God's Judgement

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1)     Intro

A)   Summary

1)     We have talked about how Obadiah was written “concerning Edom.”

2)     We talked about Edom’s sins that made God so made (i.e. the cause of their destruction).

B)    In this lesson, we will talk about God’s judgment (i.e. the consequences of their sins).

2)     Text overview of God’s Judgement

A)   v. 1 – God is calling the nations to rise up against Edom for battle.

B)    vv. 2-4 – Edom was arrogant, so God will make them small.

C)    vv. 5-8 – Total destruction.

D)   There is a Day Sandwich from vv. 8-15:

1)     v. 8 – On that DAY God will destroy Edom.

2)     vv. 11-14 – The day (10x) of Jerusalem’s destruction that Edom participated in.

3)     v. 15 – the DAY of the Lord is near upon all the nations.

E)    v. 18 – Total destruction.

3)     Lessons on God’s Judgement against Edom

A)   Edom is a picture of “all nations” who will be judged.

1)     Obadiah

(a)   vv. 15-16 – KEY

(i)    cf. Joel 3:1-4 – It sounds similar, and God is talking about different people.

(b)   This is like when your kid is standing in a big group of kids who are misbehaving, and you need to get their attention, so you only yell at your kid (even if they are not the one doing something wrong).

(c)   “Edom represents all nations in every generation that are opposed to God and to God’s people.”[1]

2)     POINT: This message is just as much for us today as it was Edom. It’s easy to look at Edom in the Bible and say, “Oh man, that’s sounds really bad for them.” But remember, God told us about the Edoms in the Bible so we can understand what that means for us.

(a)   Rom. 14:10, 12 – “We will all stand before the judgment seat of God…So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

(b)   2 Cor. 5:10 – “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

(c)   Heb. 9:27 – “Just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment.”

(d)   Rev. 20:12 – Final Judgement.

B)    Judgement is imminent.

1)     Obadiah

(a)   v. 1 – The call has been sent out.

(b)   v. 15 – “the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations”

2)     There are a lot of places in the New Testament that remind us to be constantly vigilant for the Day of the Lord.

(a)   1 Thess. 5:3 – “While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

(b)   Jas. 5:9 – “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

(c)   1 Pet. 4:17 – “It is time for judgement to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

(d)   Since final judgement is either when we die (which could happen any moment) or when Jesus returns (which also could happen at any moment), judgment for all of us is imminent.

C)   God’s judgement will be just (lex talionis – eye for an eye).

1)     Obadiah

(a)   vv. 2-4 – You were haughty, so you will be brought low.

(b)   v. 6 – Edom pillaged Jerusalem, so Edom will be pillaged.

(c)   v. 9b – Edom cut off Jerusalem’s survivors (v. 14), so they will be cut off.

(d)   v. 15 – KEY

(e)   v. 16

(i)    “…just as the nations staggered with drunkenness from the wine of victory as they celebrated their conquest of God’s people, they will stagger from the wine of God’s judgment.”[2]

(ii)  Ps. 75:8; Is. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:17; Hab. 2:15-16; Mk. 14:36; Rev. 14:10; 16:19

2)     We will all reap what we sow.

(a)   Rom. 2:6-10

(b)   Gal. 6:7-8

(c)   Col. 3:25 – “The wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done.”

D)   God’s judgement is certain and complete. He will not stop short, and it will not be undone.

1)     Obadiah

(a)   vv. 2, 4b – “I will” and “You shall be.” When God says he WILL do something, it will be done.

(b)   v. 6 – God speaks about it as if it has already happened.

(c)   v. 7 – “they have prevailed against you.” Speaking as if it has already happened.

(d)   v. 16 –

(i)    “so all the nations shall drink continually [drink and drink]; they shall drink and swallow…”

(a)   Smith – This “points to wave after wave of God’s punishment.” You’re not escaping.

(ii)  KEY – “and shall be as though they had never been.”

2)     Don’t mess around.

(a)   Lk. 16:26 (Lazarus and the rich man) – “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and non e may cross from there to us.”

(i)    POINT: Once it’s done, it’s done. It’s complete and final and will not change.

(b)   Heb. 10:31 – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

4)     Conclusion

A)   There are a couple places in the Bible where we see God’s people calling out for the Day of the Lord (1 Cor. 16:22; Rev. 22:20).

B)    But, let’s be careful what we ask for.

1)     Amos 5:18-20

2)     Are you ready to meet the Lord right now? If not, then you had better not call for it.

3)     Is everyone in your family and in the circle of people that you love ready to meet the Lord right now? Are we calling for their destruction, because that’s what is waiting for them.

Instead, let’s pray for God to soften the hearts of our world and for everybody to bow their knee and hand their lives over to Jesus.

[1] Billy Smith, NAC.

[2] Billy Smith, NAC.