Obadiah 1:10-15
How It Will End

We are spending a good bit of time studying prophecy and the end
times.  The reason why is because we are so close to them.  Much of
our understanding of end times comes from the New Testament, Scriptures
like Matt 25 and Revelation.  However, there is much end time prophecy
to be found in the Old Testament as well.

Tonight, let’s focus on a small, Old Testament book that few sermons
are ever preached from, the book of Obadiah.

The book of Obadiah is only one chapter long, 21 verses, and it
directed to Israel but to one of Israel’s neighbors and enemies, Edom.

I. Is this book still applicable today?
    A. Yes.  It is the Bible, God preserved this book for our
        generation, and God wants us to learn some things from it.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
17  That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.

        1. Every book of the Bible is given to us for a purpose, no
            matter how small.
        2. Obadiah, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
    B. Consider some things from the time of Obadiah that are still
        true today.
        1. The land is still there.  Edom today is called south
            Jordan.
        2. The inhabitants of the land are largely the same.
            a. It was settled by Jacob’s brother, Esau.  That made
                those in Edom related to those in Israel.
            b. I believe they still are.
                (1) That land has been pirated and plundered.  The
                     inhabitants have been conquered, relocated, and
                     dispersed.
                (2) But those who like to call themselves Palestinians
                     and Arabians today are still of the bloodlines of
                     those ancient nations.
                (3) Will there be a Palestinian State?  I believe it
                     will.  I believe God is going to allow the
                     scattered bloodlines of these nations to live
                     again as a nation so that the prophecies left to
                     be fulfilled may be.
        3. The hatred Edom had for Israel is largely the same.
            a. In truth, the conflict between Jacob and Esau was in
                their day the cause of Jacob.
            b. The first time there was conflict between Israel and
                Edom is recorded in \\#Num 20:14-18\\, 430 years after
                Jacob and Esau.  (Edom would not allow Israel to pass
                through Edom in returning to the Promised Land.)
            c. That hatred is still strong today.  While Jordan has
                had a treaty with Israel since 1994, brokered by Bill
                Clinton, Jordan is still a Muslim country and there is
                a strong undertow of belief that the treaty should be
                broken.
    C. Is there a way these prophecies could apply to a present-day
        generation?  Yes.

II. Notice the reason this book was written.
    A. \\#7\\ Esau had betrayed Israel.
        1. There was a confederacy between the two nations.
        2. But the men of that confederacy "deceived and prevailed
            against" Israel.
        3. \\#10\\ This betrayal moved God to judge Edom with ultimate
            total annihilation.
    B. The details are given:
        1. \\#11\\ Esau watched while enemies ravished Jerusalem.
        2. \\#12\\ Esau rejoiced at Israel’s destruction.
        3. \\#13\\ Esau took Israel’s substance.
        4. \\#14\\ Esau cut off Israel’s escape.
    C. There is a thought here that runs throughout the ages.
        1. No nation should watch or rejoice as Israel is attacked.
        2. No nation should loot Israel.
        3. No nation should stop Israel’s retreat or for that matter,
            Israel’s advance.
        4. Any nation that does any one of these things to Israel can
            expect God to be angry with them.  Do all four and you can
            expect God to put the same judgment on them as He has
            promised to do on Edom.
            a. America should quit trying to force a treaty on Israel.
            b. The remainder of the world should quit boycotting
                Israel.
                (1) BDS-Boycott, Disinvest, Sanctions
                (2) Nations across the world and companies within
                     America
    D. Theologians are divided as to when this took place.
        1. There have been several possible times.
            a. Wikipedia says Jerusalem has been captured 44 times.
            b. No obvious record has been found in history thus far
                to tell us when this event occurred.
        2. The judgments of this book against Edom have also been
            partially fulfilled.  (Edom does not exist as Edom any
            more.)
        3. However, I think it can and will happen again!
            a. It is interesting that Edom (via Jordan) does have a
                peace treaty with Israel—again.
            b. It is interesting that Israel is being scorned by the
                world—again.
            c. We know armies are going to move against Israel and
                conquer Jerusalem yet again.
                (1) Revelation 6 describe a world battle that will
                     surely include Israel.  Does that mean that
                     Jerusalem will fall then?  No.  I don’t think it
                     will.
                (2) The nations of the North, South, East, and West
                     may be defeated and 5/6 turned back as described
                     in Ezekiel 38-39, but that leaves 1/6 that I
                     believe will come to Jerusalem as described in
                     Zech 14.  That force will not be defeated until
                     Jesus comes but by then, they will have conquered
                     all of Israel including Jerusalem.
                (3) And if we are not as near to the return of Jesus
                     as I think, there will no doubt be many more
                     opportunities for Edom to betray Israel again.

