Obadiah - A Prophesy Against Edom

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

We do not know when Obadiah was written, but we do know that judgment came upon Edom because they attacked their brother, Jacob, when they were down. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, and the Israelites were descendants of Jacob. Jacob and Esau were twin of Isaac and Rebekah, and even when they were in the womb there was conflict between them (Gen. 25). The conflict between Judah and Edom was on and off, but once Judah had a king, and the desire was to expand their territories, there was major conflict between them. We know in 2 Chronicles 28:16-27 that when the northern 10 tribes of Israel, attacked Judah from the north, that Edom attacked Judah from the south. This book may have been written then, but historically, yet not biblically, it says that when Babylon attacked Judah from the north, that Edom attacked Jerusalem from the south, so it could have been written then. Edom's judgment was because they attacked Judah, their brother, especially when they were hurting. It was also because of their pride saying, "Who can bring me down?" The Lord can. Verse 15 of Obadiah says, "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." They are getting what they have dished out. In Obadiah, there is not call to repentance, but there is a message of hope that the Lord remembers His children and His covenant, and there will be deliverance in Mt. Zion. There is a promise that Jacob and Joseph will burn like a house of flames, but Esau will be stubble with no survivors and other people will live in their land. The last line says, "And the kingdom will be the Lords!"