Obadiah: the Servant of the Lord

by John Waddey⁽⁴³⁾
firstcenturychristian

The book of Obadiah is the shortest of the Old Testament. Its single subject is the sin of the nation of Edom and her coming doom.

About the Author

The book bears the name of its author, Obadiah, the prophet of Jehovah (vs. 1). Thirteen different men of the Old Testament wore this name. The Jewish Talmud identifies the author of the book with Obadiah, King Ahab’s servant (I Kings 18:3-5). However, the scanty evidence is not sufficient for such a conclusion.

All that we know about the writer is that reflected in his short book. His name means " servant of the Lord. " He was a godly, patriotic citizen of the kingdom of Judah who recorded his righteous indignation toward the wicked Edomites. Obadiah strongly believed in the providential rule of God over all kingdoms and the divine justice that would reward sinful nations for their crimes.

The Conflict Between Edom and Israel

The enmity between these two peoples dates from the birth of Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25:21-26). The event that triggered the feud was Jacob’s obtaining of Esau’s birthright by deceit (Gen. 25:27-34; 27:1-45). God considered the Israelites and Edomites brethren. Edomites were not to be abhorred by Israel (Deut.23:7) and Israel was forbidden to take Edom’s land (Deut.2:1-8). Edomites could enter the congregation of Israel after three generations (Deut. 23:-8). The Edomites, however, were not inclined to show kindness or tolerance toward Israel. Edom’s anger tore " perpetually " and he kept his wrath forever (Amos 1:11). During the long trek of the Exodus, they refused the weary Hebrews right of passage over their King’s Highway (Num. 20:14-21). Economics was a major cause of strife between the two nations. The border between them, the Arabah, was a major caravan route. Copper ore was fund there in abundance.

About the Nation of Edom

The Edomites occupied the high plains south and east of the Dead Sea. They occupied territory some 100 x 20 miles in size. It was well watered with mountain peaks reaching 5,700 feet above sea level. The name Edom meant " red. " It likely referred to the red sandstone rocks of their territory. It is sometimes called " Seir " which is the name of a range of mountains extending north to south in the land. For fortified cities, Edom had Petra (sometimes called Sela), Teman and Bosrah.

Petra was one of the wonders of the ancient world. She was situated in a box canyon with cliffs 700 ft. high. Her single entrance was a mile long corridor which was only a few feet wide. Such natural defenses made her invulnerable. The buildings of Petra were carved into the red sandstone cliffs. They remain to this day. The name " Petra " means " rock. " From this hidden fortress the Edomites preyed on passing caravans.

David conquered the Edomites and occupied their land (II Sam. 8:14). Solomon exploited their land and wealth. They rebelled and gained their independence in the days of Ahaz. When the Babylonians attacked Judah in 586 B. C., Edom joined them against the Hebrews. By the time of Malachi, Edom had been severely beaten (Mal. 1:2-5). The Nabatean Arabs occupied their land in 312 B. C. The Greeks gave their land the name Idumaea. Following their defeat by John Hyrcanus and the Hebrews in 120 B. C., the Idumaeans were forced to convert to Judaism.

In 47 B. C. Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor, appointed Antipater, an Idumaean, to be procurator in Judea. Herod, son, of Antipater, became king of Judea in 37 B. C. Following the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D., the Idumaeans vanished from history. They had joined in the revolt against Rome and were destroyed as a nation.

The Edomites reflected the sinful attributes of Esau, their father. They were a carnal, sensual people who loved their bellies, spoils and revenge. They had no noble ideals or aspirations. The religion of Edom is never mentioned in the Bible. It seems they were totally irreligious.

About the Book of Obadiah

The

message was addresses to the Hebrews who were suffering at the hands of the Edomite aggressors.

The occasion

that prompted the writing is seen in the following verses. Jerusalem had been invaded and plundered and the Edomites had joined in the looting of their neighbors’ possessions (vs. 11). They had expressed a fiendish delight in the evil which their Hebrew brethren were suffering (vs. 12). In addition to the looting, they occupied some of the territory of their weakened neighbors (vs. 13). When the defeated Israelites sought to flee from the advancing troops, the Edomites blocked their escape, captured and sold their victims into slavery (vs. 14).

