The Pulpit Commentary — Obadiah — Section 19

into prominence. They had their message to deliver. 'l'hey had their solemn work to perform. They had Jehovah to glorify. They were content to be no more than a voice crying in the wilderness. Who wrote Joshua? Who wrote Judges? Who wrote the books of Samuel, or the Kings, or Chronicles, or Esther? It was sufficient for the writers that they were used by the Spirit of God. They were ambassadors, not kings. They were servants, not masters. 'l'hey were the instruments, not th~ mu~icians. They were the vessels, not the fountain of living water. The ambassador 6irnply delivers the message of the king. The servant only waits on the guests of the master. The instrument merely gives forth the sounds struck by the musician. The '\'essel only bears the refresh;ng draught of the well of life. Obadiah, like John the l3aptist, was ready to decrease, that Christ might increase, 'l'he morning star heralds the day, then melts before the sunshine. Herein is a lesson of great importance to all workers for Christ. I. Let us proceed to notice Gon's DENUNCIATION OF EnoM. Edom was a great adversary of Israel. For instance, "c find in Ps. cxxxvii. that Edom joined Babylon in sceki □ g the destruction of Jemsalem: ver. 7, "Remember, 0 Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it,, rase it, even to the foundation thereof!" The geographical position of Edom made it a formidable enemy, and apparently i □ vincible. Lying south of the Dead Sea., its lofty range of red hills, called Mount Seir, stretched a hundred miles from north to south, by twenty east to west. Bozrah was the capital of the eastern division, and Sela, or Petra. (both names mean '' a rock"), was the capital of the southern division, The ha.bit of the eagle to select hicrh and lo□ ely pinnacles for its dwelling-place gives force to the words of our fourth ver~e, " Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down." In Ps. lx. 9 we are led to a period in David's history -when that king besieged Edom.. As he looks up at the fortified cities among impregnable rocky heights, he seems to despair of victory. "Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me into Edom?" Could he not himself be the leader? Had he not slain Goliath and routed the Philistines? Had he not fought with the lion and the bea.r to save a lamb of the fold? Where, too, were his mighty men ?-Joab, captain of the host? Adino, who lifted his spear against eight hundred? Elcazar, whose sword imbedded itself in his hand? Benaiah, who slew a.n Egyptian with his own spear? If the muster-roll be called, is there no one to take the lead, and scale the dizzy heights, and subdue the great strongholds? David looks away from himself, away from his men, away from all human strength, and he says, "Wilt not thou, 0 God?" He answers the question in the best and surest way. And we know that God did give Daviu the victory (see 2 Sam. viii. 14). We, too, have our enemies. We have our fortresses of Edom. Who will enable us to conquer? Where are the weapons mighty to the pulling down of strongholds? Nay, where is he whose goiugs forth are upon the white horse of war, conquering and to conquer? The answer is brought to us. The warfare is accomplished. "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Isa. lxiiL 1, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the great□ ese of his strength P" Then comes the answer. "I that speak in rightJousness, mighty to save." Yes, he who is the Lord our Righteousness is the Lord our Saviour-mighty to save to the uttermost. Sin and Satan have been conquered, Edom is subdued, Then comes forth the Conqueror, red in his apparel. "Who is this. , . with dyeli garments from Bozra.h? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." II. I will ask you now to pass from the general denunciation of Edom to THE PARTICULAR SIN WITH WHICH EnoM IS CllARGED. "The pride of thine heart bath deceived thee." Building like the eagle in the pinnacles of the rocks, setting his nest amoou0 the stars, Edom said in his heart," Who shall bring me down to the ground?" Thus the pride of his heart deceived him. And to many individuals, a.s well ae nations, does the herald of Jehovah bring the message, "The pride of thine heart bath deceived thee." Pharaoh, lifting himself high, asks, "Who is the Lord, that I should serve him?" The answer comes, "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee." Nebuchadnezzar, looking in self-elation upcn Babylon, asks," Is not this great Babylon which I have built?" The answer comes," The pride of thine heart bath deceived th<;e." Bel.,;hazzar, banqueti□ g with his lords, and dri.llking wl.ne from the vessels of 1-21,) THE BOOK OF OBADIAH. 15