The Book of Obadiah - The Minor Prophets

In one paragraph

This sermon was the fourth message in First B Jackson's series on the minor prophets. Pastor James worked through the book of Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, which he described as a dark cloud of impending judgment against the nation of Edom. The thread running through the whole message was the same one he has traced through the series: God resists the proud and gives grace to the...

Read together

1. Obadiah 1 primary text of the sermon, read and expounded throughout
2. Romans 13 cited in connection with authority being ordained by God and government as servant of God
3. 1 Peter 5:6-11 closing paragraph on humbling yourself under God's hand, resisting the devil, and God of all grace perfecting and establishing believers
4. Micah 6:8 mentioned briefly as fitting into any conversation, though not quoted
5. Genesis 36 referenced to identify Teman as Esau's grandson and chief among sons of Esau

Talk about it

1. The pastor described Edom as a nation that trusted in their high fortresses, their military alliances, and their economic strength, yet God said their arrogance had deceived them. Where in your own life are you most tempted to trust in something that feels secure but might be giving you a false sense of safety?
2. Obadiah charges Edom with standing back and doing nothing while outsiders ransacked their brother Jacob, and even going in with Babylon against Israel. Have you ever found yourself standing aloof when someone close to you was in trouble, or even quietly glad they were getting what you thought they deserved? What made that hard to resist?
3. The pastor pointed out that God was bringing judgment on Israel for pride at the same time he was judging Edom for pride, saying God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble throughout both Testaments. What does pride actually look like in everyday life, and how do you notice it in yourself before it goes too far?
4. The sermon drew a connection between Obadiah's warning that the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations and the Great Commission to take the gospel to all nations. How does the urgency of that coming judgment shape the way you think about sharing your faith with people around you?
5. The pastor closed with 1 Peter 5, about humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God and casting your anxiety on him. What would it look like practically, this week, to choose humility over self-reliance in a situation you are currently facing?