The Approaching Day of the Lord

Devotional

Day 1: The Day of the Lord: Near and Unavoidable for All Nations

Obadiah’s prophecy declares a sobering truth: God’s justice will sweep over every nation like a flood. The Edomites trusted their mountain fortresses, believing their crimes against Israel would go unpunished. But the day of the Lord strips away false security, ensuring deeds return on the heads of those who oppose Him. This judgment isn’t limited to ancient enemies—it foreshadows God’s ultimate reckoning with all rebellion. Yet hope remains for those who align with His kingdom. The same God who judges also promises restoration to the humble. [31:14]

“For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been. But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.”
(Obadiah 15–17, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you seen the “deeds return on their own head” principle at work in your world? How does this truth shape your urgency to live aligned with God’s justice?

Day 2: Pride’s Deception in the Clefts of the Rock

Edom’s downfall began with a lethal lie: “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Their rocky strongholds bred arrogance, blinding them to their vulnerability before God. Pride distorts reality, making us mistake temporary safety for ultimate security. Like Edom, we often trust human ingenuity, resources, or reputation instead of humbly depending on God. The higher we climb in self-reliance, the farther we fall when God’s truth shatters our illusions. [42:38]

“The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.”
(Obadiah 3–4, ESV)

Reflection: What “mountain fortress” have you built—success, relationships, or self-sufficiency—that might be masking spiritual complacency? How is God calling you to descend into dependence?

Day 3: God’s Tenacious Faithfulness Beyond Our Failures

Israel’s restoration defies logic. After generations of idolatry and rebellion, God still promises, “The house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.” His covenant loyalty isn’t earned—it flows from His unchanging character. Like a parent relentlessly fighting for a wayward child, God’s faithfulness outlasts our worst moments. Even when exile feels permanent, He works to reclaim what was lost. Our hope rests not in our perfection, but in His stubborn grace. [01:03:46]

“Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.’”
(Romans 11:25–26, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you felt disqualified by failure? How might God’s tenacious faithfulness toward Israel reshape your view of His commitment to you?

Day 4: From Exile to Inheritance: Possessing What Was Lost

Obadiah maps a homecoming—exiles reclaiming lands from Edom, Philistia, and Samaria. God doesn’t just reverse loss; He expands territory. What enemies stole, He restores with interest. This promise isn’t merely geopolitical—it’s a pattern for anyone living in spiritual displacement. The same God who guided Israelites back to vineyards and cities can recover your stolen joy, purpose, or relationships. His restoration always exceeds the bounds of our pain. [01:00:19]

“The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”
(Obadiah 20–21, ESV)

Reflection: What “inheritance” feels lost to you—relationships, dreams, or spiritual vitality? How might God be preparing to restore beyond what was taken?

Day 5: The Kingdom Shall Be the Lord’s: The Final Word

Obadiah ends with a throne—not Edom’s, Rome’s, or any human empire’s, but the Lord’s. Every injustice, every gloating enemy, every tear finds its answer in this declaration. While evil appears dominant now, the story concludes with Christ’s unshakable reign. Our present struggles are temporary footnotes to eternity’s headline: the King wins. This truth turns lament into defiant hope, empowering us to live as kingdom ambassadors in a rebellious world. [01:08:34]

“Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”
(Obadiah 21, ESV)

Reflection: When has earthly chaos made God’s kingdom feel distant? How does the certainty of His final word change how you face today’s battles?

Sermon Summary

Obadiah gives a short word, but short words do not have to be weak words. The one chapter books of the Bible do not waste a whole lot of movement, and Obadiah lands with a clear theme: the doom of Edom. The big idea is plain: the day of the Lord will set everything right.

The day of the Lord refers to God’s dramatic intervention in the events of the world, where his sovereign hand becomes undeniable. Obadiah shows that this day will bring judgment on God’s enemies, restoration for God’s people, and the manifestation of God’s kingdom. Edom came from Esau, and Israel came from Jacob, so this conflict had deep family roots. The old struggle that started in the womb kept showing up in history, all the way down to the Herods in the time of Christ.

Edom’s pride had deceived them. The rocky terrain, the caves, the high places, and the city called Selah made Edom feel untouchable. Edom said in the heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” God answered that even if Edom’s nest were set among the stars, he would bring them down. The judgment would not be partial, like thieves taking only what they can carry or grape gatherers leaving gleanings. Edom would be pillaged until nothing was left.

The legal charges are serious. Edom stood aloof when Jerusalem fell, gloated over Judah’s ruin, looted wealth, and handed over fugitives. God is plaintiff, witness, and judge. The New Testament says the same thing: Christ will be revealed from heaven, bringing vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. The dividing line is what a person does with Jesus. Apart from intentional faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, a person remains God’s enemy.

Mount Zion receives a different word. God promises escape, holiness, possession, and restoration. Israel’s return after seventy years did not exhaust these promises, because the full spiritual restoration still waits for Christ’s return. Romans 11 says a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, and then all Israel will be saved. That hope rests not on Israel’s performance, but on the tenacious faithfulness of God to his people and promises.

The final word is beautiful: “the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” God’s universal reign is real now, but his earthly geopolitical reign will one day be obvious. Jesus will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Until that day, anxious, lonely, and misrepresented people are held by a Savior who never leaves or forsakes, the one whose name keeps his people singing even through waters deep.

