Obadiah
Book Type
The fourth book of the Minor Prophets; the thirty-first book of the Old Testament; the thirty-first book of the Bible.Introduction to the Book of Obadiah
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. It tells of Yahweh’s judgment on Judah’s neighbor, Edom. Injustice does not go unrecognized by Yahweh. In the case of Edom, their injustice—tormenting the people of Judah while Judah was invaded by other nations—meant their coming downfall. Obadiah also envisions that Judah itself will be restored. This theme of the coming Day of Yahweh, when God will execute judgment and fulfill His promises, is common among other Prophetic Books—especially Joel and Amos.“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This ancient question, posed by Cain when the Lord inquired about his missing brother Abel, has become a metaphor for sidestepping responsibility. But Cain was in fact guilty of murdering his brother. Even to stand aloof when innocent people are violated is to share in the crime. Edom, a neighbor and relative of Judah, watched in delight and participated as Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Now the prophet Obadiah would hold Edom accountable. God’s retribution always follows such injustice.Many Prophetic Books contain prophecies against several nations, but the book of Obadiah focuses exclusively on the nation of Edom. Obadiah’s short message centers on the approaching day of the Lord and the promise that Israel will possess the land of Edom.Theme & Overview
Obadiah prophesies judgment against the proud Edomites, who are gloating over Jerusalem's devastation by foreign powers. The book of Obadiah hearkens back to the feud that began with twin brothers, Jacob and Esau in the book of Genesis. Esau, the older by minutes, would have inherited family leadership, but in a moment of hunger he traded it for a meal, and Jacob went on to become the founding father of the nation of Israel. Esau founded the nation of Edom. Their descendants continued their quarrel over hundreds of years. The final straw came when Babylon dismembered Jerusalem and took its citizens into exile. The Edomites egged on the conquering army, preyed on fleeing Israelites, and helped plunder Jerusalem. Obadiah predicts that downtrodden Israel will rise again, while Edom will disappear from the face of the earth. This prediction came true. The NIV Student Bible asks why does this blood feud earn a place in Scripture? It demonstrates God’s ongoing protection of his people from their enemies. It also shows that God’s standards extend beyond his chosen people. Every nation will be judged, like Edom, by its own standard. The three main themes of the book of Obadiah include the folly of pride, reaping what you sow, and loving your enemies. Obadiah accuses Edom of being self-aggrandizing: Because Edom is lofty, God pulls it to the ground (Obad 2–3). The Edomites’ arrogance makes them oblivious to the truth that their allies are really their enemies (Obad 7). In addition, those who should be their friends and brothers—their relatives in Judah—have become their enemies.The Edomites also reap the violence they sowed when they gloated over Jerusalem’s invasion (Obad 10–14). In response to the Edomites’ rejoicing, God will topple Edom and give their land to His people (Obad 19–21). Through Obadiah, Yahweh assures Judah that He will judge Edom for its crimes and that His people will eventually triumph.Obadiah also shows us how to treat our enemies. At the time Obadiah was written, Judah and Edom were two nations, but they were descended from twin brothers, Jacob and Esau. As nations with such a connection, they should have protected each other like brothers (Obad 12). Obadiah shows us that we can trust God to bring justice and right our wrongs—even when people as close to us as relatives turn into enemies and encroach upon us. In its cries against Edom, Obadiah also shows us that we should love and forgive all, regardless of racial, ethnic, or religious boundaries. Obadiah demonstrates that we can rest in God at all times—knowing that He will enact justice, in His way and His time.On the one hand, Edom, together with all other nations that oppose Israel’s God and his people, will experience God’s retributive judgment. On the other hand, God’s own covenant people, who have already experienced God’s judgment, will receive restoration from their God. The book ends with the promise of the kingdom of God.Author
Obadiah, as noted in Obadiah 1:1.Recipients
Obadiah was written concerning the Edomites living in the nation of Edom. These people were descendants of Jacob's brother Esau and had been in conflict with Israel for centuries. The Lord sent this letter through Obadiah to warn Edom that their prideful sin would soon lead to their destruction. The Edomites lived in what is now known as Petra, a city in a high, rocky mountain range. Though they thought their cities were impenetrable, the Lord accurately predicted they would soon be destroyed.Date
Uncertain, though most likely between 848 and 840 BC.Background
