 |
| Photo by Jim Tracy |
Obadiah is unique among the biblical prophets in that he spoke not to Israel or Judah, but to Edom. (Jonah and Nahum were the only other ones with a ministry directed at someone besides the descendants of Jacob).
Edom is descended from Jacob’s brother Esau. They were brothers to the nation Israel. However, they did not treat Israel the way relatives should.
While Israel was wandering in the wilderness, Edom wouldn’t even let them walk through their land. They refused them food and drink, even though Israel offered to pay for all of it. They often sided with Israel’s enemies, looted the country after she had been conquered, and even, apparently, sold Israelites off as slaves.
God did not approve of their behavior and has Obadiah warn them of the coming punishment.
Obadiah is written in rhyme in Hebrew. This affects its wording, making it a bit clumsy in English.
Edom Dies
1 The vision given Obadiah: This is what the Master I Am says about Edom; "We have heard a rumor from the I Am, and a messenger is sent among the nations, 'Get up, and go to war against her!'"2 "See, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the hidden fortresses in the mountains; you say in your heart, "Who can pull me down to the ground?"
Edom was located in the hill area to the southeast of Judah. This was a very fortified area easily defended from attack.
4 Even though you exalt yourself like an eagle, and you make your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there," says the I Am.
5 If thieves came and robbed you at night, (O, what a disaster waits for you!) wouldn't they leave some stuff behind? Don't grape harvesters leave some behind to feed the poor?
Edom is going to be robbed and plucked and picked, but God won’t leave leftovers like thieves and harvesters would.
6 O, how Edom will be looted! Every hidden thing found and taken!
7 All your allies will drive you to your borders. Those at peace with you deceived you and won! Your trading partners have set a trap for you. You don't even know about any of this.
8 That's when I will destroy the wisest men of Edom, Says the I Am, and all understanding will be removed from Mount Esau.
9 And your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, so that everyone in the mountains of Edom will be slaughtered.
10 Because of the violence you committed against your brother Jacob shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed forever.
11 You stood by and watched, like an enemy, when enemies conquered Israel, and looted Jerusalem.
12 But you shouldn't have stood by watching the day your brother was carried off into a foreign land, nor rejoiced when Juda was destroyed, nor bragged in the day of their distress.
13 You shouldn't have gone into My people's land when they were in distress, nor bragged about their destruction, nor looted their land when they were conquered.
14 Neither should you have waited at the crossroads to cut off those who did escape; neither should you have handed over the survivors during their day of trouble.
15 The day of the I Am is near when I will judge all the nations. As you have done to Israel, it will be done to you. You will receive exactly what you have paid them.
“The day of the I Am” is the Day of Judgment. “God is coming to judge all the ungodly nations, and guess what Edom? How you have treated Israel and Judah is how you will be treated.”
This is the basic law of the universe that God has written into creation; “Whatsoever you sow, so shall ye reap.” (Galatians 6:7, Job 4:8, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Luke 6:38)
Eastern religions call it "Karma."
Edom had sown evil and violence and now they were fixing to reap evil and violence.
16 For just as you have drunk on My sacred mountains, so all the nations will drink (of you?) for ever and it will be as if you had never been.
Edom had sown evil and violence and now they were fixing to reap evil and violence.
16 For just as you have drunk on My sacred mountains, so all the nations will drink (of you?) for ever and it will be as if you had never been.
17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and it will be a holy place. The house of Jacob shall return to claim their possessions.
18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau like (dried out) stubble, and Jacob's decedents will burn Esau up and devour them; and there shall not be any left of the house of Esau; for the I Am has spoken it.
Judah, under the leadership of the Maccabees, conquered what was left of the descendants of Edom in 163BC and 125BC forcing them to convert to Judaism and incorporating them into the nation Judah.
19 Those in Judah from the south will possess the mountain of Esau; and those in the plains of Judah (will possess) the Philistines (land): and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
20 And the exiles of the children of Israel will possess the land the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
21 And warriors will come up from mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the I Am’s.
Judah will become a leading nation again while Edom will be destroyed and disappear from the earth.
Babylon destroyed Edom in 667BC and she never really recovered. She was never recognized as a significant nation again. After the Maccabees, though their were people in the region, they were never identified as Edomites again (though we assume some of their descendants still lived there, they were known as Idoumaia.) They were simi Jews, religiously and culturally. The Romans finished the job of wiping them off the face of the earth in AD70.
18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau like (dried out) stubble, and Jacob's decedents will burn Esau up and devour them; and there shall not be any left of the house of Esau; for the I Am has spoken it.
Judah, under the leadership of the Maccabees, conquered what was left of the descendants of Edom in 163BC and 125BC forcing them to convert to Judaism and incorporating them into the nation Judah.
19 Those in Judah from the south will possess the mountain of Esau; and those in the plains of Judah (will possess) the Philistines (land): and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
20 And the exiles of the children of Israel will possess the land the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
21 And warriors will come up from mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the I Am’s.
Judah will become a leading nation again while Edom will be destroyed and disappear from the earth.
Babylon destroyed Edom in 667BC and she never really recovered. She was never recognized as a significant nation again. After the Maccabees, though their were people in the region, they were never identified as Edomites again (though we assume some of their descendants still lived there, they were known as Idoumaia.) They were simi Jews, religiously and culturally. The Romans finished the job of wiping them off the face of the earth in AD70.