We cannot determine with certainty the specific historical event that prompted Obadiah to write. Four different invasions of Jerusalem took place over the years. During Rehoboam’s reign, Shishank, the Egyptian, took the city in 926 B. C. (I Kings 14:25-26; II Chron. 12:1-12). The Philistines and Arabians ravaged the city at the time of Jehoram’s reign (848-841 B. C. (II Chron. 21:16-1710. In 790 B. C. Jehoash of Northern Israel, defeated Amaziah of Judah (II Kings 14:8-14; II Chron. 25:17-24). In 586 B. C., in Zedekiah’s day, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and her temple (Jer. 52:12-17). Scholars have been equally divided between the 845 and the 586 dates.

The present author prefers the date of 845, during Jehoram’s reign. The reasons are as follows: Edom had recently revolted (II Kings 8:20-22; II Chron. 21:8-20). Obadiah dos not mention the wholesale deportation of the population as occurred in 586 B. C. Slaves are not said to go east to Babylon, but to Phoenicia and the west (Ob. 20). When other prophets discuss Nebuchadnezzar’s taking of the city, they name the enemy and even the king himself. Obadiah does not mention the name of the aggressor. Nor does he say that the city and the temple were totally destroyed as in Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion. Later prophets were familiar with Obadiah’s writing and made use of it. It must therefore have preceded theirs. Amos, who wrote in 760, alludes to Obadiah. (Compare Amos 1:7 and Ob. 10-14; Amos 9:2 and Ob. 4; Amos 9:12 and Ob. 19). The author’s purpose was not to warn the Edomites, but to announce their doom and thus to comfort Israel.

Liberal critics

have maligned Obadiah as a " sordid example of petty Jewish nationalism and hatred " (George Adam Smith). From the days of Eichorn, skeptical writers have questioned the unity of the book and sought to identify various sections as coming from different authors. All of these writers seek to evade the predictive message which only the Holy Spirit can provide. For an excellent refutation of these theories, see An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets by Hobart Freeman.

Some Miscellaneous Facts About Obadiah’s Book

1. New Testament writers neither quote nor refer to Obadiah’s message.

2. The author has no denunciation for Israel nor call for righteousness, only judgments predicted for Edom.

3. Edom typifies all the heathen nations that are hostile to God’s kingdom. The judgments promised to Edom are symbolic of God’s judgment on all evil nations (See vs.15-16).

4. " The day of Jehovah " (vs. 15) is a day in time when judgments will come upon a nation, after which history will continue.

For background reading on Edom see Amos 1:11-12; Is. 34:5-15; 63:1-6; Jer. 49:7-22; Lam. 4:21-22; Ezek. 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Joel 3:19; Mal. 1:2-5.

Keys that Unlock the Meaning of Obadiah

The key verses are two:

Vs. 15, " For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations: as thou has done, it shall be done unto thee... "

Vs. 21, " ...and the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s "

The key thought is that proud Edom shall be humbled.

The key concept is that in his providential governance of the nations, God will bring justice upon a wicked, oppressive nation like Edom.

Exposition of the Text

I. Edom’s Fall Predicted (vs. 1-9).

" The vision of Obadiah " (vs. 1a). Two bits of information are couched in this opening phrase: 1). The author is identified and 2). The revelation he received, which he styles " a vision. " At first glance we would assume that by this term, he specifies the manner of his reception of God’s message. However, " the word vision ( chazon) is applied to all divine communications made to a seer, whether in the ecstatic or in the ordinary state " (F. C. Cook). Theo Laetsch points out that the term is used of 1). " visual revelations " ( Dan. 8:1-4); 2). " oral revelations " seen or perceived by hearing (I Chron. 17:15), 3). The written record of the revelation " (Is. 1:1).

" Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning Edom "

(vs. 1b.)

.

In this phrase the prophet establishes the authority of his message as coming from God rather than from himself. Scripture was not composed out of the wisdom and genius of the writers. It was " God’s wisdom...revealed ...through the Spirit (I Cor. 2:7-13).

" Lord " is from the Hebrew word adonai and suggests one who is lord, ruler and possessing of authority. It is always used to identify the true God. The name Jehovah, from Yahweh, is the covenant name of God revealed to Moses on Sinai (Ex. 3:14-15).

The message is " concerning Edom, " Israel’s hostile and wicked neighbor. See the introductory remarks for an extended identification and discussion of Edom.

" We have heard tidings from Jehovah, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle " (vs. 10).

This is the heart of his message. The great Jehovah is rallying the nations to make war on proud, evil Edom. The " ambassador " is not identified. A similar phrase is used by Jeremiah regarding God’s judgement on Edom (Jer. 49:14). The thought is that through his providential agents, God is preparing Edom’s judgment (Compare Jer. 50:2).

