Obadiah 14

father was dead, and this led to Jacob’s leaving home to find a wife among his mother’s relatives (vv. 41–46). Years later, the two brothers experienced a brief time of reconciliation (Gen. 32), and they both faithfully attended the burial of Isaac (35:27–29), but the animosity was never removed. Esau established the nation of Edom (25:30; 35:1, 8; 36:1ff.), and his descendants carried on the family feud that Esau had begun years before.

The law of Moses commanded the Jews to treat the Edomites like brothers: “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother” (Deut. 23: nkjv). In spite of this, the Edomites “harbored an ancient hostility” against Israel (Ezek. 35: niv) and used every opportunity to display it.

In this brief book, Obadiah the prophet delivered three messages from the Lord.

There are two parts to this message. First, the prophet declared that God would judge Edom and take away everything the nation boasted about and depended on for security (vv. 2–9). Second, Obadiah explained why God was judging Edom and named four ways in which the Edomites had sinned against the Jews and the Lord (vv. 10–16).

Divine judgment declared (vv. 2–9). What kind of judgment did God promise to send to the nation of Edom? To begin with, He said He would bring down their pride (vv. 2–4). Edom was a proud nation that considered itself impregnable and invulnerable because it was situated “in the clefts of the rock” (v. 3), a region of rugged mountains with high cliffs and narrow valleys that would dissuade any invader from attacking. Like the eagles, the Edomites lived on the rocks and looked down from the heights with disdain upon the nations around them. The Edomites thought they were a great people, but God said He would make them small, which means “paltry.” “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16: niv).

The prophet also said that their wealth would be plundered (Obad. 5–6). Located on several major trade routes, Edom could amass the riches of other nations; and out of their mountains, they could dig copper and other minerals. Because of their isolation, they didn’t have to worry about making treaties with the larger nations or helping to finance expensive wars. But their wealth would be no more. Unlike ordinary thieves, their plunderers would take everything they could find, and unlike grape harvesters, they would leave nothing behind for others. This would be the end of Edom and its boasted wealth.

Third, the Lord would work so that their alliances would be broken (v. 7). Though protected by their lofty heights, the Edomites were smart enough to know that they needed friends to help them stand against the great empires that frequently threatened the smaller Eastern nations. Edom would also want allies to assist them in their constant feud with Israel (see Ps. 83:5–8). But God would turn these friends into enemies, and those who had eaten with them and made covenants of peace would break those covenants. While pretending to be friends, their allies would turn into traitors, set a trap, and catch Edom by surprise.

Nations today that boast of their political alliances and their formidable military establishments should take heed to what happened to Edom long ago, for that proud nation is no more. About 300 BC, the Nabataean Arabs drove out the Edomites and occupied their key city Petra, the “rose red city” carved out of solid rock. The Romans took Petra in 105, but the decline in the caravan routes eventually led to the nation’s demise.

God also warned that Edom’s wisdom would be destroyed (Obad. 8). The people of the East were known for their wisdom (1 Kings 4:30), and this included the Edomites. Located as they were on the great trade routes, the leaders of Edom could get news and views from many nations. Job’s friend Eliphaz was from Teman in Edom (Job 2:11; see Jer. 49:7). Without wisdom, the leaders of Edom couldn’t make the right decisions, and the result would be confusion.

Finally, Obadiah announced that Edom’s army would be defeated (Obad. 9). Without wisdom, the military leaders wouldn’t know how to command their troops, and their mighty men would be defeated. This may have happened when the Babylonians took Jerusalem, or this promise may have been fulfilled when the Arabs invaded Edom and took over their cities, driving the Edomites to the west. The Greeks and Romans called these Edomites “Idumeans” (Mark 3:8), and from them came Herod the Great.

Having announced what God was going to do to Edom, Obadiah then proceeded to defend God’s judgment of the nation (Obad. 10–16). The Edomites were guilty of at least four abominable sins, the first of which was using violence against their brothers, the Jews (vv. 10–11). When their founder, Esau, discovered he was deprived of his father’s blessing, he determined to kill his brother, Jacob (Gen. 27:41), and this malicious attitude was passed along to his descendants. If you had asked them, “Are you your brother’s keeper?” they would have replied, “No! We’re our brother’s killer!”

Instead of assisting their brothers in their plight, the Edomites stood “on the other side” (see Luke 10:30–32) and watched the enemy soldiers cast lots for the spoils, including the captive Jews, who would become slaves. The Edomites acted like the enemy instead of behaving like blood brothers of the Jews.

A word from Solomon is appropriate here: “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?” (Prov. 24:11–12 nkjv) Also, a word from the prophet Amos: “For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because he pursued his brother with a sword, stifling all compassion, because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked” (Amos 1: niv).

Not only did the Edomites ignore the plight of the Jews, but also they rejoiced at what the enemy was doing (Obad. 12; see Ezek. 35:15; 36:5). For the Jews, this was a day of destruction and distress; but for the Edomites, it was a day of delight and rejoicing. In their pride, Edom looked down on the Jews and gloated over their misfortune. Again, Solomon has counsel for us: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him” (Prov. 24:17–18 niv). God didn’t spare the Jews, but He did send judgment on Edom in due time.

Edom’s third great sin was assisting the enemy in attacking the Jews (Obad. 13–14). It was bad enough for people to do nothing to help their brothers, and to stand and rejoice at their brothers’ calamities, but when they gave aid to the enemy, that was carrying their ancient “family feud” too far. The Edomites entered the city and shared in dividing up the spoils, thus robbing their brothers of their wealth. (Later, Edom’s wealth would be taken.) The Edomites also stood at the forks in the roads, ready to capture the fugitives who were trying to escape; and they turned them over to the enemy to be imprisoned or slain.

What the prophet Jehu asked King Jehoshaphat is applicable here: “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?” (2 Chron. 19: nasb). As God’s people, we must love our enemies and pray for them (Matt. 5:44–48), but we certainly shouldn’t assist sinners in opposing and persecuting believers. To do so is to turn traitor in the army of the Lord.

Edom’s fourth sin was that of ignoring the impending wrath of God (Obad. 15–16). “For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations” (v. 15 nasb), and that included Edom, but Edom was proud and didn’t care about what the Lord might do to them. “The day of the Lord” is a phrase that describes the time when God will pour His wrath out upon a wicked world, judge the nations, and then establish His kingdom, thus fulfilling the promises made to Israel. However, the phrase was also used to describe God-ordained calamities sent to punish people at any time, and these judgments were foretastes of the future worldwide “day

God’s message to the Jewish people of the Lord.”

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7: nkjv). We call this statement “the Golden Rule,” and it points out a positive approach to personal relationships. But Obadiah 15 gives the negative side: “As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head” (nasb). Or, as Paul expressed it, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6: nkjv).

Edom had drunk in joyful celebration at Jerusalem’s fall, but all the nations will one day drink of the cup of wrath that God will hand them—a cup they cannot refuse (see Isa. 51:17, 21–23; Jer. 25:15–33). No matter how discouraging the day may be for God’s people, there is a just God in heaven who pays sinners back in kind: what they did to others is ultimately done to them. Since Pharaoh ordered all the Jewish boy babies drowned, God drowned the Egyptian army (Ex. 1; 14:26–31). The men who lied about Daniel in order to have Daniel thrown to the lions were themselves thrown to the lions (Dan. 6). The unbelievers on earth who shed the blood of God’s servants will one day drink water turned into blood (Rev. 16:5–6). “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead” (Prov. 11: nkjv). Indeed, God’s judgments are true and righteous (Rev. 16:7).