August 25, 2024
Obadiah 19-21
“Redemption”
Let’s begin with a quick summary of the concept of “Redemption.”
Everyone is in need of redemption. We are all broken people. We naturally lean toward sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” People aren’t born basically good. We are all in open rebellion against the love of our Creator. Therefore, we are guilty under the curse of sin.
That’s where redemption comes in. The word, redeem, means “to buy out.” In ancient times, in the same era when Paul wrote Romans, redemption was used specifically to indicate the purchase of a slave’s freedom. That’s what Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished. He took upon himself God’s wrath for our sin…purchasing our freedom from the
consequences of our sin. Here’s something you might want to write down:
WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN.
As Paul says in Romans 3:24, “And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” We are no longer slaves to sin. Also here:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” {Galatians 3:13}
And here:
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born Son, of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. {Galatians 4:5}
In Jesus Christ, God has purchased our freedom from sin. In a bit, we’re going to move on to what God purchased our freedom for.
Here are, in no particular order, the benefits of redemption:
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scrolland to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” {Revelation 5:9-10}
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” {Ephesians 1:7}
“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” {Titus 2:14}
“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” {Colossians 1:18-20}
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
{1 Corinthians 6:19-20}
To be redeemed is to be forgiven, holy, justified, free, adopted, and reconciled.
And then, for what purpose? Why have we been redeemed? We know we have been redeemed from sin. But toward what end? What have we been redeemed for?
Listen to Jesus from John 4:23:
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
We have been redeemed for two primary purposes here in this life. First, and most importantly, to worship God. The most necessary thing we do is give God all glory, honor, and praise, for what He has done for us in Jesus
Christ. We are a gathering of redeemed people. We worship God in spirit and truth.
I love this observation:
WORSHIP IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY CALLS FOR CELEBRATORY REVERENCE.
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The second most important thing we do is love and care for each other and our community. What does it cost us to be kind? It cost Jesus his life to open our eyes to what it means to live as decent people in a sometimes indecent world. It’s all about being loving and joyful and peaceful and patient and kind and good and faithful and gentle and self-controlled. We have been redeemed from sin in order to live out of those Christian character qualities.
And then…and then…we have a point and a purpose in this life, and then, after this life ends, whenever it ends, we will see the streets of heaven {metaphorically speaking}…we’ll see the streets of heaven filled with former captives who, through no merit of their own, find themselves redeemed, forgiven, and free. Slaves to sin become saints. As we just saw, in Revelation 5:9, we will sing a new song…a song of praise to the Redeemer who was slain. That’s why we say worship here is preparation for worship in the life-to-come. We were slaves to sin, condemned to eternal separation from God. But Jesus paid the price to redeem us. His gift to us, unearned by us, resulted in our freedom from slavery to sin. Here's something else you might want to write down:
JESUS CHRIST HAS RESCUED US FROM THE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN.
Now, as we read Obadiah 19-21 one last time, keep all that in mind. Remember, Edom becomes the archetype for us. They are the example of who and what we were before Jesus Christ redeemed us. As Edom represents our fundamental human depravity, these final verses speak of our redemption:
Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb.Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.
Remember, on the grander scale, Edom is where we would be without Christ. Obadiah expresses God’s response to evil. It is what happens when people are in open rebellion against God.
The final three verses, on the other hand, are where we’re at with Christ. Redeemed.
Do you want to see something fascinating? It is a fantastic testimony to the consistency of God’s Word telling the story of our redemption.
First, 1 Samuel 2:1-10:
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord.My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth;for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heapto make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven.The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
That is the same message as we’ve seen in Obadiah. Only difference is it’s in a different context.
And then, even more beautiful still, from Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46-
56:
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Remember Obadiah and God’s judgment on those in open rebellion against Him. Consider the parallel pattern from these two passages about raising the low and bringing down the high. It is absolutely exquisite.
Closer to Obadiah’s time, we have Ezekiel 17:24:
“And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”
How can you not love the sublime simplicity of that?
These final three verses of Obadiah take us to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. How are we exalted? How are we lifted high? How are we redeemed from the pit of death and despair? Through the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When Obadiah says, “The kingdom shall be the Lord’s,” he is foreshadowing the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And then the New Testament builds on it. Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. He alone is worthy to judge the wicked. He alone is worthy to welcome his called followers into their eternal home. As he said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” Amen? As Paul affirms in 1 Timothy 6:13-16:
“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time - he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”
In Jesus Christ, God’s promises to Obadiah are fulfilled. In Christ, we are
grafted into the vine and made heirs of eternal life. In Christ, the high and mighty are cast down. In Christ, the humble are exalted. In Christ, God destroys the kingdom of darkness and all who oppose Him. As Paul reminds us in Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” In other words, we who were once citizens of the kingdom of darkness and sin are ushered into the Kingdom of Light. Paul, this time from Colossians 1:13-14, says, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We have been delivered from judgment into the eternal light of Jesus Christ.
Let’s join our voices for one final affirmation:
TO HIM BE THE GLORY AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN!
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