This verse reminds us of God’s government over the nations of the earth. He raises up kings and brings them down (Dan. 2:21). Historically, He used one wicked kingdom to punish another and then used still another to destroy it (Is. 10:5-12).

" Behold, I have made thee small among the nations; thou art greatly despised. The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? " (vss. 2-3).

Edom was " small " in territory, her land occupying a strip on the eastern side of the Arabah some 100 miles long by 20 broad. Additionally, she was " small " in the eyes of her neighbors. The parallel structure suggests this as the meaning

" I have made thee small...;

thou art greatly despised. "

In Hebrew poetry , the second line frequently explains the first. Though they were a proud scoffing people, others despised them.

The great underlying sin of Edom was her pride. With nations as with men, pride goeth before destruction (Prov. 16:18). " A man’s (or a nations’s) pride shall bring him low " (Prov. 29:23). Edom’s pride was in her military might and her superb natural defenses. The rugged terrain, the scarcity of water and food sources for invading armies, her renowned fortress cities, Bozra, Sela and Petra all made her feel invulnerable. " Who shall brings us down? " But her pride had deceived her. She had forgotten or ignored Jehovah the God of hosts who could bring her down by a spoken word (Ps. 33:9). His weapons include, " Fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind, fulfilling his word " (Ps. 148:8); Angels (Is. 37:36). The elements fight his battles (Josh. 10:11).

The reference to her dwelling in the clefts of the rock may likely refer to her city of Petra, carved into the face of the red sandstone cliffs.

" Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith Jehovah " (vs. 4).

Edom felt as secure as the eagle who builds her nest on the highest cliff, but God would have no difficultly in ripping her down. Nothing is too hard for the Almighty God (Gen. 18:14).

" If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night (how art thou cut off!), would they not steal only till they had enough? If grape gatherers came to thee, would thy not leave some gleaning grapes? How are the things of Esau searched! How are his hidden treasures sought out! " (vss. 5-6).

These verses paint a vivid picture of how thorough the destruction and looting of Edom would be. Two familiar examples are used: thieves and grape harvesters both were common among the Edomites. They themselves were a robber nation that preyed on the caravans that passed near their strongholds. While thieves would haul away only such as they could carry, nothing would be left when God was through with Edom. Harvesters among the Eastern people left for the poor the gleanings in the fields and vineyards(See. Lev. 19:9-10). When Edom’s judgment comes, every item would be taken. The pillaging would be complete.

Note that he uses the name of Esau, father of the Edomites to stand for his descendants (Gen. 36:43).

" All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee on thy way, even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread lay a snare under thee: there is no understanding in him " (vs. 7).

Edom’s security was further based on the fact that she had made numerous mutual defense alliances with neighboring nations. This added to her false assumption that no enemy could bring her down. The prophet announces that her allies (those at peace with her) had deceived her. To the student of history this appears to be a common occurrence in the diplomatic arena.

The idea of " the men of thy confederacy have brought thee on they way, even to thy border " is that Edom’s diplomats, who would hurry to her neighbors, looking for assistance in the day of disaster, would be turned back, escorted out of the neighboring land to her own border. Some take it to mean that Edom’s refugees would be turned away by their neighbors and supposed allies.

" They that eat thy bread lay a snare under thee. "

The first three words are supplied by the translators. As stated, it says that people who had been dependent upon Edom for their essentials would turn on her and lay a wound on her when they felt it to be to their advantage. True, this would be an act of utter ingratitude but it was a just reward for treacherous Edom. Omitting, " they that eat, " Theo Laetsch suggest that neighboring people who had bought metals and supplies from Edom would use those very goods in making war on Edom, even as Japan used the scrap iron bought from America to arm herself for World War II.

" There is no understanding in him " refers to Edom and suggests that in spite of their proverbial shrewdness and savvy in diplomatic matters, the Edomites would not realize what was happening until it was too late to save themselves.

" Shall I not in that day, saith Jehovah, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter " (vss. 8-9).

The Edomites were renowned for their wise men. Eliphaz, who came to console Job, was from Teman, a city of Edom (Job. 2:11). He was a typical Edomite, proud and haughty. Jeremiah alludes to their wisdom (Jer. 49:7). The wisdom of their statesmen and advisors will fail them, they will perish with the common folk. " The mount of Esau " refers to the land of the Edomites, his descendants (Gen.32:3).

