Obadiah introduces us to another term important in the message of the Prophets. That is Zion. He makes this enticing statement about this place. But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness...Obadiah 1:17. Whether we understand this completely, or not, there is at least a bright gleam of hope coming through it to us who have been caught in the web of carnality. We see our hope in the word deliverance.

Many of us have carried not only the carnality of our heritage, with a good degree of shame accompanying it. David helps us here.

Psalm 31:1—In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Thy righteousness.

Further in the Psalm he said:

Psalm 31:19—Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought (which You have prepared) for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men!

(MSG) 19-22—What a stack of blessing you have piled up
      for those who worship you,
   Ready and waiting for all who run to you
      to escape an unkind world.
   You hide them safely away
      from the opposition.
   As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
      you silence the poisonous gossip.
   Blessed God!
      His love is the wonder of the world.
   Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
      "Out of sight, out of mind," I said.
   But you heard me say it,
      you heard and listened.

The above points wonderfully to Paul’s Word in Romans.

Romans 10:9-11—That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

Weymouth—If with your mouth you confess Jesus as Lord and in your heart believe that God brought Him back to life, you shall be saved. For with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness, and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation. The Scripture says, “No one who believes in Him shall have reason to feel ashamed.”

MY DEAR LORD, the shame that came on me from my family, and then, from my own failures, which I must just simply call “sin,” has followed me to this point. But what a point this is. I am now ready to look to that work which You have prepared for me. Thank You for taking my sin upon yourself and dying for me. Please now—let these others in my family discover this wonderful provision of Your grace.