Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Obadiah
Book: Obadiah
Chapter: 1
Overview:
Destruction to come upon
Edom. Their offences against
Jacob.
(1-16) The restoration of the Jews, and their flourishing state
in the latter times.
(17-21)
1-16 This
Prophecy is against
Edom. Its
Destruction seems to
have been typical, as their
Father Esau's rejection; and to
refer to the
Destruction of the enemies of the
Gospel Church.
See the prediction of the success of that
War;
Edom shall be
spoiled, and brought down. All the enemies of
God's
Church shall
be disappointed in the things they stay themselves
On.
God can
easily lay those low who magnify and exalt themselves; and will
do it.
Carnal security ripens men for ruin, and makes the ruin
worse when it comes. Treasures
On Earth cannot be
So safely laid
up but that
Thieves may break through and steal; it is therefore
our
Wisdom to lay up for ourselves treasures in
Heaven. Those
that make
Flesh their trust,
Arm it against themselves. The
God
of our
Covenant will never deceive us: but if we trust men with
whom we join ourselves, it may prove to us a wound and
dishonour.
God will justly deny those understanding to keep out
of danger, who will not use their understandings to keep out of
Sin. All violence, all unrighteousness, is
Sin; but it makes the
violence far worse, if it be done against any of
God's people.
Their barbarous conduct towards
Judah and
Jerusalem, is charged
upon them. In reflecting
On ourselves, it is good to consider
what we should have done; to compare our practice with the
Scripture rule.
Sin, thus looked upon in the
Glass of the
commandment, will appear exceedingly sinful. Those have a great
Deal to answer for, who are idle spectators of the troubles of
their neighbours, when able to be active helpers. Those make
themselves
Poor, who think to make themselves rich
By the ruin
of the people of
God; and those deceive themselves, who
Call all
that their own
On which they can lay their hands in a
Day of
calamity. Though
Judgment begins at the
House of
God, it shall
not
End there. Let sorrowful believers and insolent oppressors
know, that the troubles of the righteous will soon
End, but
those of the wicked will be eternal.
17-21 There should be deliverance and
Holiness at
Jerusalem,
and the
House of
Jacob would again occupy their possessions.
Much of this
Prophecy was fulfilled when the Jews returned to
their own land. But the
Salvation and
Holiness of the
Gospel,
its spread, and the
Conversion of the
Gentiles, seem also to be
intended, especially the restoration of
Israel, the
Destruction
of
Antichrist, and the prosperous state of the
Church, to which
all the prophets
Bear Witness. When
Christ is come, and not till
then, shall the kingdom be the
Lord's in the full sense of the
term. As none that exalt themselves against the
Lord shall
prosper, and all shall be brought down;
So none that wait upon
the
Lord, and
Put their trust in him, shall ever be dismayed.
Blessed be the Divine
Saviour and
Judge On Mount Zion! His
Word
shall be a savour of
Life unto
Life unto
Numbers, while it
Judges and condemns obstinate unbelievers.