The first line of Obadiah identifies the book as the vision of Obadiah, whose name means “servant of Yahweh.” Several people named Obadiah are mentioned in the Old Testament, but it is unclear whether any of them may be identified as the prophet of this text. It also is unclear when the book was written.The Israelites had a long and checkered history with their neighbors the Edomites, the descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau (see Gen 25:23; 27:41; Num 20:14–21). The events mentioned in Obadiah could have occurred in several different time periods. The invasion of Jerusalem in Obadiah 11, for example, could point to the total destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This date is supported by the record of the Edomites joining in the looting and committing violence against the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Psa 137:7; Lam 4:21). In addition, the literary style of Obadiah 1–9 is similar to that of Jeremiah 49:7–16, which was written around the fall of Jerusalem. However, it remains possible that Obadiah was written earlier and Jeremiah may have borrowed from Obadiah. The possibility of a ninth-century BC date is based on 2 Kings 8:20–22 and 2 Chronicles 21:8–10, which record Edom’s revolt against Judah during the reign of King Jehoram. Whenever the events of Obadiah took place, the main issue is that the Edomites viewed the suffering of the people of Judah as an opportunity for gain instead of a time for grieving.Obadiah is a prophecy against Edom, a people that descended from Jacob’s brother, Esau (see Gen 25:30), and inhabited the highlands east of the Jordan and south of the Dead Sea. The country of Edom was also known as Seir (Gen 32:3; 36:20–21, 30).Edom existed throughout most of Israel’s monarchy (about 1050–586 BC) and was often a vassal to the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Sam 8:14; 1 Kgs 11:14–16; 2 Kgs 8:20–22; cp. 2 Kgs 3:9–14). Edom was probably infiltrated and supplanted by Arab kingdoms in 600~400 BC. In postexilic and NT times, Edom resurfaced in southern Judah under the Greek name Idumea, whose most infamous citizen was Herod the Great, the self-styled “King of the Jews.”As a nation, Edom replayed Esau’s original animosity toward Jacob. Edom was, for example, one of the nations that opposed Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Num 20:14–21; 21:4). Much later, when the kingdom of Judah was attacked and taken into exile by the Babylonians, Edom not only rejoiced in the event, but also sided with the Babylonians against Israel, seeking to enrich themselves. This infidelity toward their “brother” Israel (see note on v 10) prompted Obadiah’s prophecy.The Babylonians destroyed JERUSALEM in 586 BC and took most of the people of JUDAH into exile. The surrounding peoples helped the Babylonians and rejoiced over Judah’s destruction. None helped or rejoiced more than the people of EDOM, so Obadiah announced their judgment by God. • EDOM was noted for its rocky strongholds (v 3), its pride and self-sufficiency (vv 2–4), and its wisdom tradition (v 8).
The Purpose & Audience (Reasons for the letter)
On first reading, it is easy to regard Obadiah’s prophecy as little more than a prophetic tirade in which the Lord’s wrath is directed toward Israel’s enemies. The Lord’s wrath is real, and evil does not go unpunished, but the book has far more to say than this.Nations, like individuals, should attend carefully to what they plant, because the time of harvest will quickly come. God is offended by wrongdoing, and he brings justice for the oppressed. What Edom did to Judah, whether actively or passively, would rebound on them (vv 2–9) according to the ancient law of retribution (lex talionis), which states, “As you have done … so it will be done to you” (v 15).In the concluding section (vv 15–21), the day of the Lord breaks in on the world, bringing full justice to the oppressed, punishment to the oppressors, and the onset of a universal kingdom in which the Lord rules over all nations. On a local and historical level, this meant that Israel would be restored to her land and given sovereignty over the lands of Edom. On a universal level, Edom’s submission was part of a larger historical movement. Not just Edom, but “all … nations” (v 16) will drink the cup of the Lord’s wrath. When the Lord returns as King to a restored Jerusalem, Mount Zion will be at the very center of the new order.This picture of God dominates Obadiah’s theology and forces modern readers to face an unpopular decision. Whom will we serve—a god who is indifferent to evil, or the God of justice that we find in Obadiah? Those who share the contemporary disposition to be offended by a “God who would condemn anyone to hell” may shrink from Obadiah’s unambiguous condemnation of Edom’s perfidy. But only a God who judges can reassure us that evil will not ultimately triumph.Obadiah looks forward at the conclusion of his prophecy (v 21) to that new day when “the LORD himself will be king.” This hope of Israel becomes the hope of the whole world in Christ’s announcement that “the Kingdom of God is near” (Mark 1:15; Luke 10:9–12; 21:31–33).JUDGMENT ON EDOM’S ARROGANT PRESUMPTION The Lord’s judgment was predicted for Edom because of her arrogance in trusting geographical security (vv. 3–5), diplomatic treaties (v. 7), and the counsel of her famed wise men (v. 8; Jr 49:7) instead of the God of Israel. Edom was doubly deceived, depending on their own human understanding (Ob 3, 8) and believing in the loyalty of their human allies (v. 7). Thus God would bring them down from the lofty cliffs and caves of their mountains. He would cover the Edomites with shame because of their arrogant gloating and gleeful