CRITICAL NOTES.] Amb.] God is represented as summoning armies and setting them in battle array, after the custom of earthly kings.
Obadiah 1:3. Clefts] Jeremiah 49:16. See Stanley for description. The position, strong by nature and by art, was thought impregnable, hence their proud confidence and insolence.
Obadiah 1:4.] Who? is the boast; “thence will I” is the answer. God can dislodge the highest.
HOMILETICS
THE SOLEMN MESSAGE.—Obadiah 1:1-2
Obadiah prophesies against Edom, whose conduct towards Jacob typifies the general attitude of hostile nations to God’s people, and threatens retribution for all its crimes. These verses are introductory.
I. The nature of the message. God speaks in manifold ways and divers forms to adapt his revelations to men.
1. A vision. God first opens their eyes, and if they have not real visions, they have fresh light and new life poured into the soul. All God’s servants have heard and seen God in Christ; have enlarged views of truth and duty; and rejoice in spiritual illumination. “We speak that we know, and testify that we have seen.”
2. A report. To impress our minds God often appeals to the senses, speaks to the eye and ear. (a) A true report, not a mere rumour originating with men; but authentic and Divine. “From the Lord.” (b) A prevalent report. “We have heard.” The prophet identifies others, of earlier or those of his own date, with himself. God’s judgments are known in the earth by various means. Men are not kept in the dark. If the wicked despise them the righteous shall be warned.” Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets.”
3. A judgment. Those who desert God and renounce spiritual interests to gratify animal passions will be disgraced. And when posterity indulge the spirit, perpetuate and multiply the sins, of their ancestors, as Edomites walked in the steps of Esau, then God will make an example of them. “And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom, by the hand of my people Israel.”
II. The execution of the message. God’s word is not empty sound. God changes not, and his servants must not alter their message. “Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom.”
1. By an ambassador. “An ambassador is sent.” Whether this ambassador be the prophet himself, or another servant, or celestial messenger, matters little. God has agents visible and invisible. Evil spirits and wicked men are permitted to stir up nations to battle. We are ambassadors from God to beseech you to take heed and escape the judgment.
2. By other nations. There is first a rumour, then the ambassador, followed by the gathering of nations. Though eager to accomplish their own ends, and engrossed in their own pursuits, yet when God calls, “Arise ye,” they respond, “Let us rise up against her in battle.” The Medes and Persians, the Russians and Turks, are under the control of God Almighty. He can create war or cause it to cease. He has absolute dominion over the human heart, and can turn it at his pleasure. One wicked man punishes another; one sinful nation administers justice to another. “He maketh the wrath of man to praise him.”
III. The consequences of this execution. “Behold. I have made thee small among the heathen.” The greatness of the calamity is set forth by its effects.
1. Small in territory. Edom extended from Dedan of Arabia to Bozrah in the north (Jeremiah 49:8-13). But the enemy “laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness” (Malachi 1:3). He was robbed of his dominions, and subdued by the heathen.
2. Small in number. They were noted for riches and power (Genesis 36:7-31); blessed with men and possessions: but were made small and sadly reduced in war (2 Kings 14:7).
3. Small in honour. Not merely despised, but “greatly despised.” This mighty nation was made insignificant in itself, and despicable in the sight of others. Proud men are worthless in character, and ridiculed by inferiors. They wrongly estimate themselves, and are lightly esteemed by others. Humiliation and shame will ever be the result of their pride and defiance of God. God exalts and abases, makes great and makes small. “For lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men.”
“My pride fell with my fortunes” [Shakespeare].
PRIDE OF HEART.—Obadiah 1:3-4
Edom’s dwelling on the rock which seemed impregnable, fostered his pride and arrogant self-confidence. But this natural fortification afforded no shelter. God brought them down from their lofty heights, and retribution found its victims.
I. That pride of heart is deceptive. “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.” Edom imagined that they were secure in their elevated rocks—that they were out of the reach of the enemy, and that they occupied an impregnable fortress. They were deceived. National fortifications avail not against the Divine hand.
1. Pride of heart deceives men in the commercial sphere of life. There are godless merchants who build their nests in bright stars—pride themselves on strong financial fortifications—have a large capital, a good stock, and a fine commercial reputation. They have no need to be religious, or introduce religious sentiments in business life; they can do without it. They say, “Who shall bring me down?” God sees their pride of heart, and causes unexpected calamity to work their ruin (Psalms 37:35-36).
2. Pride of heart deceives men in reference to their intellectual thinkings. Many proud thinkers reject the word of God, imagine that they are safe in the invincible battlements of logic, and their ability to resist truth and God.
