Presents
Obadiah
Presents
Obadiah
INTRODUCTION to and Obadiah 2004 study
It is written in both the Old and New Testaments that it SHALL come to pass in the last days that God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and the sons AND daughters, the "seed" of the final generation that Messiah said shall come and serve Him (Ps. 22:30) and declare His righteousness, both will "See" (understand) the "Visions" of the prophets and then they shall "Prophesy" (teach, i.e. teach the prophet's visions) to their brothers and sisters. Here is Peter on that first Pentecost Day following the resurrection of our Lord quoting from the Book of Joel:
Did you know that the apostle John in Rev. 5 witnessed along with the four and twenty elders as the Lamb of God unlocked and opened the 7 Seals for His servants of this final generation, enabling them to understand the "visions" that were sealed until the end (Dan. 12:9)? You will also find documented in Rev. 3:7 that it was the church of Philadelphia, the church of the brothers (aldelphos) and sisters (adelphe), who by default are also "sons and daughters" (right?), that the seals were "opened" to.Acts 2:17
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Therefore, today we begin another study of one of those visions, the "vision" of the prophet Obadiah whose name means (are you ready for this?) "Servant of Yah" or "Servant of Yahveh". Are you an Obadiah, one of His servants?[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Obadiah's vision concerns Edom which means "red" in Hebrew and refers to the land where Esau, Jacob's elder brother, dwells.Obadiah 1:1
The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
We studied in the Book of Amos about a vision concerning Jacob and his descendents in these last days (i.e. America*, Great Britain, etc.) and now Obadiah's vision concerns his brother Esau, the patriarch of the princes and the peoples who later become known as Russians.íãÊàÁ íBãàÁ Strong's # 123�eõdoòm �eõdoòm ed-ome', ed-ome'
From H122; red (see Genesis 25:25); Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him:—Edom, Edomites, Idumea.
* Note: If you are not familiar with the migrations of the 10 tribes of the House of Israel and where they are today, i.e. the children of the House of Israel, the so-called lost 10 tribes! If this is new to you, then get a copy of the booklet "The Abrahamic Covenant", by E. Raymond Capt. You will find it at www.artisanpublishers.com Or log unto pamphlets Live Links to> #1020 and #1064 here on our web site.
You see, one cannot understand the "visions" of the prophets unless and until he or she knows who the people of the nations are today. The House of Israel and the House of Judah became separate houses long, long ago and yet today most Christians do not know the difference between an Hebrew, an Israelite, and a Jew. They think that the little nation in the Middle East is Israel when in fact it is so easy to document that it is NOT the House of Israel but is rather that of Judah, and then only in part!
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament and in fact only the first sixteen verses have to do with the destruction of Edom for the last few verses (17-21) concern the restoration of Israel. For that reason it is necessary that we understand from the beginning that which was prophesied concerning Esau in order to lay the foundation for understanding what would befall him in these last days and more importantly WHY it would happen so! Let us begin with a few verses from the Book of Romans in the New Testament which is taken in part from Genesis chapter 25 concerning Jacob and Esau:
The two lads, Jacob and Esau, were still in Rebecca's womb so obviously they had not yet done anything either good or evil, in this flesh age that is. But you see, God knew them both very well before He ever placed them in Rebecca's womb for He created all His children before the earth was ever formed. For it is written that when He did build this beautiful jewel called earth for His children, they sang and they shouted for joy (Job 38:6-7). (We are talking about the 1st earth age here!) So when we read for instance that God said to Jeremiah that had He predestined Him to be a prophet to the nations before He even placed him in his mother's womb, now you know why. Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."Romans 9:10
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;[11] (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Paul also documents in Ephesians 1:4-5 that God's elect were chosen before the foundation of this world (cosmos) and predestined according to the good pleasure of His will, which means according to His plan.
