In The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien wrote: “There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.”
In Obadiah 1, the day of the Lord is like the “white star” (v.15). It reminds us that our current pains and hardships are but shadows. They will soon pass. In that day, God will bring full justice to the oppressed and punishment to the oppressors, and it will be the onset of a universal kingdom in which He will rule over all nations.
One major aspect of the day of the Lord will be judgment upon the people who did not obey God. They “will drink and stagger and disappear from history” (v.16). They will drink of God’s wrath.
The other major aspect of the day of the Lord is the final deliverance of those who trust God and await His eternal kingdom. On that day, “the people of Israel will come back to reclaim their inheritance” (v.17) and the “Lord Himself will be King!” (v.21).
As we read these prophetic words in Obadiah, let’s remember that prophecy is not just important information about what God has done and what He will do in the future. Prophecy is also good for our hearts. It gives us hope that our God is in control, as He says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:20).
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So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment (2 Peter 2:9).
Next:
How would keeping the day of the Lord in view change the way you handle today’s trials? What is the source of your hope?
fd on July 24, 2010 at 7:59 am
Thanks Poh for this reminder about this prophecy. It is always good to be refreshed about such words if we want to live up to God’s call. Yes lets continue our preparation to be able to party in that day. God bless you all!
kram4mark on July 24, 2010 at 11:27 am
The sad thing is that even solid christians forget that we too will be judged. We will be judged for every idle word out of our mouth. Even our thoughts.
esther chang on July 24, 2010 at 11:32 am
i think kram4mark has made a good point. it is indeed a strong reminder for me too!
but for today’s devotional, i think it’s a good reminder to hold on to the hope we have in God, so that whoever is facing injustice or a trial now can find comfort in knowing that ultimately, the kingship belongs to our Lord.
anyway, my church has a practice of sharing our QT revelations every time there is a service. during my church teens service, i shared this QT devotional with my church teens. (:
alanmross on July 24, 2010 at 8:13 pm
What a great reminder of the light of God shining in and at the darkest times. Ri