Obadiah "Jacob and Esau in the End Times" This Bible Study is written by Roger
Christopherson, and made available with written
permission by http://www.theseason.org To understand this book of the minor prophet, Obadiah, it takes a lot of thought about our current events. It's dealing with the times of Vietnam and the dismantling of the Soviet Empire. There is a comparison study here with the book of Genesis, and the biblical records recording the strife between the twins, Jacob and Esau. Communism had just over seventy years to build on it's shaky foundation since being firmly rooted in Russia and spreading like cancer around world. Just over fifteen years ago a movement in Berlin started. A group of Ten Christians started to pray to God for the overturning of Communism in the east, praying that East Germany would be free of communistic Atheism. Starting with these ten Christians and growing into hundreds of thousands, and in 1992 the wall came tumbling down. Before East Germany won it's freedom, Poland and many other nations freed themselves from the strangle-hold of the Anti-God system of Soviet Russia. So, why is this so important to our Bible study of Obadiah, and Jacob and Esau? It would be impossible for God's plan and Satan's," New World Order" to take place with two opposing superpowers fighting for world control. What was going on in the world was half the population was controlled by the Godless society, while the other half a basic God-fearing society. The world needed a blend where the entire world could be prepared for a deception of the Anti-Christ, and by choice, all would accept him as the Savior of the world. Under the banner of humanitarianism, peace and brotherly love, the entire world is being prepared for the coming of that world ruler. We call that system , "One Worldism", "The United Nations" and "World Peace". Now, as we see Russia falling apart, we see the Russians, as well as the western world, rallying under these terms of human rights. Why? This is to bring all humanity to central focal point so that all peoples of the world will accept as their goal. Through human rights, a promise is given to achieve world peace. This is important because through this world effort it draws all nations under one flag, or one worldism, God's plan is being fulfilled. The world is being set up by God for that time of testing, whereby all the world, except the elect of God, would be deceived. The entire world will go whoring after Anti-Christ, thinking he is the real Jesus. The religious leaders of churches today are preparing their flocks to follow the wrong Christ. Jesus said many times, the whole world would say peace, peace, but there would be no peace. Anti-Christ will arrive and bring peace and prosperity. What happened in Russia This set the stage for acceptance by all nations to a world society. As we see all these changes taking place, from the start of the down fall in the Korean and Vietnam wars to the total dismantling of their Godless government, it was written about thousands of years ago. Obadiah, which mean "Servant of God", gave us types to look for. It tells us what happened in the past, what is happening today, and is going to happen in the very near future. The sister chapter of Obadiah, is Jeremiah 49. Both chapters are similar in prophecy. Obadiah 1:1 "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; " We have heard a rumors from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle." Edom in the Hebrew means "red", the red nation. This is Esau's land, referred to as "Rosh" or Russia of today. God's talking about a battle plan, but what kind of battle plan is it? It's a spiritual war. Why do I say it's a spiritual battle? Because the past seventy plus years, the key to Satan's plan was to lead the Soviet Block of nations in an atheist form of society, saying, "There is no God". The problem is that he (Satan) knows he will come as God, the Messiah, and redeemer of mankind. So, by having half the world believe "there is no God" is defeating his purpose. Satan intends to appear as God. This will also set up many changes in our nation, for those Godless men ruling our educational system will also change shortly to acknowledge a deity, a form of God. This preparation is now underway so the world can accept Satan as Jesus, and be totally deceived. It is all part of God's plan. It is written in II Thessalonians 2. Though Satan lost this spiritual battle, Satan will become a hero to meny Christian’s today who don’t know the truth, they will except him as their hero. It is time for us to learn and prepare for the deception that will surely come our way. We do not have to put up with Satan, because God gives us the power to keep him from us and our families. Our Heavenly Father is in control, so let's be alert and watchful in these end days. Obadiah 1:2 "Behold I have made thee small among the heathen; thou art greatly despised." Russia (Esau) was flying a banner of her successes left over from World War II, calling herself a superpower. Russia had put together many nations given her in negotiations at the end of the war. The rest of the allied nations, including the United States had allowed it. Of herself, Russia was small, except for the millions of prisoners in her grasp. Obadiah I:3 "The Pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clifts of the rock, whose habiation is high; that