Obadiah - The Kingdom Will Be The Lord's

Obadiah 1–21 ESV

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord. 5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night— how you have been destroyed!— would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 6 How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you— you have no understanding. 8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. 10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. 13 Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. 15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. 16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been. 17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. 18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken. 19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. 21 Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

Context

Obadiah (servant of Yahweh) was a prophet, but who he really is is uncertain. The name Obadiah is mentioned a couple of times in the Bible, for example the one who was governor of Ahab’s house (1 Kings 18:3) and/or overseer of the works of the temple (2 Chron 34:12). But we can’t link him for certain to any of them.

When he received his vision from God is also not certain. Early daters date the book before the exile around the ninth century BC, during the attacks of the Edomites in the reign of King Jehoram (852-841 BC) or during the reign of King Ahaz (735-715 BC). The most likely background for Obadiah’s ministry was the attack on Jerusalem and its destruction in 586 BC. Obadiah would be describing a situation in which the Edomites assisted in the Babylonian sack of Jerusalem.

Ob 1-9 links very well with Jer 49:7-22. Who quotes from who is not sure or they have both the same resource.

Esau = Edom (hill country of Seir), enemies of the Israelites which started first in Numbers 20:18-21. Esau son of Isaac, brother of Jacob. Married to Adah, the Hittite. Amalek and Teman (Ob 9) his grandson. When Esau moved to Seir, the Horites already lived there. King of Edom refused passage for Israel when Moses was leading Israel towards Canaan (Num 20:14-21). Balaam prophesied that Israel would one day possess Edom (Num 24:18). David conquered Edom (2 Sam 8:13-14). During divided kingdom period few hostile encounters between Judah or Israel and Edom. Edom become subjective to Assyria. Edom is pictured as Israel’s representative enemy (Is 34:5-17). Edom rejoiced (Ps 137:7) after the downfall of Judah in 586 BC. Judas Maccabeus subdued the Edomites. King Herod was of Edomite stock.

Edom was a naturally fortified by mountains and therefore easy to defend and hard to attack. They were self-sufficient, having wealth and wisdom. Various trade routes passed through Edom. ‘You who dwell in the clefts of the rock’ probably refers to Petra, one of the seven modern world wonders and ancient trading city of incense.

Judgement against Edom (Ob 2-14)

God is sovereign over the nations, Yahweh is in control.

Why do we find it hard to be encouraged by the judgment of God? Are we still loving sin?

Humbling the proud (Ob 2-4)

Edom found it easier to trust in their mountains than in the sovereignty of the Lord. (Described as type of Antichrist? (Is 14:13, Dan 8:10, 11:37))

Edom prided themselves on their intellectual ability.

God humbles the proud in history (Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Nazi Germany, Stalin’s communist Soviet Union).

This is also a warning to God’s people. Those who know the Lord can also be deceived by pride. Moses warned the Israelites for pride when they entered the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 8:10–14 ESV

10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

Deuteronomy 8:19 ESV

19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.

Pride at the root of all sin?

Pride is self-deceiving.

God will humble the proud, this was also what Jesus did (Jam 4:6, Ps 138:6, Matt 23:12, Luk 1:52).

Where did we as a nation, as a church, or as myself, became pride and need to be humbled by God?

Destroying the wicked (Ob 5-9)

Obadiah gives two examples of complete destruction of Edom. Same destruction awaits for those who are enemies of God, those against the gospel of Jesus. Complete destruction of evil (like Noah, Sodom). They without the gospel will be destroyed.

God destroys the false gods of Edom: - Material wealth (Luke 12:13-21)

Luke 12:21 ESV

21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

-Worldly wisdom

James 3:13–18 ESV

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

-Military power / strength, Edom was relying on its allies in Assyria and Babylon, but even they would turn against them.

Earthly things cannot save you from the judgement of God.

On what false god do I lean?

Persecution will be judged (Ob 10-14)

Attacking God’s people deserves eternal destruction (Ob 10). Attack against own brother, compare with Deut 23:7 how Israel had to deal with Edomites.

Standing aloof deserves judgement. It seems that some Edomites did not join in the attack on Jerusalem and stood aloof, ‘sat on the fence’.

God’s victory (Ob 15-21)

The day of the Lord is near. On that day God will triumph over all his enemies, and act with perfect and just justice.

Ob 15 reminds us of Ex 21:23-25, speaking of the right judgement, the punishment matches the offence committed. Jesus, when mentioning this command in Matthew 5:38-39, does not undermine the principle of justice but of personal vengeance.

Proper judgement purifies from evil. The cross was the proper judgement for our evil. When we believe in Jesus’ offer, we will be purified from evil. Our sins have been laid upon our Saviour and perfect substitute, and we shall be saved from wrath to come by Jesus (1 Thess 1:10).

The day of the Lord is not only a day of judgement for the nations, but also a day of deliverance and salvation for the people of God. Obadiah refers to this as Mount Zion, which is closely linked to the temple. It will be a place of security and safety for true believers exclusively, and God’s enemies (symbolized as the house of Esau) will be excluded from the holy city. (John 5:25-29)

Mount Zion (possession of Jacob) restored (Ezra 1-2, Jesus (Mark 1:14-15), believers, new Jerusalem).

Esau (enemies of God) will be destroyed by fire (God’s presence). This decisive victory, which makes holy living possible is the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus (Col 2:15).

God’s people will be reunited in the Promised Land , not only Jews, but also gentiles (Eph 2:13-18). Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:28-32).

The Kingdom is of God (Rev 11:15).

Bibliography

Bridger, G. (2010). The Message of Obadiah, Nahum and Zephaniah: The Kindness and Severity of God (A. Motyer & D. Tidball, Eds.). Inter-Varsity Press.