Proclaimer Blog
Obadiah today
I’ve enjoyed getting stuck into Obadiah (my next short book study project for 2016) with a view to teaching it at Cornhill in June. Jonathan Gibson, in The Proclamation Bible, is characteristically helpful:
“For the expositor, the pitfall of preaching moralistically (e.g. against pride) is avoided by connecting Obadiah with key biblical trajectories that find their fulfilment in the gospel of Jesus Christ. As with Jacob-Judah, God’s Chosen One (Jesus) is insulted, attacked and deceived by those closest to him, but in the end he is rescued, restored and vindicated, being given possession and rule. (Note that King Herod was an Edomite.) Application may be drawn out to those who are now united to Jesus, with the assurance that ‘whoever curses you I will curse’ (Gen 12:3, 2 Thess. 1:5-10). Christians can also be encouraged that, despite opposition, the Lord’s kingdom will advance and take over the world. For the international community, hope lies in blessing God’s Chosen One and his people; just retribution awaits those who do not.”
Quite.