saith in his heart, "Who shall bring me down to the ground?" This verse is backed by Isaiah 14:12-14, where Lucifer is asked, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lu'ci-for, son of the morning? how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For that hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." When high is mentioned it refers to the supernatural. We're not saying Russia is supernatural, but Satan that leads her is claiming to be. Obadiah I:4 "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD." What Nation is the eagle? America! The superpower of superpowers. God here promised Edom (Russia) he would bring them down. You have to go back to Genesis 25 & 17 to understand that Esau is whom God is addressing here, and his nation and the dukes and rulers of his people that would follow in future generations, God promised they would be cursed from "the fat of the land". Why? Because Esau sold his birthright, or his place as a child of God. That's why it is written in Malachi 1 and Romans 9, "Jacob I loved and Esau I hated." Satan and Esau have always been very close friends. Were speaking of many years ago. Russia tried to play superpower when she should have known the curse God placed upon her. At the time of his birth, even in his mother's womb, as well as his adulthood, God promised He would strip him from being a great superpower. In our lives we saw God rip Russia apart, and her people run the streets hunting food, because her store shelves are bare. This is no accident, as many Bible false prophets to today even had the Anti-Christ coming from Russia, Obadiah had it written, as the curse was placed, and we see God does keep his word. Obadiah 1:5 "If thieves come to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grape-gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some grapes?" As we see the news footage coming out of Russia, the thing standing out the most is the extreme shortage of food and all staple items. The shelves in the stores are bare and the black market rules. Were not making light of the people, but to claim your a superpower and can't provide even the minimum for your masses is a total fraud. They have given so much money to buy their friends, create military strength that is substandard, and prop up their many puppets. They have stolen from their masses. The point Obadiah makes here is that they have stolen from the people until they are stripped bare. Communism was supposed to stand for the working man, only it was a lie. Their entire seventy years of posing as a superpower was a lie, for God hated them and cursed that nation. Did they pull God from the masses? No. The people sat back and allowed it. God said it best, "you were stripped more than if a robber came in and ripped everyone off". Obadiah 1:6 "How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!" How are the things of Esau searcher out? How are his hidden things sought up? How can this happen? They were striped bare. There is nothing hidden. Even the KGB archives are laid open. There are no secrets, for she is nationally bankrupt. Obadiah 1:7 "All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee; there is none understanding in him." Look at the Warsaw Pact Nation"s, at China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Egypt, Libya, and so on. Nations upon nations have taken food, arms, and stripped the wealth of Russia under the guise of friendship and left Russia exactly as God said through Obadiah. He said that she would be, cursed and robbed. While the world is cared for by Russia by the fat cats of Russian society, the Russian workers were being robbed. There are no more handouts by Russia, because she is in poverty. She's at the gates of her enemies as a common beggar. Some would have us believe strength is there, but her over-fed leaders was nothing more than a common beggar at the table of the seven world power conference last month in Tokyo. These leaders even lack shame for their robbing the little man in their gaming for position as a fake superpower. Is this all good? yes Why? Because this moved Bible prophecy into the exact position necessary to move directly into the time of the Anti-christ, and the on coming return of our Lord at the last trump. A word of caution! It is still written that Esau will still come against us (Jacob) after Antichrist appears on this earth and deceives them into a new religion and they will not be the only ones deceived. It is well to feed the Russians, but not bullets, like in World War II, for they will be used on us in the U.S.A.. Obadiah 1:8 "Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?" When you remove God from your land, you remove wisdom from the nation. God will show the world the stupidity of these people. Obadiah 1: 9 " And thy mighty men, O Te'man, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter." Slaughter is translated deception. A blood bath may not come. However, to these people and their leaders it is possible. Were in a time of peace, and not slaughter. When you remove God from a nation, anything can happen. Obadiah 1:10 "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever." You will never see the Soviet Union, eastern block of nations, under the flag of communism again. It is dead. But what we will see is a group of nations flying a banner of religion that will come against Jacob (the United States