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Walking Thru The Bible
OBADIAH, JONAH and MICAH
OBADIAH
INTRODUCTION
The book of Obadiah is not well known but it contains some
powerful lessons for our day. It is the only one-chapter book in the
Old Testament and contains only 21 verses.
The occasion of the book is some recent sack of Jerusalem by the
Philistines and Arabians in which Edom had aided and abetted. She
had encouraged Judah's foes, enjoyed Judah's fall, and enslaved
Judah's fugitives. The book warns Edom of her own coming
destruction for her sins against her brother.
BACKGROUND
The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother,
and hence a "cousin" nation to Judah and Israel. Yet the Edomites
were in constant conflict with them. Edom was a narrow strip of
mountainous country to the south of the Dead Sea. So rugged is the
terrain that the valley in which Petra, one of their capital cities, is
located can only be reached through a narrow canyon guarded by
towering mountain walls 200-500 feet high (vs.3-4).
EDOM's SIN
Edom is condemned for her pride and her cruelty. Her crimes are
described in progressive stages:
(1) Edom stood by while Jerusalem was invaded v.11;
(2) She rejoiced over the captivity of sons of Judah v.12;
(3) She actively participated in looting Jerusalem v.13; and
(4) Edom set up road blocks to prevent the citizens from escaping v.14
and sold them into slavery.
She is condemned for her cruelty and unbrotherliness:
(1) cruelty of the feet, v.11 "she stood afar off";
(2) cruelty of the eyes, v.13 "looked on in his disaster;
(3) cruelty of the heart, v.12 she rejoiced in Jeru.'s destruction;
(4) cruelty of the tongue, v.12; she spoke proudly;
(5) cruelty of the hands, v.13, laid hands on Judah's
substance and cut off escape.
OUTLINE OF OBADIAH
1. The Doom of Edom -- v. 1-9
2. The Denunciation of Edom -- v. 10-14
3. The Destruction of Edom -- v. 15-21
- - - - -
JONAH
INTRODUCTION
The book of Jonah is a humiliating confession by its author that
shows his growth in the Lord as he becomes the great prophet of 2
Kings 14. Jonah had to learn some important lessons: namely, that
God is everywhere and one can't run away from Him; and secondly
that God is concerned about every nation and the citizens, the children
and even the animals in every nation.
The book is often accused of being myth by modernist and
religious liberals because of the miracle of the great fish. But Jonah
was a real person (2 Kings 14:24) and Jesus credited the story of the
great sea creature as factual (Matt. 12:39-41).
The Lord also represents the story as true that Nineveh repented
(Luke 11:29-32). There is no way to doubt the historicity of Jonah
and have regard for the integrity of Jesus.
BACKGROUND
Jonah was a well known prophet of God associated with the royal
court of Jeroboam II (ca 790-749 BC). Jonah was a states-man
prophet like Isaiah and Jeremiah, not a 'backwoods' prophet like
Elijah or John the Baptist.
He was called to cry against that "great city" Nineveh, the capital
of Assyria and long time enemy of Israel. Nineveh was surrounded
by a complex of suburbs with a heavy population of about 600,000
at this time. It was fortified with several walls, the greatest defense
being a wall 8 miles long and 100 feet high and wide enough for three
chariots to drive abreast, with 1500 towers which were 200 feet high.
Jonah's experience was a "sign" to the people of Nineveh and
they repented upon hearing his message of destruction for their city.
In sack cloth and ashes they showed remorse for their evil and God
spared them from destruction to the regret and pouting of Jonah.
OUTLINE OF JONAH
Chapter 1 Jonah Running AWAY from God
Chapter 2 Jonah Running TO God
Chapter 3 Jonah Running WITH God
Chapter 4 Jonah Running AHEAD of God
A key passage that allows us to understand why Jonah tried to resign
his duty as a prophet, and also gives us great insight into the character
of the wonderful and magnificent God who is our Creator is found in
4:2 "... for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to
anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. (Jonah
4:2)
- - - - - -
MICAH
INTRODUCTION
Micah was from among the common people in a little town in
southwest Judah, Moresheth, who prophesied for about a thirty year span
during the reigns of Jotham (750-732 BC), Ahaz (736-716 BC) and
Hezekiah (716-687 BC).
