Obadiah...Edom's Judgement

Obadiah, a prophet of God has a message for the Edomites. Doom is coming to the people of Edom, because of their cruelty to Judah. At the same time we see God’s faithfulness to His own and His covenant promises.

Obadiah 10 MEV

For the slaughter and the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.

In order to understand Obadiah’s message, you probably need to get back to its origins.

Genesis 27:41 MEV

So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

The ancestors of Esau were and are furious with Jacob and Israel. Esau forsook his birthright and ultimately lost his blessing to Jacob. Jacob lied in order to get them. The truth is that God’s blessing would likely have come in time, and would not have even tried, instead he chose to compromise and mislead his father.

Jacob got what he had wanted, but it came at a high price. He would end up leaving everything behind and running for his life. He spent many years serving in someones household. He was mistreated and decieved himself. Remember, you will always reap what you sow! Jacob’s life is a good reminder to all of us that we should live our lives right before God.

The Blessing

Genesis 27:27–29 MEV

He came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is like the smell of the field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore, may God give you of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!”

This would’ve been Esau’s blessing had Jacob not decieved his father. Instead, Esau recieved something different...

Genesis 27:39–40 MEV

Isaac his father answered and said to him, “Your dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew of heaven from above. You will live by your sword and will serve your brother. When you become restless, you will break his yoke from your neck.”

Esau and his descendants would live by the sword. They would spend the rest of their days living and dying by the sword.

Malachi 1:2–5 MEV

I have loved you, says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the Lord. Yet I have loved Jacob; but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a desolation and left his inheritance for the jackals of the desert. Whereas Edom says, “We are impoverished, but we will rebuild the ruins,” thus says the Lord of Hosts: They may build, but I will tear down. They will be called the Wicked Territory, and the people against whom the Lord has indignation forever. Your eyes will see this, and you will say, “Great is the Lord, beyond the border of Israel!”

Sometimes we may read these old prophetic books and think it’s history. This couldn’t be further from the truth. These books have implications for us too. Consider...

Jacobs ancestors = Israel

Esau’s descendants = Edomites who we know today as the Palestinians.

Consider the war between these two nations taking place even today as we sit here. Our country, along with everyone else is trying to pressure Israel into a two state solution. Will it happen? I have my doubts, based off of these scriptures alone. You are literally watching scripture happen right in front of you.

Obadiah may have been written somewhere around 841 B.C.. What this means is that this has went on and on for 2,865 years. Does God’s word stand the test of time, I would say yes!