Obadiah

We really don't know much about the man Obadiah; and we really can't be certain where this book falls in chronologically. I think, perhaps, he was a contemporary with Jeremiah based upon Jeremiah 49:7-22 and Obadiah 1-9 prophesyies shortly after the captivity. Maybe around the same time Lamentations was penned. Though many disagree and put him as a contemporary with Elijah. But, it really doesn't matter since God didn't tell us.

The point of the book is the judgment of Edom. The Edomites were the descendents of Esau. (Edom means red, Esau's name after selling his birthright for a bowl of red pottage.) Jacob and Esau's sibling rivalry started in the womb and carried on in life with the stolen blessing an on in the generations after them. Esau left and dwelt in the mountain range of Seir formely inhabited by the Horites. Horite means “cave dwellers” the mountain range named after Seir the Horite. The most famous of the Edomite rivalry happened in Numbers 20:14-22, illustrating their lack of compassion upon Jacob's children.

The children of Esau, the Edomites were to be judged for their sins against God and Judah. They rejoiced when Judah was taken captive, they were proud when Judah was in trouble, they stole and sacked Jerusalem instead of helping and looked and laughed at their calamity. They helped the enemy take all captive, wouldn’t allow Jews to escape, but blocked them and then delivered those that could have escaped to the enemy, for price no doubt. Psalm 137 illustrates their heart in this saddest of times for Jerusalem.

Edom had become proud and self assured. The capital city of that time was Petra, a rock fortress that gave them much (in the flesh) to boast about militarily. They thought that they were indestructible. If you have ever seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the final scene takes place in a mountain cavern, and a temple that was carved on the face of a rocky mountain entering into a cave, that is Petra. The trusted in a fortress, but God is greater than any fortress, and justice ran them down.

There is quite a bit of Divine justice and retribution here in repaying Edom for her crimes and the exultation of Judah again.

1. Edom betrayed and watched as Jacob was taken away; Edom will be betrayed by her alliances
2. Edom stole in Jacob’s calamity; Edom will be taken like a thief, nothing left
3. Edom was violent to Jacob, Edom’s violent men will receive the same
4. Edom was proud and desired Jacob’s end; Jacob is a flame of fire, Edom stubble, fire wood
5. Edom came into possess Jerusalem at the expense of Jacob; Jacob will possess Edom in their final doom

The real story here is God's grace.
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

I'll close with B.H. Carroll’s lessons of Obadiah:

1. lesson of family feud’s
2. lesson of pride
3. lesson of false assurance
4. lesson of God’s wrath

i. God does not forget
ii. God does not forget crimes against Him
iii. God does not forget the persecutor of His people

5. lesson of hope in darkest times in Christ

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Douglas Newell IV