participation in the downfall of their brother Jacob, the nation of Judah (vv. 10–14).THE DAY OF THE LORDObadiah spoke of the nearness of the day of the Lord (Is 13:6; Jl 1:15; 2:1; Zph 1:7, 14), focusing on the darkness and gloom of the Lord’s wrath (Is 13:6–13; Jl 1:15; 2:1–3, 10–11, 31; Zph 1:7–18; 2:2; Mal 4:1–3, 5). He emphasized the dual nature of the day of the Lord in bringing retributive judgment on the historical nation Edom and “Edom” as symbolic of Israel’s archenemies (payback on their heads; Ob 15) while, at the same time, bringing salvation (or restoration) for the nation of Israel (Jl 2:30–32; Zph 2:1–10; 3:8–16). In the OT, Edom was a historical entity whose people may have been completely wiped out by AD 70 (see notes at Ob 3, 10, 18). This historical entity blends with “Edom,” a symbol for Israel’s end-time enemies (cp. vv. 15–16; Is 63:1–6; Ezk 35; 36:2, 5—the context of the day of the Lord against all the nations).ISRAEL’S REPOSSESSION OF THE LAND (V V. 17–21) In a second conquest motif, the Hebrew word meaning “possess by dispossessing” is used five times: four times of Israel (both north and south) dispossessing (v. 17) the inhabitants of the promised land (vv. 19–20) and once the same root (v. 17) describes those enemies (including “Esau”) who had dispossessed them. Reminiscent of the conquest of Canaan, this Hebrew word was often used in Deuteronomy of God’s instructions for conquering the promised land (Dt 1:8, 21, 39; 4:5, 14, 26) and also in Joshua (Jos 24:8). Thus as in Jr 49:2 (expected second conquest of Ammon in the last days), a second conquest motif (see usage of “Canaanites” in Ob 20) appears in Israel’s possession of the hill country of “Edom” and the territories of other enemies (vv. 17–20).CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLELike the book of Revelation, which proclaims the downfall of the persecuting Roman Empire, the book of Obadiah sustains faith in God’s moral government and hope in the eventual triumph of his just will. It brings a pastoral message to aching hearts that God is on his throne and he cares for his own.Key Verses (ESV)
Obadiah 1:4: "Though you soar aloft like the eagle, \ though your nest is set among the stars, \ from there I will bring you down, \ declares the Lord." Obadiah 1:12: "But do not gloat over the day of your brother \ in the day of his misfortune; \ do not rejoice over the people of Judah \ in the day of their ruin; \ do not boast \ in the day of distress."Obadiah 1:15: "For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. \ As you have done, it shall be done to you; \ your deeds shall return on your own head."Key Passages (NLT)
Joel 2:32–3:8 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the Lord has said. These will be among the survivors whom the Lord has called. “At the time of those events,” says the…Joel 3:19But Egypt will become a wasteland and Edom will become a wilderness, because they attacked the people of Judah and killed innocent people in their land.Obadiah 1–21This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom. We have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!” The Lord says to Edom,…Structure & Outline 1
StructureThe book of Obadiah begins with a report of judgment against Edom (Obad 1–9). Yahweh will bring about destruction for Edom. The Edomites’ tactical advantage of living in the hard-to-reach mountains will not protect them from Yahweh’s judgment—their place of pride will lead to their downfall. The prophet then turns to the reason for this judgment: Edom gloated over the destruction of Judah and even participated in its downfall (Obad 10–14).The prophet steps back, in Obadiah 15–21, to speak of the coming Day of Yahweh, on which multiple nations—not just Edom—will be judged. However, the Day of Yahweh is not only about judgment: God will also deliver His people and fulfill His promises to them (Obad 19–21).Outline • Judgment against Edom (Obad 1–9) • Edom’s sins (Obad 10–14) • Reversal of fates on the Day of Yahweh (Obad 15–21)Outline 2
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament with only one chapter and 21 verses. Its brief message consists of three major parts. The first section (Obadiah 1:1–14) emphasizes God's judgment specifically upon Edom. The first nine verses introduce Obadiah and the punishment coming upon Edom. Verses 10–14 emphasize the particular sins leading up to this punishment. Edom had been violent to the Jewish people (Obadiah 1:10), gloated over Israel when they had been defeated by others (Obadiah 1:12), looted their possessions (Obadiah 1:13), and even handed over refugees fleeing the war (Obadiah 1:14). The second section (Obadiah 1:15–16) emphasizes God's broader judgment upon the nations. The "day of the LORD" is near for all nations.The third section (Obadiah 1:17–21) shifts to God's future restoration of Israel. Though the kingdom was divided at the time of Obadiah's writing, in the future Israel would again retain its rightful land inheritance as promised by the Lord. Mount Zion would be holy (Obadiah 1:17), while the "house of Esau" (the Edomites) would have no survivors (Obadiah 1:18). Though some of those from Jerusalem were exiles, The Jews would one day possess the cities of the Negeb as well as other lands. God was not done with His people Israel, offering future hope to His people as well as predictions of judgment for His enemies.