Lord’s Day, Vol. 12 No. 37
Opening Amos, Obadiah & Jonah
Book of Amos
In the Book of Amos were recorded eight judgments (on Damascus 1:3-5; Gaza 1:6-8; Tyrus 1:9-10; Edom 1:11-12; Ammon 1:13-15; Moab 2:1-3; Judah 2:4-5; Israel 2:6-16); three sermons (on Israel’s Present 3:1-15; Israel’s Past 4:1-13; Israel’s future 5:1-6:14); five visions of Judgment (Grasshoppers 7:1-3; Fire 7:4-6; Plumbline 7:7-9; Summer Fruit 8:1-14; Smitten Lintels of the Door 9:1-10); five promises of the Restoration of Israel 9:11-15.
God’s judgment was pronounced on six Gentile nations for their national sins and finally with greater severity the sins of Judah and Israel (1:1-2:16), because they had sinned against greater privilege and clearer light, the LORD and His Laws.
Amos 3:1-2 (KJV) Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Amos 4:12 (KJV) Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
The prophet issued the warning of the coming destruction of the nation in five visions of judgment (the locust plague and fire sweeping the nation, the plumbline showing its crookedness, the basket of the decay of perishable fruits and the spiritual famine of God’s withdrawal from the nation.
Book of Obadiah
The Book of Obadiah is the shortest in the Old Testament (twenty-one verses) but carries one of the severest messages of judgment in the Old Testament. It was recorded the judgment on Edom by the prophet Obadiah.
The name “Edom” means “red”. We are reminded of the mass of red pottage for which Esau sold to Jacob his birthright which he despised (Genesis 25:20-34). Edom, therefore, stands for all the forces that hold spiritual things in contempt and despise God. [A Bird’s Eye View of the Bible by Noah Quarshie]
Obadiah predicts that Edom will be destroyed for not coming to the aid of Judah, his brother, in a time of adversity and need. This took place during the reign of Jehoram (848-841 B.C.), when the Philistines and Arabians invaded Judah and looted the palace. Edom revolted during the reign of Jehoram and became a bitter antagonist (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-20)
2 Kings 8:20-22 (KJV) In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.
2 Chronicles 21:16-17 (KJV) Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: 17 And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
Edom was chided by the LORD for their arrogance and cruelty to Judah.
Obadiah 3-4 (KJV) The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
The Edomites lived in the rocky pass of south of Judah. Today, the ruins of Petra, Jordan, testify of this rocky dwelling place of the Edomites. They hated Israel because Israel worshipped the LORD.
The destruction of Edom will be total, there will be no remnant.
This prophesy provides a warning to those who like the Edomites, haters of Israel (God’s people), who worship the LORD, the living and true God.
Obadiah 10 (KJV) For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
The reason for the severity of their judgment was that they stood by when they could have helped their brother Jacob in adversity.
Obadiah 11-14 (KJV) In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. 12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; 14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.
The key verse is in Obadiah 15 (KJV) For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.
This truth is well expressed by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:2 (KJV) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Israel shall be restored in the latter days (v19-21). They will not only possess their own land but the land of Edom and Philistia.
Book of Jonah
The Book of Jonah, the 5th Book of the Minor Prophets, is the greatest foreign missionary sermon of the Old Testament. He was an early contemporary of Amos and Hosea in the prosperous days of Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25).
Jonah was the reluctant prophet called by God to preach to the city of Nineveh “yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown”. The message of the city’s impending doom announced by the prophet caused the entire city to repent from king to animals.
Jonah’s disobedience to God’s call and his running away from fulfilling God’s assignment for him was to no avail. God sent a storm in the ship in which he was escaping and a great fish to awaken him to the futility of running away from God.
Jonah 2:7-9 (KJV) When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Our Lord Jesus testifies of Jonah about His death and resurrection in Matthew 12:38-41 (KJV) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
The city of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. Our Lord Jesus gave reference to the repentance of Nineveh in contrast to the hardness of the Jews in His time who refused to repent as recorded in Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32 (KJV) The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Jonah 3:8-10 (KJV) But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Thank God for His Word. May it strengthen the faith of the church as we prepare to meet our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ who is returning to bring His church to glory! Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee