FIVE MINUTES IN THE WORD for Wednesday, February 12, In the year of our Lord 2014
Words within brackets [ ] are mine.
OBADIAH [Obadiah is pronounced with a long "o" and a long "i" sound. The book has only one chapter. The subject of this book is the prophesied destruction of Edom; which is considered a type of the destruction that will come upon the enemies of Christ and His saints during the Great Tribulation.]
1 The vision of Obadiah. [His name means "servant, or worshipper of the LORD." ] Thus saith the Lord GOD [He is saying that what he records came directly from GOD.] concerning Edom [They were the descendants of Esau; and were constant enemies of Israel.]; We have heard a rumour [A report passing from person to person. This rumour was first started by Jeremiah. (Jer. 49:14). Today's rumour is that Christ is soon to return to ultimately establish His kingdom.] from the LORD, and an ambassador [one sent from a foreign land with a message] is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her [Edom] in battle. 2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. 3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee [pride warps reason, and swells the ego], thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock [A hollowed out place in a massive rock, large enough to shelter humans and/or animals from the elements.] whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? [Pride creates an illusion of invincibility.] 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 "eagle" is the national symbol of the United States, and each state is represented by a "star" on the country's flag. Could it be in the plan of Almighty God to break America's national pride, because of her many sins and backslidings?]
5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? [It is stated here how vulnerable the Edomites were, but they didn't see it.] if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? 6 How are the things of Esau searched out! [discovered, rummaged through] how are his hidden things sought up! [snatched up] 7 All the men of thy confederacy [allies, friendly nations] have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; [Those whom they'd considered their friends had deceived them and caused them to be led away to their doom.] they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him. [The Edomites are too deceived by their pride to see their weaknesses, and that their allies are really their enemies. Is there a wake-up call for America here?]
8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? 9 And thy mighty men, O Teman [A region in Edom with men known for their courage and great strength.], shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. [Even Edom's mightiest of men will be so smitten with fear, that they will be powerless to stop the slaughter.] 10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. [Esau was the twin brother of Jacob; yet Esau, and His descendents despised Jacob.] 11 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. [They stood by, in the past, and even assisted Jacob's enemies, without offering tho help out His brother. Now it is time for their judgment, which is deserved. This fate awaits all nations who turn their backs on Israel, and curse them. (Genesis 12:3)] 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; [They had even blocked the escape of those Jews who tried to flee. What a hatred the Edomites had for Judah!] neither shouldest thou have delivered up [turned over] those of his that did remain in the day of distress. 15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: ["Whatsoever a man sewth, that shall he also reap."] thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. [Such complete and total destruction; it would be as if they never existed.].
17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau [The entire family line to be wiped out.]; for the LORD hath spoken it. [God said it; so that settles it.] 19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau [Those Jews who lived in the south of the land of Judea, would posses the land off Edom, after their destruction.]; and they of the plain the Philistines [Gaza Strip region]: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead [The areas once possessed by the northern tribes of Israel, would be given to the Southern Kingdom, who had not fallen into the deep idolatry of their brothers in the Northern Kingdom.] 20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. 21 And saviours [deliverers] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S. [At the end of the seven year Great Tribulation, which is prophesied to soon occur, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15) One day soon, not just Edom, but ALL of the kingdoms of this world will become our Lord's! "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20)]
By David Cosma, Wednesday, February 12, In the year of our Lord 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
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