Pastor Bola Bello
[biblegateway passage=”Obadiah 1:17-21″ display=”Obadiah 1:17-21″]
Obadiah likened Zion to fire and Esau to stubbles, wherein the design of Zion, she is to be kindled to devour Esau. Therefore, it is important that we come to an understanding of what Esau represents to us so that we do not end up pursuing shadows. Over and over again, Zion (the church) has usually been worried about the wrong things.
In the timeline of scriptures, there are primarily four names that God described the children of Israel with. The first is Jacob (representing flesh, man, struggle and earthly one). Jacob later wrestled at Bethel and had his name changed to Israel (representing the prince of God). Later, God began to interact primarily with the tribe of Judah (representing the one whose house would produce the King of the earth). Finally, there was a transition to focus on Zion.
It is important to note that the dealings and prophecies of God on the physical Zion (Israel) is a prototype or shadow for the Spiritual Zion and Esau basically represents flesh.
In Isaiah 62:1, Zion is also described as a burning lamp purposed to cause the Gentiles to see her righteousness and glory. In Psalms 76:1, David also described Zion as the city of God, the dwelling place of God. Zion is also the capital city of the Lord, where major decisions are made. The utmost end for God’s agenda is that the mount of Esau must be consumed and Zion is an active player in this.
[biblegateway passage=”Matthew 1:24″ display=”Matthew 1:24″]
Of a truth, Jesus is the single saviour of all men, but Obadiah was not wrong to use the plural word “saviours”. To better understand the interpretation of this to us, we need to consider the physical Zion. In the timeline of scriptures, many saviours have been raised from the physical Zion (Israel) with examples such as Moses, Joshua, Samson, Deborah and so many more.
Amongst the many saviours raised, one thing that the physical Zion were not saved from was the assault of sin and death. The basic assignment of Jesus as a saviour was to save his people from their sins. So, the spiritual Zion that God is building now must also abandon the works of flesh and key into the same mission of Jesus.
The apostles asked Jesus for the time when the kingdom would be restored back to Israel, but Jesus said to them that the important thing is that they all be endued with power to become witnesses all over the earth. This is because the work that Jesus did as saviour must be replicated by all in Zion.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 11:21-25″ display=”Romans 11:21-25″]
In the righteousness of God, God has decided to include the Gentiles to himself. But, if we end up walking the way the physical Zion walked, we would not be able to come into God’s end. The assignment for us is to war against Esau (flesh).
Our identity is a “saviour”, not because we laid our lives down on the cross as Jesus did, but we bring the knowledge of Christ to save men from the hold of sin. Our work as saviours is not political or economical. It is continuing the works of Jesus.