The Book of Obadiah – Part 4 REVISED
“Out of Sion Comes the Deliverer”
Let’s remind ourselves again to whom Obadiah was really speaking and what the purposes were for writing these prophetic books down.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they [the prophets of old] did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The shortest book of the Prophets, Obadiah is a summary of the process we go through at the hand of the Lord to be saved from our sins. The major books such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others provide a lot more detail and more of the experiences the Lord is bringing into our lives. Here is a summary of what and what we have covered in Parts 1-3.
- Part 1 – The new man in us is given ears to hear and an ambassador begins to preach the gospel to all our inward heathen nations.
- Part 2 – Upon hearing the Word we all first fall backward in the presence of Christ and are snared by a carnal-minded twisting and mingling the Word of God.
- Part 3 – We showed it was the Lord’s plan that caused us to go astray, and commit spiritual fornication which is doing violence to the Word as we wrest away the judgment of God that saves us.
Here, in the conclusion of Obadiah, we see the Lord bringing vengeance [judgment] through His Christ to take back all the kingdoms for His possession. The day of the Lord that every man fulfills in their own time is now come to all the heathens within.
Oba 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.
Contrary to the carnal mind and even the lies of orthodoxy, no man escapes the judgment of God. One is blessed indeed the day they can read, hear, and keep (begin to live or fulfill) the righteous judgment of God.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand (‘near’), and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
The destruction of our old life and carnal thinking is the blessing and the way to salvation. The same Lord who first turned us into destruction and sin, seeking an occasion for judgment, is now turning us back [granting repentance] to Himself.
Psa 90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
We are reaping what we have been sowing when the time is at hand. The beast all men are naturally plunder and are seeking fleshly gain of some kind until the Lord comes. Our violence against the new man and our brethren is being repaid as the Lord pursues vengeance for His temple. Our time of visitation has come and the strength of all flesh is being destroyed.
Jer 50:27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
Jer 50:28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
The remaking of us all into a new vessel occurs when He causes us to hear the Word and brings us to His house.
Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Jer 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred [destroyed] in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
It is both a wonderful and horrible thing at the same time. It depends upon what life, the old versus the new life is in view.
Jer 5:29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Jer 5:30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
Oba 1:16 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.
Oba 1:17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
We don’t come to know the Lord who is the Word, His commandments, until we are given to eat at His table within the Body of Christ. Here we begin to drink the wine and strong drink that represents judgment that is both the curse for the old man and the blessing for the new man.
Deu 29:6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.
This drink is what makes us holy at the appointed time and represents our baptism through the fire. We learn the commandments and are taught the fear of the Lord when we endure this baptism by partaking in this drink known as many tribulations. Drinking the cup of wrath is not a choice we can make, as there is no free will in the matter. The mountain of Edom within every man is being cleared and made holy by the Word.
Jer 25:28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
Jer 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
We are being ‘drug’ to Christ [John 6:44] by hearing the Word that judges us on the last day. We are coming and we shall certainly drink as Zion is cleared of the heathen nations within us. This happens when we are gathered together in one Spirit in the presence of the Christ which is the church and assembly of the saints.
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Our deliverance comes on a mountain called Zion. It does not come on any other mountain but only within The Christ which is Mt. Zion. The prophets all preach the same lesson.
Joe 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.
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
It is here on Mt. Zion, where we are eating and drinking with Christ in the Father’s kingdom. This is what we do through our fellowship and communion in the body of Christ.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
All the land promised to us, the new man “Jacob”, is going to be possessed as we sojourn through the Lord’s process of judgment.
Oba 1:18 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.
This verse brings out the symbolism of fire and how that is the one baptism that saves us and makes all things new. True baptism is about being immersed into the fire that is the living Word, the commandments of the Lord. It has nothing to do with being sprinkled or dunked in a pool of water as Christian orthodoxy teaches. The baptism of John the Baptist is the washing of the water by the word, cleans up our false doctrines, and gives us the truth. But a second baptism is needed, the one of fire that cleanses our hearts. Chastening grace comes by way of Jesus Christ, the living Word.
Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
The fire that baptizes us is commandments, the Words of our Lord. These commandments are lived and spoken in His Body, our assemblies, and fellowships. We are individually and collectively, the fire on the earth the Lord wants kindled.
Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
The Body of Christ, the remnant being saved in every generation, is the lake of fire now for those in the faith. It is in this fire that our inner beast and our lying carnal mindset are burned up. It is here and now, the faithful few are being prepared for the broader role of judging all mankind in the age to come.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
We are the Lord’s ministers sent to minister to those the Lord chooses to bring into His Christ. The same are His angels/messengers who by Way of the Word are a flame of spiritual fire.
Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
As the Lord’s Body, we are His mouth and speak the words of fire that is also known as the sword.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
As the elect of God, we are also the cherubim of the Lord that bring light into this otherwise dark world. Our gathering together brings the heat and fire to burn out the heathen nations and carnal thoughts off our earthly vessels.
Eze 1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
We are the entryway to the Tree of Life as all must pass through us, the flaming sword of the Lord, to enter into the holy city.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Christ came to save the world and He does that through His Body. Now in down payment form and the age to come with fullness, the Body of Christ is the vehicle the Lord uses to do the greater works of salvation.