" Thy mighty men O, Teman "

probably refers to her military defenders. This is the common use of the phrase. " The bows of the mighty men are broken " (I Sam. 2:4). Jeremiah predicted that when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Edom, " the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs " (Jer. 49:22). Losing heart in the battle, the troops of Edom will be slaughtered. Edom was doomed. Her alliances would fail, her statesmen would not perceive the danger or know how to solve the problems and her troops would not stand the test. Beyond all of that, Jehovah was against her (See Ezek. 13:8).

The Reasons for Edom’s Destruction (vss. 10-14).

God’s judgements are never without reason. Nations, like individuals reap what they have sown (Ga. 6:7).

" For the violence done to thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever " (vs. 10)

.

The Hebrew term for violence means " every kind of wrongful, hurtful action against another, particularly oppression, cruelty " (Laetsch). Amos indicted Edom saying, He did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity " (Amos 1:11). The Edomites were uncommonly cruel towards those who circumstances were adverse.

Their guilt was compounded because it was their " brother Jacob " they were oppressing. Jacob, the brother of Esau, stands for his descendants, the people of Judah. God had commanded Israel, " Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother " (Deut. 23:7). Obligations are heightened the closer the relationship. Edom would be punished with " shame " i.e., humiliation and total destruction. Judah had suffered a temporary loss and wold eventually be restored. Edom’s fate would ultimately be annihilation. The Nabatean Arabs took their territory in 312 B. C. John Hyrcanus subjected them in 120 B. C. and forced them to convert to Judaism. Following the Roman wars in Palestine, the Edomites disappeared from history.

" In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them " (vs.11).

This verse adds specifics to the general charge of vs. 10. When Jerusalem was attacked and captured, Edom had stood " on the other side " i.e., on the side of the enemy invader. Not only did Edom not assist Judah, her kindred, she was as one of the invaders.

The prophet writes as an eyewitness who had seen the evil actions described. Jerusalem’s gates had been taken. Aliens had looted the helpless city. Lots were cast for booty and slaves. Edom participated!

The perennial questions has been of which sacking of Jerusalem does the prophet write? For reasons set forth in the introduction, the author opts for the fall of the city that occurred in the reign of Jehoram, c.a. 845 B.C. (See II Chron. 21:16-17). Theo Laetsch offs an extended discussion favoring this view. F. C. Cook presents the case for the Babylonian destruction.

" But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither speak proudly in the day of distress. Enter not into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea look not thou on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither lay ye hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. An stand thou not in the crossway, to cut off those of his that escape; and deliver not up those of his that remain in the day of distress " (vss. 12-14).

As the prophet, either in vision or in reality, sees the Edomites eager to participate in Judah’s misery, he utters a series of prohibitions forbidding the things she was eager to do.

1). " Look not " on Judah’s disaster means look not " with malignant pleasure, to feast one’s eyes with the calamity of another " (E. Henderson).

2). " Rejoice not " at Judah’s destruction. Solomon also warned against being glad at another’s calamity (Prov. 17:5). This seems to be a common weakness of humanity.

3). " Speak not proudly in the day of distress. " This literally means to make the voice loud with mocking and jeering. We can imagine the Edomites ridiculing the poor Hebrews or cheering the victors.

4). " Enter not into the gate of my people. " They are warned against joining in the pillaging and looting of the conquered city. Even in our modern civilized age, looting of the victims of disasters is a major problem. Humanity has not changed much across the centuries.

5). " Stand thou not in the crossway to cut off those that escape. " Here they are warned not to block the escape of the survivors. How cruel to turn the fleeing remnant back to face the cruel hands of their conquerors. Basic human kindness was absent from Edom’s heart. This reminds us of an earlier generation of Edomites who would not allow the weary Hebrews of the Exodus to pass over their King’s Highway (Num. 20:14-21).

6). " Deliver not up those of his that remain. " Amos tells us that Edom, with the help of the Philistines, had taken large numbers of slaves from God’s people(Amos 1:6).

All of these warnings were spoken to a people who by a common ancester were kin to Israel and should have reflected that kinship in sympathy, kindness and assistance. But Edom’s pride caused " his anger (to) tear perpetually " (Amos. 1:11). It is yet seen in the posterity of Edom who hate Israel with a perfect, burning hatred. It is a blood feud that only death cures.

The Day of the Lord Will Vindicate Zion and Destroy Edom (vss. 15-21).

In this final section of his message, the prophet looks to the future and sees three striking events:

1) Edom and all of Israel’s heathen enemies will be judged and destroyed by Jehovah.

2). Israel shall be restored to her home land and possess even the lands of her ancient enemies.