Some have a purpose and a destiny in these last days, chosen before the foundation of the world, to carry forth the work of His plan.Ephes. 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:[5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
[6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Now notice the next PROPHETIC verse in Romans 9 which is a direct quote from Gen. 2523:
It was written and declared that Esau, the elder brother, would serve the younger. Therefore, and this is important, any attempt by Esau to gain advantage and to rule over Jacob would be doomed to failure, would it not?Romans 9:12
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
The reason our Father had less love or regard for Esau than Jacob was because Esau in "the world that then was (2 Pet. 3:6)" despised his heritage, which means that he had no regard nor respect for that which His Father had given to him and therefore he had little respect for His Father, Almighty God. This was confirmed when in this 2nd earth age he actually sold his birthright for a mere bowl of "red" pottage. He would later become known as the "red nation" showing the whole world what travesties and oppressions can be brought upon a people when an attempt to cast out God is made and the unholy systems of socialism and communism and atheism are placed as a yoke of bondage upon them. I speak of the 70 year yoke of bondage placed upon Esau beginning with the Bolshevik Revolution and the murder of Tsar Nicholas and his wife Alexandria. That bondage lasted until the collapse of the USSR (the Iron Curtain) and the fall of the Berlin Wall. You see, we also have the advantage of "seeing these things come to pass" in this final generation which gives us an even clearer understanding of the visions of the prophets[13] As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Again, these two nations would both be superpowers in the end time and Esau (Russia) would struggle against his brother Jacob (US, GB, &c) and attempt to rule over him. We shall discover in verse ten of Obadiah that it is because of Esau's violence against his brother Jacob that Edom shall be cut off forever. In other words there shall soon never, ever, exist another nation where red communism will be allowed to rule over people. This prophecy of Obadiah is therefore not against the individual people of Russia who even though Edom shall be destroyed, they can become children of the kingdom of God through the salvation of our Lord.Genesis 25:22
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.[23] And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
It should also be established as background for our study of Obadiah that it is written in the 38th and 39th chapters of the Book of Ezekiel that the final great confederacy (army) that assembles itself to come against the "unwalled cities" of this nation from the north (to do violence against) will be headed by the chief prince Meshach, that "chief" being "Rosh" in Hebrew or in other words the leader of Russia. It is further written that it will be God Himself who shall "smite the bow out of his left hand" and destroy that army (Ezek. 39:3).
Now we will learn what the "report from the LORD" has to say regarding the land of Edom and "see" what it was that Obadiah, the servant of Yahveh, saw.
Study of Obadiah
The Book of Obadiah is the vision concerning Esau (Russia), the brother of Jacob (America +), who would become a superpower in the last days and play a major role in end time prophecy. However, before we begin this study let us understand from the very words of Jesus Christ how it is that we are to understand many of the "visions" of the prophets in these last days. You may be surprised to discover how very simple it is.
First, understand that He has foretold us ALL THINGS that shall happen in and unto this final generation. Therefore, if someone comes to you with a "vision from God" it had better be documented from His Word. Otherwise, spell his "god" with a small "g"!
What does Christ mean we are to TAK,E HEED? "Take heed" is translated from the Greek word "blepo" which means to "look around" to "perceive", to "take notice", or as we might say in our English figure of speech, "Put two and two together".What Christ is telling us is that we have His Word and He has told us in that Word ALL of the things that shall come to pass. Therefore, we are not to labor trying to figure out how "things" are going to "come down" but to WATCH and know when these prophecies have COME TO PASS! THEN as you check them off the list as "fulfilled" you will know how far along we are in the season toward the harvest and therefore how close we are to the return of Christ and our gathering back to Him.Mark 13:23
But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
The reason we are to "Take Heed" and watch for the prophecies to be fulfilled is because in understanding the Parable of the Fig Tree, which we are commanded to learn in Mat. 24:32 and Mark 13:28, we have come to learn from HISTORY, i.e. from "seeing it come to pass", that the final generation began on May 15, 1948, when both the good and the bad figs were set out in Jerusalem (Jer. 24), i.e. when the UN gave sanction to the State of Israel. That means that there will be Baby Boomers who SHALL see ALL THESE THINGS come to pass!Mark 13:29
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
So Take Heed and Watch for them to happen.
Actually, many already
HAVE as you will "See" in this study!
So get with the program and learn to overlay modern history and current events with prophecy until BINGO (say BLEPO), there it is! Let us begin Obadiah.Mark 13:30
Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
The word "ambassador" used here means a "throe" which is a Remember "painful struggle".Genesis 25:22-23 concerning Jacob and Esau in Rebecca's womb: "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. [23] And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." Here is Strong's definition of "ambassador":Obadiah 1:1 `````
The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
What the first part of this vision of Obadiah concerns is the period of revolutionary social change (which the word "throe" is often used to denote) which followed the World Wars, I & II. It is the period of the "Rumours (or threat) of All-out Nuclear War", the struggle called the "Cold War" which was between Esau and Jacob, i.e. the USSR and the USA.ambassador øéöÄ tsŒòyr tseerFrom H6696; a hinge (as pressed in turning); also a throe (as a physical or mental pressure); also a herald or errand doer (as constrained by the principal):— ambassador, hinge, messenger, pain, pang, sorrow. Compare H6736.
Of course when the World Wars and the Cold Wars ceased, that did not signal the end, though it moved us much closer. What would follow the Cold War would be "globalization" and the bringing forth of the beast of Rev. 13:1 which is called the New World Order. The following is an excerpt concerning "globalization" from a series we did on prophecy in April of 2000.Matthew 24:6
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Have you seen or heard any threats of World Wars lately? Not really! Certainly not as a "conditioning" on a daily basis! Today we have an "International Community" which President Clinton acknowledged when he rhetorically asked the question in his State of the Union address a few years ago concerning Saddam Hussein, and I quote, "Who can stand against the wishes of the International Community?" The words of Rev. 13:4 immediately came to mind which reads, "... Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" Then too, our Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, constantly made references to the International Community.
