03/29/2025 – Day 272 – Obadiah – Chapter 1 (only chapter to the book) / vs. 15 – 18 – Commentary on “The Day of the Lord is near” section
First, if you aren’t familiar with the book of Obadiah, I recommend reading the post dated 02/13/2021, a book summary from Haley’s Bible Handbook. Now, let’s take a look at “The Day of the Lord Is near section”, only four verses from Matthew Henry’s commentary, the right side column of pg. # 1140:
“II. The shame that shall occur them for this violence (the Edomites). When they come to be in the same calamitous condition that Israel is now in, they will be ashamed (v. 15): The day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen, when God will recompense tribulation to the troublers of the church. As you have drunk upon my holy mountain (v 16), that is, as God’s professing people have drunk deeply of the cup of affliction so shall all the heathen drink of the same bitter cup. They may expect their case to be worse in the day of distress than that of Israel was in their day. The afflictions of God’s people were but for a moment, but their enemies shall drink continually the wine of God’s wrath, (Revelation 14:10). The dregs of the cup are reserved for the wicked of the earth. (Psalm 75: 8); they shall drink and swallow down, or sup up (as the margin reads it), shall drink it to the bottom.
Previous promises of salvation with which this prophecy concludes, as those of Joel and Amos did, which, however they might be in part fulfilled in the return of the Jews out of Babylon, are yet, doubtless, to have their full accomplishment in that great salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ.
I. There shall be salvation, upon Mount Zion; Upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, v. 17. A remnant of Israel, upon the holy mountain, shall be saved, v. 16.
II. Where there is salvation, there shall be sanctification; And there shall be holiness, to prepare and qualify the children of Zion for this deliverance; for wherever God designs glory, he gives grace.
III. This salvation and sanctification shall spread and prevail: The house of Jacob even this Mount Zion, with the deliverance and the holiness there wrought, shall possess their possessions; that is, the gospel-church shall be set up among the heathen, and shall replenish the earth. When they shall possess their possessions, for those who have given up themselves to the Lord give up all they have to him.
- How this possession shall be gains (v. 18): The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, for their God is a consuming fire; and the house of Esau shall be for stubble. The gospel preached in the house of Jacob and Joseph, shall be as a fire and a flame to melt hard hearts, to burn up the dross, that they may be purified with the spirit of judgment and spirit of burning. The word of God in his ministers is said to be like fire, and the people as wood to be devoured bye it, Jeremiah – v. 14 (*A below). Those that are not refined as good by the fire of the gospel shall be consumed as dross by it.”
Comment: (*A) – I can’t recall running into a typo in Matthew Henry’s commentary before. But I don’t know what chapter he is referring to that goes with verse #14. Jeremiah 23:29 : “Is not my word like a fire.”
____________________________
Soli Deo Gloria!
Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.