Obadiah was in charge of the palace of King Ahab. Ahab was a wicked king of Israel, and his wife, Jezebel, was even more wicked. But Obadiah quietly served God in the midst of the wickedness. And he thrived. Surrounded by wickedness each day, Obadiah had the strength and courage to stand strong in his faith. He didn’t allow the evil around him to influence his commitment to serving God. What can we learn from his example?
Aside from where he worked and who he worked for, we only know a couple of stories about this man. Apparently, there are at least a dozen other men named Obadiah in the Bible. Most of them are as obscure as this particular Obadiah. He may or may not be the prophet Obadiah who wrote the book named after himself.
During the years of Ahab’s reign, the prophet Elijah foretold of a coming famine and drought. He said it would last until the time he said it would end. And he was correct. It was during this famine that in an act of courage, Obadiah hid one hundred prophets in caves when Queen Jezebel wanted to have them killed. He kept them hidden and fed until Elijah confronted Ahab about who the real God was. Was it God or Baal? God proved himself in a mighty way, and all the prophets of Baal were killed. And the only reason anyone in Israel worshipped Baal was because King Ahab had married this foreign woman who worshipped an image of this manmade god. She brought her idol worship to Israel, and turned the king and country over to pagan worship. However, a remnant of faithful followers of the God of Israel still remained. Many never bowed their knee to this pagan god who couldn’t hear or answer their prayers.
You can read the story of Obadiah in 1 Kings 18.
Although Ahab adopted the practice of worshiping foreign gods, he didn’t require it of his employees. He never forced Obadiah to bow to Baal. We may wonder why. But perhaps he knew that any man who faithfully served God would faithfully serve him, as well. He didn’t ask Obadiah to be dishonest or cruel. Ahab didn’t convert Obadiah to Baal worship, and Obadiah didn’t convert Ahab to worshiping God.
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians 3:23
Some of the characteristics of Obadiah that make him an outstanding example of living and working in troubling times can be a model for us today. He retained his integrity. He feared God and was faithful to him. He courageously cared for other faithful followers when they were in need. He was trusted by a wicked employer. He did not bow his knee to a false god. He didn’t hide his faith. He didn’t quit.
Christians today may find themselves in a difficult work environment where they are asked to support activities or workforce policies that go against their beliefs. Their employer may endorse and favor people who live in direct opposition to the word of God. We don’t have to run from those situations. We must remain steadfast in our faith and always do the right biblical thing.
As the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is nothing new under the sun. Just as the faithful men in the Old Testament worked for compromised employers and retained their faith, we may find ourselves in similar situations. There will always be times of testing for the believer. We must not run from it. We must stand strong in our dependence and trust in God. We know God is always good and faithful. Instead of allowing difficulties to ruin our faith, the test of faithfulness to God will build our strength and resilience. We can be tough when tough times come. And we can do hard things with God’s help.
If we read the stories of the Bible closely, we’ll learn that many who faithfully served God were put in a position to compromise their faith in order to survive or stay safe. Some gave in to the compromise while others stood firm in their faith. Standing firm in our faith doesn’t always require us to leave the uncomfortable situation. Perhaps our faith would be more refined if we walked through the fire a bit. We aren’t assured of an easy life when we lay down our sins and follow Christ. We may walk through the fire of intense trials. Today’s trials aren’t unique to our heavenly Father. He knew this time would come where our faith is tested. But his unwavering love for us can strengthen us during those times.
The night before Jesus was crucified, he asked the Father to keep his disciples safe from the evil one as they lived in the world of ungodliness. He didn’t ask for them to be moved to a safe place. He didn’t ask for them to be sheltered from their enemies. He knew they would face troubles, even death, and he wanted them to be safe from the enemy’s grip on their souls. He knew it was one thing to fight for their life, and another to fight for their soul.
I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. John 17:14-19
Mercy for the Day 