Obadiah & Jonah Judgment & Compassion © John Stevenson, 2010 Maps by David P. Barrett, used by permission

Oracle against Edom

Obadiah 1:1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom– We have heard a report from the LORD, And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, “Arise and let us go against her for battle”

Kings of Judah Josiah Jehoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah Jerusalem & Temple Destroyed Fall of Nineveh Zephaniah Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel Obadiah? Nahum

Vision against Edom Edom will be defeated despite her present strength & security, 1-4Edom will be defeated despite her present strength & security, 1-4 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15

Obadiah 1:3 “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, In the loftiness of your dwelling place, Who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’

Obadiah 1:4 “Though you build high like the eagle, Though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Edom to be thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Edom to be thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15

Obadiah 1:5 “If thieves came to you, If robbers by night– O how you will be ruined!– Would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleanings?

Obadiah 1:6 “O how Esau will be ransacked, And his hidden treasures searched out!”

Obadiah 1:7 All the men allied with you Will send you forth to the border, And the men at peace with you Will deceive you and overpower you. They who eat your bread Will set an ambush for you. (There is no understanding in him.)

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Cut off forever, 8-10Cut off forever, 8-10 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15

Obadiah 1:10 Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever.

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Cut off forever, 8-10Cut off forever, 8-10 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15 Do not… GloatGloat Rejoice over sons of JudahRejoice over sons of Judah Enter gate of JudahEnter gate of Judah Loot JudahLoot Judah Hurt survivorsHurt survivors Imprison survivorsImprison survivors

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Cut off forever, 8-10Cut off forever, 8-10 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15 Do not… GloatGloat Rejoice over sons of JudahRejoice over sons of Judah Enter gate of JudahEnter gate of Judah Loot JudahLoot Judah Hurt survivorsHurt survivors Imprison survivorsImprison survivors Day of the Lord coming, 15-16Day of the Lord coming, 15-16

Obadiah 1:15 For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Cut off forever, 8-10Cut off forever, 8-10 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15 Do not… GloatGloat Rejoice over sons of JudahRejoice over sons of Judah Enter gate of JudahEnter gate of Judah Loot JudahLoot Judah Hurt survivorsHurt survivors Imprison survivorsImprison survivors Day of the Lord coming, 15-16Day of the Lord coming, Israel will retake land, 17Israel will retake land, 17

Obadiah 1:17 But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.

Vision against Edom Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4Defeated despite strength & security, 1-4 Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7Thoroughly plundered, 5- 7 Cut off forever, 8-10Cut off forever, 8-10 Warning against Edom Israel’s Victory 1:11:121:15 Do not… GloatGloat Rejoice over sons of JudahRejoice over sons of Judah Enter gate of JudahEnter gate of Judah Loot JudahLoot Judah Hurt survivorsHurt survivors Imprison survivorsImprison survivors Day of the Lord coming, 15-16Day of the Lord coming, Israel will retake land, 17Israel will retake land, 17 Israel will rule the nations, Israel will rule the nations,

Obadiah 1:19 Then those of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esau, And those of the Shephelah the Philistine plain; Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, And Benjamin will possess Gilead.

Obadiah 1:20 And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel, Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Will possess the cities of the Negev.

Obadiah 1:21 The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau, And the kingdom will be the LORD’S.

God cares for his people when they suffer.God cares for his people when they suffer. God warns but will eventually judge those who persecute his people.God warns but will eventually judge those who persecute his people. God will give victory to his people.God will give victory to his people. God’s faithful people will inherit the kingdom of God in its fullness.God’s faithful people will inherit the kingdom of God in its fullness.

What comes to mind when you first think of Jonah?

The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah 1:1-2

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:3

Israel Assyria

Jonah 1:4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.

Jonah 1:6 So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

Jonah 1:12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”

Jonah 1:15-16 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. lAdG" gD  Dag gadol

Jonah 2:1-2 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, “I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.” Literally, “Belly”

Jonah 2 I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. (2:2). Psalms In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me. (120:1). I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. (2:2). The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. (116:3).

Jonah 2Psalms For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. (2:3). Save me, O God, For the waters have threatened my life. 2 I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me. (69:1-2).

Jonah 2Psalms For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. (2:3). Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink; May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters. (69:14).

Jonah 2Psalms For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. (2:3). May the flood of water not overflow me Nor the deep swallow me up, Nor the pit shut its mouth on me. (69:15)

Jonah 2Psalms For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me All Your breakers and billows passed over me. (2:3). Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. (42:7)

Jonah 2Psalms So I said, “I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.” (2:4). As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried to You. (31:22).

Jonah 2Psalms So I said, “I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.” (2:4). I will bow down toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth (138:2a).

Jonah 2Psalms Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. (2:5). The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. 5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. (18:4-5).

Jonah 2Psalms I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. (2:6). O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. (30:3).

Jonah 2Psalms While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. (2:7). When I remember God, then I am disturbed; When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. (77:3).

Jonah 2Psalms While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. (2:7). In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. (18:6)

Jonah 2Psalms Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness (2:8). I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD. (31:6) But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD. (2:9). Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High (50:14). Salvation belongs to the LORD (3:8a).

Lessons from the Prayer of Jonah What you learn in the light will be valuable in the darknessWhat you learn in the light will be valuable in the darkness You can pray anywhereYou can pray anywhere This is not a prayer of deliverance, but a prayer of thanksgiving and of worshipThis is not a prayer of deliverance, but a prayer of thanksgiving and of worship

Jonah 2:10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Jonah 3:1-2 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.”

Jonah 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. ~yhil{ale hl'AdG>-ry[i Literally, “a great city to god”

Jonah 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. NIV: Now Nineveh was a very important city -- a visit required three days.

Jonah 3:4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Jonah 3:10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

Does Jonah represent the nation of Israel? If so, what are the points of similarity? Does Jonah represent Jesus? If so, what are the points of similarity? What are the points of difference?

Does Jonah represent the church? If so, what might be some of the points of similarity?

Jonah 4:1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry.

“The one thing Jonah does not want, God gives” (Pg 22).

Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and com- passionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.”

Jonah 4:3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

Jonah 4:5 Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city.

Jonah 4:6-7 So the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. 7 But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.

In what way is Israel likened to a plant in the Old Testament? In what way is Jesus likened to a plant in the New Testament?

Jonah 4:8 When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.”

Jonah 4:10-11 Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. 11 Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

Why does the book of Jonah end this way?

Lessons from Jonah God is the first cause of all things. He is the one who brought the storm, the fish, the plant, the worm, and the east wind. God is seen as the Savior –Of the sailors –Of Jonah –Of Nineveh

“…we discover that the book is really about Jonah and his need for conversion. And then we see: The book is about us” (Pg 22-23).

What are some ways I can apply the lessons of Jonah in my own life?

Lessons from Jonah God want repentance –In Nineveh –In Jonah God is a God of compassion; His compassion extends both to pagan cities as well as to stubborn prophets.