WHEN GOD MAKES THINGS RIGHT
His Life Ministries May 2026 Sermon Series
Main Verse:
Obadiah 1:15 (NKJV) "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head."
SERIES OVERVIEW:
Life often leaves us with questions about injustice. Sometimes, wrongs go unpunished, and betrayal is ignored, so it can feel like injustice wins. But Obadiah reminds us that God’s justice is certain. He is always working to make things right.
Obadiah speaks after a tragedy, when Jerusalem has fallen, and hope feels weak. Through this prophet, God confronts Edom’s pride and betrayal, showing that no injustice escapes His notice. What people overlook, God sees. What nations ignore, God judges.
This series, When God Makes Things Right, focuses on the important truth that God’s justice never fails. God deals with wrongdoing, humbles the proud, and restores what is broken through His steady and purposeful justice.
As we journey through this short but powerful book, we see that God’s justice brings both judgment and hope. While He removes injustice, He also lifts the wounded and promises to restore His people.
Obadiah encourages us to trust God’s steady justice, even when life feels unfair. God is still working, and He will make everything right.
WEEKLY TOPIC AND EMPHASIS
May 03, 2026 | Week One | Birthday Sunday
Topic: When God Makes Things Right
Verse: Obadiah 1:15 (NKJV) "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head."
We live in a world where injustice often seems to win. Pride goes unchecked, wrongdoing appears to go unpunished, and many people wonder whether the brokenness of our world will ever truly be made right. In moments like these, the message of the prophet Obadiah speaks with striking clarity and relevance.
At the center of the book is Obadiah 1:15, a verse that declares, “For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near.” This verse reminds us that history is not moving randomly; it is moving toward a decisive moment when God will intervene to set things right. On that day, arrogance will be humbled, wrongdoing will be confronted, and justice will prevail. What people sow will ultimately return to them, because God is both righteous and just.
But the message of Obadiah is not only about judgment—it is also about hope. The same God who confronts evil also restores His people and invites humanity into His redemptive plan. His ultimate purpose is not merely to punish wrongdoing but to establish His kingdom where righteousness, mercy, and truth reign.
Preaching Insight: God sees every wrong, remembers every deed, and in His time will make all things right.
May 10, 2026 | Week Two | Communion Sunday | Mother’s Day Special
Topic: Things Get Right as God Steps In
Verse: Obadiah 1:15a (NKJV) "For the day of the LORD… is near."
The prophet Obadiah declares that history is moving toward a decisive moment known as the Day of the Lord. This is the day when God intervenes directly in human affairs to confront evil and establish righteousness. Though people may feel that God is distant or silent, Scripture assures us that His appointed day is approaching. The nearness of this day is both a warning and an invitation—warning those who persist in injustice and inviting people to turn back to God while there is still time.
Preaching Insight: God’s silence is not His absence—His day is coming when He will step in and set things right.
May 17, 2026 | Week Three | DLG & Divinity Sunday
Topic: What You Do Comes Back
Verse: Obadiah 1:15b (NKJV) "As you have done, it shall be done to you."
One of the most sobering truths in Scripture is that our actions matter before God. Obadiah teaches that there is a moral order in God’s world: what we do eventually comes back to us. Pride, injustice, and cruelty carry consequences, while righteousness and humility bring blessings. This truth calls believers to live responsibly before God, knowing that every word, decision, and action has eternal significance.
Preaching Insight: The choices we make today are the harvest we will face tomorrow.
May 24, 2026 | Facility Sunday
Topic: As God Makes Things Right, Justice Is Served
Verse: Obadiah 1:15 (NKJV) "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head."
One of the most powerful themes in the prophecy of Obadiah is the certainty of divine justice. The prophet declares that the Day of the Lord will not only come—it will bring a full and righteous reckoning. The injustices that seem ignored today will not remain unresolved forever. God’s justice ensures that wrongdoing does not escape accountability.
For Edom, the message was direct. Their pride, violence, and indifference toward Israel’s suffering would return upon them. The very harm they inflicted on others would become their own downfall. This demonstrates a fundamental principle in God’s moral order: injustice ultimately collapses under the weight of God’s righteousness.
