Sermon Tone Analysis

BACKGROUND INFORMATION -

Author – Obadiah – means “servant of the Lord” or “Worshiper of the Lord”

The name Obadiah is used more about 20 times in the OT –

Date – 835 BC – this would have been prior to the destruction of Israel in 722 BC

Audience – Edom – Look at the relationship between Jacob and Esau in Genesis 26

Theme – “Edom’s Judgment”

Interesting fact – Obadiah is the shortest OT book –

Establish the Situation – What has gone on with the Nation of Israel?

Genesis 12:1-3 – Abrahamic Covenant essential to have a proper understanding of this as we talk about the nation of Israel.

· Tie between Jacob and Esau – Read Genesis 25:21-34

Genesis 25:21–34 (NASB95)

21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I this way?”

So she went to inquire of the Lord.

23 The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau.

26 Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.

28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; 30 and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.”

Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”

32 Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 33 And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way.

Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Rebekah had been barren and Isaac prayed on behalf of his wife

The Lord answered his prayer and she was pregnant with twins and they struggled within her

Vs.

23 is key – You notice anything interesting about this verse?

Two nations are in you

Two people will be separated

One group will be stronger

Older will serve (Esau) the younger (Jacob)

Through Esau comes the nation of Edom vs. 30

Through Jacob comes the nation of Israel – Remember his name was changed to Israel

Make note that through Esau comes the nation of Edom and through Jacob comes the nation of Israel.

It is essential to understand this as we come to the book of Obadiah this morning.

The question that we must ask ourselves now is - what was the problem with Edom?

Numbers 20:14-20 – vs. 18 – “Edom, however, said to him, You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword…”

Numbers 20:14–20 (NASB95)

14 From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us; 15 that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. 1

6 ‘But when we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

17 ‘Please let us pass through your land.

We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well.

We will go along the king’s highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’

”

18 Edom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you.”

19 Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price.

Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else.”

20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.”

And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and with a strong hand.

Ezekiel 25:12 – “Thus says the Lord God, Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance…”

Ezekiel 35:15 – “As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel b/c it was desolate…”

MacArthur says – “There were 4 significant invasions of Jerusalem in OT history:

by Shishak, king of Egypt, ca.

925 b.c.during the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kin.

14:25,26; 2 Chr.

12);

by the Philistines and Arabians between 848–841 b.c.during the reign of Jehoram of Judah (2 Chr.

21:8–20);

by Jehoash, king of Israel, ca.

790 b.c.(2 Kin.

14; 2 Chr.

25); and

by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c.

Of these 4, only the second and the fourth are possible fits with historical data.

Number two is preferable, since Obadiah’s description does not indicate the total destruction of the city, which took place under Nebuchadnezzar’s attack.[i]”

Mostly within one of those invasions the Edomites assisted in the attack – Notice what it says in Deuteronomy 23:7 –

What is the outcome of Edom’s sin?

The judgment spoke of throughout the OT -

· Isaiah 63:1-6 – “Who is this who comes from Edom…”

Isaiah 63:1–6 (NASB95)

1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength?

“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” 2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

3 “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me.

I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.

4 “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come.

5 “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. 6 “I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

· Jeremiah 25:17-26 - Judgment is coming on Edom

Jeremiah 25:17–26 (NASB95)

17 Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah and its kings and its princes, to make them a ruin, a horror, a hissing and a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes and all his people;

20 and all the foreign people, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (even Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon; 22 and all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon and the kings of the coastlands which are beyond the sea;

23 and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair; 24 and all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who dwell in the desert; 25 and all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam and all the kings of Media; 26 and all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground, and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

· Jeremiah 49:7-22 – “Concerning Edom…”

Jeremiah 49:7–22 (NASB95)

7 Concerning Edom.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman?

Has good counsel been lost to the prudent?

Has their wisdom decayed? 8 “Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan, For I will bring the disaster of Esau upon him At the time I punish him.

9 “If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave gleanings?

If thieves came by night, They would destroy only until they had enough.

10 “But I have stripped Esau bare, I have uncovered his hiding places So that he will not be able to conceal himself; His offspring has been destroyed along with his relatives And his neighbors, and he is no more.

11 “Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive; And let your widows trust in Me.” 12 For thus says the Lord, “Behold, those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be completely acquitted?

You will not be acquitted, but you will certainly drink it.

13 “For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”

14 I have heard a message from the Lord, And an envoy is sent among the nations, saying, “Gather yourselves together and come against her, And rise up for battle!” 15 “For behold, I have made you small among the nations, Despised among men.

16 “As for the terror of you, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, O you who live in the clefts of the rock, Who occupy the height of the hill.

Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s, I will bring you down from there,” declares the Lord.

17 “Edom will become an object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss at all its wounds.

18 “Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the Lord, “no one will live there, nor will a son of man reside in it.

19 “Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is chosen I shall appoint over it.

For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court?

And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”