People may fear terrorism to a point, and violence in the streets, but there are no rumours of large scale wars like a WW III looming about! The demise of the U.S.S.R. and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall on November 11th & 12th, 1989, ended the Cold War, which ended the "rumours of wars" in this verse.
But notice that even the end of the "wars" and the "rumours of wars" did not signal the end or the beginning of the sorrows (verse 8)! However, what follows in the next verse DOES, so we MUST understand what it means!
This verse has been grossly misinterpreted as nations rising in WAR against one another, even as the culmination of wars like a World War III. However, students of His Word know that the final battle is spiritual, a fight for the souls of men, not an all-out physical flesh and blood and guts battle at all! That is why we are instructed to put on the gospel armour in Ephesians chapter 6 and be prepared to stand against the "fiery darts" of Satan and his locust army!Matthew 24:7
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
So what does this verse mean, "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom?" It is really quite simple and is made clear in the Greek from which it is translated. First, the word translated "against" is the Greek word "epi" which means "upon" or "up against", as "along side of". There is NO WAY it means in "opposition to". It means "touching" as in together. This is important so here is the Strong's definition in it's entirety:
Next, the word "rise" means to "rouse" and "stand up", i.e. to "rear up".epi, ep-ee', Greek 1909; a primary preposition properly meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive], i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative) towards, upon, etc. :- about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, × have charge of, (be-, [where-]) fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literal or figurative).
But the key to really understanding what this "rising" is comes from its base word "agora".egeiro, eg-i'-ro, Greek 1453; probably akin to the base of Greek 58 (agora) (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitive or intransitive), i.e. rouse (literal from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figurative from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence) :- awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-) rise (again, up), stand, take up.
This word is translated either "market" or "marketplace(s)" in every instance in the New Testament except one where it is translated "street", as in "market street". Perhaps we're being a little overly detailed here with all these definitions, but for a verse that has for so long been misunderstood it seems appropriate. So let's complete all the words and see what "nations" and "kingdoms" mean.agora, ag-or-ah', Greek 58; from ageiro (to gather; probably akin to Greek 1453 (egeiro)); properly the town-square (as a place of public resort); by implication a market or thoroughfare :- market (-place), street.
"Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom", means that the gentile nations, the non-ruling nations, which comprise what we call the "Third World Countries" shall rise together in the marketplace, and the ruling nations, the "royal kingdoms" (including true Israel, i.e. the Christian nations, and the rest of the Free World) shall also "rise up together" in the marketplace.nations = ethnos, eth'-nos, Greek 1484; probably from Greek 1486 (etho); a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan) :- Gentile, heathen, nation, people.kingdom = basileia, bas-il-i'-ah, Greek 932; from Greek 935 (basileus); properly royalty, i.e. (abstract) rule, or (concrete) a realm (literal or figurative) :- kingdom, + reign.
What is Jesus talking about? This
is One Worldism. This IS the rising of the one world political
beast of Revelation 13. It is happening right
before our very eyes, if you can see it. The kingdoms of Europe
have already risen together with the implementation of the Eurodollar and
the Americas, including Canada and Mexico, are swiftly being brought under
"Dollarization".
____
Since those words were written, the following event took take place when all the nations of the world, the third world countries (nations) as well as the G8 leading nations (kingdoms), all stood together at the Millennium Summit in the "Trading Capital of the World", yes, "the marketplace". It was the unprecedented largest gathering of kings and rulers in the history of mankind. Note: (After you check off false prophets, world wars, and rumours of world wars, check off Mat. 24:7 "For nation shall rise along side nation and kingdom alongside kingdom" as also having been seen "come to pass". BLEPO!)
Here's the picture:
"Millennium Summit 2000"
Moving right along, let us return to the great Book of Obadiah concerning Esau.
You can trace Esau throughout history and because he is the "manner of people" that he is, a despiser of his heritage, you will find that he always shows his true colors, which are red and more red. However, this vision of Obadiah concerning Edom is specific for those of us "upon whom the ends of world are come (1 Cor. 10:11)". You see, not long ago Russia was the head of the great USSR which rivaled his brother Jacob as a "Superpower" and now he has been brought down and made small in the eyes of the nations.Obadiah 2
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
"WHO shall bring me down to the ground???" You have got to be kidding Esau! Who do you think you are? Your pride has filled your heart with violence (corruption) and just because you have taken on atheistic communism* which says there is no God, THERE IS A GOD! So you are wrong, Esau! DEAD WRONG! And you are coming down![3] 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?
