Antioch Baptist Church

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Antioch Baptist Church Antioch Baptist Church is a place where the Word of God is taught verse by verse in an expository manner. We are a Reformed Dispensational church.

Antioch Baptist
Pastor Brad Jones
Sunday School: 10:00 / Church Service: 11:00
Wednesday Bible Study: 6:30-7:30 PM
Fourth Sunday Communion: A time we observe Communion every other Fourth Sunday

We are Reformed Dispensational Baptists. The historical name of Antioch is the name of one of the first churches established in the Book of Acts (11:19-30) and is the place the disciples were first called “Christians” and was called the “the cradle of Christianity”. The congregation there provided relief to brothers and sisters living in Judea at a time of famine. Also, Paul and Barnabas based their ministry out of that early church of Antioch. The name of Antioch has long stood as a name that has represented the Lord Jesus Christ in an uncompromising stand on His Word and faith in His eternal salvation. It has been said that although ancient Alexandria became the brains of Christendom, its heart was yet beating at Antioch. The early church at Antioch stood for the proper interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and became synonymous with the literal and historical method. Today, Antioch Baptist Church continues as her namesake, following Jesus one step at a time.

10/05/2026

Oftentimes the little prophetic book of Jonah is caught up in distracting discussions over whether the large fish that swallowed him was real (using a literal hermeneutic) or if it should be understood allegorically. While it should be understood using the literal hermeneutic, if we find ourselves distracted by that debate, we miss the wonderful and rich theological truths we can glean from this Old Testament prophetic book. Fruchtenbaum points out three major theological points emphasized in Jonah: 1) God’s sovereignty over all creation, 2) God’s willingness to save Gentiles, and 3) God’s faithfulness to His servants. We must note that while the prophet Jonah is a character in this Holy Spirit inspired book, he is not the main character; the sovereign Lord God of the universe is center-stage and the absolute primary Character in this prophetic narrative. What we will see as we explore this prophetic book will be the sovereign hand of God ordering, appointing, commanding, convicting, forgiving, showing mercy, and stern exhortation through His mercy. It is a prophetic book that bears the name of the prophet whom God used to bring the gospel message of repentance and faith to a hostile, pagan nation, but is a book about the sovereign God of all creation. He is a God who saves any He has elected and He is a God who will be faithful to call those elect. Those that are His will come because God will bring the gospel message to them, wherever they are and whoever they may be. This is a little book about sovereign God who wonderfully saves His elect through His irresistible and matchless grace.

09/28/2026

Some have described this last section of text (vv. 17-21) in Obadiah's prophecy as a “vision of hope” for the nation of Israel. It comes on the heels of the description of how God brings the Edomite nation low through His judgment in a terrible destruction. It is clear God has plans for Israel as a nation and He encouraged that nation with these final words written down by Obadiah. The prophet writes that “on Mount Zion there will be those who escape”, indicating that in the future a remnant of Israel will be preserved by God after the Day of YHWH. In the dispensational view this is the remnant of the Jewish nation who cry out to God in repentance and by faith in Christ are saved to enter the Messianic Age. The concept of a remnant of Israel being saved from the judgment of YHWH is woven throughout the prophetic literature in the Old Testament (Joel, Isaiah, Zechariah, et al). The contrast that God is displaying here through Obadiah’s prophecy is that while Edom will be completely wiped out, Israel will have a remnant that survives. God is holy and just. His holiness demands justice and that justice will be accomplished in His perfect timing. God is also the God of grace. If it were not for the wonderful grace of God revealed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, all of humanity would be condemned to hell for their sin. But God’s salvific grace is shown to those the Father has given to the Son (John 6:37; 10:29) and that will include a remnant of the Jewish nation in the last days. In those last days Zion’s mountain will be a place of God’s holiness and the nation of Israel “will possess their possessions.” While Obadiah’s prophecy has some difficult words to read, it ends on a note extolling the grace of God and His salvation.

09/21/2026

The judgment upon Edom was sure and clearly coming as Obadiah prophesied about it. God would bring retribution upon the nation that had continuously harassed and harangued God’s covenant people Israel. But ultimately the final judgment would be imposed later as Obadiah continued to prophecy in these next two verses (v. 15-16). These two verses are like a massive impregnable doorway through which the history of mankind must pass where those who are goats will be separated from those who are of God’s flock, His sheep. Edom is a picture of all the nations who rage against God by raging against His people. The nations rage against God’s people because they hate God and it is in their fallen nature to do so. Unless God gives a person a new heart in regeneration by the power of the Spirit according to His Word, they will hate God because they are at war with Him. They will persecute and hate anyone who loves the Lord and has peace with Him because the world sees them as enemies just like they see God as an enemy. But God will judge in “the day of the LORD” or “יוֹם־יְהוָ֖ה - yom YHWH”, as Obadiah prophesied here. The phrase used here to indicate this climactic period is frequently used throughout the Old Testament, especially in the minor prophets. From a dispensational viewpoint this will occur right before the Millennial Kingdom when the Messiah reigns from the throne of David. Obadiah prophesied of the judgment here then moves into a description (in his closing verses vv. 17-21) of the Messianic reign and the promises to Israel, God’s covenant people. Judgment will certainly come to those who do not repent and by faith follow Christ. This repentance results in a new worldview that seeks to glorify God and be a blessing to God’s people.

