There is No Security in Pride

This prophecy of Obadiah covers God's declaration of judgment on the descendants of Esau, the Edomites. In their arrogance, they forsook God and trusted in their material wealth and secure home. The Israelites, their brothers through the family line of Isaac, were attacked and the Edomites did nothing to help. Instead, they rejoiced over Israel's misfortune and even pillaged the land and killed the refugees. The prophecy reveals how Israel will reclaim the land, including the land of Edom, and that God wins in the end.

Scripture Passage: Obadiah 1:1-21

Main Point: Our wealth or circumstances in life will not determine our ultimate salvation. On Judgment Day, the Lord Jesus Christ will only save those who have trusted in Him.

Outline:

The Delusion of Pride (Obadiah 1:1-4)
The Dread of Pride (Obadiah 1:4-16)
The Deliverance from Pride (Obadiah 1:17)
The Destruction of Pride (Obadiah 1:18-21)

1. The Delusion of Pride (Obadiah 1:1-4)

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the LORD, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”): 2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised. (Oba. 1:1-2, NKJV)

There is a legend in the South of two hillbilly families, the Hatfields and McCoys, who had a long- standing feud. Like these generational feuders of the South, Obadiah declares a word from the Lord regarding a people known as the Edomites. Edom was a nation of people descended from Abraham through Isaac and through Esau, "brothers" as it were of the Israelites. The Edomites occupied territory to the south-southeast of the land of Israel. Like the Hatfields and McCoys, there was a long-standing feud between these two peoples. The descendants of Esau developed a great deal of bitterness and envy as they watched their brother Israelites take over the Promised Land as God's chosen people. The end result of their bitterness and envy was an attitude of pride and trust in themselves -- for if God chose the Israelites, then the Edomites had no need of Him.

A. Pride creates false security in wealth or position.

3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?' 4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD. (Oba. 1:3-4, NIV)

The Edomites lived high in the mountains in rock caves that were almost like fortresses. The thought they were totally secure in this position, living on the high ground. They stowed away their plunder from other nations (Oba. 1:6 "hidden treasures") in their mountain hideaways. Today, people put their trust in the Stock Market, in money stored away in the vaults of large financial institutions and feel secure. Now it is good thing to strive for financial security; it is not good, though, when such striving makes you apathetic toward God, creating a feeling that "I do not need God."

B. Pride creates false esteem in individual self-worth.

In addition to false security, the Edomites thought themselves as superior to the Israelites. "...Who can bring me down to the ground?" (Oba. 1:3, NIV) Their smugness blinded them to the brevity of life and enormity of eternity. Einstein declared that time is relative. Indeed, there is a sense in which this is true.

Waiting one minute at a red light can seem like an eternity when you are late for an appointment. And spending a day with your sweetheart can pass by in only one minute. But time is definitely linear. It continues to march forward. One day, each of us will pass through death into eternity. How will does your self-esteem compare to that of your Creator -- holy, infinitely powerful, eternal, and utterly righteous?

2. The Dread of Pride (Obadiah 1:4-16)

4 Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD. 5 “If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night— Oh, how you will be cut off!— Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings? 6 “Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! 7 All the men in your confederacy Shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it. 8 “Will I not in that day,” says the LORD, “Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? 9 Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter. 10 “For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. 11 In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them. 12 “But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress. 13 You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance In the day of their calamity. 14 You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress. 15 “For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. 16 For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been. (Oba. 1:4-16, NKJV)

A. God knows the heart of prideful people.

The words of the prophet ring out with a resounding crash! God declares concerning Edom, "The pride of your heart has deceived you..." (Oba. 1:3, NIV) and "Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD" (Oba. 1:4, NIV). God sees inside us. He knows our attitudes, our motives, our prejudices, our hatred, our insolence, and our pride. God will personally bring down those who pretend they do not need Him. It will be so sad for the prideful man or woman on Judgment Day when God says to them, "Thy will be done!" and allows them to have for eternity what they insisted on having in time -- a place totally devoid of the love of God forever. That place is called Hell.