3. Pride of heart deceives men in reference to their moral safety. Men pursue a continuous life of sin, openly blaspheme the name of God, and imagine that they are safe in the fortifications of social position and wealth. They vainly imagine that natural qualifications and favourable circumstances will enable them to conduct life safely and well in defiance of the Great Ruler of the Universe. They are deceived. The rocky places are no refuge for the retributive providence of God. They may shield from the assaults of men, but not when God is Captain of the assailing army.
II. Pride of heart is presumptive. “Who shall bring me down to the ground?”
1. It presumes unduly upon the natural, temporal, and secondary advantages it may possess. The Edomites presumed unduly upon the natural position of their city, and upon their high fortification. They trusted exclusively in these for protection against the foe. So many favoured with natural, intellectual, and social advantages of life are glad in the enjoyment of these gifts, but their folly consists in placing undue confidence in them. The true fortifications of life are not in stones and rocks, but in love and purity of soul.
2. It presumes ignorantly, without taking into view the access which God has to men, notwithstanding their temporal fortifications. Edom thought only of elevated position, and not the power of God to touch them at unknown points, and by unexpected agencies. No device can avert God’s retributive touch. He can send angels on his errands, who are not hindered by the battlements of men. How often do men of social position and intellectual ability—men naturally gifted—look at their own fortress unmindful of God, and become presumptuous.
3. It presumes unwarrantably upon the inability of men to achieve its ruin. Edom never imagined for a moment that God would interfere to work their ruin—did not see the Divine purpose in the armies coming against them, and scorned the idea of men reaching their altitudes. So men enjoy the protective advantages of life, underrate the power of their fellows, and hold in contempt the feeble instrumentalities which shall ultimately work their ruin.
III. Pride of heart is destructive. “I will bring thee down, saith the Lord.” Men who boast of human fortifications which protect them from injury are ignorant of the power of God, or vainly imagine they can elude it—make lawful things the subject of unlawful boasting—invite the scorn of men and the retribution of God. God can send darkness on the noblest intellect, distress into the most joyous home, failure into the most successful business, and will do, if pride of heart be indulged. Pride is the herald of ruin.
1. Such men are often brought to humiliation by commercial failure. Their best schemes fail. Their largest speculations are unsuccessful.
2. Such men are often brought to humiliation by domestic bereavement. Their fortifications are sealed by the stern foe Death; and the brightest lights of their homes are put out. Thus are they brought to the ground.
3. Such men are often brought down by social slander. Rumours get about concerning the conduct of the proud, which endanger their reputation, and bring the haughty to the dust of social execration.
4. Such men are often brought down by death. They shall surely be brought down from their nests in the stars, by the last great enemy of humanity. Their destruction is—
1. Certain.
2. Lamentable.
3. Humiliating.
4. Unexpected.
5. Irreparable [The Study and the Pulpit].
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
1. Natural advantages often beget pride.
2. Pride leads to insolent defiance of God.
3. Insolent defiance of God leads to awful ruin.
Pride is the great enemy of God. It strikes at his throne and glory, provokes him to oppose and punish it. God resisteth (setteth himself in battle array against) the proud (James 4:6; Genesis 11:4: cf. Genesis 10:8-10). Pride has its root in the practical denial of God. The proud think that there is none above them (Psalms 12:4). God’s honour is concerned in putting down pride. “I will bring thee down.” “Æsop, when asked ‘What doeth God?’ said, ‘He humbles the proud and exalts the humble.’ And another,
‘Whom morning’s dawn beholdeth proud,
The setting sun beholdeth bowed.’ ” [Pusey.]
No exaltation and power can secure those whom God in honour is concerned to bring down.
Fortifications may be constructed and made due use of, but must not be depended upon. For no fortification is too strong or too high when God is angry, and will punish. And he has various ways of bringing them into the hands of the enemies. He can cause provisions to fail; or a spark to fall in a powder magazine; water may be wanting; there may be pestilence, dysentery, or mutiny among the soldiers, or bribes may be used as scaling ladders. Then all is in vain. What the world calls protection, cannot protect against God’s judgment; death mounts over all rocks [Lange].
ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE CHAPTER
Obadiah 1:1-2. The circumstances of Obadiah’s country and family are designedly passed over, that we may not rest and depend upon the outward respectability of men, but derive the authority of such prophecy, and the certainty of its issues, from God alone. Preachers must be, not in name alone, but also in fact, Obadiahs, i.e. servants of God (1 Corinthians 4:1) [Starke].
Obadiah 1:3-4. Pride. God hath a special indignation at pride above all sins [Bp Hall]. “He that would build lastingly must lay his foundation low.” When pride cometh, then cometh shame (Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 29:23).
“In pride, in reasoning pride, our error lies;
All quit their sphere, and rush into the skies.
Pride still is aiming at the bless’d abodes;
Men would be angels, angels would be gods.” [Pope.]