A. Judgment against Edom.
Obadiah 1:1-9 is paralleled remarkably in Jeremiah 49:7-22, so Jeremiah probably had Obadiah’s prophecy before him as he wrote and ministered.
1. (1-4) Obadiah announces judgment against Edom and her pride.
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, saying,
“Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”):
“Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
You shall be greatly despised.
The pride of your heart has deceived you,
You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
Though you ascend as high as the eagle,
And though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD.
a. The vision of Obadiah: The Hebrew name Obadiah means “Worshiper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.” There are 13 “Obadiahs” in the Old Testament, and one of these may be the Obadiah who wrote this book.
· An Obadiah was an officer in King Ahab of Israel’s court and hid God’s prophets in a cave (1 Kings 18:3).
· An Obadiah was sent out by King Jehoshaphat of Judah to teach the law in the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7).
· An Obadiah was one of the overseers who helped repair the temple in the days of Josiah, king of Judah (2 Chronicles 34:12).
· An Obadiah was a priest in the days of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:5).
b. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom: Obadiah’s prophecy is unique because he doesn’t deal with Judah or Israel much at all. His focus is on the sin of Edom and the judgment coming upon them. Who were the Edomites?
· The Edomites were the people descended from Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the brother of Jacob (Genesis 25:19-34). Esau was nicknamed “Edom” (which means, “red”) probably because he had red hair.
· Esau eventually settled in the area of Mount Seir and absorbed a people known as the Horites (see Genesis 36:8-43, which refers to Edomite rulers as dukes in the King James Version).
· When Israel came out of Egypt and wanted to pass through the land of the Edomites to enter into the Promised Land, the Edomites wouldn’t let them (Numbers 20:14-21).
· The Edomites opposed Saul and were conquered under David and Solomon (1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Kings 9:26).
· In the days of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Edom joined with Moab and Ammon to attack Judah, but the Lord fought for Judah and defeated them (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-27, which describes the famous battle that was led with praise).
· The Edomites successfully rebelled against King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:16-22).
· King Amaziah of Judah brought them back under subjugation (2 Kings 14:9-11).
· The Edomites again attacked Judah in the days of King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17).
· The Edomites fought side by side with the Jews in the rebellion against Rome in A.D. 66-70 and were crushed by Rome, never to be heard of as a people again. The predictions of Obadiah 1:10 and 1:18 were proven true.
c. Concerning Edom: Because of what this book says of Edom and Jerusalem, we can arrive at a date for Obadiah’s ministry. The only time markers we have in the book are the attack against Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:10-14) and the fact that this passage also seems to indicate that Edom was not under Judah’s rule at the time.
· 2 Chronicles 21:16-17 describes an attack against Jerusalem during the reign of Jehoram (848-841 B.C.) by the Philistines and the Arabians.
· 2 Kings 24- 25 describes the attack of the Babylonians against Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
i. Probably the better choice is the earlier attack because Obadiah 1:10-14 doesn’t seem to indicate that Jerusalem was totally destroyed, as it was under the Babylonian attack. If Obadiah’s prophecy concerns this time period under Jehoram (848-841 B.C.), it makes him a contemporary of the prophet Elisha and also makes him the earliest of the prophets, probably before Joel by a few years. It also means that this prophet Obadiah may be the same man mentioned in 2 Chronicles 17:7.
d. A report from the LORD…arise, and let us rise up against her for battle: Obadiah gave a report from the LORD, announcing that God would bring nations against Edom in battle. As a result of this coming battle, God will make Edom small among the nations and greatly despised.
e. The pride of your heart has deceived you: This helps explain why God is bringing judgment against Edom. They are filled with pride, and it has deceived them.
i. Pride is very deceptive. It makes us think things about ourselves and others that simply are not true. The Edomites were not the last people deceived by pride.
f. You who dwell in the clefts of the rock: The Edomites didn’t have all that much to be proud about. They were a small, relatively poor and insignificant nation. Yet what they could be proud about, they were – they lived in an area of great natural fortifications and strength, so they boasted in the clefts of the rock around them.
i. Though you ascend as high as the eagle: In their pride, the Edomites thought themselves to be as high as the eagle, Pride is so ingrained in fallen human nature that even if we don’t have much to be proud about, we’ll find something to exalt ourselves. This also reminds us that we don’t have to be rich or powerful or great to be filled with pride. Sometimes those who have the least reason for pride have the most of it.
ii. The Edomites also boasted of their secure defenses. The ancient city of Petra – once the capital city of Edom, known as Sela – had amazing defenses. It is a city carved into the rock, accessible by a narrow canyon almost a mile long. At the end of the canyon there is a spectacular city carved in stone, and seemingly incapable of being conquered by any army.
iii. The Edomites also boasted of their wisdom. The men of Edom – especially of the city Teman – were noted for their wisdom. The phrase men of the East in the Old Testament often refers to men from Edom, and passages like 1 Kings 4:30 declare the great wisdom of the men of the East. As well, Jeremiah 49:7 says of Edom: Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished? This was another source of pride for the Edomites.
iv. The Edomites boasted of their alliances and they trusted in their allies – their confederacy, the men at peace with you (Obadiah 1:7). They thought that their alliances made them strong, and they were proud because of that strength.
g. From there I will bring you down: The sobering truth about our pride is that God can bring us down anytime. He can shatter our proud deception and bring us low.
2. (5-9) God’s judgment against Edom will be complete.
“If thieves had come to you,
If robbers by night—
Oh, how you will be cut off!—
Would they not have stolen till they had enough?
If grape-gatherers had come to you,
Would they not have left some gleanings?
Oh, how Esau shall be searched out!
How his hidden treasures shall be sought after!
All the men in your confederacy
Shall force you to the border;
The men at peace with you
Shall deceive you and prevail against you.
Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you.
No one is aware of it.
Will I not in that day,” says the LORD,
“Even destroy the wise men from Edom,
And understanding from the mountains of Esau?
Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed,
To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau
May be cut off by slaughter.”
a. Would they not have stolen till they had enough? Obadiah says that the judgment coming upon Edom will be far worse than what happens when robbers come and steal because they usually stop when they have enough. The judgment coming against Edom will be far more complete (everyone from the mountains of Esau may be cut off by slaughter).
i. The Edomites were proud of their great natural defenses, but God would break their pride and bring them low.
b. Men at peace with you shall deceive you: When God brings judgment against Edom, they will know the sting of treachery against them. The alliances that they once trusted in would come to nothing, and they would be double-crossed by their former friends.
i. The Edomites were proud of their political alliances, but God would break their pride and bring them low.
c. Destroy the wise men from Edom, and understanding from the mountains of Esau: The Edomites were renowned for their great wisdom, but God would bring such great judgment that even their wise men would be destroyed.
i. The Edomites were proud of their reputation for wisdom, but God would break their pride and bring them low.