Study of the Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah

Obadiah- servant of Yahweh.

Facts:

The book of Obadiah is the shortest Old Testament book in the Bible.

There are five one chapter books in the Bible. In order: John 3, John 2, Philemon, Obadiah, Jude.

The book of Obadiah is considered to be 1 of the 12 book of the minor prophets. It is important to note that minor does not mean that the material is of lesser importance than the 4 major prophet books. The reason the 12 minor prophet books are called “minor” is simply because they are not as long as the writings of the major prophets.

Who are or what are the four major prophets? Ans: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. There are 4 major prophets but how many major prophet books? Ans: Five- Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel.

Also note, there are other Old Testament books that are note considered to be books of prophecy but contain prophecy in them. Psalms is a good example.

Important Note:

In understanding the Bible, it is important to understand the flow of the Bible. Why? In understanding the flow of the Bible, it aids the reader in locating specific themes or topics within the scriptures.

Flow of the Scriptures:

The Pentateuch/Torah- The Torah or the Pentateuch (Penta means five) are the first five books of the Bible. It is the books of Moses:

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Historical Books- These are the books that are written that account for Israel’s history:

Joshua - Conquering Canaan

Judges- The time of the Judges.

1 &2 Samuel- King Saul/King David

1 &2 Kings- The Kings of Israel and Judah

1&2 Chronicles- King David and the Kings of Judah

Ruth, Ezra, Esther- Post Exilic History

Wisdom Books or Poetic Books:

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Major Prophets:

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Minor Prophets:

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habbakuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

FOR THOSE WHO ARE SERIOUS ABOUT STUDYING THE BIBLE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW OR HAVE A GENERAL IDEA ABOUT WHAT EACH BOOK IS ABOUT.

Illustration:

When you buy a device at the store, you read the instruction book to figure out how to operate the device. You know the ins and outs on how to operate the device, whether it is a car, a computer, or any other thing.

We as children of God, we should know how to handle God’s word.

Important Note:

The Bible is not written in chronological order.

It is in chronological order up until 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles. Some theologians say Ruth, Ezra, and Esther. But if you study 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles, both of those books go back and forth with history because it is accounting for history between Israel and Judah.

How many Old Testament books are there? Ans: 39 books.

How many New Testament books are there? Ans: 27

For a total of 66 books.

Now......in the Catholic Bible, there are 46 books called the Apocrypha which includes some history between 400 B.C. and the time of Christ.

Remember that there was about a 400 year silence between Malachi and the time of Christ. There were no prophets in the land. So this is one of the main reasons why the Apocrypha is not included in the Protestant Bible, because they are not divinely inspired (not written prophetically).

So Obadiah is the shortest Old Testament book. What is this book about? ANS: Judgement against Edom.

Who is Edom? ANS: Edomites are the descendants of Esau (Genesis 36). Remember that Esau was the firstborn of? Ans: Issac (Abraham’s son of promise). Esau was the first born of twin boys, his brother Jacob was born after Esau.

The bible declares that Jacob was a trickster and tricked his brother Esau into selling his birthright to him. A birthright is a double inheritance from parents to the firstborn son. It is a special privilege granted to the firstborn son, making him the heir of his fathers household.

In Genesis 25, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. The Bible declares that Jacob was fixing some pottage/stew and asked Jacob for some in which Jacob replies “I will if you sell me/trade me your birthright. If you agree to give me all the privileges and benefits of the firstborn son, you can have my stew.

In which Esau replies “I’m dying of starvation, my birthright is no good to me right now anyway.”

Jacob, makes Esau swear to him (this is key) that his birthright now belongs to him in which he does.

So now, Genesis 27, Issac tells Esau “I don’t know when I’m going to die, go hunt some wild game for me, prepare my favorite dish so I can eat it, then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you (the blessing or birthright of the firstborn son).

The problem with that is that Esau swore to give Jacob his birthright. So he was gonna renege on the agreement he made with Jacob.

So Rebekah overheard what Issac told Esau, so when Esau leaves, Rebekah tells Jacob to get two fine goats, she will prepare the meal for Issac, and Issac will bless him instead of Esau before he dies. Evidently, the mother knew of the agreement too.....maybe. Or perhaps, she just favored Jacob more than Esau......we don’t know. What we do know is that an agreement was made between Esau and Jacob, an agreement that probably called on The LORD to ratify, and that Esau had no intention to honor that agreement.

WE ARE BUILDING TENSION HERE.

But the Bible then declares that Jacob tells his mother that his brother is hairy and that his skin is smooth. See Issac at this time was blind and could not see.

