Obadiah

(i) Introduction

– Shortest book in Old Testament with 21 verses, written by Obadiah. Not much known of him, possibly from Judah (vv 12&17). 12 others by this name in Old Testament but none definitely identified with him (2 Kings.18:3f; 1 Chronicles 3:21;7:3;8:38;9:16;12:9;27:19; 2 Chronicles 17:7;34:12; Ezra 8:9; Nehemiah 10:5;12:25). His name means “Servant of the Lord”.

– His commission was to condemn Edom for mistreating Judah (it would pay for its sins – key v15). Violence done to Judah (v 10); indifference to Judah’s troubles (v11); laughing at Judah’s turmoil (vv 12-13); pride and sinful self-security (vv3-4). These were causes enough for judgment. Pride was the big problem of this little book (the sin that turned an angel into a devil [Is. 14:12-15], emptied Eden [Gen. 3:23], depopulated heaven [Rev. 12:9], populates hell [the sin that prevents sinners turning to Christ], and caused Christ’s death [His enemies could not accept Him]).

– Date taken from reference in v 12 to Judah’s being plundered. Depending on when this occurred we could date the prophecy either: (a) 926 B.C. (1 Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12); (b) 848 B.C. (2 Chronicles 21:16-17); (c) 790 B.C. (2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25:20-24); (d) 586 B.C. (Jerusalem destroyed by Babylon, 2 Chronicles 36).

(ii) Outline

vv 1-16 Edom’s doom predicted (vv 1-2 doom declared; vv 3-9 described; vv 10-14 deserved; vv 15-16 accomplished) vv 17-21 Israel’s deliverance predicted

N.B. Edomites were descendants of Esau (Gen. 25:30; 36:1); lived in rocky range of mountains south of Israel; enemies from past (Gen. 27 Jacob/Esau; Numb. 20:18 refused passage to Israel under Moses; 1 Samuel 14:47 Saul fought them; 2 Samuel 18:13-14 David fought them; 1 Kings 11:14-22 rebelled under Solomon; 2 Kings 8:20-22 freer under Jeroboam of Judah; Psalm 137:7 enmity flared up during Jerusalem’s destruction); judgment announced also by Ezekiel (25:12-14), Amos (1:11-12), Isaiah (34:5-14), Jeremiah (49:7; Lam. 4:21-23). In 372 B.C. the Nabateans (Arabs) displaced the Edomites from Mount Seir (their territory). They then occupied an area of southern Palestine known as Idumea. In the Maccabean period they were forced by the Jews to abide by Jewish law including circumcision (167-63 B.C.). Ceasar appointed Antipater, an Idumean, procurator over Judea (47 B.C.) and Herod his son became king (37 B.C. – the king at Jesus’ birth). Idumeans joined rebellion against Roman domination in 70 A.D. and suffered fate of all the Jews by Titus the Roman General (death). From this time they disappeared from history (Obadiah v10).