Verse 1
Book Comments
OBADIAH
INTRODUCTION
The book of Obadiah is not well known but it contains some powerful lessons for our day. It is the only one-chapter book in the Old Testament and contains only 21 verses.
The occasion of the book is some recent sack of Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabians in which Edom had aided and abetted. She had encouraged Judah’s foes, enjoyed Judah’s fall, and enslaved Judah’s fugitives. The book warns Edom of her own coming destruction for her sins against her brother.
BACKGROUND
The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, and hence a "cousin" nation to Judah and Israel. Yet the Edomites were in constant conflict with them. Edom was a narrow strip of mountainous country to the south of the Dead Sea. So rugged is the terrain that the valley in which Petra, one of their capital cities, is located can only be reached through a narrow canyon guarded by towering mountain walls 200-500 feet high (Obadiah 1:3-4).
EDOM’s SIN
Edom is condemned for her pride and her cruelty. Her crimes are described in progressive stages: (1) Edom stood by while Jerusalem was invaded Obadiah 1:11; (2) She rejoiced over the captivity of sons of Judah Obadiah 1:12; (3) She actively participated in looting Jerusalem Obadiah 1:13; and (4) Edom set up road blocks to prevent the citizens from escaping Obadiah 1:14 and sold them into slavery.
She is condemned for her cruelty and unbrotherliness: (1) cruelty of the feet, Obadiah 1:11 "she stood afar off"; (2) cruelty of the eyes, Obadiah 1:13 "looked on in his disaster; (3) cruelty of the heart, Obadiah 1:12 she rejoiced in Jerusalem’s destruction; (4) cruelty of the tongue, Obadiah 1:12; she spoke proudly; (5) cruelty of the hands, Obadiah 1:13, laid hands on Judah’s substance and cut off escape.
OUTLINE OF EDOM
1. The Doom of Edom -- Obadiah 1:1-9
2. The Denunciation of Edom -- Obadiah 1:10-14
3. The Destruction of Edom -- Obadiah 1:15-21
Time Frame: c.845 BC when Philistines and Arabians sacked Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 21:16-17; 2 Kings 8:20.
The prophecy of judgment against Edom’s began fulfillment in 2 Chronicles 25:12 with Amaziah @ 790 BC.
NOTE in verses11-14 how Edom’s crime is described in a progressive manner.
1) v.11 Edom stood by while Jerusalem was invaded.
2) v.12 She rejoiced over the captivity of the sons of Judah.
3) v.13 She actively participated in looting Jerusalem.
3) v.14 She set up road blocks to prevent escape.
Edom encouraged the foes of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:11
Edom enjoyed the fall of Jerusalem, v.
Edom enslaved the fugitives of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:13 & Obadiah 1:14.
The Condemnation of Unbrotherliness
Edom is charged with cruelty to a brother, Obadiah 1:10
1) Cruelty of the feet, Obadiah 1:11, she stood afar off.
2) Cruelty of the eye, Obadiah 1:12, she looked on in his day of disaster.
Obadiah 1:13, she looked on in the day of his affliction
3) Cruelty of the heart, Obadiah 1:12, she rejoice in his destruction.
4) Cruelty of the tongue, Obadiah 1:12, she spoke proudly.
5) Cruelty of the hands, Obadiah 1:13, she laid hands on his substance, and cut of his escape.
[*** Be sure to see Windell Gann’s Bible Book of the the Month lessons on Obadiah.
SERMON OUTLINE
EDOM
AND THE PRIDE OF NATIONS
1. EDOM TRUSTED HER FORTIFICATIONS (v. 3-4)
Nestled in the cliffs high above the plains they likened them-
selves to the eagle which made its nest in the heights of the mountains. The entrance into the city was through a narrow canyon more than a mile in length with vertical walls of six and seven hundred feet high and often not more than six to thirty feet apart. Here just a few men could hold off an entire army. The Edomites thought their city was impregnable! They thought they would never be brought down!
Verses 3-4. Because of their smug, secure position they became filled with pride. The boasted, "who shall bring me down to the ground?" But the prophet said that their pride had deceived them! They thought that they could deal with their enemies; the powerful nations of the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians. The only problem is that they were not now dealing with the powers of the world but with the power of God.
The destiny, doom, and deliverance of nations are in the hands of God; it is He who determines "their appointed seasons and bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17:26). He alone has the power to build up or to debase and cast down.
2. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER TREASURES (v. 5-6)
At this time Edom was the center of caravan routes from Egypt to the north, and from the eastern deserts to the ports on the Mediterranean. She used the numerous caves in Petra as storehouses for the merchandise that was traded.
The prophet points to how thoroughly Edom would be ravaged (v.5) without anything left and how her treasures would be searched out and carried away (v.6).
A nation may have many treasures and natural resources which are blessings from God, but they can be depleted and the nation come to poverty.
3. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER ALLIES AND FRIENDS (v.7)
The time would come when the confederates of Edom would expel her ambassadors. The nations that she had peace treaties with would deceive her and turn against her.
One of the greatest problems in the political world is trying to figure out who your "real" friends are. America is learning you can’t buy friends.
Well, who can we trust? Where can we find friends that we can count on? In time of trouble, where can we go? Edom was deceived by trusting in human help who would desert her in time of need.
4. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER WISDOM AND WISE MEN (v.8)
The Edomites were known for their wisdom and cunning. At the time of Jesus’ birth the land of Judea was ruled by Herod the Great who was of Edomite descent, and called Idumaean. The Lord referred to the Herod who killed John the Baptist as "that Fox" (Luke 13:32) which was a reference to the wisdom and cunning the Idumaeans were noted for.
But the Lord says there would come a time when such wise men and wisdom would be destroyed among them, and they could not be counted on to bring Edom deliverance.
Aren’t we also living in a time when we think our "wise men" and science, our wisdom and knowledge gives us an edge in the world?
5. EDOM TRUSTED IN HER "MIGHTY MEN" (warriors) (v.9)
In the final analysis Edom trusted that her mighty army of strong warriors would be able to defend her against any and every foe. Obadiah calls out that "Teman," one of the mighty cities of the Edomites, would be dismayed in seeing her mighty men slaughtered.
It appears that Edom thought she was prepared for any foe, and overlooked the truth that when God was ready to bring her down, He could. It didn’t matter what size army or how brave they were, when the Lord is ready to chastise a nation He can do it!
CONCLUSION:
No human effort can save the guilty nation from God’s destructive power. Rock fortresses, impregnable mountains, narrow mountain gorges, dependable allies and proud warriors cannot avail. When the Lord has decreed a nations’ humiliation nothing will change that except repentance.
We must remember that our hope is in God. Proverbs 16:18; Proverbs 29:23.
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Verse Comments
cf. Freeman’s Introduction to the Prophets
c. 845 B.C. 249 words in Hebrew = 647 English words. cf. Jeremiah 49:16
Key Verse: Obadiah 1:15
The books seems occasioned by a recent sack of Jerusalem by Philistines and Arabs, during the time of Jehoram, c. 845 B.C. cf. 2 Chronicles 21:16-17;
Obadiah -- "Servant" or "Worshipper" of YAHWAH.
Thus saith the Lord -- Divine authorship.
Edom -- Genesis 36:1; Esau = Edom.
Tidings -- KJ rumour, message, report.
2 Chronicles 21:8; 2 Chronicles 21:16
Vs. 1-9 What is going to happen to Edom.
Vs. 10-16 Why it is going to happen.
Vs. 17-21 How the Lord will bless His people.
Obadiah stands as a comfort to God’s people; justice will be done; it stands as a warning to Edom and other nations.