09/13/2026

Edom was going to be severely judged by God through Israel and other nations. But it wasn’t simply a random judgment for pagan practices, it was because Edom had repeatedly and underhandedly harassed and aided other nations in attacking Israel. This was grievous mainly because Israel and Edom were relatives. But God through Obadiah provides the specific reasons for bringing this judgment. In this section of text (vv. 10-14) God’s Spirit leads Obadiah to write down why this severe judgment is coming. Edom’s actions were real and occurred repeatedly in the past as indicated by Obadiah’s use ten times of the word “day” in this pericope. Dr. Fruchtenbaum lists six specific reasons Obadiah gives for the reason for the judgment on Edom by God. Edom was guilty of violence against Israel, harboring a hostile attitude against Israel, rejoicing over Israel’s troubles, actively involved in the plundering of Israel, preventing Israel’s survivors from escaping lost battles, and rounding up Jewish captives and turning them over to their enemies. These appalling sins against their own relatives brought the terrible and complete judgment of God upon Edom. But even though God’s covenant people Israel were the relatives of the Edomites, the Edomites were never a part of God’s people, and their conduct clearly revealed this in their attitude towards Israel. This is what the world does, it hates God by hating His people. Even the Lord Jesus warned about this (John 17:14): “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” While the reasons for Edom’s judgment are clearly defined, the ultimate and final judgment is reserved for the Day of the Lord (YHWH) which will come in the future. So far, the prophet Obadiah has declared the coming destruction of Edom in verses 1-9, then the reasons for this judgment in 10-14. Next will be a prophetic word about the Day of the Lord in verses 15-16.

09/08/2026

Edom was bound for God’s judgment. They had mistreated the covenant people of God and rejected God’s sovereign will. So, God sent other pagan nations to wipe them out and carry His divine justice to their cities. Obadiah prophecies that the nations will steal everything they have and ruin their cities (Obadiah 5-9). The very nations that shared their bread will turn against them “set an ambush for you” (v. 7) and loot all their goods. Edom’s pride that elevated their opinion of themselves will be crushed. That same pride that prevented them from seeing these other nations plan against them would be their undoing. God used the pride upon which they relied to elevate themselves to conduct His great judgment upon them and bring them low. Edom was indeed judged by God as prophesied by Obadiah. They had built on “high like the eagle” and set their “nest among the stars” God can and did reach even these lofty defensive places. Edom was looted and stripped like a grape gatherer who leaves not even “gleanings”. This is the result of pridefully living in violent rebellion to God and His will.

08/31/2026

God’s message to Israel through Obadiah is one of judgment and woe upon Edom. In this next piece of text (2-4), Obadiah begins to delineate what it is exactly God will do to the descendants of Esau. This judgment will be described starting here through to verse sixteen. Obadiah begins to give a message that might seem harsh to some, what with God declaring that Edom was “greatly despised” (v. 2b). But this was a divine message from the Lord God. It is the declaration of God’s judgment against a nation who has repeatedly dishonored God’s covenant people. In these beginning verses, God revealed through His prophet the bitter root of pride and selfish arrogance that generated Edom’s hatred of God by actively working against God’s people Israel. Pride is an insidious sin that many times creeps in undetected or with such a fleshly justification it is hard to grasp how quickly it would subvert the person or nation it infects. The message of judgment upon the Edomites should not be classified as simply an Edomite problem. The sin of pride can and will infect and pervert those who are not carefully invested in God’s Word and in obedience to what it says. The Proverbs clearly warn against ignorance of a healthy reverence of God leading to pride. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov. 9:10) And “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.” (Prov. 8:13) Obadiah’s prophetic words, while directed at Edom, should be respected and heeded by any person who reads them for they reveal godly wisdom.

08/24/2026

This prophetic book, Obadiah, is the shortest one in the Old Testament with one chapter containing twenty-one verses. It has as its subject the nation of Edom who was Israel’s perpetual enemy. (Edom was mentioned a lot in the Old Testament as the enemy of Israel, more than any other nation. They were descendants of Esau.) God gave Obadiah a very strong message of judgment for Edom. Obadiah used prideful Edom as a graphic representation of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Edom felt superior over Israel and often persecuted them directly or by helping other nations persecute them. God’s judgment against them would come and God through Obadiah reassured Israel on this subject. This is also a warning for Israel not to become prideful herself. Obadiah’s name means “servant of YHWH” and this man obediently brought God’s word of warning about Edom to the Jewish nation. In this introductory verse, Obadiah begins with proclaiming “Thus says the Lord Yahweh” (LSB). This is a proclamation of the God of the universe and must have the attention of the nation of Israel, and by extension every born-again believer who studies Scripture. Dr. MacArthur describes Obadiah as a “case study of the curses/blessings in Ge 12:1–3”. (MacArthur Study Bible) There is not much known about Obadiah and there is much discussion about the timing of the writing. The first sixteen verses deal primarily with Edom’s crimes and God’s judgment of those crimes, and the remaining five verses are a reminder of God’s blessings on Israel. But the message is clear: there is a certainty of judgment that accompany the sin of pride and arrogance.

