DAY 182: Obadiah; Psalms 82–83

Welcome to 5-Minute Bible, your daily guide for your daily reading. Today's July the 1st and we'll be looking at Obadiah in Psalms 82 -83. Now yesterday the house of David appeared to be hanging by a thread.

Athaliah seized the throne. She murdered the royal heirs and seemed ready to extinguish God's covenant promises. And yet the Lord preserves one hidden child and restored David's son to the throne. Today the lens widens, however, beyond Judah.

Judgment on Edom and the Day of the Lord

Obadiah announces judgment against Edom, which is from the people of Esau, for their pride and their violence and their betrayal. And then Psalm 82 summons unjust rulers before the divine judge and Psalm 83 cries out against nations conspiring to erase God's people.

And together these passages declare that the Lord does not merely preserve His throne in Jerusalem, but He rules over every ruler and He judges every nation and will not allow pride and oppression or conspiracy to stand forever.

Now in that way Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, but its message is very clear and very fierce. Edom, who again was descended from Esau and therefore related to Israel, had become proud of its mountain stronghold and confident that no one could bring it down.

But Edom's greater sin was its response when Judah suffered disaster. Edom stood aloof and gloated over its brother's calamity and even plundered his possessions whenever he was destroyed and conquered and helped even capture those Judeans who were attempting to escape.

So when Judah faces disaster, the Edomites are there to plunder and to abuse and to take advantage of Judah, which angers the Lord. And the Lord announces that Edom is going to be brought low. Its pride has deceived it.

Its fortress cannot be protected. Its alliances are going to betray it and its wisdom is going to fall. As Edom has done, so it will be done unto Edom. And yet the prophecy expands beyond one nation because Obadiah looks forward to the day when the day of the Lord comes upon all the nations and concludes with the triumphant declaration that the kingdom belongs to the Lord.

Psalm 82 pictures God taking His stand in the divine assembly and judging rulers who exercise authority beneath Him. They have favored the wicked and neglected the weak and the fatherless and the afflicted and the needy.

And though they exalt themselves like God, they will die like ordinary men. Again, this all leads into understanding the lordship of God over the lords of men and over the entire world. Psalm 83 then cries out against a coalition of nations who are plotting to erase Israel's name.

The psalmist asks God to overthrow their conspiracy so that they may know the Lord alone is most high over all the earth. Again, all three of these passages are referring to God's cosmic reign. So as you read today, I want you to ask the following question.

What happens when rulers and nations imagine that power places them beyond the judgment of God? These passages answer that every single throne and dominion and power stands beneath His throne. Every ruler remains accountable to Him and every nation belongs ultimately to the Lord.

And in that way, the central pattern is the contrast between human pride and divine judgment. Edom believes that geography makes it secure. Its cliffs, its fortresses, its alliances, and its reputation for wisdom create the illusion that no one or nothing can bring it down.

Edom even asks in his heart, who will bring me down to the earth? Well, the Lord Himself answers, from there I will bring you down. Psalm 82 exposes the same illusion among the rulers of men. They act as though authority belongs to them absolutely.

They pervert justice, they protect the wicked, neglect the weak. But God enters into the courtroom and places the judges themselves on trial with the very law that they've been perverting. Authority is always a kind of stewardship.

Kings and magistrates and judges, fathers, pastors, and every other human authority only possesses delegated power. They don't create justice. They're commanded to administer the justice of God who stands above them all.

Psalm 83, therefore, shows nations plotting together as though united rebellion can frustrate God and His covenant purposes. And yet, multiplying conspirators doesn't diminish God's divine authority. A larger coalition is still infinitely weak compared to the awesome and omnipotent power of God.

The personal application of all of this is unavoidable. Pride is not limited to the kings and the nations. We all construct these little fortresses that we hold fast to and think that we're safe in, like our reputation, money, influences, position, knowledge, or self-confidence.

We imagine that these things can protect us from accountability and ultimately from God, and they fail. These passages call us to examine how we use whatever authority that God has entrusted to us and we're to use it in wholly and righteous ways.

And the question we need to ask ourselves is do we defend the weak or do we favor the rich and the useful? Do we rejoice when an enemy falls? Do we exploit another person's vulnerability for our advantage?

God judges not only the public oppression but also the internal pride and hatred and cruelty from which that opposition grows and grows in all of us. And in all of this, these passages point powerfully to Jesus Christ, who is the righteous judge, the universal king, the rightful possessor of all the nations.

Jesus Christ, the Righteous King Over the Nations

Obadiah ends by declaring that the kingdom belongs to the Lord. Well, that hope reaches its fulfillment in Christ, the true son of David, who receives all authority in heaven and on earth and now rules the nation with his iron rod.

Violent usurpers may seize the throne temporarily, but Christ's kingdom will not be shaken or stolen away. Psalm 82 condemns rulers who fail to defend the weak and the needy. Well, Christ is the very king who loves those who are broken and low and of poor estate.

He judges without partiality. He defends the afflicted. He confronts the oppressor and reigns in perfect righteousness. And then Psalm 82 ends with this cry, Arise, O God, judge the earth, for it is you who possess all the nations.

Well, in Christ, God has appointed that judge. And the Father has placed all things beneath his feet so that every ruler and power will answer to him. And yet this righteous judge first submitted himself to the judgment of corrupt rulers.

At the cross, false witnesses accused him. Religious authorities condemned him and political powers what authorized his death. And yet the resurrection overturned their verdict and publicly declared him to be the all-powerful righteous king.

Psalm 83 asks the nations to know that the Lord alone is most high over all the earth. The gospel answers that prayer as Christ sends his church out to disciple the nations, teaching them to obey everything that he has commanded.

So as you read Obadiah in Psalm 82 and 83, remember that no fortress, courtroom, coalition, or throne stands above the authority of God. And tomorrow we will see Elijah taken into heaven in a dramatic way.

The prophetic mantle passed to Elijah and the word of the Lord arriving again to prove its authority over the kings of men and over disease and famine, barrenness, death, and even covenant rebellion. But with that, read your Bible carefully, devotionally, and joyfully.

And may the Lord use his word to sanctify you completely. And we will continue our journey tomorrow. God bless you.