Author

Little is certainly known of the background to the tiny (one chapter, twenty-one verses) book of Obadiah. All that we know of Obadiah, the author, is that his name means "servant of the Lord" and that he was a prophet of God (1:1). Probably he was from Judah (verses 11-13).

Date

Nor is the time of the book sure. It was written soon after foreign invaders conquered Jerusalem (verses 11-14). Of course, Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 B.C. But the city was conquered and plundered about 160 years earlier by an alliance of Philistines and Arabians when evil Jehoram was king of Judah (2 Chronicles 21:16-17). Edom also revolted and threw off the rule of Judah during Jehoram's reign (2 Chronicles 21:8-10). Obadiah's description of Judah's defeat fits the more limited destruction of Jehoram's time; thus, Obadiah probably wrote about 845 B.C., making him the earliest of the literary prophets.

Message

Obadiah's message is twofold: Edom will be destroyed because of it cruelty to the Jew (verses 10-11), and Zion will be exalted (verses 17,21).

Background

Obadiah calls Edom Israel's brother (verse 10). Esau was the elder twin brother of Jacob (Israel)(Genesis 25:24-26). They were the sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Before their birth, God determined that the Abrahamic promise would be reckoned through the younger, Jacob (Genesis 25:22-26; Malachi 1:3; Romans 9:8-13). By a profane attitude, Esau lost his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:27-34; Hebrews 12:16-17); and through the deceit of Rebekah and Jacob, Esau lost his father's blessing to Jacob as well (Genesis 27). When Jacob returned to Canaan from Padan Aram, Esau met him peaceably (Genesis 32-33).

Later, when Esau's descendants had become the nation of Edom, they settled in "the South" (Obadiah 20), the Arabah, the dry, rugged country below the Dead Sea, also called "Mount Seir," they refused Israel passage through their country as Israel journeyed toward Canaan (Numbers 20:14-21).

In fulfillment of the divine promise (Genesis 25:23; 26:29), David conquered Edom and subjugated the nation (2 Samuel 8:13-14). Also in fulfillment of God's promise, Edom revolted from Jehoram and won independence (Genesis 26:40).

Edom repeatedly harassed Judah (2 Chronicles 28:16-17). When Jerusalem was conquered, despite the fact they were kinsmen and should have known the Lord, Edom helped Israel's enemies (Obadiah verses 10-14; cf. Psalm 137:7, of the later destruction by Nebuchadnezzar).

For her cruel disregard of brotherhood, Edom would be destroyed (Obadiah verses 1-9; cf. Jeremiah 49:7-13; Ezekiel 35:1-10), along with Israel's other enemies (Obadiah verses 15-16), but Israel would be exalted (Obadiah verses 17-21). Edom should have been Israel's friend, but "stood on the other side" (verse 11).

Fulfillment

Edom was destroyed along with Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. During the period between the testaments, the Nabataeans, Arabs from the Eastern Desert, pushed the Edomites oout of their country. The Edomites were conquered by both Judas Maccabeus and John Hyrcanus of the Jews. John Hyrcanus forced them to accept Judaism. The Herods were Edmonites. By the end of the first century, the Edomites had been absorbed by the Arabs and ceased to exist as a separate people. The prophecies were completely fulfilled.

Israel's ultimate glory prophesied by Obadiah is in the spiritual kingdom, the church (verses 17-21; cf. Numbers 24:15-24; Amos 9:11-12; Acts 15:15-18).

Outline

I. Utter Destruction of Edom - verses 1-16

• Destruction Decreed - verses 1-9
• Reasons for Destruction - verses 10-14 ("In the day that you stood on the other side")
• The Day of the Lord - verses 15-16