The Deliverer of Israel

“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.” Obadiah 1:17-18

Obadiah is only 21 verses, the shortest book in the Old Testament. It is concerned mostly with God’s revenge against Edom for being a perennial enemy of Israel. Edom was composed of the descendants of Esau who fought with Israel even from the womb. Edom refused to let the Israelites pass through their land when Israel was on the way to the Promised Land (Num. 20:14–21). Hostility developed and continued for centuries (Ezek. 35:5). Saul (1 Sam. 14:47), David (2 Sam. 8:13–14), Joab (1 Kings 11:16), and Solomon (1 Kings 11:17–22) all had problems with the sons of Edom. God’s righteousness demanded judgment against Edom and that future judgment is mentioned in more Old Testament books than against any other foreign nation. The nation of Edom was subsequently destroyed by Babylon in the Sixth Century. Obadiah ends by prophesying Israel will be restored as a nation (1:17) and will occupy the land of Edom (1:18-20) and it will be ruled over by the Lord Himself in the Millennium (1:21).

During the time of Edom’s prosperity many would have wondered why the wicked were allowed to prosper. Many today view Israel in a precarious position with enemy’s all around and even many countries in the West forsaking it. However, God Himself is the deliverer of Israel and all nations that stand against Israel will eventually be destroyed. During the endtimes, all remaining of Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). In the meantime, God will bless all that bless Israel and curse all that curses Israel. The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions, the Lord has spoken!

So many in churches today use God’s love to refrain from speaking out against sin not wanting to offend the lost, even at the peril of sinners not being warned of eternal punishment. God is full of love and grace but also justice and vengeance against the unrepentant wicked. Spurgeon has said “Hell is as deep as Heaven is high, for God, who delights in mercy, also hates iniquity and will put away the wicked of the earth like waste.” God will eventually bring holiness to Israel as well as His elect of all nations as surely as he will punish the wicked.