The Minor Writing Prophets
VIII: Obadiah – an advisor
April 22, 2012
BMC- Obadiah
Introduction: Famous Advisors
I want to
begin this morning by inviting you to think of famous advisors. Who are some famous historical or fictional
advisors? Name some people who weren’t
necessarily leaders in their own right, but are known for advising leaders.
{Responses}
At Thursday
night’s Bible Study, the group offered people such as Kisinger, Carl Rove,
Hillary Clinton, and Condoleezza Rice. I
suggested Operah (which then brought in Dr. Phil), Rasputin and Grima
Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though Jerry pointed out that
this last one only really meant something to me.
We all have
our advisors in life, don’t we? Many of
us have trusted family like a parent or sibling that we go to when we need
advice about matters of life. Others of
us turn to a friend or coworker to get another perspective. When it involves a matter of expertise, we
may even turn to a doctor, lawyer, or architect.
Clearly in
this oracle that we read from Obadiah, his primary agenda is to share the word
of the Lord that he has heard against Edom.
Yet within his words, it seems to me that we receive some words of
advice about how we as people of faith should live.
The advisor
We really don’t know much about
Obadiah given that his 21 verses really say nothing about him. We can assume that he wrote sometime shortly
after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587BC. Though we know little about Obadiah, we know
more about the enmity that was present between Judah and Edom.
If we go back to Genesis 25 and
reread the stories of Jacob and Esau, we are reminded of an intense sibling
rivalry. Jacob and Esau were twins born
to Isaac and Rebecca. Esau was born
first, but Jacob stole both Esau’s birthright and their father’s blessing. The two were estranged for many years before
reconciling.
Yet it seems that the family ties
were never strong after that because the descendants of Jacob, Israel and
Judah, and the descendants of Esau, Edom, continued to be at odds with each
other some 1,100 years later. In fact
the Word Biblical Commentary charts out the prophetic oracles against foreign
nations in the Bible and if you set aside the ancient superpowers of Egypt,
Assyria and Babylon, “Edom is the subject of more separate oracles against
foreign nations (seven) and more brief or passing hostile references (four) in
the prophetical books than any other nation.”[1]
These two nations have not had a
happy history, and yet Obadiah seems to focus his anger on the most recent
events of how Edom did and did not respond to the Babylonian invasion of
Judah. Verse 11 says that Edom stood by
aloof while foreigners came in and stole from Judah. Obadiah goes on to say that Edom gloated over
Judah’s misfortune and even waited to capture those escaping.
“Obadiah’s message, like all
prophecies touching on the new age, has a Christian implication. Though it is surely about Israel and Edom, it
is at the same time, more generally, about God’s people and the worldly powers
opposed to God…
“The Christian, therefore, will see
in Obadiah’s prophecy not merely a description of certain political realities
and hopes from the sixth century BC in Palestine, but also the more general
reality and hope of God’s intervention on behalf of his people to rescue them
from helplessness in the face of mortal danger, and to guarantee them a bright
future of reward for their faithfulness (I Peter 4:12-14). The success of earthly powers arrayed against
God’s purposes can be only temporary, and the ultimate victory of God’s people
is assured.”[2]
Lesson 1: Pride comes before a fall
Within this
overarching message, we are also reminded that “Pride comes before a
fall.” In verse 3, Obadiah declares that
the pride of Edom has deceived them.
They believed that they were safe from any attack, but that pride is to
be their undoing as they are about to be brought down to size.
George Burns tells of a time “When
I was playing at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas this year, I went to see a
stand-up comedian I know who was appearing at another hotel on the Strip. He did
a good show, and by the time I got to his dressing room, he was already holding
court for his friends and fans. 'How about that show!' he crowed. 'I was never
better. What a performance! I was sharp! I was with it! I had that audience
eating out of my hand!' So just in fun, I said, 'I was out front, and I didn't
think you were that good.' He said, 'The band loused me up.'”[3]
Now as a
general rule, Mennonites don’t tend to be prideful, right? If anything, we tend to be a bit too
humble. We tend to be too quiet about
things. While we should not be boasting
of ourselves or our own accomplishments, we should be testifying to the work of
God in our midst.
Quinton Gross[4]
In 1996, “Quinton Gross was, by his own account, a troublemaker. He was
an aggressive child who liked to fight almost as much as he liked playing
basketball. Maybe a little more.