08/18/2026

Matthew finished his gospel quoting the Lord Jesus in what is called the “Great Commission.” As the author winds down his narrative (Matthew 28:11-20), he made sure to include that the religious leaders met to fabricate an explanation for the empty grave. The guards had finally gotten up off the ground and made their way back to the city and “reported to the chief priests all that had happened”. It is as if the religious leaders had this plan in place before the soldiers arrived with the startling news. Did they know that this would occur and denied it, nonetheless? Was this the depth of human depravity in the outworking of the “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18)? Was this the sick heart that is “more deceitful than all else” (Jeremiah 17:9) on full display rejecting their resurrected King and knowingly and willingly suppressing the truth that King Jesus would command His followers to share? Matthew gives us his last contrast between a wicked and perverse generation who suppress the truth of the resurrection and the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus who are given the gospel truth to share with the world. There are those who spread the lies of Satan and those who spread the truth of Christ. But the truth of Christ’s resurrection is not to be denied. The King had overcome and conquered death! Of that there is no argument. Because the King is alive and because He had conquered death, He has all authority in heaven and on earth. He commands, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The people King Jesus purchased with His precious blood are commanded to tell people to repent, place their faith in Christ and be obedient to all He has said do. The question is, friend, are you one of the King’s purchased people and are you doing as He said do?

08/10/2026

Matthew’s narrative moved from the dark day of the sacrifice of the true Passover Lamb on the cross of Calvary to the one reason that dark day was a day of victory (Matthew 28:1-10). Many men have claimed to be a Messiah, a Savior, a King and many have died because of that claim. But only one Man made that claim with authority backed by miraculous healings, statements and prophetic utterances, and even affirmed by God the Father. He died for His claims which were true, but unlike other men who falsely made those claims, King Jesus rose again to confirm His power over even death. If Jesus had not bodily rose from the dead, all His claims would have been false. But Jesus did rise from the dead and declared victory over sin, death, and hell setting the captives free. The bodily resurrection of Christ is critical to the gospel message—even the Apostle Paul knew this and wrote about it in his letter to the saints at Corinth. He wrote (1 Corinthians 15:3-5), “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is a promise to those who are His that Jesus is the first fruits and those who follow Him will be bodily resurrected as well. Matthew records in his historical narrative the miraculous virgin birth of the Christ and the equally miraculous resurrection of the crucified Savior. Edersheim describes Matthew’s narrative of that great morning and the days that followed it: “St. Matthew describes the impression of the full evidence of that Easter morning on friend and foe, and then hurries us from the Jerusalem stained with Christ’s Blood back to the sweet Lake and the blessed Mount where first He spake. It is, as if he longed to realise the Risen Christ in the scenes where he had learned to know Him.” (Edersheim, 622.) May we, as His redeemed, long for that fellowship with our Savior (currently found only in prayer and the study of His Word) when we are reunited with Him in the heavenly.

08/03/2026

The dark day was over (Matthew 27:57-66). The three men were dead by the horrific process of crucifixion. The Man on the center cross had submitted to the will of the Father and given up His precious life for the sin of those who would be forgiven, given to the Son from the Father (John 6:37). Jesus Christ has truly died. The King has accomplished His task and will now be laid in the tomb of a rich man. God is completely sovereign and will accomplish all that He has set out to do. The Psalmist declared as much when he wrote, “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3), and “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.” (Psalm 135:6). The prophet Isaiah stated (46:9-10), “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’”. Even the Son of God going to a rich man’s tomb was part of God the Father’s plan, as prophesied by Isaiah (53:9): “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death”. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ seemed to be the end of all things for the disciples who followed Him. Their great Teacher, Mentor, and their friend had been horribly scourged, crucified, and was now buried. The local authorities went to great lengths to ensure that nobody could “come and steal Him away” from the tomb. They sealed the tomb and placed a twenty-four-hour armed guard at its entrance. The chief priests and the Pharisees had heard Jesus’ claims of resurrection. They didn’t believe it and worked to prevent any attempted hoax. God’s sovereign plans once again were evident as there could be no doubt the disciples could not possibly steal the Lord’s body under these circumstances. They wouldn’t need to. The Creator of life itself was buried there.

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2093 Thomaston Highway
Butler, GA
31006

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Wednesday 5:30pm - 8pm
Sunday 10am - 12:30pm

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