For believers today, this truth brings both sobriety and comfort. It reminds us that God does not overlook evil, yet it also assures us that we do not need to seek revenge. Justice belongs to God. When God makes things right, He does so perfectly—without corruption, bias, or delay.
Preaching Insight: God’s justice may seem delayed, but it is never denied—when He acts, justice will be fully served.
May 31, 2026 | Mission Sunday
Topic: Bringing God’s Justice to All Nations
Verse: Obadiah 1:15 (NKJV) "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head."
The message of Obadiah does not stop with judgment; it ultimately points to God’s wider purpose for the world. The Day of the Lord will affect all nations, revealing that God’s authority extends far beyond Israel or Edom. He desires that people everywhere would recognize His justice, turn from wrongdoing, and receive His salvation.
This global vision connects directly with the mission of the church. As we await the Day of the Lord, believers are called to proclaim God’s truth and mercy to the nations. The nearness of that day should not only awaken urgency in our hearts but also move us toward compassionate action. God invites His people to participate in His redemptive work by sharing the message of hope with the world.
While the Day of the Lord will ultimately bring justice, today is still a day of opportunity—an opportunity for the nations to hear the good news and experience God’s transforming grace.
Preaching Insight: Because the Day of the Lord is near, the mission of God’s people must be urgent and global.
NOTES ON OBADIAH (HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND. HOW JUSTICE IS DESCRIBED IN THIS BOOK)
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: The Book of Obadiah is set during one of ancient Israel’s darkest times, when kingdoms fell, alliances broke, and betrayal ran deep. Long before Obadiah’s prophecy, Edom and Judah—descendants of Esau and Jacob—lived side by side. Though related, their history was marked by rivalry and violence that spanned generations. Eventually, the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II swept across the region and set its sights on Jerusalem.
In 586 BCE, Jerusalem fell—its walls broken, the temple destroyed, and its people exiled or killed. This devastation shattered Judah’s identity and faith. But what made the tragedy worse was Edom’s response.
Instead of helping, the Edomites stood by and watched, even rejoicing as Jerusalem fell. Some intercepted fleeing survivors, turning them over to enemies or joining in the plundering. Edom chose opportunism over solidarity.
Obadiah’s brief but urgent prophecy condemned Edom not just for violence, but for betraying a brother nation. He warned that Edom’s pride, false security, and cruelty would not go unpunished. Obadiah declared that Edom would be repaid for its actions. The destruction they witnessed would come upon them—a sign of the “Day of the Lord,” when all nations would answer for their deeds.
Yet Obadiah also offered hope. Judah would not remain broken forever—restoration and justice would come.
The story of Obadiah is more than history—it’s a tale of family rivalry, pride before downfall, and hope for restoration after destruction.
CULTURAL BACKGROUND: The Book of Obadiah’s world was defined by family, honor, survival, and faith—values at the heart of the ancient Near East.
Identity was tied to ancestry. Edom and Judah, descended from Esau and Jacob, saw each other as relatives. Kinship meant loyalty: to harm a brother nation was a moral failure.
Honor and shame shaped behavior. Reputation meant everything. Yet survival often trumped ideals. When Judah collapsed, Edom’s choice to side against them was seen as a betrayal of family and honor. Edom’s mountainous home fostered pride and a sense of security—confidence Obadiah would challenge, warning their position was not invulnerable.
Religion shaped daily life. For Judah, their covenant with God promised protection, but defeat brought a crisis of faith and questions of abandonment. Edom and other nations saw Judah’s defeat as a power struggle among gods or a chance for dominance, deepening divides.
Justice, understood as reciprocity, was central: what a nation did would be returned. Obadiah warned Edom that their actions would have consequences.
Within this landscape, Obadiah’s message critiques values: pride blinds, betrayal brings consequences, and justice endures—even in a fractured world.
Ultimately, Obadiah’s world was one of loyalty and survival, faith and doubt, pride and accountability—a world not so different from ours.
God’s judgment in the Book of Obadiah is portrayed as certain, just, and proportionate, unfolding in response to pride and betrayal. At the center of the message is the fate of Edom. Through the prophet Obadiah, God declares that Edom’s confidence in its mountain strongholds and alliances is misplaced. Their pride—believing they were untouchable—becomes the very reason for their downfall. God’s judgment is described as unavoidable: even if they hide in the heights, they will be brought down.