Note: Again, the historical characteristics of Esau have not changed and so history repeats itself. Esau has always lived by, as in trusted in, the sword and the power of the arm. At one time Esau's capital was Sela, meaning rock, and they dwelt in Petra, the rock clefts, which were a veritable stone fortress. It brings to mind the words of the Song of Moses in Deut. 32: "their rock is not our Rock". Though we dwell in the wilderness the LORD is our Rock. Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." If you have not read E. Raymond Capt's book titled "Petra" concerning that stone fortress of the Edomites, you should. You will find it at www.artisanpublishers.com
Remember is was declared before Jacob and Esau were even born that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). So any attempt by Esau to exalt himself and rule over Jacob is doomed to failure from its outset for he would be defying God's Word and I guarantee you He CAN and WILL bring him down, hard!
The eagle is a symbol of the America. Esau tried to exalt himself as high as the eagle and make his place among the children of Israel, the 12 stars (Rev. 12:1). Of course he did NOT seek the blessings of His heavenly Father who would have blessed him had he turned to Him, but rather he put together a confederacy of unstable allies to form the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and declare himself an equal "superpower" with the "eagle". THENCE, our Father true to His Word brought him down.Obadiah 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.
Of course such a collapse of a major "antagonist" to world peace had to occur in order for the "peaceful" One World System, the Beast of Rev. 13:1, to emerge. Do you recall how the USSR was always referred to as the "Iron Curtain"? Well, that "Iron Curtain" came crashing down and has now mixed with miry clay to help form the final world power which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream of that great "image" in Daniel chapter two .
The problem is that iron and clay do not mix!Daniel 2:41
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
The New World Order will be unstable even as it is now![42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
This is easy to understand in that the "two nations", Jacob and Esau, because they are "two manner of people", simply do not mix together. In other words, atheistic communism and Christianity are not compatible.[43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
Next we shall learn more about what our Father has in store for brother Esau. Isn't this exciting? Is this not the greatest time in history to be alive? Imagine being alive and present during the time when "all these things come to pass"!
Any nation who turns to communism and atheism and makes an all-out attempt to remove God from within its borders is doomed for failure and ultimate destruction. We are going to see what our Father intends to do to that "red" nation of Edom, forevermore.
God is going to so utterly "desolate" Edom that He says it would have been better for him to have been robbed by a bunch of thieves, because they would have only taken the valuables they wanted and left at least some things. Even grape gatherers who picked the vineyards always left some gleanings behind for the poor and needy as taught by the law in Deut. 24:21. But our Father is not going to allow the least little bit of "red" to enter into the kingdom and when He pours out His cup of wrath upon all nations Edom shall be laid waste.Obadiah 1:5
If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?
Jeremiah also witnesses to the complete destruction of Edom.
The LORD also "foretold" us through His servant and watchman Ezekiel of the total desolation of Edom in His prophecy concerning Seir, which was a mountain range in the land of Edom.Jeremiah 49:17
Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.[18] As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.
"Seir" actually means "shaggy" like a goat or even "hairy", just like Esau, and refers to his people in the land of Edom (which means red).Ezekiel 35:1
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,[2] Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
God tells Ezekiel to get in Mt. Seir's face and give him a message directly from Him:
When the Lord GOD stretches out His hand against someone or some nation, he is in big trouble for who is able to come to his aid? Answer: No one![3] And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.
"I will lay thy cities waste", "as in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah" (Jer. 49:18). We will find out in the 10th verse of this great Book of Obadiah why it is our Father shall make this "red" nation of Esau completely desolate. It is even because of his "violence" against his brother Jacob, the children of Israel. Ezekiel once again gives us a second witness to the exact same reason:[4] I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
Good old brother Esau has harbored a hatred for his brother Jacob from the beginning. Remember Genesis 27:41? "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob." Yet it was Esau who sold his birthright for a mere bowl of red pottage, and therefore the land he was to possess was prophesied to be away from the "fatness" of the land and void of wave after wave of golden grain from sea to shining sea. Take a look at how far north Russia lies in relation to the United States of America.[5] Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
And true to his form, it is written in Ezek. 38 & 39 that Esau will again try to slay his brother Jacob at the end of this flesh age but he shall not succeed. The "chief" prince of "Roshe" (Russia) will lead an army of the New World Order against his brother Jacob but God Himself will "smite the bow from his left hand" and slaughter that great army in the valley of Hamon-gog (Ezek. 39).
There shall be nowhere for Esau to run and hide for it is the Lord who shall strip Him bare and make him desolate. Jeremiah 49:10 "But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not."Obadiah 6
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!
Stop and "take heed" and look at the recent history of Esau and what happened to the confederacy of the USSR, that supposed "Iron Curtain" that proved it was not strong enough to remain standing. Esau's allies told him they were with him and he believed them, but when the opportunity arose to withdraw from that Warsaw Pact they dropped him like a hot potato and his borders diminished. How foolish and utterly stupid it is to attempt to "make yourself" a superpower against the will of God.[7] All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.
