“Butupon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and thehouse of Jacob shall possess their possessions.   ¹⁸ And the house of Jacob shallbe 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 anyremaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it” (Obadiah 17-18).

The Book of Obadiah is the shortest book in theOld Testament. The name ‘Obadiah’ means “Servant of the Lord.” It was a commonname in Old Testament days. There are more than 10 Obadiahs in the OldTestament. But nothing else is known about the Prophet Obadiah except what ismentioned in this book.

When was the prophecywritten? Again we are not sure. Some say it was written before the exile,possibly during the reign of King Jehoram (848-841 BC). Others suggest that itwas written after the fall of Jerusalemin 586 BC.

But when it was written does not make much of adifference to the message of Obadiah. The message of Obadiah is a timeless one.It speaks of God’s preservation and restoration of His Church in the face ofpersecution. This is promised in the key verses of this book, which is our textfor this study.

We want to do so under two heads. First, let’sconsider how the church will face persecution; secondly, let’s consider how theLORD will vindicate his church.

1. TheChurch Will Face Persecution

The promise, which is our text begins with theword ‘But.’ This is a powerful word, which compels us to consider thecontrasting background of the promise that makes it truly precious.

What is this background? Well, the backgroundis the persecution that God’s people suffered in the hands of the Edomites. Youcan read that in verses 10-14.

In fact, the bulk of the prophecy of Obadiah isactually directed against the nation of Edom. The Edomites and the Israeliteswere blood relatives. Their forefathers, Esau and Jacob were twins. But theirrelationship was one of enmity.

Their enmity began with a struggle between thetwins in the womb of their mother Rebekah (Gen 25:21-26). Years later, whenEsau, the first born, was hungry he traded his birthright with Jacob for a bowlof pottage (Gen 25:29-34). And then Jacob, under the instigation of his mother,tricked his father Isaac to pronounce the blessing of the firstborn upon himrather than on his brother. The brotherly relationship was deeply soured. Itwould never be completely healed. This enmity was carried into the lives oftheir descendants.

When Israelreturned from Egyptto possess the Promised Land, Edom refused to let them passthrough their land (Num 20:14-21). But God would not let Israel hate Edom,since they were brothers (Dt 23:7). However, the hostility between Israel andEdom developed and continued for centuries.

There were clashes between Israel and Edom forthe most part of their shared history in Palestine. There were clashes duringthe reigns of Saul, David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Amaziah and Ahaz.[1]

Such was the history ofconflict between Edom and Israel or Judah. But the final straw came in 586 bc. That year, the Babylonians attackedJerusalem. And history tells us that Edom was there to cheer them on in theirwicked deeds. This was what prompted the Psalmist to cry out:

“Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day ofJerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof” (Ps137:7).

It was also this eventthat occasioned the prophecy of Obadiah. This prophecy is about the destructionof Edom and the vindication of Israel. Edom’s destruction began with theNabatean-Arab invasion shortly after the time of Obadiah. This invasion drovethe Edomites to South Judah, where they were eventually wiped out of existencein AD 70 by the Roman army led by General Titus.

But what has this conflictgot to do with us in the 21^st Century? We are neither Jews norEdomites. What has this background to the promise we are studying got to dowith us?

Well, much in every way: For the conflictbetween Jacob and Esau or Israel and Edom is really a type of the conflictbetween the Church and the World; or more specifically, between the Elect andthe Reprobate.

The prophet Malachi highlights this conflictand makes it clear where God stands. God says through him: “I loved Jacob, AndI hated Esau” (Mal 1:2-3).

The apostle Paul citing Malachi brings us tounderstand another aspect of the conflict in Romans 9. He reminds us that thepeople in this world are either the elect of God or the reprobate. God hasbefore the foundation of the world elected some unto eternal life. These arethe vessels of mercy and beloved in Christ. But all others, God would rejectand destroy. These are the vessels of wrath. These are hated by God: “As it iswritten, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Rom 9:13).

Esau was a type of the reprobate, whereas Jacobwas a type of the elect. So Edom represented the world, whereas Israel andJudah represented the Church.

The Church is beloved ofGod because God has ordained that the elect of Christ should be nurtured inher. But because the world hates God, it hates also his Church. Therefore inthis world there is a constant war between the Church and the world. God hadalready warned about this conflict in Genesis 3:15—

“And I will put enmitybetween thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruisethy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

This conflict was played out in the Old Testamentbetween Edom and Israel. Yes, Israel was an ungrateful nation deserving God’swrath. Yes, there were many reprobates in Israel. But still Israel was theChurch of God in the Old Testament. The elect of God were being nurtured inher. Israel was, as such beloved of God. God would not allow Edom to persecuteher with impunity.

