The Bible – Book of Obadiah – 5th February 2017

“Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,”declares the LORD.”(Obadiah 4)

The book of Obadiah is only one chapter and is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Verse 1 identifies the author as the Prophet Obadiah. The Book of Obadiah was likely written between 848 and 840 B.C. The book of Obadiah is a book of Prophetic Oracles. The prophet Obadiah wrote it. Its authorship is difficult to date but was possibly written about 848 and 840 B.C. or 605-586 B.C. The key personalities are the Edomites. The purpose of Obadiah is to show that God will judge all those who are against His children, His chosen people. Edom is used as the example of this truth.

Even as the shortest book in the Old Testament, yet it tells of God’s prophet Obadiah as he announces God’s powerful and authoritative judgment on the nation of Edom. This is the fateful end of the nation of Edom. They had been in conflict with Israel since ancient times, in reality Edom is the descendants of Esau, Jacobs’s brother. The book of Obadiah can be divided as follows:

• Verses 1-9, Obadiah declares the wickedness of the Edomites and gives examples of their pride, “In that day,” declares the LORD, “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, those of understanding in the mountains of Esau??” (Obadiah 8).• Verses 10-14: This tells us of the transgressions and offenses of Edom. Implying that they should have acted like a brother who would stand for them, since they descended from the brothers Jacob and Esau... “Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever” (Obadiah 10 ).• Verses 15-21: We read about the victory of Israel in the end: “Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame; Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him.There will be no survivors from Esau.” The LORD has spoken. (Obadiah 18 ). Edom was utterly nonexistent by the 1st century A.D.

Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, is only 21 verses long. Obadiah is a prophet of God who uses this opportunity to condemn Edom for sins against both God and Israel. The Edomites are descendants of Esau and the Israelites are descendants of his twin brother, Jacob. A quarrel between the brothers has affected their descendants for over 1,000 years. This division caused the Edomites to forbid Israel to cross their land during the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. Edom's sins of pride now require a strong word of judgment from the Lord.

Obadiah's message is final and it is sure: the kingdom of Edom will be destroyed completely. Edom has been arrogant, gloating over Israel's misfortunes, and when enemy armies attack Israel and the Israelites ask for help, the Edomites refuse and choose to fight against them, not for them. These sins of pride could be overlooked no longer. The book ends with the promise of the fulfillment and deliverance of Zion in the Last Days when the land will be restored to God's people as He rules over them.

In Obadiah 21 contains a foreshadowing of Christ and His Church. “Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD’s.” (NIV). These “Deliverers” (also called “saviors”) are the apostles of Christ, ministers of the word, and especially the preachers of the Gospel in these latter days. They are called " Deliverers," not because they obtain our salvation, but because they preach salvation through the Gospel of Christ and show us the way to obtain that

salvation. They, and the Word preached by them, are the means by which the good news of salvation is delivered to all men. While Christ is the only Savior who alone came to purchase salvation, and is the author of it, saviors and deliverers of the Gospel will be more and more in evidence as the end of the age draws near.

The practical application one can receive is that God will overcome in our behalf if we will stay true to Him. Unlike Edom, we must be willing to help others in times of need. As Christians we know that Pride is sin. We must bear in mind that we have nothing to be proud of except Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.

Key Verses: Obadiah verse 4, "Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD."Obadiah verse 12, "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."Obadiah verse 15, "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."