A key feature of this judgment is reversal. Edom had taken advantage of Jerusalem during its destruction, looting, rejoicing, and harming fleeing survivors. Because of this, God declares a principle of justice: “As you have done, it will be done to you.” In other words, their punishment mirrors their actions. This reflects a moral order where wrongdoing brings corresponding consequences.
The judgment is also part of a broader theme known as the “Day of the Lord.” In Obadiah, this is not limited to one nation. While Edom is the immediate focus, the prophecy expands to include all nations. God’s judgment becomes universal—no nation is beyond accountability. Those who act with violence, arrogance, or injustice will face consequences.
At the same time, God’s judgment is not only about destruction—it also clears the way for restoration. While Edom is brought low, Israel is promised renewal. The people will return, reclaim their land, and reestablish themselves. This contrast highlights that judgment serves both as punishment for wrongdoing and as a means of restoring what was lost.
So in Obadiah, God’s judgment is described as:
Inevitable – no power or position can prevent it.
Retributive – actions are repaid in kind.
Universal – all nations are subject to it.
Restorative – it ultimately leads to justice and renewal.
Altogether, the book presents a vision of a God who sees injustice, responds decisively, and ensures that pride and betrayal do not have the final word.
TIPS ON HOW TO PREACH OBADIAH 1:15 THAT IS BOTH BIBLICAL & RELEVANT
Obadiah 1:15 is one of the most powerful lines in the whole Book of Obadiah: “The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you…” It’s short, but it carries weight—judgment, justice, and moral accountability.
Preaching it well means handling both its warning and its fairness.
1. Center your sermon on one big idea. If you try to cover everything, it gets diluted. A strong core message could be that God’s justice is unavoidable and perfectly fair. Everything in your sermon should orbit that.
2. Explain “the Day of the Lord” clearly. Don’t assume people understand this phrase.
In Obadiah, it means: A time when God intervenes decisively. A moment of reckoning, not just for one nation but “all nations.” Make it relatable: Not just future apocalypse language. It is about God stepping in to set things right
3. Emphasize the reversal principle: “As you have done, it will be done to you.” This is the heart of the verse: Actions come back. Justice mirrors behavior
Connect it to familiar ideas: “You reap what you sow” (without over-quoting other passages). The moral structure of reality. But avoid making it sound like simple karma—it’s not impersonal. It’s God actively judging.
4. Bring it out of the ancient world. Edom’s story matters, but your listeners need to see themselves in it. Translate the principle into modern life: Exploiting others → eventual exposure. Arrogance → eventual humbling. Indifference to suffering → accountability
A strong line: The same choices we justify today become the evidence against us tomorrow.
5. Balance warning with sobriety (not fear-mongering). This verse is intense. Don’t soften it—but don’t weaponize it either. Avoid: sounding vindictive; creating panic
Instead: speak with moral clarity. Let the weight of justice speak for itself
6. Highlight the universality: “all nations.” This is easy to overlook but crucial.
It means: No one is exempt. Not just “them”—us too. That prevents the sermon from becoming self-righteous. “us vs. them” A good emphasis: God’s standard doesn’t bend for anyone.
7. Connect justice with hope. If you stop at judgment, the sermon feels heavy and incomplete.
Even in Obadiah’s message, Justice means evil doesn’t win forever. Wrong will be addressed
You can frame it like: The same justice that warns us also assures us that injustice won’t have the final word.
8. Use concrete examples instead of abstract ideas. Instead of saying “people are unjust,” show it: taking advantage of someone weaker, ignoring wrongdoing when it benefits us. celebrating others’ failure. That mirrors what Edom did—and makes the text land.
9. End with a personal call to reflection. Let the verse turn inward:
Where am I assuming I won’t be held accountable?
What actions would I not want returned to me?
Am I living as if God’s justice is real—or distant?
10. Keep the tone tight and focused. This verse is sharp—your sermon should be too.
Avoid long detours
Repeat your central idea in different ways
Let the simplicity carry the weight
