you so much for joining us via live stream this morning if you have any questions whatsoever about our church or the ministries that our church provides please visit us at fbcmustang.org we would love to follow up with you and get to know you better as always we try to emphasize if at all possible if you could be here physically present with us we would love that and that be a joy to serve you in that way but thank you again for joining us via live stream today have a great day!