Obadiah
We really don’t know who
Obadiah was. There are some thirteen people in the Old Testament who have this
name of Obadiah but we don’t which of those is this Obadiah, and he may not
even be one of the other twelve. There is no specific historical peg in these
21 verses that we can go to and identify exactly and precisely when this was
written. There are a couple of things that indicate that it was early, and one
of those is that it is placed early in the twelve, and these were the early
pre-exilic prophets. When we study the issues on the date of Obadiah its
content deals with a time when Edom had not helped Israel but had been allied with the enemies of Israel, and there is a partial destruction of Jerusalem. People either identify this time period as being
early on, approximately 850 BC, during the time of the ministry of Elisha, or others try to place it at the time of the
destruction in 586 by Nebuchadnezzar. The problem with the latter view is that
when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem he did it by himself and he didn’t need any help from
Edom, and secondly, Nebuchadnezzar at the time of the
Neo-Babylonian empire totally destroyed Jerusalem. Obadiah isn’t talking about a total destruction, it
is a partial destruction. On that basis it is probably an earlier date when
there is an assault by the Philistines who invade into Judah and into Jerusalem, but it was not a time of total destruction. Edom did ally herself with the Philistines at that battle,
during the same time as Elisha. If it is early it is
supported by the fact that the Jews historically and traditionally placed
Obadiah very early in the Old Testament. The focal point is a judgment on Edom.
Later on the Edomites are defeated by the Nabataens
and they have to move from their traditional homeland. By the New Testament
times the Edomites had all moved into the southern territory of Judah
and are known as Idumeans and they tried to blend in
with the Jews. Herod the Great was an Idumean. Edomites had historically been antagonistic to Israel during the time of the conquest,
they refused to allow Moses to bring the Israelites through their land on the
way to Canaan. During the early monarchy, during the period of Saul
and David, they were hostile to Israel. They were eventually subdued and defeated by David
and were under the control of the united kingdom. But by the time of Ahab’s grandson Jehoram they are breaking loose from that control and by
the time of Jehoshaphat in the southern kingdom they
successfully rebel against the southern kingdom and have more of an independence. By the time of the fifth century BC the Nabataeans forced them out and they moved westward and
eventually attempted to assimilate with the Jews.
The focus of Obadiah is
that this is a judgment on the Edomites because they
have failed to be their brother’s keeper; they have failed to be a protector of
the descendants of Esau’s brother Jacob and because of that they are going to
be judged by God and removed.
There are three basic
divisions in Obadiah. There is a warning of approaching judgment in vv. 1-9.
Their indictment is summarized in vv. 10-14. Then there is a shift from
historical judgment on Edom to the eventual establishment of Israel’s sovereignty in fulfillment of the promises of God
to Israel, vv. 15-21. We see that there are a lot of
similarities between God’s judgment and the indictment on the Edomites and the indictment God brings against the nations
in the day of the Lord at the end of history. In that sense we see that the Edomites are used as a type of all of the gentile nations
that are in arrogant hostility toward God. So this book shows the destiny of
all Gentile nations as enemies of God throughout history and how God will
eventually bring a judgment against them and establish Israel as His people.
Obadiah
1:1 NASB “The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom— We have heard a report from the LORD, And an
envoy has been sent among the nations {saying,} ‘Arise and let us go against
her for battle’— ”
The “her” here is Edom. It is a call to the nations that God is going to use
in order to bring about His judgment on the Edomites. [2] ‘Behold, I will make you small among the
nations; You are greatly despised.’” The
thrust of the whole indictment is Edom’s arrogance and God is going to reduce them and
humble them to where they are despised. We see pride here in these verses
emphasized. [3] “The
arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the
rock, In the loftiness of your dwelling place, Who say in your heart, ‘Who will
bring me down to earth?’” They were isolated by the terrain which
protected them as the Nabateans did after them.
Again, this is an indictment of their mental attitude sins of pride and
arrogance. [4] “‘Though you build high like the eagle, Though
you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,’ declares
the LORD.”
In verses 5-7 the emphasis
is on the fact that thieves would come and may just steal a few things and may
destroy a few things but in divine judgment everything would be destroyed.
Obadiah 1:5 NASB “If thieves came to you, If robbers by night— O how
you will be ruined!-- Would they not steal {only}
until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave
{some} gleanings? [6] O how Esau will be ransacked, {And} his
hidden treasures searched out! [7] All the men allied with you Will send you forth to the border, And the men at peace with
you Will deceive you and overpower you. {They who eat} your bread Will set an
ambush for you. (There is no understanding in him.)” Those they
trusted, the nations they were in alliances with would turn against them just
as Edom had turned against her brother Israel. [8] “Will I not on that day,” declares the LORD, “Destroy
wise men from Edom And understanding from the mountain of Esau?
[9] Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman,
So that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau
by slaughter.” So this is the destruction of Edom’s leadership, the wise men in verse 8 and the mighty
men in verse 9.
Obadiah 1:10 NASB “Because of violence to your
brother Jacob, You will be covered {with} shame, And
you will be cut off forever. [11] On the day that you stood aloof,
On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And
foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem— You too were as one of them.” They
allied themselves with the enemies of Israel. [12] “Do not gloat over your brother’s day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons
of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not
boast In the day of {their} distress.” The day
of Israel’s captivity. They were as exultant in their victory over Judah as the enemies of Judah and so for that they are condemned.
Then in v. 15 we have the
shift from the historical circumstance to the future day of the Lord. NASB “For the day of the LORD
draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you.
Your dealings will return on your own head.” Just as God was going
to judge Edom, which happened historically, God will at some point
in the future judge all the nations. What we see in Isaiah 34 and in Obadiah is
that the day of the Lord judgment is a judgment on all of the nations/Gentiles.
They are going to reap what they have sown. [16 ]“Because
just as you drank on My holy mountain [in Jerusalem], All the nations will drink continually. They will
drink and swallow And become as if they had never
existed.” So this is a description of their judgment that shall
come upon them, a picture of drinking in judgment just as they, the Edomites, drank on the holy mountain, i.e. in their victory
over Israel, so now the nations shall also drink of judgment and
violent defeat in the same way.
Then verse 17 shifts to Israel’s ultimate triumph.
NASB “But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And
it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.”
This is talking about a future fulfillment when the house of Jacob [Israel] will possess their possessions—the inheritance that
they have never possessed fully in history. They will possess all of the land
that God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Then we have the two phrases:
the house of Jacob and the house of Joseph, indicating the entirety of the
nation Israel, all of the tribes.
[18] “Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And
the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau {will be} as stubble. And
they will set them on fire and consume them, So that
there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,” For the LORD has spoken.”
Fire is picturing purification and judgment. The Edomites
will be destroyed but the house of Jacob and the house of Joseph will be
established.
Obadiah 1:19 NASB “Then {those of} the Negev
will possess the mountain of Esau,
And {those of} the Shephelah the Philistine {plain;} Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, And Benjamin {will possess} Gilead.”
So now the mountains of Esau which were not originally given to Israel as their possession will be part of the land and part
of their possession in the Millennial kingdom. [20]
“And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel, Who are {among} the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Will
possess the cities of the Negev.” What this is saying is that at the
time of the day of the Lord there is this judgment on all the nations.
Following that judgment on all of the nations Israel will finally possess all of the land that God had
promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This prophecy of vv. 15-21 is as yet
unfulfilled. [21] “The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau,
And the kingdom will be the LORD’S.”