“All of that - except for his love
of basketball - has changed. … ‘The change in me, oh man, it's just been
tremendous,’ said the Calvert junior ... ‘I can't explain it.’
“The explanation is based in his
newfound commitment to God. Though he played basketball for three years at
Calvert Middle School - where as a 12-year-old he could wow his teammates and
opponents with acrobatic dunks - Gross took off the [next] two years to study
the Bible.
“’It really happened out of the
blue,’ Gross said of his spiritual awakening. ‘I went with my cousins and we
were playing basketball outside when someone yelled it was time for us to come
in for service. I thought we were ready to eat, that's what I thought service
was. But they were having church in the basement.’
“’I went in and heard the things
they were talking about and realized that I wasn't doing any of those things,
and it changed me. I was listening to God's Word, and I realized I needed to
learn it.
So Gross … stopped picking fights and started reading the Bible, for at least one hour per day after school. He also joined a variety of Bible study classes - and led several such classes after basketball practice - and spent considerable time trying to show other youths that the way he was living before was wrong.
So Gross … stopped picking fights and started reading the Bible, for at least one hour per day after school. He also joined a variety of Bible study classes - and led several such classes after basketball practice - and spent considerable time trying to show other youths that the way he was living before was wrong.
“’Before, I was the kind of person
you just didn't cross,’ said Gross… ‘But I'm different now. For instance, last
year there was this boy at the career center who I guess was trying to show off
or something, and he cursed at me. There's a time when I never would have let
that happen: I would have hurt him. But this time I just started talking to him
about God. He looked at me and said, 'I don't even know who you are anymore'
and I said, 'I'm glad.'
“Gross said he takes particular
pride in talking with troubled boys, many of whom reside in group homes,
because he can relate to them in a way others cannot. He does not preach on a
set schedule, but instead takes the opportunity to spread the Word of God on a
daily basis.
“’Many people believe that you have to go through a seminary or other
things in order to preach, but it's just a gift that the Lord gives you,’ Gross
said. ‘When a door is opened and the Lord gives me an opportunity to speak his
Word, I just take it.’”
Like Gross, we should not be prideful about our own abilities. But we should be willing to testify to the
difference that God has made within our own lives.
Lesson 2: Don’t kick a guy when he’s down
Next,
Obadiah reminds us that we shouldn’t “kick a guy when he’s down.” In verse 13, we read Obadiah declare that
Edom should not have marched through the gates of Judah in the day of their
disaster. Nor should they have gloated
over them or stolen their wealth on the day of their disaster. Edom shouldn’t have taken advantage of
Judah’s weakness to create additional injury.
“Don’t kick
a guy when he’s down.” Here is a sign
that I can only assume originally meant “No Soccer” or “No Juggling a Soccer
ball.” But someone used their creativity
to alter it using the ball as the head of the body on the ground. Now the message seems to be “Don’t kick a guy
when he is down.”
This truism
is a part of Guy Rule # 469 on www.guyrules.com. This website is a “compilation of the rules
that govern men’s social behavior.” This
rule on fist fights states “If you have to lay the smack down…do so only until
he is acceptably incapacitated. NEVER
kick a guy when he’s down. NEVER use
weapons unless the other guys uses one first.
Once your man is down, either a) walk away, b) help him up and buy him a
beer or c) request that he” leave.
Now most of
us would probably not find ourselves in a situation in which we could literally
kick a guy when he is down. And I’m sure
that we would all like to think that this advice does not apply to us and
perhaps it doesn’t. Perhaps our hearts
are always moved with compassion in the midst of another’s loss. Perhaps we never have that momentary lapse
when someone who frustrates us has a bad experience and we say to ourselves “He
had it coming to him.” And yet we live
in a culture that teaches us in many instances to act otherwise. We live in a culture in which we are taught
to take advantage of another’s misfortune. The band Offspring even has a song
called “Kick Him When He’s Down.”
After my
first year in seminary, I participated in an adult summer outdoor soccer
league. Since I wasn’t from the area, I
didn’t have a team to be a part of so I signed up and was assigned to a
team. I soon learned that this was a big
mistake.
I ended up
on a team of mostly shady characters in which the goalkeeper was the worst of
the bunch. In the first place, he could
have used Obadiah’s advice on pride that we just talked about. His head was so big from his inflated ego
that I’m pretty sure he could have just stood in front of the goal to defend
it.
My other
frustration with him was his dirty play.
During one game in which he was defending the goal, the forward came
into the box and slid as he shot the ball.