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Key Takeaways

1. Pride can feel like safety. Edom’s mountains, caves, and high places created the illusion that nobody could touch them. Pride does not always sound arrogant at first; sometimes it sounds like calm confidence that nothing serious will ever happen. God’s word exposes that false security and says even a nest among the stars is not high enough to escape his hand. [42:15]
2. God sees the day of calamity. Edom did not merely watch Judah suffer; Edom gloated, looted, blocked fugitives, and handed survivors over. God names those sins because hidden cruelty is never hidden from him. The day of another person’s distress reveals whether the heart has compassion or whether it secretly enjoys being on top. [47:05]
3. The gospel divides God’s enemies. God’s enemies are not defined first by politics, background, or obvious wickedness, but by the rejection or neglect of Christ. Ambivalence toward the gospel is not neutral ground before a holy God. Reconciliation comes only through intentional faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. [55:56]
4. Restoration rests on God’s faithfulness. Israel’s future hope is not grounded in Israel being impressive, steady, or deserving. The hope stands because God is tenaciously faithful to his people and his promises. That same faithfulness gives real comfort to believers who feel like the biggest screw ups in the world. [65:30]
5. The kingdom gets the last word. Obadiah ends after injustice, violence, and judgment with this line: “the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” Evil may look loud and established for a while, but it does not get the final sentence. Christ’s reign will make God’s rule plain in the world, not merely believed in private.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:46] - Opening Obadiah
[32:25] - Short Words, Strong Answers
[35:29] - The Doom of Edom
[36:06] - The Day of the Lord
[37:34] - Judgment on God’s Enemies
[42:15] - Edom’s Deceptive Pride
[47:05] - Charges Against Edom
[51:16] - Enemies of God and the Gospel
[58:22] - Restoration of God’s People
[67:40] - The Kingdom Shall Be the Lord’s
[71:19] - Mercy from the Judge
[72:58] - Jesus Keeps His People Singing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Obadiah 1:15-18
“For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been. But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken.” [31:00]

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
“since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” [55:56]

Romans 11:25-27
“Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’; ‘and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”

Observation questions

In Obadiah 1:15-18, what different outcomes are described for “all the nations,” for the house of Esau, and for Mount Zion?
What specific actions did Edom take when Jerusalem fell, besides simply watching from a distance? [47:05]
In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, what two things does God promise to do when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven?
What repeated words or pictures in Obadiah 1:15-18 show both judgment and restoration at the same time?

Interpretation questions

Obadiah says, “As you have done, it shall be done to you.” What does that reveal about the justice of God, and why would that matter to people who have been wronged?
Edom’s pride sounded like, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Why does pride so easily feel like safety, and how can that kind of self-deception keep a person from seeing real danger before God? [42:15]
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 says God’s enemies are those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus. What does that show about the real dividing line between people, and why is indifference to Christ not a neutral position? [55:56]
Romans 11:25-27 points to future mercy for Israel. What does that suggest about the foundation of restoration: human performance or God’s faithfulness? [01:05:30]

Application questions

Where is pride currently pretending to be security in life? Is there an area where the heart quietly says, “I’m fine, nothing can really touch me”? [42:15]
Edom sinned in the day of another person’s calamity by standing aloof, gloating, and taking advantage. When others struggle, is the first instinct compassion, distance, or secret satisfaction? What might repentance look like there? [47:05]
The deepest question is not whether someone seems religious or respectable, but what is being done with Jesus. Is there settled trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, or has there been mostly delay, vagueness, or indifference? [57:35]
God’s faithfulness does not rest on his people being impressive. Where is there a need to stop looking at personal inconsistency and start looking again at God’s tenacious faithfulness? [01:05:30]
“The kingdom shall be the LORD’s” means evil does not get the final word. What present injustice, grief, or confusion most needs to be brought under that truth right now? [01:08:14]
Jesus keeps his people even through deep waters. Where does life feel especially heavy right now—anxiety, loneliness, being misunderstood, or something else—and what would it look like to lean on his presence in that place this week? [01:12:58]
If God will one day set everything right, how could that hope change the way suffering, waiting, or discouragement is handled this week? [36:06]

Sermon Clips

60s

“``We might sit here, read this, and say, yeah. Get them, God. Get my enemies. When we are the enemies of God ourself. And that's a question that we all have to wrestle with is, are you an enemy of god? Are you an enemy of god? And, really, the dividing is what do you do with the gospel? What do you do with Jesus? If you've never been reconciled to God through intentional faith intentional faith in Jesus, fact of the matter is you're still an enemy of God. And so but you can be reconciled to God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and placing your faith in what Jesus has done on your behalf.”

60s

“So you sitting there, you wonder, so you're saying that God's gonna give the land to Israel. That doesn't seem very fair. I'm not sure I like that because Israel is so unfaithful over and over. Well, we as believers, we better think rather carefully on this. The reason why there will be a restoration of Israel is not because of Israel. Okay? It is because of the tenacious faithfulness of God to his people and his promises. And God is still tenaciously faithful to his people and his promises, including the church, including individual saints, individual believers. Even when we feel like the biggest screw ups in the world, god is still tenaciously faithful.”

70s

“Did you see somebody in a power position helping someone? I mean, isn't that just like Jesus? When when we finally come to the reality of our situation as sinners, what happens is that we are struck by the fierce holiness and justice of God. And when you come to that place, you realize that you have no leg to stand on. And it's then and only then that we find that God is good and gracious. So this morning, are you anxious? The day of the lord will set everything right. Are you lonely? Are you misrepresented? The day of the lord is approaching, and he will make everything right. But until then, we have a savior that never leaves or forsakes us.”

41s

“While this Obadiah is teaching a literal restoration of ethnic Israel, there is application to God's people of all time because we see the faithfulness of God. God is faithful. And God will make everything right in ways that we will fully appreciate one day. Thirdly, the day of the Lord means the manifestation of God's kingdom. The day of the lord means judgment on god's enemies. It means the restoration of god's people, but it also means the manifestation of god's kingdom.”

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The Approaching Day of the Lord - Obadiah