Micah was a contemporary with Isaiah and was preaching the same
message Isaiah was preaching, but Isaiah was God's prophet to the royal
court while Micah preached among the common people rather than the
Jewish aristocracy.
The book of Micah is sometimes called a miniature version of Isaiah
(cf. Micah 4:1-3 and Isaiah 2:2-4).
HIS MESSAGE
Micah preached a message of repentance to the people of Judah and
looked forward to the day of the coming Messiah's universal kingdom
(4:1-3). The reign of Christ would offer salvation to all nations alike. He
promised a peace and prosperity that has its fulfillment in the spiritual
life of the kingdom of God and not in the affairs of civil states.
Like Isaiah, he condemned the meaningless ritual of their sacrifices
and ceremonies (6:7-8). He emphasized that the people's heart and
conduct must match their professed allegiance and worship to God. They
were performing their religious ceremonies but ignoring the kind of life
their commitment to God expected from them.
The Lord's expectation from his people is express in Micah 6:8 "He
hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with thy God?"
MICAH Elsewhere In The BIBLE
Some important quotations from Micah are found elsewhere in the
Bible. One saved the live of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 26:18 from Mic.
3:12). The priests and scribes quoted Micah 5:2 in answer to Herod's
question about the birthplace of the Messiah (Matt. 2:5-6). Christ
quoted Micah 7:6 when He commissioned the disciples the first time
(Matt. 10:35-36).
OVERVIEW of the Book of MICAH
Micah announced punishment from God against both Israel (1:1-7)
and Judah (1:8-16). The reasons for this judgment are given (2:1-11),
and the restoration of the remnant is promised (2:12-13). After
describing the present sorry state of affairs (3:1-12), he speaks of the
future glory to be revealed in Christ in the Christian age (4:1-5:15).
The book ends with a plea for repentance. God's complaint against
the people (6:1-16) leads Micah to lament the lack of righteousness in
Jerusalem (7:1-6), confess the sins of the nation (7:7-17), and rejoice in
the mercies of the Lord (7:18-20).
- - - - SERMON - - - -
EDOM AND THE PRIDE OF NATIONS
Introduction:
Background on Edom: The Edomites were a rough and tough group
of mountain people. They lived in the desert-mountain region of Mt.
Seir, reaching from south of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Arabah. They
carved great protective fortresses in the rock mountains and canyons.
One of their principle cities was Sela (Hebrew), or Petra (Greek), which
simply meant "The Rock" and was carved out of the side of the
mountains. The rose-red, orange and yellow mountain wall made Petra
a colorful stronghold.
I. EDOM TRUSTED HER FORTIFICATIONS (v. 3-4)
Nestled in the cliffs high above the plains they likened them-selves
to the eagle which made its next in the heights of the mountains.
They thought their city was impregnable and that they could never
be brought down.
II. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER TREASURES (v. 5-6)
At this time Edom was the center of caravan routes from south to
north and east to west. The caves in Petra were used as storehouses
for merchandise.
III. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER ALLIES AND FRIENDS (v.7)
Edom trusted her confederates and peace treaties but God warns
they would deceive her and turn against her.
IV. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER WISDOM AND WISE MEN (v.8)
The Edomites were known for their wisdom and cunning. But the
time was to come when such would be destroyed among them and
they could not be counted on for deliverance.
V. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER "MIGHTY MEN" (warriors v. 9)
Edom trusted that her mighty army of strong warriors would be able
to defend her against any and every foe. But when God was ready
to bring her down it didn't matter what size army or how brave they
were.
CONCLUSION:
No human effort can save the guilty nation from God's destructive
power. Rock fortresses, impregnable mountains, narrow mountain
gorges, dependable allies and proud warriors cannot avail. When the
Lord has decreed a nations' humiliation nothing will change that except
repentance.
We must remember that our hope is in God. Prov. 16:18; 29:23.
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