Audio Download

Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:2 Thou art Greatly Despised

[Study Aired December 13, 2023]

Oba 1:2  Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised

Oba 1:2  Behold,^H2009 I have made^H5414 thee small^H6996 among the heathen:^H1471 thou^H859 art greatly^H3966 despised.^H959 

The seven Hebrew words used are:

H2009 – Hinneh, behold, lo, see, if, prolongation for a primitive particle H2005, Hen, behold, lo, if

H5414 – Nathan, (Qal) to give, put, set, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend, put on, put upon, appoint, assign, designate, make, constitute, a primitive root

H6996 – Qatan, young, small, insignificant, unimportant, from a primitive root 

H6962, Koot, to loathe, be grieved, feel a loathing, detest, loathe oneself

H1471 – Goy, nation, people, swarm of locusts, other animals, from the same root as 

H1465, Gevah, the back, behind, from H1460, Gev, the back, back, midst, from a primitive root H1342, Ga’ah, to rise up, grow up, be exalted in triumph, be lifted up, be raised up, be exalted

H859 – Attah, you (second pers. sing. masc.) a primitive pronoun of the second person

H3966 – Meod, Vehement, exceedingly, much, might, force, abundance, muchness, greatly, very, up to abundance, to a great degree, with muchness, from the same as H181, Ood, brand, fire brand, from an unused root meaning to rake together a poker (for turning or gathering embers) (Root word used three times in OT)

H959 – Bazah, (Qal) to despise, hold in contempt, a primitive root

Here is a literal translation of verse 2 including the root words:

Oba 1:2 Behold (you are) given to be small [to loathe yourself], [you will] be raised up, you, a firebrand, held in contempt.

The new man loathes the old man, because they are opposites (in opposition) and will hold it in contempt just as the new man is held in contempt by the flesh. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he refers to this conflict:

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind [G5426] the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

It is the carnal mind (false doctrines) which make up the old man and it is the carnal mind that is enmity (hostility) against God.

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

As we mature in Christ we begin to place much more emphasis on understanding the things of the spirit, by spending time in the Word, because we know that focusing on the flesh does not please God. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God

The Greek word used in Romans 8:5 for mind (for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit) is:

G5426 
phroneō [fron-eh’-o]

From G5424; to exercise the mind, that is, entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): – set the affection on. From a root word G5424 “the faculty of perceiving and judging”.

As the elect we are interested in understanding the Word of God, and we are very concerned with being obedient to His Words. This is what makes us “able ministers” as shown in 2 Corinthians.

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers [G1249] of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life

The elect are “able ministers”:

G1249
diakonos

Thayer Definition:

1) one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master, a servant, attendant, minister

1a) the servant of a king

We are, and are to be, servants of Christ, our King. He is the true King of kings and Lord of lords. He chose us to be servants; we didn’t choose to be invited to be a servant in his Kingdom because it is He who appoints us to this role.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Isa 43:10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me

Good servants, primarily are obedient to their King. This is how we can keep every word of Christ and at the same time apply the spiritual principle of not keeping every “letter” which has been written in the Bible, instead discerning truth from error as we start to put away the idols from out of all our land. As servants we are given the keys to the Kingdom so we may better understand the spirit behind the letter of what has been written:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is our reasonable service to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. This is achieved by renewing our mind (putting away the flesh/the idols and giants out of our land).

2Ch 15:6  And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
2Ch 15:7  Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
2Ch 15:8  And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin.

Nations are destroyed within us (false doctrines) as Christ (true doctrines) increases in us. Christ is moulding us into a firebrand, a “new sharp threshing instrument having teeth” that is comfortable in fire, discerning truth from error:

Isa 41:13  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 41:14  Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 41:15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

Sharp denotes the Word and how we use it in conjunction with the Holy Spirit 

H2742 chârûts (khaw-roots’), incised or incisive; hence a trench (as dug), gold (as mined), a threshing sledge (having sharp teeth); (figuratively) determination; decision

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God has three seasons in which he is harvesting all of mankind to himself so he may be all in all (1Co 15:28).

The first season of harvesting is the first of the firstfruits which is Christ.

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The second season is the harvest where the firstfruits are brought to God. The elect are a type of firstfruits.

Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth [That is Christ], that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures

The third season is the “feast of ingathering” which occurs at the end of the year and is when all in Adam will be dragged to their Creator.

Here is how it appears in Exodus:

Exo 34:22  And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.

Ultimately this work of harvesting will bring both the sower and the reaper joy. We find our peace and joy in being a servant of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Joh 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Joh 4:36  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

It is also comforting to know that Christ also thinks of us as more than just servants. He calls us His friend.

Joh 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Conclusion

Spiritual principle: We are to keep every word of scripture, but also understand the letter kills, but it is the spirit that giveth life.

Because of Christ in us, he is making us “able ministers” of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.