Today, thevisible church has many blemishes. We are a sinful people. And there are notonly the elect, but reprobate as well in the visible church. But we are as abody beloved of God for the elect’s sake. And because we are beloved of God, wecan expect our twin brother, the world, to persecute us.

The world will persecute us because it hatesChrist. The world hates Christ because His life and message testifies againstthem (Jn 15:18-19). If you are like Christ, the world will hateyou for the same reasons. The world will not hate you simply because youprofess to be a Christian. The world will hate you once it sees your life andspeech testifying against its wickedness.

Thus the apostle Paul asserts in 2 Timothy3:12,—“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall sufferpersecution.” This fact is repeated over and over again in the Scripture and inthe history of the church.

Are you a Christian? If you have any closecontact with unbelievers at all, I know you will be persecuted or ridiculed insome ways.

The world laughs at the faith of Christians.They say we believe a fable when we believe that the world was created in sixdays and that there was a global flood. They say we are simpletons because webelieve that Christ was crucified for His people.

They say that Christianity is a crutch forweaklings. It is opium for those who have guilty consciences. They don’t likeChristians who are serious about their faith.

• Because you would speak out against sin, you areconsidered a self-righteous troublemaker.
• Because you would not work on the Sabbath, you arecharged with laziness.
• Because you would not trade time with family andchurch for money, you are called a fool.
• Because you treat your domestic help well, you are accused of spoilingthe market.
• Because you tell your neighbours about Christ, theyavoid you as a religious fanatic.
• Because you say Christ is the only way of salvation,they say you are bigot and intolerant.
• Because of your meekness they take advantage of you.

When you speak of judgment to come, the moregentlemanly laugh in their heart, the more candid will sneer. You will bepersecuted. As Edom persecuted Israel, the world will persecute God’s children.

But as God would not allow Edom to mock Israelwith impunity, so the Lord will not allow the world to mock His church or Hischildren without facing His justice. This is what the first nine verses of thisprophecy is about.

Buttonight, we want to focus our attention rather on God’s promise to His Church;which is the second point of our study, namely…

2. The Church will Triumph

Yea, the Church will surely triumph. Christ ourKing is upon the throne in the heavenly Zion. Therefore Zion will triumph. Buthow will Zion triumph? Verse 17—

¹⁷ But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness;and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

Calvin says of these words…

Whenever then God inflicts wounds on hisChurch, prepared at the same time is the remedy; for God designs not, nor doeshe suffer, that his own people should be wholly lost.

God was chastising Hispeople for their sins through the Babylonians and even the Edomites. But Hischastisement of His people is always for a limited time only.

“Uponmount Zion shall be deliverance…” God will deliver his remnant. God willdeliver His Church. Upon Mount Zion has God set his anointed King the Messiah(Ps 2:6). Therefore it cannot be, but that there is deliverance upon Mount Zion.

Although Edom would becompletely destroyed, a remnant of Israel would remain. “Salvation is of theJews” (Jn 4:22) says our Lord. Therefore God delivered a remnant of the Jewsupon Mount Zion. But Mount Zion,—in prophecy,—is nota physical place. It designates the covenant people of God—the Church (cf. Isa2:3).

There on Mount Zion, will be deliverance andsalvation. There, salvation shall be preached and prayed for. There the electof Christ will be delivered and saved from the wrath of God, from sin, and fromdeath.

Edom, which persecuted Israel, would bedestroyed without pity. The world which persecutes the church will be destroyedwithout pity. But there will be deliverance upon Mount Zion. The world will nothave victory. The battle is the Lord’s!

The victory will becomeobvious one day. The apostle Paul, writing to the Romans says: “And the God ofpeace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom 16:20). He was referringto the promise in Genesis 3:15. At the Cross of Calvary, Christ crushed thehead of the serpent. The war has been won. But the serpent is in its dying throes trying to cause as much damage tothe kingdom of Christ as possible. But one day it will breathe its last in thisworld.

But is the victory only future? No, no; the victoryis secured and victory is being experienced today, for deliverance from sin andSatan is already experienced in  Mount Zionthrough sanctification. “And there shallbe holiness” says Obadiah.