Jacob tells Mom that if his father finds out he is trying to trick him, he will curse him instead of blessing him. In which the mother replies “then let the curse fall upon me.”

So Rebekah cooks up the meal, covered Jacob’s neck and arms with the skin of the goat and gets Jacob to take the meal to his father.

So Issac can’t see, but he can hear and he can smell. So Issac asks who he thinks is Esau “how did you find it so quickly.” in which Jacob replies “The LORD YOUR God, put it in my path!”

So right here, it is implied that Jacob is not really a believer.......YET.

Issac tells Jacob, come closer so I can tell if it is really you. So Issac feels the goat skin, he smells like he’s been hunting. So Issac assumes to bless Jacob.

Esau comes in, fixes the stew, gives it to his father only to learn that his brother tricked his father into bestowing the blessing upon Jacob and not him.

And Esau plotted to kill Jacob and regain his birthright.

Jacob flees, but some years later, after Jacob has an encounter with God, after God worked on Esau and changed his heart, the brothers make peace and reunite.

LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE TENSION:

Numbers 20:20–21 KJV

And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

The Israelites are coming through the wilderness on their way to the promise land. And the Edomites, Esau’s descendants, their own family......would not allow them to pass through their land on the way to the promise land.

But then in 1 Sam we see that Saul, David, and eventually Solomon were attacked by Edom. They were suppose to be family (1 Sam 14:47, 2 Sam 8:14, 1 Kings 11:14).

At some point, there was a coalition between Israel, Judah, and Edom (1 Kings 22:47; 2 Kings 3) but then both Israel and Judah had continued conflicts with Edom (2 Kings 8:20-22, 2 Chr 25:14-20, 2 Chr 28:17).

So all of this tension, of all this backstabbing and plotting against Israel. Now here is the thing, the scriptures never declared that Edom was God’s people.

God did not deliver Edom, he delivered Israel. And although Edom is family to Israel, they do not have the exclusivity of being God’s people like Israel. So what do you think happens when you mess with God’s people?

Ans: Eventually God will step in and do something about it.

So lets close with our text tonight:

So the intent, the purpose of the book of Obadiah is the vision that the Sovereign LORD revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.

Sovereign means one who rules or commands, in verb form it means to exercise authority over, as of nations or other entities, even natural ones such as animals. He is one who makes judicial decisions.

So the LORD has made a judicial decisions. All of these transgressions have been adding up. And now a decision has been made by The LORD.

What decision has been made?

Obadiah 1 KJV

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

The LORD is going to allow nations to rise up and attack Edom.

Obadiah 2 KJV

Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

God is going to cut them down to size and they are greatly despised.

Why?

Obadiah 3 KJV

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

Because they think that they are untouchable. They think that they can do what they want and not have to answer for it. They think that because they live in comfort, because they live in a rock fortress and are protected in the high mountains that nothing can touch them.

The same can be said about those who oppose God. They think because they have great substance, because everything is going good for them, that they can not be touched. They think that because they are in good health, nothing can happen to their bodies. Their pride has lifted them up.

Obadiah 4 KJV

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

But doesn’t God always give a warning before judgement? ANS: Yes

Isaiah 34:1-17, Jer 9:25-26, Ezek 25:12-14, Joel 3:19, Amos 1:11-15.

So God sent warnings to Edom and guess what. Edom refused to repent, they thought they were untouchable. The root cause of this was envy. Every chance they got, they tried to hinder God’s people, every chance they got, they fought against God’s people.

AND IT IS A DANGEROUS THING WHEN YOU FIGHT AGAINST GOD’S SERVANTS!!!!

The LORD declares in verses 5-6 that they would be stripped of everything.

And the people that you look to (verse7) your allies, those that you depend on.....that thing that you depend on.....it won’t be able to help you. Matter of fact the thing that you depend on, the people that you look to will become your own enemies.

Obadiah 8–9 KJV

Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

So why is God doing all of this?

Obadiah 10–14 KJV

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

So they cheered as calamity fell upon Israel/Judah. That’s why when God’s judgement comes, we ought not to conduct ourselves in a way in which God would be displeased with us. You ought not conduct yourselves in a way that you rejoice at someone’s calamity. You ought not say “oh that’s what they get......or they got what was coming to them.” Because God can cause something to come upon you.

So in verses 15-21 it talks about how God was going to bring down Edom and restore Israel. Sometimes, God has to drop the hammer in order for his people to repent. That’s what he did with Israel.

And sometimes we find ourselves in precarious situations because we did not make the right choices. Sometimes we suffer as a result of our sin and our disobedience to God.

But the goodness of this text tells us that God will restore! God will rescue, God will restore, God will deliver, God will clean you up and make you holy!