Our goalkeeper went out and with the ball already past him, kicked his
opponent while he lay on the ground for no reason.
For some of
us this not kicking a guy when he is down figuratively may be an area of growth
for us. For others, this is Biblical
wisdom that is needed in the world around us and that models our faith in
tangible ways.
Lesson 3: You reap what you sow
Finally, I
believe that Obadiah advises us that “You reap what you sow.” In verse 15 he
says, “As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon
your own head.” What the people of Edom
have done against Judah will in turn be done against them. “What comes around goes around.”
We read similar words in Galatians 6:7 “Do not be
deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Job 4:8 “As I have observed, those who plow
evil and those who sow trouble reap it.”
And Prov. 22:8 “Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they
wield in fury will be broken.”
These are
each more negative takes on this principle that when we do bad things, those
bad things will return to us. A new ABC
show even has a segment that refers back to “you reap what you sow.” The ladies reflect on a sermon and suggests
that if something comes back around to those that have wronged them that it is
okay because that is just how things work.
And yet, we typically look at this
through the more positive lens of Christ.
In Matthew 7:12 we are told that we should do to others as we would have
them do to us. It is a reminder that we
often give to our children but that is also important for us. www.helpothers.org
has the story of a man in need of help.
You Reap What You Sow[5]
“The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the
finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a
meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him,
like so many others had done before.
“"Leave me alone," he
growled... To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling --
her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining
with the president.. Now go away."
“The woman's smile became even
broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle
hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked
angrily. "I said to leave me alone.”
“Just then a policeman came up.
"Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked. "No problem here, officer," the
woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you
help me?" The officer scratched his
head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of
years. What do you want with him?"
“"See that cafeteria over
there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him
out of the cold for awhile."
"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I
don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm
and lift him up. "Let me go,
officer. I didn't do anything."
“"This is a good deal for you,
Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it." Finally, and with
some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria
and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so
most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet
arrived.
“The manager strode across the
cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he
asked. "What is all this, is this
man in trouble?" "This lady
brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered. "Not in here!" the manager replied
angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."
“Old Jack smiled a toothless grin.
"See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come
here in the first place" The woman
turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with
Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I am," the manager
answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my
banquet rooms."
“"And do you make a goodly
amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?" "What business is that of
yours?" “I, sir, am Penelope Eddy,
president and CEO of the company." "Oh."
“The woman smiled again.. "I
thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy
stifling a laugh. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a
meal, officer?" "No thanks,
ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to
go?" "Yes, ma'am. That would
be very nice."
“The cafeteria manager turned on
his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer." The officer watched him walk away. "You
certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent.
Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her
amazed lunch guest. She stared at him intently.
“"Jack, do you remember
me?" Old Jack searched her face
with his old, rheumy eyes.. "I think so -- I mean you do look
familiar." "I'm a little older
perhaps," she said.. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my
younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and
hungry." "Ma'am?" the
officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently
turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
“"I was just out of
college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job,
but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had
been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February
and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off
chance that I could get something to eat."
“Jack lit up with a smile.
"Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter.
You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it
was against company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the
biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and
told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would
get into trouble. Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food
in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."
“"So you started your own
business?" Old Jack said. "I
got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own
business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and
pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay
a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk
to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the
office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give
you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live
until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is always open
to you."
“There were tears in the old man's
eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he asked. "Don't thank
me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory ... He led me to
you." Outside the cafeteria, the
officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways.
"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered.
"Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never
forget. And ... and thank you for the coffee."
Conclusion
Obadiah
offers his words of doom to the people of Edom for the wrongs that they
committed against Judah. But within
these words we are given reminders of advice that we should heed in our faith
and share with others. “Pride comes
before a fall.” “Don’t kick a guy when
he’s down.” And “you reap what you sow.” As we go from here, may we live out
the fruit of these principles and share them with those that we meet.
Amen
[1] Word
Biblical Commentary: 31 Hosea-Jonah Douglas Stuart pgs. 404-406
[2] Word
Biblical Commentary: 31 Hosea-Jonah Douglas Stuart pgs. 422
[3] www.homileticsonline.com George
Burns, Wisdom of the 90s (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1991), 133.
[4] www.homileticsonline.com Angie
Watts, Calvert's Gross: A Spiritual Rebound, The Washington Post, January 28,
2000, D10.
[5] http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?sid=14130
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