Obadiah

 Obadiah is a short book of the Bible, just 669 words in length. It the end of a long, sad story. The rivalry between Jacob and Esau comes to a conclusion. Obadiah is a prophesy is against the Edomites. The name Edom means "red" and originates from Esau. Genesis 25:30  "And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom." Esau came home from a hunting trip very hungry. So hungry, he sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a bowl of red pottage. The name stuck with him for the rest of his life. His decedents were always reminded what Esau forfeited for the lust and desires of the flesh. This was just one big event in a rivalry that began in the womb (Gen 25:22).  The twin boys, Jacob and Esau started their struggled in their mother Rebekah's womb. God said that the elder would serve the young, and from the boys would come two nations. Esau was born first, which was important in the days of birthrights and blessings; but Jacob was the chosen one.

The parents had committed a terrible mistake; they had divided affections among the boys. Isaac loved Esau because he was a hunter, but Rebekah loved Jacob. After the sold birthright, Jacob made things worse by stealing Esau's blessing.  Esau went to get venison for his dying father before receiving his blessing. Rebekah and Jacob conspired to trick blind Isaac into giving him the blessing instead of Esau. Jacob deceived his father and stole the blessing. This was the last straw for Esau who vowed to kill Jacob after the time of mourning their father was over. Rebekah sent Jacob away to her brother to hide from Esau.

While Jacob was fighting with his father-in–law, slaving away for his daughters, Esau's family and influence grew. Esau left home and inhabited  Mount Seir, formerly inhabited by the Horites,  now known as Edom.  The Bible tracks Jacob and his family through the rest of the book of Genesis and Exodus. Meanwhile, Esau's nation grows in the Mountains of Edom. Centuries later, when Moses asked the King of Edom to allow Israel to pass through their country to get to the land promised to Jacob, the king refused passage (Numbers 20:14-22).

Over 1,000 years later, when Jerusalem was attacked and looted by her enemies the Edomites did not come to her aid. Instead they laughed and gloated at their destruction (Obadiah 10-12). The Edomites were proud because they lived in the fortress-like shelter of the mountains. They were well protected and felt safe in the rocks. Obadiah comes to pronounce the final judgment on Edom. Their fortress was not good enough place to hide from the judgment of God. Edom's bitterness soured the soul of generations of people. Bitterness is a sin that hangs on to past wrongs and ends up only harming yourself.