Obadiah, the shortest book in the Bible, is oddly where we start this Advent Sunday.

All I understood was that Obadiah was a prophet who was sent to tell the people of Edom (descendants of Esau) that their days are marked. That just because they live in a “protected and high place”, the Lord knows all.

You have to remember the story about Jacob and Esau to understand this chapter. Jacob was chosen by God and sadly Esau was not-a fact that I don’t understand-I mean, this was decided before his birth. Yet that is what God said would be and so it was and therefore Esau and all of his descendants were cursed.

Now then, Edom has made its place in the rocks and mountains and they have amassed wealth and sided with Babylon. For that reason, they were told by Obadiah that the day of the Lord is near and His enemies will be judged yet the righteous would be saved.

A. We Cannot Trust in Our Might Or Wealth for Security (1-6)

We cannot contribute to our own success without God. If we build our houses on solid ground (with God) we will succeed. If we oppose Him and ignore Him, we will never see eternity. Especially if we know what we are supposed to do and don’t do it.

B. We Cannot Trust In Our Friends Or Intelligence For Significance. (7-9)

The Edomites thought the Babylonians were their friends and cheered them on as the destroyed Jerusalem. They were actually their “frenemies” and would turn on them in a second.

Pastor John said Obadiah was like the Reader’s Digest of all prophets.
He said Let go and Let God should be our motto. The sooner we realize that we can’t get there (heaven) without God, the better off we will be.

We also need to encourage our leaders to support Israel and the Jewish people for they are the chosen people of God. When the nation of Israel turns to God, you will know the day of the Lord is near indeed!