B. God observes the heartless behavior of prideful people.

God not only judges the heart but the heartless behavior or prideful people. The Edomites were strong warriors to be sure. Yet they stood by idle as their brother Israelites were being overcome by foreign armies. With devilish glee, they cheered those who plundered Jerusalem. "On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his [Israel's] wealth, and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem -- You too were as one of them" (Oba. 1:11, NASB). God, who sees all, relates through Obadiah how the Edomites also entered the gates of Jerusalem to plunder and pillage. Their gloating turned to murderous acts as they ambushed those who fled the calamity -- some to imprison and sell for profit, others to cut down with brutal vindictiveness. Such behavior is the outworking of pride -- if you are most important thing in your life, then others who, ultimately, "get in your way" will become disposable. Hitler provided a tragic example of this as his "superior" race set out to rid the world of Jewish people. Over six million Jewish people perished because of the heartless behavior of prideful people.

C. God will judge prideful people with the calamities they themselves brought on others.

The Bible is replete with accounts of awesome judgments. A storm of burning sulfur obliterated the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The parting of the Red Sea which allowed the Israelites to cross was "un"- parted, drowning the entire Egyptian army. The future described in Revelation tells of apparent nuclear holocausts, tormenting locusts, and hundred-pound hailstones. But no judgment is so awesome as the one described by Obadiah for those reject God because of pride: "The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head" (Oba. 1:15, NIV). Imagine the horror of one day receiving exactly what you dished out to others in your life. God, who remembers all, will allow an exacting judgment of all your wicked deeds to be delivered back to you. What a horrible thought -- to get exactly what you deserve!

3. The Deliverance from Pride (Obadiah 1:17)

“But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Oba. 1:17, NKJV)

A. God has ordained salvation on Mount Zion through Messiah.

In Germany during World War II, there were many brave citizens who provided an escape route for the persecuted Jews. In the Civil War, there was an underground railroad that provided an escape for fleeing slaves. God has provided an escape route -- a holy underground railroad that is boarded at a stop called Mount Zion. "But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance" (Oba. 1:17, NIV). Mount Zion was a reference to the temple area in Jerusalem. The Israelites who trusted in the God of Israel would escape the awesome judgments. This is also a prophetic reference to the salvation God has provided for all people through His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you still live as though you don't need God, or have you acknowledged your sin and asked for the salvation of God through the death and resurrection of His Son?

B. God has declared that those who trust in His Savior will be holy.

Those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins are declared holy by God. As He declared for the Israelites: "...on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy" (Oba. 1:17, NIV). Our Lord Jesus Christ will one day return to Mount Zion to reign for one thousand years. Those who have trusted in Him are given His righteousness (Rom. 4:24), are declared holy and blameless (Eph 1:4), and will in that day reign with Him (Rom. 8:17). Enjoy the hope we have in Christ!

4. The Destruction of Pride (Obadiah 1:18-21)

18 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. 19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. 21 Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. (Oba. 1:18-21, NKJV)

A. The possessions and positions of prideful people will be as stubble.

Obadiah describes the end of prideful people. Their possessions will be consumed by the fire of a righteous God. What more can be said about the futility of trusting in earthly possessions for comfort and security?

B. The house of prideful people will not endure.

"'...There will be no survivor of the house of Esau,' for the Lord has spoken" (Oba. 1:18, NIV). The finality of this judgment is clear -- the Lord has spoken and will not change His mind. Prideful people may have great wealth and power in this life. But it will be consumed by the passage of time. All the graves of the great pharaohs of Egypt have been pillaged -- none took their wealth into eternity. Only the cold reality of a heart that rejected the God who loved them.

C. The kingdom of God will overcome in the end.

"...The kingdom will be the LORD's." (Oba. 1:21, NIV). God wins in the end. He made the heavens and the earth. Everything falls under His sovereign will. God, who sees all, sees the end from the beginning. Like the sneaky man who wagered with his friend on the outcome of the big game -- when he had already viewed an advance satellite feed of the broadcast-delayed game -- God sees the Judgment Day and those who would reject Him in this life. The game is over. The fat lady has sung. God wins. Won't you accept His salvation and move to the winning team?