JUNE 9

Obadiah's Prophecy Against Edom

The history of God's miraculous working in the affairs of Israel and Judah is the context for the prophecy of Obadiah, perhaps the first of several written prophecies later collected in Scripture. Little is known about Obadiah except that his name means "servant of God." Some believe that Obadiah belongs to a much later period, possibly 250 years later. Others suggest the present historical context, based on his strongly worded attack against Edom, which has recently revolted and apparently given aid to the Philistine and Arab invaders of Judah. Obadiah has two concerns: first, the haughty pride of the Edomites, whose mountain strongholds in Mount Seir, south of Judah, have given them a false sense of security; and second, their quickness to aid those who would destroy Judah.

This matter is a particularly sensitive one to the descendants of Israel. It is important to remember that the Edomites are the descendants of Esau, with whom Jacob (Israel) had struggled for supremacy. In the centuries since the brothers themselves reconciled, there has been much friction between these nations. The Edomites refused the Israelites passage on their march to Canaan; both Saul and David fought with and finally subdued Edom; and Solomon put down an attempted revolt during his reign. So when the Edomites liberate themselves from Judah's control during the reign of Jehoram, and give aid to foreign enemies, it is cause for angry reaction.

Obadiah predicts that Edom will reap what it sows and will itself be brought to ruin. History will confirm the accuracy of the prediction. In addition to its immediate relevance, the prophecy stands as a warning to all enemies of God's people, especially those who ought to be "brothers."

PREFACE. obad.1

The vision of Obadiah.

This is what the Sovereign lord says about Edom

We have heard a message from the lord:

An envoy was sent to the nations to say,

"Rise, and let us go against her for battle”

PRIDE REBUKED. obad.2-4

"See, 1 will make you small among the nations;

you will be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you,

you who live in the clefts of the rocks

and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself,

'Who can bring me down to the ground? Though you soar like the eagle .

and make your nest among the stars,

from there I will bring you down,"

declares the Lord.

VULNERABILITY EXPOSED. Obad 5-7.

"If thieves came to you,

if robbers in the night— Oh, what a disaster awaits you—

would they not steal only as much as they wanted? If grape pickers came to you,

would they not leave a few grapes? But how Esau will be ransacked,

his hidden treasures pillaged! All your allies will force you to the border;

your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you,

but you will not detect it.

REASON FOR PUNISHMENT. Obad. 8-14

"In that day," declares the lord,

"will I not destroy the wise men of Edom,

men of understanding in the mountains of Esau? Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified,

and everyone in Esau's mountains

will be cut down in the slaughter. Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,

you will be covered with shame;

you will be destroyed forever. On the day you stood aloof

while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates

and cast lots for Jerusalem,

you were like one of them. You should not look down on your brother

in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah

in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much

in the day of their trouble. You should not march through the gates of my people

in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity

in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth

in the day of their disaster. You should not wait at the crossroads

to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors

in the day of their trouble.

FUTURE DESTRUCTION. Obad15-18

"The day of the lord is near for all nations.

As you have done, it will be done to you;

your deeds will return upon your own head. Just as you drank on my holy hill,

so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink

and be as if they had never been. But on Mount Zion will be deliverance;

it will be holy and the house of Jacob

will possess its inheritance. The house of Jacob will be a fire

and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble,

and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors

from the house of Esau."

The lord has spoken.

GOD'S PEOPLE RESTORED. Obad.19-21

People from the Negev will occupy

the mountains of Esau, and people from the foothills will possess

the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria,

and Benjamin will possess Gilead. This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan

will possess _Lthe landj as far as Zarephath; the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

will possess the towns of the Negev. Deliverers will go up onf Mount Zion

to govern the mountains of Esau.

And the kingdom will be the lord's.