Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabians, at which
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
Obadiah in His Time We know very little about the prophet Obadiah except that he wrote the prophecy bearing his name (the shortest book in the Old Testament) and that his name means "one who worships God." At least twelve other men in Scripture had this name, four of whom were connected in some way with the ministry at the temple (1 Chron. 9:16; 2 Chron. 34:12; Neh. 10:5, 12:25).
OUTLINE Key theme: Nations and individuals reap what they sow. Key verse: Obadiah 15
I. GOD'S MESSAGE TO EDOM'S NEIGHBORS (1)
A call to arms against their old ally
II. GOD'S MESSAGE TO EDOM (2–16)
Students aren't even agreed as to when the events occurred that are described in Obadiah 10–14. The traditional view is that Obadiah was referring to the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC The psalmist states that the Edomites encouraged the Babylonians as the army razed the city (Ps. 137:7), but there is no evidence that the Edomites actually entered Jerusalem at that time or tried to stop the Jews from escaping.
A. Divine judgment declared—2–9
1. Edom's pride brought down—2–4 2. Edom's wealth plundered—5–6 3. Edom's alliances broken—7 4. Edom's wisdom destroyed—8 5. Edom's army defeated—9 B. Divine judgment defended—10–16
1. Violence against the Jews—10–11 2. Rejoicing at the Jews' plight—12 3. Assisting the enemy—13–14 4. Ignoring God's wrath—15–16
Some Old Testament scholars think that Obadiah's reference is to an earlier invasion of Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabians, at which time Edom assisted the invaders and broke free from Judah's control (2 Chron. 21:8–10, 16–17). This would have been during the reign of weak King Jehoram (853–841), who married King Ahab's daughter and led Judah into sin. God permitted the invasion of the land and the plundering of Jerusalem as a punishment for the king's disobedience.
III. GOD'S MESSAGE TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE
(17–21)
A. God will deliver them—17–18 B. God will defeat their enemies—19–20 C. God will establish their kingdom—21
Obadiah's themes are (1) the evil of long-standing family feuds, (2) the certainty that people eventually suffer for the way they treat others, and (3) the assurance that Israel's enemies will be defeated and the kingdom established in the land.
CONTENTS
Obadiah 1–21 1438 A Tale of Two Brothers