Obadiah 1
Today's Passage: Obadiah 1
BEFORE YOU READ: Today we start & finish (!!) a new book in the Minor Prophets. A little
background for you on Obadiah.
Obadiah is a book telling about the judgment coming to Edom (descendants of Esau) and the
restoration of the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob). It also foreshadows the day of the
LORD when all nations who live in the ways of Edom will be brought down by God. It is the
shortest book of the Old Testament and was written sometime between 800 and 500 B.C. At
first glance, this book seems marginal and confusing but when you study it deeper you see the
richness, the beauty and the cohesion of the Scriptures.
I really want to encourage you to watch this video before you read it. We cannot walk through
every detail in this jumpstart but this 5 minute video does a great job!
Obadiah Overview
Alright! Now you are ready! Read Obadiah 1.
Again, there is so much history and insights from this book for our lives, families, and world. A
couple of very applicable highlights for you…
1) PRIDE IS DECEPTIVE (V.3)
What is pride? Pride is not seeing yourself accurately. It is thinking more highly of yourself than
you ought (Rom. 12:3). It is deceptive. Proverbs tells us that “pride goes before the fall” and
James tells us that “God opposes the proud.”
Pride tricks us into thinking we are safe, good, and need no one. Look how pride deceived the
Edomites. At the end of verse 3, they asked this question… “Who will bring me down to the
ground?”
In our pride we become God. In our humility we submit to God.
2) YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW (V.9-14)
The Edomites had been unkind to Israel. They participated with the Babylonians in the capture
of Israel. God is proclaiming to them… “You reap what you sow.”
Paul says this explicitly in Galatians 6:7.
The same is true for us. We reap what we sow. The question is… “What are we sowing?”
3) GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY (V.15-21)
This passage brings us back to the supremacy and sovereignty of God. He has the final say.
His heart is restoration - which we see in the end of this passage and through Jesus. This is the
hope of the gospel.
A final thought… This rose from family conflict not being dealt with in Genesis 25-27. Parents -
don’t forget - you are leading and shepherding your family. Lead out. Attack conflict head on.
Don’t let it fester. Don’t let it linger. Pursue love, truth, and unity in your family! There is no
telling what God will do in your family if you do. And there is no telling what tragedy is around
the corner if you don’t. There is hope in Jesus Christ!
Though this book was written a long time ago… It still has a message for us today. What
encouraged you or stuck out to you? Let us know in the comments!
Written By: Nick Parsons
BEFORE YOU READ: Today we start & finish (!!) a new book in the Minor Prophets. A little
background for you on Obadiah.
Obadiah is a book telling about the judgment coming to Edom (descendants of Esau) and the
restoration of the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob). It also foreshadows the day of the
LORD when all nations who live in the ways of Edom will be brought down by God. It is the
shortest book of the Old Testament and was written sometime between 800 and 500 B.C. At
first glance, this book seems marginal and confusing but when you study it deeper you see the
richness, the beauty and the cohesion of the Scriptures.
I really want to encourage you to watch this video before you read it. We cannot walk through
every detail in this jumpstart but this 5 minute video does a great job!
Obadiah Overview
Alright! Now you are ready! Read Obadiah 1.
Again, there is so much history and insights from this book for our lives, families, and world. A
couple of very applicable highlights for you…
1) PRIDE IS DECEPTIVE (V.3)
What is pride? Pride is not seeing yourself accurately. It is thinking more highly of yourself than
you ought (Rom. 12:3). It is deceptive. Proverbs tells us that “pride goes before the fall” and
James tells us that “God opposes the proud.”
Pride tricks us into thinking we are safe, good, and need no one. Look how pride deceived the
Edomites. At the end of verse 3, they asked this question… “Who will bring me down to the
ground?”
In our pride we become God. In our humility we submit to God.
2) YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW (V.9-14)
The Edomites had been unkind to Israel. They participated with the Babylonians in the capture
of Israel. God is proclaiming to them… “You reap what you sow.”
Paul says this explicitly in Galatians 6:7.
The same is true for us. We reap what we sow. The question is… “What are we sowing?”
3) GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY (V.15-21)
This passage brings us back to the supremacy and sovereignty of God. He has the final say.
His heart is restoration - which we see in the end of this passage and through Jesus. This is the
hope of the gospel.
A final thought… This rose from family conflict not being dealt with in Genesis 25-27. Parents -
don’t forget - you are leading and shepherding your family. Lead out. Attack conflict head on.
Don’t let it fester. Don’t let it linger. Pursue love, truth, and unity in your family! There is no
telling what God will do in your family if you do. And there is no telling what tragedy is around
the corner if you don’t. There is hope in Jesus Christ!
Though this book was written a long time ago… It still has a message for us today. What
encouraged you or stuck out to you? Let us know in the comments!
Written By: Nick Parsons
1 Comment
What stood out is that question, "what are you sowing?" We have limited time on Earth. I often struggle with how I use my off-time. I work hard but then use that as an excuse to waste time later. The parable of the talents hits me the same way. Time is a gift. How we use it can be an investment that reaps so much for the Lord, or it can be buried in the hard ground and do nothing. I will have that question now during the off-times. What am I sowing right now?