Russia has spent untold billions and billions of dollars for weaponry and has given billions and billions of dollars (bread) away to third world and third rate countries (like Cuba) to buy friends and allies, only to have them turn on him. Thus it is as our Father says, "There is none understanding in him" even though he is alleged to have some of the greatest minds in the world. But you see, without acknowledging Almighty God how could there possibly be any true wisdom? Answer: There cannot be!
Then too, one of the saddest parts of what Esau has done is to squander those huge sums of money at the expense of the Russian people who have not only endured political oppression from the bear but have paid the price by standing and waiting in bread lines during many a cold winter. Many of you may recall not long ago how Esau (Russia) had to come begging to his brother Jacob (America), who has been blessed by God with the greatest "bread basket" in the world, to buy enough wheat to make it through the winter.
So no matter how Russia is viewed among the nations today, let us never forget that the prophecies of Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 must yet come to pass and though Esau has been diminished from his once high perch among the eagles, in that day shall Edom meet his final doom! And should it not be so? Shall not he who lives by the sword die by the sword?
See Live Links to Ezekiel 38 and 39 below with yellow backround:
Chapter 38 There is soon coming a time when the final grains of sand will completely empty out of the hour glass of this flesh age and the 7th Trump will sound and Jesus Christ will triumphantly return to establish the kingdom of God "on earth, as it is heaven".
Chapter 39 is the transition Chapter between this, The second earth age, i.e. "The Human Flesh Age", and The Millennium.
Now back to our Obadiah study
"Teman" means "south" or "southern" and the Temanites were known for their wise men. Jeremiah 49:7 "Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?"Obadiah 1:8
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, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
Obadiah 10
For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
The "cut off forever" moves us to the near future when Esau, that "red nation" shall be cut off and destroyed forever! However, let us not forget his historical track record of abandoning his brother and helping the enemy so that we are not surprised "in that day" when he once again shows his true colors (red) as he heads the final "confederacy" to come against his brother Jacob.violence = ñîÈç˜chaòmaòs khaw-mawce' #2555From H2554; violence; by implication wrong; by metonymy unjust gain:— cruel (-ty), damage, false, injustice, X oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.
Historically Esau (Russia) did not come to the aid of his own brother when he was invaded and his people (the 10 tribes of Israel) were taken captive. In fact, he aided and abetted the enemy! Nice brother, wouldn't you say? And as we have noted several times already, Esau will once again NOT come to the aid of his brother in these last days but rather he shall aid and abet the king of Babylon by leading an army against his brother Jacob (Ezek. 38 & 39).[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.
Esau not only did not lift a finger to help the children of Israel (the 10 tribes) but he also stood by as the children of Judah were invaded and taken captive. However, as it is written in Ezek. 38 & 39 when he enters from the north into the "unwalled" cities of his brother Jacob during the period of the great tribulation, i.e. the time of Jacob's calamity, he will seal his doom![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.
We go from the historical types and Esau's track record to this yet future event at the end of the tribulation. It is too bad for Esau. He should not have come against his brother Jacob with the sword.Obadiah 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;
Note: Just to help in understanding the lack of brotherly love Edom (Russia) displays for His brother Jacob over the simplest of matters, read Numbers 20:14-21.[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.
Jacob's "day of distress", his time of great trouble (Dan. 12:1), is known as the great tribulation when Satan is here in person and has gathered all the nations under his branches as he did in the first earth age (Ezek. 31). We are near that time for as we noted earlier, many of the prophecies of Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 have already come to pass, including the attempt by Esau to "exalt himself as the eagle (Obad. 4)" and to "set his nest among the stars". God said that he would bring him down and He did. However, the next time He brings him down, he will become forever desolated!
God's Word is so true and so accurate that our faith increases each and every time we see "these things" come to pass exactly as He foretold us they would. Then too, as we take heed and see them come to pass we know with more and more certitude that His return "is nigh, even at the doors". Mark 13:29 "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors."
As it is written in Joel chapter 3, when the LORD returns with His saints, He shall gather and judge all nations in the Valley of Jeshoshaphat, the Valley of Decision (i.e. judgment), where each nation and individual shall be recompensed according to his own doing. In other words, everyone shall reap what he or she has sown.[15] 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.
The nations SHALL drink from the cup of our Father's wrath when it is poured out in the not too distant future. And as it is written, their unrepentant deeds have not gone unnoticed and they cannot be hidden from His view and they shall not go unpunished, else our Father would not be a God of justice and righteousness, would He?[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.
When our Father pours out His cup of wrath upon the nations, that's it! All that is evil and wicked shall be consumed by the fire of His wrath and that includes Babylon the Great and all oppression and socialism and communism and atheism and all else that is the color of Edom. I like the way Dr. Moffat translates Obadiah 16Jeremiah 49:12
For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
"You on my sacred
hill have drunk the cup,
and so shall
every nation drink it at my hand,
drink it
and stagger and vanish." (Moffat)
Next from Obadiah, the "servant of Yah", we shall read about the good news, which is how our loving Father's plan ends for ANY and ALL who love Him.
