The Book of Obadiah

Introduction: This is the shortest of all the books of the Old Testament yet it is stamped with a divine authority. 

Who this Obadiah was does not appear from any other scripture.

Others think he lived about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, when the children of Edom triumphed in the destruction.

This book is wholly concerning Edom, a nation nearly allied and near adjoining to Israel, and yet an enemy to the seed of Jacob, inheriting the enmity of their father Esau to Jacob.

It can be studied in three parts: 

1. One is the threat to Edom. It will be destroyed and its wealth lost.

2. The Second is the Guilt of Edom

3. The third part is a promise to Israel that they will be restored and about the kingdom that Messiah shall set up and bring salvation.

Note: This is important because God deals with nations and governments and they are composed of PEOPLE. You and are people, therefore we need to learn what God expects of us.

NOTE: Edom did something we all do that is very wrong but generally accepted as being ok.  It is so bad that God punishes Edom just as will today if we do that thing.

Summary: Jerusalem was sacked by the Babylonians. The Israelites were let away into captivity. Their brothers, the Edomites took pleasure in the destruction of Jerusalem and offered no help. 

The lesson begins:

The Doom of Edom V.1-5   V. 1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.   2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.   3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground?   4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.   5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough?

1. A declaration of war against Edom. It is God’s counsel and decree, which can neither be reversed nor resisted, that all who do mischief to his people shall certainly bring mischief upon themselves.

   1. The ambassador is raised by God. This means someone who will fight the Edomites. 

NOTE: When God has bloody work to do among the enemies of his church he will find out and fit up both hands and hearts to do it.

2. A prediction of the success of that war

3. All her confidences shall fail her and stand her in no stead

   1. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen, so that none of thy neighbors will court thy friendship, or court an alliance with thee; thou art greatly despised among them, and looked upon with contempt, as an infatuated and unfaithful nation. NOTE: Those that think well of themselves are apt to fancy that others think well of them too. God resists the proud.

   2. They depend upon the fortifications of their country and glory in the advantages they have thereby. Those also shall deceive them.

   3. When Edom says who will bring me down, God answers and says, “I will”. NOTE: Sinners will certainly be made ashamed of their pride when it has a fallen and of the security of their pride when their confidences fail their expectation.

   4. They depend upon their wealth and treasure.

The Guilt of Edom V10-12   V.10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.   11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.   12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 

1. *Edom is doomed because they did nothing to help their brothers, the people of God. Though Edom was sinful and immoral, the biggest crime laid to them was to pick up arms against and harm God’s people.

2. God names the violent acts that were committed: He speaks of when Babylon attacked Jerusalem.

   1. Though they did not attack Israel themselves, the watched it done to their brothers and in their hearts they were capable of the same things

   2. They stood and watched then partook of the activity to plunder

   3. They took pleasure in the sacking of Jerusalem

   4. Their great sin was watching and taking pleasure in sin. NOTE:  We must take heed with what eye we look upon the afflictions of our brethren; and, if we cannot look upon them with a gracious eye of sympathy and tenderness, it is better not to look upon them at all.

3. God is going to pass the same cup around for Edom to drink—so he will to those of like nature.

4. The great sin was to do nothing about an issue that needed to addressed. Edom chose to do nothing. Christians are not allowed that option!

God Promises Salvation to Israel

1. There will be a victory though Israel was abandoned by all

2. God never forgets us, no matter what the circumstances 

3. The Teaching:  

   1. What happened? Edom ignored an issue

   2. Edom watched and rejoiced in seeing others go down

   3. We are not allowed to watch issues and do nothing. Doing nothing is not an option available to Christians. We must address issues in our lives or suffer as Edom did.

Conclusion: We cannot afford to do nothing about issues in our lives. God doesn’t allow us to get away with it. He gives us instructions to not only have lives, but have full lives.