A Walk Through the Bible – Obadiah

Scripture Texts: Obadiah 1:1-4, 10, 12, 15, 18

Introduction.

There are five one-chapter books in the Bible, a letter from Paul to Philemon, the second and third of John’s three letters, Jude and Obadiah.  Obadiah the shortest book in the OT and the least read.

Obadiah is the obscure prophet, we know nothing of this background, family, history or location.  His name means servant of God, and he does it well, staying in the background.

Psalm 84:10 I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

None of the prophets had any claim on fame or a claim on God’s favor.  None of them were important or worthy of their calling.  God called them first and then gave them His words to say.  To praise a prophet is like praising the pipes that bring the water into our homes or praising the wires that bring the electricity.  They are simply conduits, carriers, messengers.

They could no more claim credit for being a prophet than we can claim credit for being Christians.  We didn’t do anything.  We are saved by grace.  The service any of us gives is all grace, the goodness of God.

Obadiah also has the shortest introduction, just two words in Hebrew, “Vision Obadiah.”  The prophets were seers before they were sayers.  They had a supernatural revelation from God before they dared say, “Thus says the Lord.”  That is the only important thing in the book.

You may be small or unimportant or laboring in insignificance.  You may be the least of the Minor Prophets, but if your message begins with “Thus says the Lord God” that is significance enough.  If you have God’s Word in your heart and on your lips, your service will be great.

Like Jonah which is focused entirely on the city of Nineveh, Obadiah is focused entirely on the country of Edom, the nation to the east of Judah across the Dead Sea.