Book of Obadiah

Concise Bible Dictionary:

There is nothing in this prophecy to fix its date. The whole of it relates to Edom or the Edomites. Edom (Esau) is characterized in scripture by his deadly hatred to his “brother Jacob” (Obad. 1:10¹⁰For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. (Obadiah 10)). His pride is spoken of, exalting himself as the eagle, setting his nest in the firmament of heaven, and seeking his safety in the high caves of the rocks, which well answers to their habitations in Idumea.

Part of the prophecy may refer to the time when Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon. In Psalm 137:7-8⁷Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. ⁸O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. (Psalm 137:7‑8), Edom is associated with Babylon as against Jerusalem. Obadiah 1:12-14¹²But 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. ¹³Thou 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; ¹⁴Neither 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. (Obadiah 12‑14) of the prophecy exactly describe the manner of a people like the Arabs when a city was captured. There are seven reproaches against them: they helped to pillage the place, stood in by-places to cut off any that escaped, and delivered them up to their enemies. These intimations of their assisting in the destruction of Jerusalem have led to the prophecy being usually dated B.C. 587, the year following the destruction.

The prophecy, however, probably looks onward to the last days, when Israel, restored to their land, will be attacked by Edom, and kindred nations (Psa. 83). Idumea will be their rendezvous, and the sword of the Lord will be filled with blood (Isa. 34:5-6⁵For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. ⁶The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. (Isaiah 34:5‑6)). Obadiah depicts the Jews themselves as God’s instruments for the destruction of Esau; which agrees with Isaiah 11:14¹⁴But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. (Isaiah 11:14) and Daniel 11:41⁴¹He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. (Daniel 11:41). “Upon mount Zion shall be deliverance....the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble” (Obad. 1:17-18¹⁷But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. ¹⁸And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it. (Obadiah 17‑18)). The destruction shall be complete: “every one of the mount of Esau” shall be cut off by slaughter; “there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau” (Obad. 1: 9,18). Their land shall be possessed by Israel, for God’s ways are retributive. The prophecy ends with “the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s.”

Bible Handbook:

587 B.C. – 21 Verses

This, shortest of all the prophetical writings in the Old Testament, announces the doom of the Lord upon Edom, the land possessed by the descendants of Esau — Jacob’s brother. Edom will be utterly destroyed in the future deliverance of Judah, and her judgment will be executed by the victorious hosts of Jehovah — the Jewish people (Ezek. 25:14¹⁴And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 25:14); Isa. 11:14¹⁴But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. (Isaiah 11:14)). The pride and arrogancy of the Edomites, secure in their mountain fastnesses and rocky dwellings, is the subject of verses 3 and 4; their destruction would be full and entire, and their friends and confederates would aid in their unsparing doom (verses 5-7); their wisdom in allying themselves with the successful invaders of Judah, would be baffled and all, yea, individually they would be cut off by slaughter (verses 8-9). Language could not be conceived more precise or definite intimating judgment which would clear the land of the Edomites, and utterly exterminate the whole race and house of Esau, than is supplied in verse 18; only be it remembered that this final judgment is yet future, that the people against whom the Lord hath indignation forever is not extinct; they will reappear in the closing days, as will all the nations in their representatives. To man, nations and peoples referred to in that important and early chapter, Genesis 10, have entirely passed off the scene, but not so to God. All collective and individual responsibility has to be answered for in the future; on this earth all the nations who have played their part, will come up in the closing days in their descendants or representatives, and will have meted out to them the judgment due. The land and possessions of Edom and of the Philistines and Canaanites will yet be fully occupied by restored Israel (verses 19-20); the blessed and glorious conclusion of all is stated in verse 21; the world-kingdom of Christ will secure righteousness, power, and glory.

The ground of these judgments upon Edom, the ancient and bitter enemy of Israel, is given us in the touching verses 10-14, in which God rehearses the doings of Esau to His beloved people. It is a serious thing to meddle with the saints of God; they are as the apple of His eye. To do them a wrong is to enter into a controversy with God Himself; to do them a blessing is to merit His hearty commendation.

Esau, the brother of Jacob, thus in a certain external relationship to God began his history by profanely despising the God of blessing (Heb. 12:16-17¹⁶Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. ¹⁷For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Hebrews 12:16‑17)), and in the course of his descendants we see manifested the most inveterate hatred to Israel. They actively assisted the Babylonians in their attacks upon Jerusalem, seizing the property of the Jews, cutting off their retreat from the city and delivering up those whom they captured, besides proudly rejoicing over the distress of the people and desolation of the city. The Psalmist thus prays: “Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof” (Psa. 137:7⁷Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. (Psalm 137:7)). Edom is also prominent in the scenes of the last days, being first named in the wicked confederacy of the nations purposing to cut off the very remembrance of Israel from the earth (Psa. 83:4-18⁴They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. ⁵For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: ⁶The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; ⁷Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; ⁸Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. ⁹Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: ¹⁰Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. ¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: ¹²Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. ¹³O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. ¹⁴As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; ¹⁵So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. ¹⁶Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. ¹⁷Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: ¹⁸That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:4‑18)). The land of Edom will also witness to the Lord’s vengeance upon the nations; there they will assemble and there be utterly destroyed — Isaiah 34 giving us the details. Edom’s desolation will be “perpetual,” even as she had a “perpetual” hatred to Israel (Ezek. 35).

It is interesting to note in reference to Jacob and Esau (Rom. 9:13¹³As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Romans 9:13)) that the Lord’s call of and love to Jacob are fully expressed in the first book of Scripture, but “Esau have I hated” in the last book of Old Testament Scripture — that is, the race descended from Jacob’s twin brother had fully developed their character, ways, and doings before God records His hatred of them.

Note

Mr. Kelly in his Lectures Introductory to the Study of the Minor Prophets, remarks: “What has been employed to prove a late date is invalid, from forgetting that the prophetic vision presents things future, as already seen. For present time with a prophet is when a prophecy is accomplished, not when it is given. I believe he (Obadiah) was early, not late.”

Book of Obadiah

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