James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
Obadiah 1:17
POSSESSING OUR POSSESSIONS
‘The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.’
As long as Edom invaded and annoyed the house of Jacob the people were unable to possess their possessions in peace. But its dominion was to be ended, and then there would be no cloud in the sky, no barrier to their uninterrupted joy.
I. There are many instances of people not possessing their possesions.—Such are those who put their plate and valuables into furniture depositories, and for years leave them to neglect; who have shelves of unread, uncut books; who do not realise that coal and iron mines lie under their estates; who never enjoy the wealth of love and tenderness in their friends’ hearts; and refuse to avail themselves of resources which are well within their reach.
II. But too many of God’s people are like this.—The Father has caused all His fullness to reside in the nature of Jesus; He hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness in Him; He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; in our Saviour are treasures of wisdom, of purity, of prevailing power, of love and patience. The Divine Merchantman has come to us to give us gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eyesalve. But we go blundering on in our own selfish, sinful, faltering way. We do not possess our possessions. We do not call into practical use the boundless reinforcements awaiting us, at every hour, within the tiniest beckoning of our faith. We are like the manufacturer who refuses to use the steam-power, though it is laid on into the mill; or the householder who refuses to touch the button of the electric light in his house.
Illustrations
(1) ‘Some of us have received the crowning gift of God; but we have not fully received it. That is a striking passage in Obadiah: “The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” What a great deal belongs to us that we do not possess! It lies beyond us untouched, unseen, unrealised; estates that we do not tread, gold that we do not reckon, dainties that we do not taste. We have a great inheritance in Christ; but we do not possess our possessions. The infinite light, grace, and energy which are really ours are most imperfectly actualised in our experience. This poor experience is not the measure of the gift of Christ. We possess the dust of gold rather than the gold itself, a few rose-leaves rather than the garden, the grape gleanings rather than the vintage. Let us afresh seek to possess the fullness of the blessing Christ came to bestow. He means to make us unutterably peaceful and pure; and we ought not to be satisfied with less. Oh, for an experience that will correspond with the “unspeakable gift”! We are ready enough to grasp the lesser gifts of time and sense; let not these abate our desire for the superlative blessings “in heavenly places in Jesus Christ.” ’
(2) ‘Happy is the inhabitant of Zion, even in the most afflicted times! There alone is deliverance from the wrath to come, and from every evil; there holiness is communicated and resides: and while the Lord purifies His redeemed … He both marks them out as His own, and prepares them to possess their purchased inheritance. His people will also be victorious, and as a flame to consume their enemies: and they shall inherit all things, whilst others shall lose even what they seemed to have. Blessed be God, for the Divine Saviour and Judge on Mount Zion, and for those whom He sends forth as His ministers, to bring sinners to partake of His salvation!’