The Pulpit Commentary — Obadiah — Section 34

Oh for another Pentecost, that the Church of to-day might be as the Church of the first day~, and the Redeemer's vrords be exemplified," That they all might be one, that the world may believe that thou hast sent rM"l-A. C. T. Ver. 21.-&vio'Urs and ;'udges. "And saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau." "Saviours and judges;" "Mount Zion and the mount of Esau:" what contrBBtsl And note the saviours are made the judges. The saviours on Mount Zion are made the judges of the mount of Esau. If we follow up these lines they bring us to the true centre of full salvation and perfect judgment. .Almighty and most merci- ful Saviowr, thou most worthy Judge eternal, give us now of thy Holy Spirit that we may profitably study thy Word. l. "SAVIOUBB SHALL COME UP Olf MOUNT ZION TO JD'DGE THE MOUNT OF ESAU." Temporal deliverance had often been wrought for Israel, and still greater things would God accomplish. In Judg. ii. 16 we have an early use of two words of our text. "Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which saved them out of the hands of those that spoiled them." In Judg. iii. 9 we read, "When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer [saviour1to the children of Israel, even OthnieL" Again, in ver. 15, "When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera." In Neh. ix. 27 we read, "In the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and accord- ing to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies." Here, then, we see that in temporal deliverances the twofold office was entrusted to one individua.l. The judges were often called saviours, and the saviours were often called judges. Thus we see the primary meaning of Obadiah's prophecy, "Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau." In the deliver- ance wrought by such as Judas Maccabams and others we see the primary fulfilment of the words. IL In another view of the text we may remark that AS TOPICALLY MoUNT ZloN STOOD OVER AGAINST THE MOUNT OF ESAU, 80 SPIRITUALLY Goo's HOLY HILL STANDS OPPOSED TO THE MOUNTAINS OF THIS WORLD-the mountains of human pride, the mountains of human misery, the mountains of error, the mountains of unbelief, all the dark mountains of sin. And every such mountain shall he judged and brought low, even to the dust. A time is coming when the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established upon the tops of the mountains. At present great mountains of evil may seem to overshadow Zion, but ere long they sha.11 become a plain. Our God can make even the worm to thresh the mountain-the least of his servants to "leap from Bashan," to "overcome troops," and" out of weakness" to become strong. "Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau." III. Another reflection is this : THE CHILDREN OF ZION ARE TO BE BA VIOU1!S NOW; THEY SHALL BE JUDGES HEREAFTER. 1. Saviours. we are called to rescue the perish- ing. "He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death" (Jas. v. 20). But, as saviours, we must see well to our own souls. St. Paul's words to Timothy are very weighty: "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them, for in doing this, thou sha.lt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." In seeking to win souls we must take care that our own souls are won. In caring for others' vineyards, we must not neglect our own. This said, we return to the doctrine that the saved are to be savio!Na. We once had our part with the destroyer; now we are to be a blessing. We are to seek to save the lost. Moses calls to Hobab; Andrew finds Peter; Philip, Nathanael; the womo.n of Sychar brings her neighbours to Christ. Thus the saved are saviours. Noah calls others into the ark. Abraham invites Lot to Canaan. Rahab brings her relations under the shelter of the scarlet line. Joshua com- mands his household. Job sacrifices and prays for his friends. Isaiah lifts up his voice for the remnant. Jeremiah weeps and prays. Daniel fasts and makes supplica- tion. The mothers of Salem brinit their children to Christ, that he should bless them. Saviours ascend on Mount Zion. May we all know what it is thns to rise-thus to ascend, and walk on God's high places I 2. 'l'be children of Zion shall hereafter be Judges. They shall "judge the world." They Bhall "judge angels." They shall sit with Christ on bis throne. They shall not only be manifested at the judgment-seat of Christ, but shu.11 share in the decisions of the Lamb. For the present they "judge not,''  30 THE BOOK OF OBADIAH. [1-21,