Despised by the World
11/21 Reading Portions: 1 Chronicles 16; James 3; Obadiah 1; Luke 5
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
11/21 Reading Portions: 1 Chronicles 16; James 3; Obadiah; Luke 5
Obadiah 2, KJV
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
SMALL
Obadiah’s name means “servant of Yah,” and he packs a great deal of gospel truth in this little one-chapter writing. We must keep in mind that the minor prophets were not minor because their writings were less significant than the major prophets; they are minor because their truth from God contained less content than the majors. The content of Obadiah’s prophecy was directed toward the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. Like his ancestor Adam, Esau sold his birthright for something to eat, and thus, he was called Edom, for the red stew he consumed (Gen 25:30). Because Esau despised his birthright (Gen 25:34), and because his Edomite descendants despised God’s sovereign grace, God made them small among the heathen and greatly despised by them. We have the KJV today because the ESV uses future tense,
“Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised.”
The KJV correctly translates the original Hebrew in past tense and literally says,
“Behold, I gave you small to the nations.”
Since Jesus, the true Servant of Yah (Isa 52:13), went to the cross for the sins of Adam (Edom), this prophetically speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39) as He was literally given (have made thee) insignificance (small) among the nations (heathen); and most assuredly, Jesus was greatly despised of men (Isa 53:3), not only by the Jews, but by the heathen, the nations, the gentiles, which is the Hebrew גוים (go-YIM). In Christ, we are also greatly despised by unbelievers. They see our faith as small and insignificant. Yet we rejoice— because God literally gave us, like despicable Edomites, salvation by grace; and He has empowered us by having given us insignificance so we may decrease and Christ may increase (John 3:30).
The Lord Jesus was thought quite small,
Despised and sent to die with gall
Upon the cross to save our souls,
And please the Father most of all.