Obadiah – Look at this Generation with the Heart of God 俄巴底亚书 – 以神的心意看这世代
Tuesday, 25th April 2023
星期二 2023年4月25日
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
潘锡安牧师
Section One V1-14 God Values Relationship 耶和华是看重关系的
V1-4 ‘The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”): “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.’
V1-4 ‘俄巴底亚得了耶和华的默示。论以东说（我从耶和华那里听见信息，并有使者被差往列国去，说：“起来吧，一同起来与以东争战”）： “我使你以东在列国中为最小的，被人大大藐视。住在山穴中，居所在高处的啊，你因狂傲自欺，心里说：‘谁能将我拉下地去呢？’你虽如大鹰高飞，在星宿之间搭窝，我必从那里拉下你来。这是耶和华说的。’
The book of Obadiah is a Book of minor prophet, and prophecy for the people of God. God talked to His people through His prophet. When God talks to us, we must be humble and submit under the Will of God. Through Obadiah, God was talking to Edom, who was the son of Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau was also Edom and Jacob was also Israel; Esau and Jacob were brothers yet Edom and Israel were fighting each other. God was talking to Edom, we thought God only talks to those believe and follow Him, but God also talks to those who are rebellious. In the Book of Obadiah, we see that God also talks to Edom because He remembers the sons of Isaac, both Esau and Jacob.
Even though Esau did not walk in the Will of God, but God remembered Him and was willing to talk to the people of Edom. We are in the end time, this is the end of the 100-year cycle, and God’s great revival is about to come. What are our hearts when we are praying and fasting? What is our attitude when God talks to us? The attitude of Edom was rebellious and unable to touch the Heart of God. If we have the same attitude as the people of Edom, then when we pray we cannot touch the Heart of God, when we fast we cannot repent from our wicked ways and we cannot intercede with others.
V11-14 ‘In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem— even you were as one of them. “But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress.’
V11-14 ‘当外人掳掠雅各的财物，外邦人进入他的城门，为耶路撒冷拈阄的日子，你竟站在一旁，像与他们同伙。 你兄弟遭难的日子，你不当瞪眼看着。犹大人被灭的日子，你不当因此欢乐。他们遭难的日子，你不当说狂傲的话。 我民遭灾的日子，你不当进他们的城门。他们遭灾的日子，你不当瞪眼看着他们受苦。他们遭灾的日子，你不当伸手抢他们的财物。 你不当站在岔路口，剪除他们中间逃脱的。他们遭难的日子，你不当将他们剩下的人交付仇敌。’
We must not look down on people, not despise people, and when people need help, we must not stand aside and watch when God tells us to intervene. Why did God send messengers to fight with Edom? God knew the hearts of the Edomites, He continued to give them opportunities to repent. So why was God angry at them? Because they acted violently against Israel, his brothers. The Edomites might not see the Israelites as their brothers, but they are all creations of God, they are always brothers and God values all the relationships. God wants us to look at our relationship with His Heart, let our heart be the Heart of God.
Section Three V15-21 God will Repay 耶和华必报应
V15-21 “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head. For as you drank on My holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually; yes, they shall drink, and swallow, and they shall be as though they had never been. “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” For the Lord has spoken. The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, and the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.’
V15-21 ‘耶和华降罚的日子临近万国。你怎样行，他也必照样向你行，你的报应必归到你头上。 你们犹大人在我圣山怎样喝了苦杯，万国也必照样常常地喝。且喝且咽，他们就归于无有。在锡安山必有逃脱的人，那山也必成圣，雅各家必得原有的产业。 雅各家必成为大火，约瑟家必为火焰，以扫家必如碎秸，火必将他烧着吞灭，以扫家必无余剩的。这是耶和华说的。 南地的人必得以扫山，高原的人必得非利士地，也得以法莲地和撒马利亚地，便雅悯人必得基列。 在迦南人中被掳的以色列众人必得地直到撒勒法，在西法拉中被掳的耶路撒冷人必得南地的城邑。 必有拯救者上到锡安山，审判以扫山，国度就归耶和华了。’
God’s Judgement will come, He is merciful, but He is always righteous. God was telling Edom what He would do, if they didn’t repent. Why would God talk to them if He was going to destroy them? Because God remembered His children, Esau and Jacob are both the children of Isaac, God wanted to bless Esau as much as blessing Jacob. Therefore God was teaching the Edomites and calling to repent. God was giving them an opportunity to repent and to return! God’s judgement will come, God will repay. When Edom thought they were safe and they did not need to worry, God was telling them to repent before disaster strikes. God wants us to know His Will, we are the royal priests, and God has revealed His Heart to us. What attitude do we use to see this world and people around is?