It is written in both Joel chapter two and Acts chapter two that in the "last days" the sons and daughters who are "servants and handmaidens" of God shall "see visions", which means they will "see" as in "understand" the visions of the prophets and they will also "Take Heed" and actually see the visions come to pass (Mark 13:29). And you "see", we have been studying one of those "visions" in this incredible Book of Obadiah whose name means "servant of Yahveh" and we now "understand" that in this short book our Father has expounded upon the "rumours of wars" prophesied by Jesus Christ in Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 that would follow world wars and precede globalization, which is the rising of all nations together in the marketplace.
God showed Obadiah in his vision the "throe" which resulted from the "struggle" for world supremacy as two superpowers "duked it out" during the period of time we called the "Cold War", that epic era during which our people were "alarmed" and "conditioned" to almost daily "reports" of a constant threat of nuclear holocaust from the land of Edom, that "red" nation which bore the "hammer" and the "sickle" upon its standard.
We also learned in Obadiah that Esau would form a supposedly strong-as-iron confederacy, which we now know was called the USSR, but that pact (the Warsaw Pact) would be comprised of unstable and unloyal members who would eventually desert him en masse at their first opportunity and leave him with "egg on his face", as we say, i.e. looking stupid. Obadiah also declared that God would bring Esau DOWN from his lofty self-exalted position where he pretended to be equal in power and strength with the eagle, which is a symbol of the USA. Yet we know from Ezek. 38 & 39 that even after his fall he shall yet join another and final confederacy, the New World Order, and eventually lead an army from the north against God's people. However, it is written that it shall be the LAST TIME he ever wears "red" for he shall be smitten by the hand of God and wear his own blood upon his garments. Isaiah speaks of Esau's day of final judgment when the King of kings pours out His cup of wrath and breaths His "fire" upon both man and beast.Obadiah 1:1
The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
Who does Esau think he is anyway? His "high places" and "his strength" shall be consumed forevermore. Amos also speaks of Bozrah being devoured. "Red" shall NO LONGER color nations in the kingdom of God.Isaiah 63:1
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
"Bozrah" comes from the root word "batsar" which means "de-fenced", as inaccessible by height of fortification (like Petra). It also means "grape gatherer". And when the "sickle" is thrust in at harvest time into that nation which bore the "sickle" on its flag for so many years, there shall be an enormous gushing forth of lood as the great winepress is filled (Rev. 14) .Amos 1:11
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:[12] But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
"White apparel", as is white linen, is symbolic of righteous. Rev. 19:8 "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." "Red apparel" is symbolic of socialism and communism and therefore unrighteousness.[2] Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
Have you read in Luke 4:17-20 where Jesus stood up in the temple and read from the 61st chapter of the Book of Isaiah? He read verse 1 and only the first part of verse 2, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD", and then He closed the book, gave it to the minister, and sat down. The reason He did not quote the second part is because it would not be until His second advent that this scripture would be fulfilled when He pours out His cup of wrath upon all nations.[3] I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.[4] For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Note: Read the rest of Psalm 61 and it will help you understand the restoration of the kingdom of God upon Mount Zion and how it shall spread to cover all nations.Isaiah 61:2
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Yes, that Day of Vengeance of our God is soon coming when He pours out His wrath upon the nations and as we read in our previous study, there shall be nowhere for them to hide nor to run and there shall be no one who can help them escape His fury. Everyone shall be tried by fire! Of course, if you are a servant of God and love and serve Him, then you already know that that fire shall not harm you in anyway.
This is where we left off earlier in our study of Obadiah, and even though he specifically addresses the land Edom, in verse 15 he declares that ALL the heathen, which includes ALL "red nations", shall drink from the cup of His wrath on that Day of Vengeance, the Day of the LORD, when Jesus Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Let us review verses 15 & 16 of Obadiah.Isaiah 63:5
And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.[6] And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
And now for the Good News, the announcement of the Restoration of the Kingdom upon Mount Zion.Obadiah 1:15
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.[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.
Jesus Christ SHALL return with His saints and shall gather those saints who are alive and remain at His coming, and they shall all take possession of their "inheritance" and establish the Kingdom of righteous judgment upon Mount Zion which shall go forth into ALL the world.Obadiah 17
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
The "Good News" is that any and all who wish to become part of that kingdom are welcomed with open arms, but from henceforth AND FOR EVERMORE there shall be no more Edoms, no more "Red" nations, no more New World Orders, nor shall any nation be allowed to separate itself from the righteous laws and judgments of Almighty God. One step out of line and the "Rod of His Correction" shall not be delayed but shall be applied swiftly, immediately, by the saints of the most high, that remnant of His who shall be on Mount Zion standing in charge of ALL the nations.Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
The 12 Tribes of Israel shall once again become those Stones of Fire (Ezek. 28:14) issuing forth His Word as a "flame of fire" for they are ministers of that "Fire" who is our Father. Hebrews 12:29 "For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 1:7 "And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire."Obadiah 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; for the LORD hath spoken it.