3). Jehovah’s messianic kingdom will be established on Mt. Zion.

" For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations; as thou has done, it shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually; yea, they shall drink, and swallow down, and shall be as thou they had not been " (vss. 15-16).

" The day of Jehovah " is a favorite theme of the prophets. It speaks of a day in time when God renders unto his enemies their just deserts, but at the same time, it is a day when he will save his faithful servants. God’s day of judgment came upon the Jews in 70 A. D. when Titus’ Roman army took Jerusalem and destroyed it. But Jesus comforted his disciples by saying " when these things begin to come to pass, look up...because your redemption draweth nigh " (Luke 21:28). The day of Jehovah in our text is not specific as to time. Rather it promises divine judgment on every heathen nation. Each of those ancient people have long since experience that awful day of the Lord. All of the days of divine judgment in human history point to the coming great day of judgment when all men of all nations and generations will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and receive the things done in the body (II Cor. 5:10).

The standard of judgment is declared " as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee. " In the words of Paul, Whatsoever men have sown, that they shall reap (Gal.6:7). Nations will be judged and rewarded in time. Individuals will be judged in eternity. Specifically, Edom would receive judgment in kind for all the viciousness previously described.

Their drinking on God’s holy mountain probably refers to the drunken celebrations of Edom and her heathen friends when Jerusalem had been brought down by her adversaries. Applying the rule, of what they had sown they would reap, he says that all of Israel’s heathen enemies would one day drink the cup of God’s wrath which would result in their demise. " Thou has drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath; thou hast drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it " (Is. 51:17). The idea is that of a cup containing a lethal poison. Those who drunk it perished. Condemned people were often given the option of drinking the cup of poison rather than a public execution. So Socrates died. That they would " drank and swallow down " is the picture of a thirsty person eagerly gulping down a cup of water, not knowing it was the cup of God’s wrath (Henderson). The cup was in reality destruction by war, the end of all nations.

" But in Mount Zion there shall be those that escape and it shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions " (vs. 17).

While Edom and those like her would perish, a remnant of Judah would escape and return to Mount Zion. The concept of the preserved remnant pervades both testaments (See. Is. 20:22; Matt. 22:14); Rom. 9:27-29).

He uses the name " house of Jacob " to keep before his readers the kindred relation of the Hebrews and Edomites. The Hebrews will " possess their possessions " but Esau will be dispossessed.

" And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall burn among them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining to the house of Esau; for Jehovah hath spoken it " (vs. 18).

He sees in the distant future a scene of fiery judgment. The nation of Edom he likens to a field of dry stubble; the Hebrews like a flaming torch are tossed into the field and a raging fire soon engulfs it. So complete is the destruction that " there shall not be any remaining to the house of Esau. " Notice too that he foresees the two houses, the Northern and the Southern Kingdoms of the Hebrews again united. This was realized in their return from Babylonian captivity (Compare Is. 11:11-14). This destruction of Edom by restored Israel commenced with the troops of Judas Maccabeus who in c.a. 185 B.C. slew 20,000 Edomites and defeated them (I Macc. 5:3, 65; II Macc. 10:15-23) Some fifty years later John Hyrcanus against subdued them and forced them to undergo circumcision and become subject to the Mosaic system ( Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, book 13, 9, 1).

The prophet’s word would be taken with full assurance " for Jehovah hath spoken it. "

" And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau, and they of the lowland the Philistines; and they shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria; and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel, that are among the Canaanites, shall possess even unto Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, that are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South " (vss. 19-20).

In these lines, Obadiah paints a glowing pictures of that future glorious day when restored Israel will blossom as a nation and occupy not only their traditional land, but also that of their hostile neighbors.

The " South " refers to the southern portion of Judah known as the Negev. He predicts that the Hebrews would one day take Esau’s territory. The " lowland " is that part of Palestine known as the " Shephelah, " i.e., the coastal plains and foothills. Those Hebrews would take the land formerly occupied by the Philistines who evidently perished at the hands of the Babylonians. They had disappeared by 536 B. C., the time of Israel’s return from captivity.

The fields of Ephraim and Samaria had been the heartland of the breakaway Northern Kingdom of Israel. In the future they would once again be a united nation, led by Judah.

Benjamin had remained loyal to Judah when Jereboam rent the kingdom. His land space was small, but in the coming years the prophet saw Benjamin’s people expanding east of the Jordan into Gilead.