and Britain) again. Were not talking about just us, but all nations representing the twelve tribes of Israel. We will see the new formation, but it's form will be under religion, to bind them together against us. Obadiah 1:11 "In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast one of them" Many gates opened and we saw streams of people fleeing from Russia. Much of the scum in Russia has even left for the United States. Obadiah 1:12 "But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress." The nation of Israel today has both the good and bad fig trees represented. For the Kenites are giving the true Jews a bad name as they present themselves as Jews when they are not. Jews denying the existence of God and preparing the way of their father (Satan) to rules as the Christ from Jerusalem. Much of this is yet to come. They shall mock and scoff at God's elect which will come from all twelve tribes, and because they will stand against the false religion. They will be leaders in the New World Order, and the chronological order of events takes place, and even is in process today. We are witnessing the fulfilling of God’s prophecy. God's word is perfect. Obadiah 1:13 "Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affection in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity." This is dealing with the taking of the property of the Jews in their territory. Obadiah 1:14 "Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress." I personally witnessed the murder and death of many who tried to follow Esau's (Russia's) Godless rule. It is a life-long sobering experience. Obadiah 1:15 "For the day of our LORD is near upon all the heathern: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: Thy reward shall return upon thine own head." As we look at Russia today, this is coming to pass. Their foolish leaders are leading them into the rewards they deserve. They will pay the price as a nationl It has come to pass and we are witnessing it. Obadiah 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." They will drink down a cup of God's wrath. That same cup that when Jesus said, Father is there another that this cup may pass from me, that I don't have to pour it out on the end days or my day which is The Lord's day. Our heavenly Father assured him there was not. Mat. 26:39 We have some shallow-minded people that believe Jesus Christ had a weak moment and was trying to escape the cross. The crucifixion was foretold a millennium prior by the prophets and that's what he came for. However, it is the cup of God's wrath that Russia (Esau) will sup up. Obadiah 1:17 "But up on Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions." When your in God you will always have your possessions. It was on this Mount Zion, that the price was paid by Jesus. It was here that our deliverance was brought forth. Obadiah 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,l 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.." The house of Jacob is all of (the United States and Great Britain). The house of Esau is Russia, and the Lord has just condemned her to total desptruction. God put his mark on Esau from the womb, and his descendants are doomed, except for those few that reach out and accept our Lord's salvation. Obadiah 1: 19 "And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Phi-lis'-tines; and they shall possess the fields of E'-phra-im and the fields of Sa-ma'ri-a; and the Benjamin shall posses Gilead." God's owns the world and will rule. .Obadiah 1:20 "And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Ca'nann'-ites, even unto Zar'-ephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Seph;-a'rad, shall possess the cities of the south.." It is here that God will separate them. God's people will return and take control of the land promised them. Obadiah 1:21 "And savious (God's elect) shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's" Ezekiel 44 tells us how God's Zadok, or priests which are his elect, will rule, judge and teach in the millennium. This is talking about the millennium, for our Lord's kingdom is then established on the earth. As we study Obadiah and the entire word of God in depth, we see these things happening before our eyes. The prophets of old predicted with accuracy. God does have a plan and we all are part of it. The plan is so well detailed that there should be no surprises. Yet many stumble through life totaly blind to the onslaught of deception and confusion coming upon us. While the world watched in amazement as the Soviet Union crumbled, each of us is reminded that God's time table and His plan will go forth. God does have full control and we need not be ignorant of when the stage is set for the real battle, nor when the Anti-Christ will be parading as Jesus the Messiah. It is written and Jesus, our Lord, has warned us, and it will come to pass. God's word has a firm foundation, and that foundation is set on the rock. Jesus is that rock. You can build on that rock, Christ Jesus, for he is the living word. The truth shall set you free. Free for what? The confusion and the unknown, as these rapidly changing times and events astound the masses of the world. All wisdom flows from God, and He will give that to us as we study, and pray that we will know His truth. Praise the Lord God in all things.
Home .~ Plough .~ Seeds .~ Vine .~ Potter .~ Seasons .~ Sonshine .~ Rain .~ Field |