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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (6-8-1995 Guisborough Evangelical Church)
In studying the story of Elijah it is very easy to
overlook Obadiah. Elijah strides like a Colossus over the scene. He is the man
of God, bold and fearless, and always at the forefront of the action. Obadiah
can be overlooked or belittled as of no importance because he was just Ahab’s
servant, a quiet believer living life in a very difficult position, in the court
of Ahab and Jezebel. So his life is largely hidden, and he is not the topic of
many sermons!
We must be careful not to
under-value men of God who are quiet and retiring, and who do not demonstrate
their faith in dramatic and obvious ways. The true servant of God may be serving
well under great disadvantages and fierce opposition, but scarcely known and
recognized, unlike those on centre stage. Minor stars lose their brilliance when
the sun is out-shining them. Yet, though more dominant, Elijah depended on quiet
Obadiah in approaching the king. He who never feared the face of kings had need
of the help of a far more timid individual.
We need to learn that God has a
place for all His servants. Never despise the least, but value and cherish them.
The head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ (1 Corinthians
12:21). The weakest members of the body are still necessary and have their
place. The Lord does not despise them, and neither should we. To his own
master he stands or falls (Romans 14:4).
We are going to look at the beginning of Obadiah’s relationship with God, how he persevered in it, and the way his position in the court of Ahab was used for God.
I your servant have feared
the Lord since my youth (1 Kings 18:12). We do not know how Obadiah came to
fear the Lord in his youth, but it is a fair assumption that it was the result
of his parent’s influence. The clue is in his name. Obadiah means “the
servant of the Lord”. Obviously to give a name like that to a child shows they
had reverence for God. Obadiah was born in days when there was persecution of
God’s servants everywhere, and the name of the Lord was in contempt. So to
call a child Obadiah required firm conviction and courage by the parents.
Notice how Obadiah described his
relationship – “I have feared the Lord”. (NIV has “worship”, but
“fear” is closer to the original Hebrew.) The Bible says much about the fear
of the Lord. It does not mean men cower and are terror struck or dread the Lord.
It means reverence for the Lord in light of his majesty, having high esteem of
things sacred. Fear of the Lord reminds us that God is great and greatly to be
praised, and makes us anxious to please Him, concerned not to do wrong, and
causes us to maintain a tender conscience.
The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). What does the Lord ask of you, but to
fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love Him, to serve Him with
all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 10:12). Show proper
respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the
king (1 Peter 2:17). So this was a requirement for God’s people in both
the Old and New Testaments. Blessings are promised to those who fear God. God
will instruct him in the way chosen for him (Psalm 25:12). How great is
your goodness which you have stored up for those who fear you (Psalm 31:19).
His mercy extends to those who fear him (Luke 1:50).
Obadiah did not just say he
believed, or obeyed, or loved the Lord, but that he feared Him. Fear means
reverence and awe, something we need to be reminded of today, when so much
worship is of “the all-matey God”. Fear of the Lord ought to be reflected in
our prayers, the way we talk of God, preach about Him, and the words we use in
our hymns and choruses. The words spoken to Moses need to be remembered when we
come into His presence: Take off your sandals, for the place where you are
standing is holy ground (Exodus 3:5).
This had been Obadiah’s
experience from the beginning of his life. It is always good to belong to the
Lord. It is wonderful when people are saved after years in the far country, and
made children of God. The change is so great that we cannot but admire God’s
grace and power, “trophies of grace”. These conversions are lessons to all
around. Yet it is also beautiful when people belong to the Lord from their
earliest days. It means they are saved from thousands of regrets, having learnt
early in life to have the best of companions, to make their friends in the
church and not in the pub, to be helpers in virtue and not companions in vice.
They are saved from evil habits which are often hard to throw off once learnt.
There are many things they do not have to unlearn, and they are saved from many
sorrows and a great deal of shame. No heavy weight of bad memories to carry
through life. They are not troubled by scars and sores earned during years of
service of the devil.
How we ought to pray and work for the conversion of children and grandchildren early in life. How we ought to support and encourage those who work among the young. Give thought and support, especially at this time of year, to special efforts at the seaside and in the country to win the young for Christ.
In declaring that he has feared
the Lord from his youth, Obadiah implies that he is still going on with the
Lord. He is where he has always been down the years. This is confirmed because
of the comment by the narrator at the beginning of his account, Obadiah was a
devout believer in the Lord (1 Kings 18:3). Fear and reverence for the Lord
began in his youth, and was still growing and developing. The passing of time
had not changed him. Years made no difference. He remained faithful in times of
temptation, when others fell away, times of adversity and times of prosperity
did not affect him, persecutions and discouragements left him unscathed. He
maintained that relationship with God even though the whole nation had turned
its back on God – led by the king and queen, when heathen religion was
everywhere and worship of the true God was banished. Obadiah had no teaching or
fellowship to keep him true to the Lord. He was living in the headquarters of
heathen religion – the royal palace – in close contact with the king and
queen of all people. Yet he remained faithful to God.