The "fire" therefore shall rain down on all nations and shall "consume" all that is stubble, all that is not built upon the foundation of the ROCK, which is Jesus Christ, the Word of God.
You see, the fact is that same "fire" which purifies precious gold and silver consumes wood, hay, and stubble! Got it? Everyone shall reap what he or she has sown.1 Cor. 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.[12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
[13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
We have also learned from the Book of Obadiah that we have moved ever so close to the time when the kingdom of God shall come upon the earth and the prayers of the saints who pray daily, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done", and the prayers of our loved ones who have died in Christ and are with Him now saying... "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth (Rev. 6:10)?", shall surely come to pass in this final generation. It is written! And when the Lord comes, His saints shall take possession of their inheritance and the rulership of all nations, i.e. there shall be one Kingdom under God.
They of the south, or southern kingdom, even the house of Judah through which the kingship line descends, shall possess the "high places", those fortresses of Seir, the mount of Esau, and they shall possess the valley of the Philistines, the land of the "migratory ones". And they shall "possess their possessions (vs. 17)" of the fields of Ephraim which means "double fruit", and the fields of Samaria which means "watch mountain" as in "capital hill". And Benjamin, which means the "son of the right hand" shall possess Gilead, the "dung heap". In other words the saints of the most high who shall be kings and priests, the first fruits at His coming, those firstborn who receive a double portion of the inheritance, shall take over the "high places", the "seats of government" and reign with Christ (who now sits at the right hand of Father) for a thousand years.Obadiah 19
And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
You see, the kingdom of God shall possess the whole earth and ALL that which once belonged (as in taken) to the traffickers of (His) sheep by the caravan traders (Canaanites, led by the kenites), even those who shall go to Zarepath, the "smelting place" which is "hinnon", symbolic of the lake of fire. Yes, the captivity of Jerusalem, i.e. the whole House of Israel, shall possess all that was "separated" (Sepharad) and there shall be only ONE kingdom, the kingdom of God.[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.
Let's repeat the Good News:
"Any and all who wish to become part of that kingdom are welcomed with open arms, but from henceforth AND FOR EVERMORE there shall be no more Edoms, no more "Red" nations, no more New World Orders, nor shall any nation be allowed to separate itself from the righteous laws and judgments of Almighty God. One step out of line and the "Rod of His Correction" shall not be delayed but shall be applied swiftly, immediately, by the saints of the most high, that remnant of His who shall be on Mount Zion to judge and rule all nations." It is written right here in the last verse of Obadiah:Those "saviors" are simply the "deliverers", God elect, who shall gather with Christ upon His holy mountain to reign righteous judgment over all the nations with a "rod of iron", meaning they shall have no choice to turn "red" or any other color for that matter.[21] And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.
And from that "temple" upon that mountain His Zadok, His elect, shall teach the difference between the holy and the profane, and teach them to discern between "red" and "white"! Ezekiel declares in chapter 44 exactly what the Zadok shall be doing during the Millennium:Rev. 5:10
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Yes, the kings and priests shall "wear the crowns" and reign on the earth, and all nations shall adhere to His judgments which are written in the Word of God. Then there shall be true peace upon the earth! What a blessed time that shall be.Ezekiel 44:23
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.[24] And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
In conclusion, let us do some more "taking heed" and observe and see what Esau is up to these days now that we have "seen" his Cold War "struggle" with his brother Jacob pass into the annals of history as per the prophet Obadiah, the servant of Yahveh! (Note: the links to the following articles were active at the time this study was written but may not remain so for very long.)
Where is the "wisdom" of Teman? It must be GONE! Obadiah 1:8 "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?" Those who have eyes to see should take note of the symbology in the fallen Mir spacecraft. You see, the word "Mir" in Russian means both "world" & "peace". Yes, the Iron Curtain and Esau's status as a "Superpower" have both fallen as the IRON mixed with "miry clay", and the once exalted Edom has now fallen into the sea, i.e. has become part of the SEA from which the new confederacy, the Beast of Revelation 13:1 (the NWO) rises, as in has risen.Washington Post Editorial RoundupThe Associated Press
Wednesday, March 28, 2001; 1:21 p.m. ESTHere are excerpts from editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad:
March 27
NRC Handelsblad, Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Mir's decent to earth:
The splash of the burning Mir wreckage into the sea brought an end to the Russian hegemony over man's exploration of space. Last Friday, the 140-ton craft successfully returned into the earth's atmosphere. The remains that didn't burn up are spread somewhere on the bottom of the South Pacific between Australia and South America.