Jewish captives, scattered among their Canaanite neighbors will not only be freed in coming years, but they will take the lands of their captives as far north as Zarephath, a small town nine miles north of Tyre on the Phoenician coast. In the New Testament it is called Sarepta (Luke 4:26 KJV). Joel speaks of the Phoenicians taking Hebrew slaves (Joel 3:4-6)

Captives from Sepharad will possess cities in the South (Negev). The identity of Sepharad is unknown. In the context, it obviously is a distant place of captivity from which the Hebrews will one day return to claim their homeland.

We should not expect to find this prediction fulfilled in minute detail. What he is saying is, that the scattered Hebrew captives would come home and claim their land. Their enemies, such as Edom, Philistia, Phoenicia and the rebellious Northern Kingdom of Israel, would all perish. Such happened as Obadiah predicted.

" And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s " (vs. 21).

The " saviors " refer to Hebrew leaders whom God would raise up to lead the remnant back to claim their land and secure their place in it. These would include such men as Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, and the Maccabean brothers who delivered the nation from their oppressors. The judges were described as men who saved the nation (Judg. 21:16, 39, etc.). These heaven-sent judges would come to " Mount Zion " the place of God’s temple. The judgment against Esau would be her destruction (See I Sam. 3:13 & Ex. 12:12).

" And the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s " This looks forward to Messiah’s day when Jehovah’s reign will extend to every creature in all the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 1:20-22).

In view of other prophecies regarding the future of Israel and Edom, most conservative scholars judge the last verse to have Messianic implication. In the book of Numbers 24:17-18, Baalam the errant prophet, said, " There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a scepter shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corner of Moab...And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies...And out of Jacob shall one have dominion... "

This passage is generally conceded to be messianic. It ties the one whose star will arise from Jacob to his having sovereignty over Edom.

Amos speaks of a coming day when God would raise up the fallen tabernacle of David. " That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all nations that are called by my name " (Amos 9:11-12). At the Conference at Jerusalem, James cites Amos’ words and applies them to the gospel age in which the message of Christ is being preached to the Gentile nations (Acts 15:13-17).

Thus while Obadiah predicts the utter ruin of Edom as a nation, the promise of a place in Messiah’s kingdom is made to them and all Gentile peoples who will hearken to the Lord.

Lessons to Remember:

1. Human defenses are useless when God moves against a nation.

2. God demands brotherly love and compassion of all men and all nations.

3. Ridiculing a person reveals a lack of brother love.

4. It is criminal to rejoice in the calamity and misfortune of another, even if he is an enemy.

5. Obadiah’s messages is a rebuke to those who prefer not to become involved in the problems of other people.

6. " Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirt before a fall " (Prov. 16:18).

7.God will reveal his righteous purposes in due time.

8. Eternal justice will ultimately prevail in the world.

9. Profane people cannot hope to find favor at the hand of a God whom they have never loved nor respected.

10. The kingdom shall be Jehovah’s. God will one day claim his own!

11. As Edom had treacherously dealt with his brother Judah, so would her allies deal with her. Reaping what we have sown is an invariable law of God’s world (Gal.6:7).

12. Obadiah’s direful prophecy concerning Edom was fulfilled: " For violence done to thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever " (vs. 10).

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Hailey, Homer, A Commentary on th Minor Prophets, (Grand Rapids, MI; Baker Book House, 1972).

Harrell, Costen J., The Prophets of Israel, (Nashville, TN; Cokesbury Press, 1933).

Henderson, Ebenezer, The Twelve Minor Prophets, (Grand Rapids, MI; Baker Book House Reprint 1980).

Kirkpatrick, A. F., The Doctrine of the Prophets, (Macmillan and Co., London, 1923).

Laetsch, Theodore, The Minor Prophets, (St. Louis, MO; Concordia Publishing House 1956).

Lewis, Jack P., The Minor Prophets, (Grand Rapids, MI; Baker Book House, 1966).

Morgan, G. Campbell, The Minor Prophets, The Men and Their Messages, (Old Tappan, NJ; Fleming H. Revell Co. 1960)

Paterson, John, The Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets, (New York, NY; Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1948).

Robinson, George L., The Twelve Minor Prophets, (Grand Rapids, MI; Baker Book House, 1957).

Waddey, John, An Outlined Introduction to the Old Testament, Vol . 2. (n.p., n.d.)

Yates, Kyle M., Preaching From the Prophets (Nashville, TN; Broadman Press, 1942).

Article submitted Wednesday, March 25, 2009 & read 23 times.

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