III. So what will God do to Edom—whether because of their past or
      future betrayals?
    A. God shall defeat Edom.
        1. \\#8\\ God shall cut off their wise and understanding men.
        2. \\#9\\ God shall defeat the mighty men.
        3. In case we have any doubts, it will be by a ‘slaughter"
            \\#9\\.
        4. That could be fulfilled already but God has promised that
            the Edomites would be destroyed by Israel.

Eze 25:14  And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom
by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall
do in Edom according to mine anger and according
to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance,
saith the Lord GOD.

            a. Ezekiel lived AFTER all the great kings of Israel.
            b. In fact, he lived during the Babylon’s captivity.
            c. That this prophecy has not been fulfilled yet.
        5. \\#15\\ This defeat is called "the day of the Lord."
            a. The day of the Lord can be any day when the judgment
                of God is carried out.
            b. However, it often refers to time period of the
                tribulation and Jesus’ return to set up His kingdom.
                \\#21\\
    B. Then God will give the land of Edom to Israel.

Ob 1:19  And they of the south shall possess the
mount of Esau; and they of the plain the
Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of
Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin
shall possess Gilead.
20  And the captivity of this host of the
children of Israel shall possess that of the
Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the
captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad,
shall possess the cities of the south.
21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to
judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall
be the LORD’S.

Amos 9:11  In that day will I raise up the
tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up
the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his
ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
12  That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
and of all the heathen, which are called by my
name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

        1. \\#Genesis 15:18-21\\ describes a Israel much larger than
            the nation has ever possessed including Jordan, Syria,
            portions of Iraq, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
        2. Ancient Edom is part of that land.
        3. Eze 45 contains a land description for each of the twelve
            tribes of Israel for the millennial and the boundaries do
            NOT go that far.
            a. That makes me think that while Israel will possess the
                entire land mass outlines in Genesis 15, they will
                live mostly in area described in Ezekiel 45. The
                remainder will be theirs for whatever they wish.
            b. I read one writer’s doubts about Israel possessing the
                full land promised to them.
                (1) He asked, "What will Israel do with all the people
                     that live there?"
                (2) Good question, let’s note another result of Edom’s
                     actions.

    C. And the people of the land of Edom will be totally cut off
        by Israel.

Ob 1:9  And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be
dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount
of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

Ob 1:18  And the house of Jacob shall be a fire,
and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house
of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in
them, and devour them; and there shall not be
any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD
hath spoken it.

        1. Take these verses in conjunction with \\#Eze 25:14\\ and I
            would say that it will be the people of Israel who destroy
            them.
        2. Those who stand against Israel will perish, lock, stock,
            and barrel.
            a. \\#19-20\\ Some of those who will be destroyed are
                mentioned:
                (1) \\#19\\ Edom
                (2) Philistines
                (3) \\#20\\ Canaanites
            b. But I also notice that those verses mentioned Israel’s
                land as though they had not possessed it.
                (1) \\#19\\ fields of Ephraim
                (2) fields of Samaria
                (3) Gilead
            c. Perhaps that means that Israel shall re-possess land
                that had been taken away from them.
    D. God will deliver Israel.  That is just a summary statement of
        what will happen.
    E. \\#21\\ "The kingdom shall be the Lord’s"
         1. The Lord God shall rule and reign over it all!
         2. Understand that all of these are prophecies which have NOT
             come to pass.
         3. They will.  They are end time prophecies.

This is how it will end!

<OutlineIndex>  <Close Window>