The worldunder the leadership of Satan is conspiring to oppose Christ and to destroy Hisbride. But God would not allow that to happen. There would be holiness in MountZion. The remnant is being beautified with holiness. They are being fortifiedagainst sin. The Holy Spirit is working in their hearts to make them loverighteousness and hate sin more and more.

We live in a day of smallthings. We look at the world, and the world appears to be getting more and morewicked. We look at the church, and it appears to be getting weaker and weaker.And what’s more, it appears that the world has infiltrated the church. Even inour own church, sin appears to abound more than grace. But is that a fact? No,no, beloved. Christ is on His throne. Deliverance is being effected day by day.Holiness is being wrought little by little.

The people of Christ arebeing sanctified and delivered from the power and influence of sin. This is thetestimony not only of the Scriptures but also of our experience. Because of thecorruption of our nature, we tend to be negative and to focus on the failures,sins and defeats.

But do you not see? Do you not know? Christ isworking. Lives are being transformed and fitted for heaven. There isdeliverance, and there is holiness. Men and women are becoming more and moreheavenly minded. Obadiah says: “the houseof Jacob shall possess their possessions [or their heavenly inheritance].”This is true is it not? As you grow in holiness, you begin more and more toenjoy your heavenly inheritance or eternal life.

And not only so, but the blessings of Christyou enjoy is spreading. Do you not see it? It is spreading like fire. It isspreading through the preaching of the word and the holy witness of the saints.Obadiah put it this way:

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 devourthem…

God has not onlygiven His people redemption and holiness. He has made them a fire. It is a firethat will spread and conquer. The house of Esau shall be for stubble, easily devoured and consumed by thisfire.

How will this fire spread? It will spreadthrough the preaching of the Word and the witness of the saints. God saysthrough the prophet Jeremiah:

“Behold, I will make my words in thy mouthfire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them” (Jer 5:14).

False religions may conquer by the arm offlesh; but the kingdom of Christ conquers through the sword of the spirit.Through the preaching of the Gospel, strongholds are demolished and the devicesof Satan are defeated. The double-edged sword of the Gospel will never returnunto God void. Such as would be redeemed would be redeemed; such as would beleft without excuse are left without excuse.

Through the preaching of the Gospel, heartshardened by sin are soften and melted. Enemies of God are made friends of God.Servants of the kingdom of darkness are translated into the kingdom of light.And not only so, but through the Word and Spirit the remaining corruption inthe hearts of God’s children are burned up like dross. For Christ shall be as arefiner’s fire, says Malachi.

But at the same time, the unrepentant enemiesof the Gospel are put to shame, and left without arguments. Today, they maymock and ridicule. But the day is coming when they shall cringe in shame fortheir rebellion against Christ the Lord.

Says Matthew Henry: “Those that are not refinedas gold by fire of the gospel shall be consumed as dross by it; for [thegospel] will be a savour either of life or of death.”

Through the preaching ofthe Word, the kingdom of the Redeemer shall be strengthened and maintained. “The kingdom shall be the Lord’s” saysObadiah (v. 21).

Christ our Lord isreigning and will reign. All power in heaven and on earth has been given toHim. The apostle John saw Him upon a white horse having a bow in His hands anda crown upon His head. And He is going forth “conquering, and to conquer” (Rev6:2).

He will be victorious for He is the King ofkings. And we will be victoriousin Him too, for we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and shedHis blood for us. “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under hisfeet” (1 Cor 15:25).

Conclusion

Oh dearly beloved, do not be discouraged, donot despair. Though we shall be persecuted as Edom persecuted Israel, we shallbe vindicated. Vengeance belongeth unto the Lord. The Lord knows who are his.He will not suffer any of His children to be lost.

The Lord has said to Peter: “Upon this rock Iwill build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).Press on therefore with the good work. Go labour on! Serve the Lord withcourage and confidence. Serve Him with gratitude.

You will see the conversion of your children,He has promised.

You will see holiness adorning your life andthe life of your brethren, He has promised.

You will see the vindication of your faith andyour life, He has promised.

Only put on the armour of God and keepfighting. Do not be distracted by Edom. Do not love Edom. The day of ourredemption draw nigh and what a glorious day it will be. May the Lord help us!Amen. Ω

[1] Cf. 1 Sam 14:47; 2 Sam 8:13-14; 1 Kgs 11:17-22; 2 Chr 20:1-2, 10-11,22-26; 2 Kgs 8:20-22, 2 Chr 21:8; 2 Kgs 14:7; 2 Chr 25:11-12; 2 Chr 28:17.