Oba 1:19 KJV 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.
Oba 1:19 NIV People from the Negev will occupy the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.
When the Lord comes with vengeance for His temple, the new man, Christ in us [Jacob in type] is going to possess all the land that was promised. As Christ is raised up within us, we are being GIVEN dominion over the land within and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s and His Christ’s.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
All the enemies of the Lord submit to the Word in the day of the Lord. The promise is consistent throughout all the Scriptures.
Psa 66:3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
The purpose of the war in our heaven and the fiery trials of grace is to deliver us from the bondage and dominion sin has over our lives.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
These named places are all in reference to Jerusalem where Mt. Zion resides. In all these sections of land, Israel did battle with enemy heathen nations and had many struggles to overcome them. Such is our appointment as the Israel of God until the Lord comes with His vengeance. For example:
- West represents the lowlands or where Philistine (modern-day Gaza) is located
- South or Negev is where Edom is located, to the east of Egypt, and is a desert
- Samaria and Ephraim represent the northern nations where the Lord goes first
- Gilead is a mountain east of the Jerusalem where Israel battled the Ammonites
All these portions of land represent strongholds of the flesh in one form or another, which take captive Israel and have us pursuing other gods. These four places represent the four corners of the promised land. Inwardly, the same is likened to the earth, which earth we are, as the Lord regathers all things back to Himself in our day of the Lord.
Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the LORD!
Our earth is hearing when the ambassador Obadiah is sent to us and thus an end to enemy occupation of the promised land is at hand.
Eze 7:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Eze 7:2 “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
Eze 7:3 Now the end has come upon you, And I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations.
Here is the Lord speaking of this same day in the New Testament. His angels, the ambassadors are sent to gather the elect together.
Mat 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
For everyone’s edification, the attached map of ancient Israel depicts most of these named places that surround the holy city of Jerusalem. Gilead is not shown in the map, but history says it is located in the land of Moab. Benjamin, the son of Joseph and a type for Christ, possesses Gilead and all the promised land.
Oba 1:20 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.
Israel endured two captivities in its history, which is spiritual prophecies we are fulfilling in our appointed times. The Northern Kingdom was taken captive to Assyria and the Southern Kingdom; aka Judah and Jerusalem were taken captive to Babylon. Our two captivities relate to our time believing that our knowledge and good works can bring us eternal life apart from obeying the commandments. In the day of the Lord, our captivity is being taken captive by Christ.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts [the grace of God is the gift] unto men.
Our time of captivity is the same as being exiled and separated from Christ, His commandments, and our possession of the promised land. The truth, the Word of God we are hearing is breaking the yoke of our captivity and ending our exile from Christ. Spiritually, we are returned to the homeland, the promised possession which has always been the land of Canaan. The Lord’s covenant to Abraham is fulfilled spiritually as all the heathen nations are given unto those the Lord makes covenant. This includes Canaan which is often used to represent the promised land.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Num 34:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)
Zarephath is a coastal city in the north famous for Elijah and the widow sharing meal that was not consumed. Sepharad [H5614] is only mentioned once in Scripture in Obadiah. Strong’s dictionary defines it only as a place in Assyria with speculation it was a city in Spain or Portugal. Both sides of the divided nation are carried into exile, represented here by Zarephath in the north and Sepharad in the south are now being possessed again at the second coming of Christ to every man.
Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.
Our final verse is one that those active in the fellowship and attentive to the many teachings are familiar with. This verse tells us of the role of Christ’s “Christ” as saviors of the world. There are many witnesses to this truth including:
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
The second coming of Christ to every man is when He comes to us via His Christ. The Lord has a Christ, and it is through this Body of Christ by which He is performing the greater works promised.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The Lord is ascended into the heavens of all His people, and He is now working His work and ministry through His chosen few. Every eye shall see the Christ coming with His clouds, which is spiritual speak for His people, the elect, the faithful few.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Others see Christ in us, the light unto the world. We are now the Body of the Lord (not the Head) and are the instruments of His work as we are sent forth as disciples.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Christ set the example for us to follow in serving others as a minister. The greatest among us are those who serve and sacrifice their desires and lives.
Mat 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
This is the high calling of the Lord that we are made to embrace in time. Being led by the Spirit of Christ, we have become ministering spirits and are a flame of fire as a result of the Word, THE COMMANDMENTS, we hold, speak, and live. Those abiding in this fire [the commandments] are being sanctified as our sins are burned up in the fire.
Isa 33:14 … Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
There is great importance in being active in fellowship/communion with the Lord’s Christ. Christ through “The Christ” is The Deliverer. We are given to each other in this Body, it is our inheritance in Christ, and it is only through Christ we are being saved from our enemies (sins).
Neh 9:27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies, thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
The end of judgment is salvation and the return of all the kingdoms to the Lord. We are reigning with Christ now in down payment form in the kingdom of God, having dominion over our earth. Judgment is now on the house of God as we abide together on Mt. Zion, having the mountain of Edom destroyed. The Lord’s work is finished in every man when the kingdom of God within us is returned to God and our Father. We reap the earnest deposit now with the fullness yet to come.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Grace and Peace to the brethren.
Appendix – Map of Ancient Israel – The Promised Land
