10.05.22
Obadiah— God Judges Edom
For your violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Obadiah 10,17)
We know virtually nothing about Obadiah. His name means ‘worshiper of Jehovah.’ There were twelve men in the OT with this name. However, we are not sure if he is any of them, His father’s name is not mentioned so he is not likely of a royal or priestly line. He appears to have lived in Judah, the Southern Kingdom.
This is the shortest book in the OT. Most conservative scholars believe that he wrote his little one-chapter book about 850 BC during the reign of Jehoram [2 Chronicles 21].
The book is addressed to the nation of Edom, the ancient enemy of Israel. The Edomites are related to Israel, descendants of Esau the elder twin-brother of Jacob. There was always a rivalry between them, beginning before their birth when they wrestled in the womb.
God had prophesied that Esau would serve Jacob. Furthermore, Jacob had stolen the birthright which belonged to Esau as the elder of the two.
Esau’s name became ‘Edom’ which means ‘red.’ This began with the fact that he had red hair, continued with the pottage offered to him by Jacob was red, and finishing with the red sandstone cliffs of the fortress city of Petra.
The theme of the book is God’s judgment on the pride of Edom. This pride stemmed from their location, in the clefts of the rocks. They thought themselves impenetrable. They were also proud of their wealth, their wisdom and their might.
God’s judgment also would come upon Edom because of how they had treated their little brother Jacob, Israel, down through the centuries. They had refused passage to them through their land during the Exodus. They had befriended Babylon and rejoiced over her invasion of Judah. Haman the Edomite attempted to eliminate the Jews. This hatred continued into the NT as King Herod the Great, an Edomite, slew the Jewish boys in his effort to destroy the Messiah.
Solomon reminds us that “pride comes before a fall.” Indeed, judgment came to Edom soon after Israel’s captivity. She was overthrown by nations that were formerly confederate with her [Amon, Moab, Philistia, etc.].
The book primarily describes the doom of Edom and the reasons for it. It ends with the promise of future deliverance for Israel. God gives providential care over the Jews, and certain punishment to those who persecute them.
No one can trace their ancestry back to Edom. The last remnant of this family was wiped out in 70 AD when the Romans took over Jerusalem. Their culture and language have completely perished. Their land, however, is part of modern Jordan, and will be a prominent player in the end-time drama regarding the Anti-Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ is seen in several ways in this little book. He is the Judge of the nations (15, 16). He is the Savior of Israel (17-20). He is the Possessor of the Kingdom (21).
Though the nations rage, and the kings utter their voices, in the end, Jehovah will be the victor. The question is, will you be on the victory side? You can only guarantee this by forsaking all man-made efforts at salvation, repenting of your sin, and placing your faith in and allegiance to the Son of the Living God who died in for you.