The Book of the Twelve for Lent 2016 - Obadiah (1)


The Book of the Twelve for Lent 2016

Amos Lite – Obadiah (1)

Lent 19

          Obadiah is a sort of Amos lite. Instead of being focused on the nations as Amos is, Obadiah is focused on Edom, one of the nations Amos prophesied against. And he deals with the Day of the Lord as does Amos. Obadiah follows a similar pattern to Amos by dealing with the foreign nation first and then turning to Israel and God’s plan for restoring the nation.
          Since we have covered the message of Obadiah when working our way through Amos, I have nothing new to say today. So I’ll let Len Sweet pinch-hit for me with a quote which captures much of the message of the Twelve and scratches where many of us itch today spiritually speaking.
“I sometimes wonder why God doesn’t get fed up with us and just withdraw. ‘I’m done, people on Earth. You’re too much to take, too much to handle.’ Or ‘Straighten yourselves out, and then I’ll love you. Right now there’s nothing to love.’
“The wonder of it all is God’s love. God's abiding love. A love once-for-all expressed in Christ on the cross, where God identifies with us in all our brokenness and humanity. On the cross God says ‘I love you, right now, right here, right as you are, right where you are. Nothing can stop me from loving you. Not even you.’” (fb 3.1.16)

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