Some 140 astronauts visited the station during its 15-year orbit. Last-ditch attempts to save it from destruction failed one after the other. Impoverished Russia simply couldn't foot the bill to maintain the Mir status symbol. The financial crunch was so serious that a rich American space tourist was ready to pay dlrs 20 million for a return ticket to the station. Its last years of existence were associated with malfunctions, blunders and doom.
Here is one more article from the WP Roundup.
Now let us check in and see what the former "Chief Prince of Meshech" (Ezek. 38:3) has been up to recently. Remember it was Gorbachev, the former leader of "Roshe", who "marked" the end of the Cold War era and the fall of the Iron Curtain. Now it is Putin, whose name means "path", who charts their new course in the "sea". But take heed!March 26Il Giorno, Milan, Italy, on the United States' relations with Russia:
It was Otto von Bismarck who noted that shifts in foreign policy often occur as a result of actions of bureaucrats before any formal declarations from government. For this very reason executive level decisions are more profound.
What of the relationship between Washington and Moscow? We should not give excessive attention to the cross fire concerning political spies that George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin are engaged in.
Much more emblematic, though, is the determination of the new American administration to build a new missile defense shield; condemnation of Russian arms sales to Iran; and, fierce opposition to concessions from the International Monetary Fund to Russia, following the intention to reduce funds allocated to Russia for the dismantling of nuclear weapons.
U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld, speaking in Germany on missile defense, did not mention Russia and left the room before his Russian colleague spoke. Russia is no longer a formidable superpower. Bush would like Putin to resign himself to this.
The "Wars" (World Wars I & II) and "Rumours of War" (Cold War) have NOW ended! And now "nation is rising along side nation (in the market place) and kingdom along side kingdom"! Yes, Jesus Christ said that globalization would follow the Wars and Rumours of (nuclear) Wars. And so it is we have "seen" that the vision, the prophecy of Obadiah 1, has come to pass. The confederacy of the Iron Curtain has fallen according as it is written in the Word of God and the star of the "PRIDE" of Esau has been cast into the Sea.Tuesday, April 3, 2001Gorbachev gathers pals for a new world order
By Desmond O'Grady in Saint Vincent, ItalyMikhail Gorbachev wants Malcolm Fraser to help him save the world.
When the former Soviet leader decided to set up a World Governance Forum, the former Australian prime minister was among the politicians he invited to join him.
A Gorbachev aide said there had been a positive response by telephone from Mr. Fraser, but he had been unable to attend the forum's inaugural meeting in the Italian alpine resort of St Vincent last week.
Mr. Gorbachev told the meeting that after World War I the League of Nations had been established, after World War II the United Nations, and, after the end of the Cold War, new structures were needed to govern globalization.
But "TAKE ye HEED" even as this current event article explains. There is yet another CONFEDERACY according to Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 that shall rise to come against true Israel, America and the Christian nations of the world, and it shall be headed by the "Chief Prince of Meshech". Therefore if your faith has been increased and you have "SEEN" the vision of Obadiah, meaning you "have seen these things come to pass" which Christ foretold us of in Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, then "KNOW that it is nigh, even at the doors". Mark 13:29-31 "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. [30] Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. [31] Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." You can absolutely count on His Word coming to pass exactly as it is written.
Let us conclude the article:
Isn't it comforting to know that our Father has already revealed to us all "the steps forward in the history of the world"? Just think about how good He is to us? Without a doubt this is the most exciting time to live in the history of mankind for it is this generation of the fig tree, which was planted on May 15, 1948, that "shall see all these things come to pass", i.e. as Christ said in Mark 13:30 "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done."The protests of the "people of Seattle" confirmed his analysis, he said.Mr Gorbachev said his forum would be a political version of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, which is confined mainly to businessmen and economists.
Those present included the former Polish leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski and the former Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti.
"We're not returned [political] soldiers," Mr. Andreotti said, "but experienced politicians who realize existing international institutions cannot handle new problems."
Representatives of the Italian and European parliaments attended, and Mr. Gorbachev announced support from figures such as Jacques Delors, the former European Union commissioner, Mario Soares, the former Portuguese president, and George Bush snr, the former US president.
The former US presidential candidate George McGovern, who is the US ambassador to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, described the forum as an "enormously important step forward in the history of the world", and Mr Gorbachev as one of the four greatest 20th-century politicians along with Mahatma Gandhi, Sun Yat-sen and Franklin Roosevelt.
We hope you have enjoyed this study of the vision of Obadiah and we sincerely hope you have "seen" his vision and continue to keep watching current events as these things continue to come to pass. We now leave you with the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:
See Live Links of Chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel, the Millennium kingdom and the 3rd world age below.Mark 13:23
But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.Mark 13:29
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
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