1 The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom:
We have heard a report from the Lord,
and a messenger has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”
2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
you shall be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rock,
in your lofty dwelling,
who say in your heart,
“Who will bring me down to the ground?”
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 1:1-4 ESV
This book is part of a larger collection of prophetic writings called the Minor Prophets. This designation was meant to highlight the shorter length of the books when compared with the “Major Prophets.” While shorter in length, these books carry no less weight and their authors are no less significant than their more wordy counterparts.
Much scholarship has been conducted over the years to ascertain the identity of the book’s author. The name Obadiah was common among the Hebrews and the Old Testament refers to 13 different characters by this name. Despite the efforts of biblical scholars and historians, no consensus has been reached regarding the identity of the author, making it virtually impossible to determine when the book was written.
“This shortest book in the Old Testament, consisting of only twenty-one verses, bears the distinction of being the most difficult of all the prophecies to date.” – Gleason L. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction
All we know about the unidentified author of this rather diminutive book is that his name meant “Worshiper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.” He was a faithful follower of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who received a divine commission to deliver a message to God’s people. But the message he was given did not address the people of Israel or Judah. Instead, it dealt with the nation of Edom, which was comprised of distant relatives of the Israelites. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob. Esau was the grandson of Abraham, the patriarch of the Hebrew people.
The story of Jacob and Esau as recorded in the Book of Genesis, is a tale filled with deceit, envy, hatred, and division. These twin brothers were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, who came out of the womb first, was the rightful heir to all that Isaac owned. But through a series of events, Esau forfeited his birthright for a bowl of stew, then helplessly watched as his brother deceived their father and stole the blessing of the firstborn. Having been robbed of all that was rightfully his, Esau set out to kill his brother. But Rebekah intervened and sent Jacob away. Years later, the brothers were reunited and the feud between them was settled. But Esau ended up relocating to a region just south of the Dead Sea on the border of what would become the land of Israel.
Centuries later, the descendants of Jacob, now known as the Israelites, were making their way from Egypt to the land that God had promised as their inheritance (the inheritance that had rightfully belonged to Esau). But it has always been God’s plan for Jacob to receive the inheritance. In fact, when the boys were still in the womb, God informed Rebekah, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23 ESV).
In God’s sovereign plan, it had always been Jacob, the second-born, who would receive the blessing and the inheritance. It was Jacob whose name would later be changed to Israel. It was Jacob who would move his small family to Egypt to escape the famine in the land of Canaan. It was Jacob’s son, Joseph, who would rise to power and prominence in Egypt and provide food and shelter to his family. It was the descendants of Jacob (Israel) who would be delivered from their captivity in Egypt and led by Moses to their new home in Canaan.
But on their way to their promised inheritance, they encountered difficulty from their distant relatives, the Edomites. This unfortunate event is recorded in the Book of Numbers.
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” – Numbers 20:14-18 ESV
Long before this confrontation took place, God had given the Israelites strict instructions regarding any future encounter with their distant relatives.
“You will pass through the country belonging to your relatives the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful. Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land. If you need food to eat or water to drink, pay them for it. For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done.” – Deuteronomy 2:4-7 NLT
The Israelites had been forbidden to take land from their relatives. Yet, when they asked for permission to pass through the land of Edom, the descendants of Esau treated them with disrespect and disdain. Their shared bloodline made no difference. And, as time passed, the Edomites and Israelites would remain sworn enemies.
When Israel finally conquered and occupied the land of Canaan, their first king, Saul, would face ongoing opposition from the Edomites. So would his successor, David( 1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Kings 9:26). Years later, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the Edomites joined forces with the Moabites and Ammonites to attack Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1-27). The Edomites would also rebel against King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:16-22). Eventually, they would be defeated by King Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:9-11) but their subjugation to the people of Israel would end with their attack on Judah during the reign of King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17).
This love-hate relationship between the Israelites and Edomites went on for centuries. By the time of Obadiah, the Edomites had proven to be a perpetual thorn in the side of God’s chosen people. The message given to Obadiah was addressed to the kingdom of Edom but intended for the ears of the people of Judah. God wanted them to know He would deal with the Edomites justly and effectively. He was well aware of their past actions and would punish them appropriately.
God had bad news for the people of Edom. A prideful people who lived in virtually impregnable conditions in the cliffs south of the Dead Sea, they were about to experience the humbling discipline of God. He was going to breach their defenses (Vs 2-4), plunder their treasure (Vs 5-7), and destroy their leadership (Vs 8-9). But while most of the book of Obadiah seems to be words of warning against the people of Edom, it was written to the people of Judah. This book was meant to be a word of encouragement to the people of God about His sovereign rule and reign over their lives, circumstances, and future.
God was not unaware of or indifferent to the condition of the people of Judah. He knew what was going on and was fully aware of the events taking place around them. This included the behavior of such nations as Edom. It may have appeared to the people of God that He was unsympathetic or preoccupied elsewhere during their times of difficulty, but nothing could have been further from the truth. He was not only aware, He was in control, and He had a plan. The message to Obadiah was one of hope for the people of God because He was about to act on their behalf. He would right all the wrongs, defend the helpless, and keep His covenant promises.
It may get worse before it gets better, but IT WILL get better - much better. Nations like Edom will not be able to stand against the wrath of God. When Christ returns to Earth the second time, He will wage war against the nations that have aligned themselves against God and His people.
It is interesting to note that when Jesus came to earth as a baby, Herod the Great, an Edomite, tried to have Him destroyed when he put to death all the Jewish boys under the age of two. The animosity of the Edomites for the people of God had not abated, even in Jesus’ day. But Herod failed and the plan of God would succeeded.
Even today, there are nations trying to destroy the people of God – the nation of Israel. Jerusalem itself is a battleground of contention and strife between Muslims and Jews. The Palestinians and Iranians would love to see Israel completely eliminated from the face of the earth. But God is their protector. He will not allow that to happen. He is in control and will finish what He began with the people of Israel. He is going to fulfill every promise He has ever made to them. Obadiah is a reminder to us all that God is in control. He knows what is going on around us. He knows our hurts, cares, and concerns, and He has a plan. He will ultimately right every wrong, destroy every one of His enemies, and restore righteousness to the earth. Even amid all the doom and gloom, we can have hope – because our God lives!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