Why he remained at the palace,
we do not know. Maybe he was exceptionally good at his job. Or maybe Jezebel
wanted to get rid of him, but Ahab decided to keep him, just to show Jezebel who
was boss. Maybe Ahab could not do without Obadiah. How difficult it is to stand
for God and be entirely on your own, e.g. the only Christian in the home,
family, street, or workplace. Some never see another Christian from one Sunday
till the next. There are faithful ministers in churches where they receive no
sympathy from office bearers or members. Some people belong to churches where
there is little help and no teaching at all. They can all take inspiration from
Obadiah’s life.
Loneliness, isolation, whatever
the circumstances, it is impossible to emphasise the difficulty. No matter what
knowledge and experience the Christian has, it is harrowing to be alone.
Isolation from other Christians has caused the spiritual temperature of many a
Christian to decline, like a coal taken out of the fire. Only those who have
been through it know. They are driven back on the Lord and His Word as never
before. This is the only way to survive.
Paul knew this experience. At
my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me… But the
Lord stood at my side and gave me strength (2 Timothy 4:16,17). We need to
pray that support may be given to us in our hour of need. Hear the Lord’s
promise: ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’. So we say
with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do
to me? (Hebrews 13:5,6).
Remember then, we need to succour and encourage the lonely ones, for they are so easily overlooked.
Obadiah felt he could do something for the cause of God.
He was the chamberlain of the palace, which was an important office with great
influence. He did all he could for God’s cause. He saved the lives of at least
one hundred of the Lord’s prophets by hiding them in caves, and feeding them
and giving them water to drink (1 Kings 18:4). He protected them from the
bloodthirsty queen. He watched over them and did not betray them. He must have
taken quite a risk in doing so. Observe how generous and hospitable he was. He
staked his life and used his own purse on quite a grand scale.
It is often claimed that Obadiah
was a compromiser, that he could not have held such a job unless he turned a
blind eye to wrong-doing, and that he should have spoken up instead of remaining
silent. Yet there is no proof that he was like that. There are others in the
Bible who have proved that it is possible to hold high position in an ungodly
court without loss of principle. Joseph feared God in the court of Pharaoh.
Daniel was the trusted counsellor of Nebuchadnezzar. Pilate’s wife pleaded for
Jesus at His trial. Paul wrote to the saints in Caesar’s household
(Philippians 4:22).
Also in the history of the
church. John Wycliffe (1324-1384), who made the first attempt to translate the
whole Bible into English, met fierce opposition from the authorities, and some
followers paid with their lives. But Wycliffe was kept safe because of John O’
Gaunt Duke of Lancaster’s protection. Also Luther, after his stand at Worms,
was protected by Elector Frederick of Saxony in Wartburg Castle, because there
was danger of him being hanged or burnt.
And yet there is a warning here
for us. Being in Ahab’s palace in a position of honour, meeting and mingling
with those who were enemies of God, constantly tempted to compromise, frequently
facing extreme difficulty in serving two very different masters – Obadiah was
in constant spiritual danger. C.H.Spurgeon warned, “His course was like
walking a tightrope. I should not like to try it myself, nor would I recommend
any of you to attempt a feat so difficult. The part of Elijah was much safer and
grander. He had not to please but to reprove Ahab. He had not to be wary but to
act in a bold outspoken manner for God.” A very important point is being made
here.
How often people feel that we
need to belong to the world and influence it from within, to join in with it and
be part of its amusements and conviviality. The same argument can be used about
marriage to a non-Christian, and for joining in business enterprises with the
world, or joining a church with no definite and clear evangelical message. We
may think we should go into these arrangements and influence them from within,
but the reality is that in most cases, this does not work. In very few cases,
absolutely sure that God has a purpose, and certain of not being compromised, it
may work. But in most cases, it leads to compromise instead of influence. We
hope to make the world rise to our level, but end up sinking to the world’s
level. We find ourselves living with an uneasy conscience, turning a blind eye
and silent tongue to much that is wrong, and impossible to resist the downward
pull.
The safest place is outside Ahab’s court, outside the camp, heeding the Lord’s call, Come out from them and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). We can be more effective witnesses if we are outside the camp than we can if we are encircled by the camp. That is the lesson from history. As Scripture puts it, in the world, but not of the world (John 17:16). The church which admits the world will soon become more worldly than the world will become Christian. The safest and strongest position, for the vast majority, is outside the camp, not with Obadiah in the palace.
Obadiah knew God from his earliest days. His faith persisted with the passage of years, and ultimately he was able to use his position for God. Appeal to the young: Remember your creator in the days of your youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1). And yet it is never too late to turn to the Lord and live for Him, to go and work in the vineyard even at the 11th hour. Consecrate your gifts, talents, and position to use as God wills.
