SAUMC VB Sunday School 2022 06 05 Minor Prophets Lesson #25 Obediah

Описание: The Bible Project Video: https://bibleproject.com/explore/vide...

Obadiah is just one chapter in length and consists of a prophecy against the nation of Edom. Edom was a particularly unfriendly neighbor to the SE of Judah. Edom had a long history against Israel, and it delighted in the devastation other foreign nations brought upon God’s people. Obadiah’s message was simple: Edom will be destroyed, but Israel will be delivered. However, the book has far greater significance than the pronouncement of doom for Edom.
Understanding the message from Obadiah requires that one study the story behind these two nations. It is a story of two brothers: Jacob, the founder of Israel, and Esau, the founder of Edom. Through devious means and with the help of his mother, Jacob stole Esau’s birthright and his father Issacs’s blessing. The antagonism that existed between the brothers for these deceptions carried over into their descendants.
We know very little about the author and the time in which the book was written. Using info within the book itself, some scholars date the book in the middle of the ninth century BC while others say the book was written about the time of the Babylonian invasion and Temple destruction in 586BC. The name “Obadiah” means “the servant of Jehovah.” The prophet appears, does his work, delivers his message, and falls into the mists of history. Obadiah delivers three messages from God to us: A message to Edom’s neighbors, a message to Edom, and a message to the Jewish people.
The trouble with Edom was its pride. God intends to take away everything Edom has boasted about. The nation considered itself impregnable because it was situated in the “cliffs of the rock,” a region epitomized by its capital Petra, a city best known for its red limestone rock-cut architecture and its water conduit system. Its temple Al-Khazneh was featured in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The Edomites became wealthy because it was situated on a major trade route and of its abundance of copper.
God promised that he would take away their wealth, make them lose their alliances, and lose their trade routes. Obadiah explains why God is judging Edom. They attacked Israel, aided Israel’s enemies, and took captive Jews as slaves. They rejoiced at what the enemy was doing to the Jews.
God also makes three promises to the Jewish people through Obadiah’s vision. God will rescue them from Babylon, and at the end of time, He will deliver them and establish His kingdom. God will defeat Israel’s enemies, and Israel will lay claim to the land formerly occupied by Israel’s enemies. Finally, God will reign from Mt Zion, His Temple will stand, and all nations will gather there.
Here are the Bible references used for this lesson.
Genesis 25:19-26 Jacob and his twin brother Esau struggle in their mother’s womb. This antagonism marks their lives as well as their descendants.
Genesis 25:27-34 Jacob was the favorite of his mother Rebeka and Esau was his father Isaac. Esau sold his birthright, the inheritance rights of the oldest son, to Jacob for a bowl of soup.
Genesis 27:15-41 Jacob, with his mother’s help, stole Isaac’s blessing for Esau. Isaac was the steward of God’s covenant to the Jews, and it passed to Jacob. Esau finds out about Jacob’s deception and holds a grudge against him, threatening his life.
Proverbs 6:16-19 Pride is a principle that opposes God’s purposes for humanity and works against what God is trying to do.
Obadiah 1:1 God tells Obadiah in a vision that He is going to send nations to destroy Edom.
Obadiah 1:2-9 God tells Obadiah what He is going to do to Edom, a proud and wealthy nation. Their wealth will be plundered. The alliances they have which give them security will be broken. The knowledge they gain from being on a major trade route will be destroyed. God will turn their pride against them, and their army will be defeated.
Obadiah 1:10-16 Obadiah now explains why God’s judgment is sound in destroying Edom. The Edomites stood by while enemy soldiers attacked Israel and took Jews and made them slaves. They rejoiced at what Israel’s enemies were doing to the Jews. Edomites took up arms and assisted the enemy in attacking Israel. Finally, their pride made them not care about what God could do to them by ignoring God’s wrath.
Obadiah 1:17-21 God announces three divine promises. God will deliver the Jews from Babylon and in the last days, establish for them a kingdom. God will defeat Israel’s enemies, and His people will inhabit the land. Finally, in the last days, God will reign from Mt Zion, His Temple will stand, and all nations will gather there.