Obd 1-9 | KingComments | STEP | Obadiah is fourth in the row of the twelve minor prophets whose books in the Dutch Bibles are at the end of the Old Testament. The book that bears his name is the smallest book we have in the Bible. You have to know the order of the minor prophets by heart to find this book without too much trouble. But we would have missed a lot if we didn’t have his message in the Bible. Obadiah’s message is as powerful and valuable as those of the other prophets. Uniquely, he does not address his message to God’s people, but to a people that is extremely hostile to God’s people. It is striking that this hostile people is a brotherly nation. This gives a special meaning to Obadiah’s message. Let us listen to the message of this man of God. We will discover that also his message contains a lot that is recognizable and current for us. “For judgment [will be] merciless to one who has shown no mercy” ( ). This verse of James can well be placed as an inscription above the book of Obadiah, as it powerfully represents the contents of the book. Perhaps we are wondering if the indignant prophetic sound of Obadiah is consistent with the New Testament message of forgiveness. But equally, we may wonder if we ourselves are not prisoners of what someone once called ‘a kind of sugar-coated Christendom’. Do we still know the indignation for things that simply cannot be done, things about which God is angry? Obadiah is totally upset about Edom’s arrogance and gloating towards Israel, a brother nation after all. But Edom is a brother nation in another sense than Moab and Ammon. Moab and Ammon are descendants of Lot, the son of a brother of Abraham. It is also a different brother nation than the Ishmaelites because the latter are descended from Abraham, but not via Sarah. Edom is a son of Isaac, the promised son of the pleasure of the LORD. Closer to Israel is not possible. Then it turns out: the closer the bond, the deeper the gap. As we progress in our reflections on this book, the correctness of Obadiah’s position against Edom will become more and more clear. Obadiah, where he prophesied and about what Obadiah means ‘servant of the LORD’. In the Old Testament several people listen to that name ( ; ; ). Among them is the prophet of whom we have a book – in this case better: a message – in the Bible. He cannot be identified with any other Obadiah. The only time we encounter his name is in this book of the Bible. In order to find out more about him we will have to look at the contents of his message. When we read that message, the place of action turns out to be the city of Jerusalem and its immediate surroundings, the mountainous land of Judah. Zion, the holy mountain of God ( ), is the center of it. Nevertheless, the prophecy of Obadiah does not have Jerusalem or Judah as its subject, but Edom. Edom is told that it will be punished for what it has done to the children of Judah, after Jerusalem has been taken. When did Obadiah prophesy Obadiah is one of the first of the minor prophets. It is assumed that he prophesied during the reign of Jehoram (848-841 BC). Some historical biblical data is favorable of this assumption. In the time of Jehoram the Philistines and the Arabs invaded Judah and plundered Jerusalem ( ; ; ). Under Jehoram, the Edomites free themselves from the domination of Judah ( ). Another clue can be found in the comparison with what Jeremiah says about Edom in his prophecy ( ). This is very similar to what Obadiah says. Although the minor prophets are not strictly chronologically arranged, the place he occupies also gives an indication that he belongs to the older prophets. The minor prophets can be divided into main groups in such a way that the prophets who prophesied before the exile are mentioned first, while the three prophets who close the row of twelve have prophesied after the return from exile. Edom, that is Esau To better understand the prophecy, it is useful to look at the origin of Edom. Esau was named Edom in connection with the sale of his birthright ( ). On that occasion Esau reveals his true nature. With his deed he shows his contempt for the gift of God. He prefers the immediate satisfaction of a bodily need. He is rejected because he rejects the gift of God ( ). Esau personally is never cursed. He has even received a blessing from Isaac ( ), although the Name of God does not appear in it ( ). If he would have served his younger brother Jacob, as God had determined at his birth ( ), there would also have been a blessing for him. Only after a long history of revelation of hatred and enmity against his brother did God say that He hated him ( ). This hatred of God does not concern Esau personally, but Esau in his offspring. Three times it says in the list of descendants of Esau that Esau is Edom ( ). Edom is the name of the offspring of Esau as a people. Edom’s hate against Israel The first enmity of Edom reveals itself in Numbers 20. The Israelites are on their way to the promised land and must pass through the land of Edom. The request for this is refused by Edom with much display of power ( ). Despite all the courtesy of Moses and the people, Edom continues to show his enmity. They listen to nothing but the wicked and proud whisperings of their own hearts. They have always cherished this basic attitude of enmity. Later, David submits them through Joab ( ). Under Jehoram they become apostate ( ). As Judah and Israel decline more and more, Edom becomes increasingly arrogant and rejoices in the evil that strikes God’s people ( ). In Psalm 83, we see how Edom is part of the last alliance against Jerusalem with the intention of wiping the name of Israel off the earth ( ). Ezekiel 35 also speaks of this everlasting hatred of Edom and shows that it has been public from the beginning ( ). Some descendants of Esau Edom’s hatred of God’s people is sharply marked in his offspring. Amalek, for example, is a grandson of Esau ( ). The descendants of Amalek are the first to attack Israel after the exodus from Egypt ( ). The LORD says of them that He will “utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven” ( ). He will do so through His own people ( ). There are still some Edomites who distinguished themselves. There is Haman, the Agagite ( ), who is inspired by only one thing and that is the extermination of the Jewish people. The name Agag is the title of the kings of Amalek. We also hear of ‘Doeg the Edomite’, who murders eighty-five priests of the LORD and exterminates the priestly city of Nob ( ). Edom’s hatred of God’s people and his murderousness also characterizes Herod’s family. Herod the Great is an Edomite. He is notorious for his infanticide in Bethlehem. His son Herod Antipas had John the baptist beheaded. Another son, Herod Agrippa I, kills James and also wanted to kill Peter. God stands up for His people The previous prophets, Hosea, Joel and Amos, spoke to Judah and Israel. They have presented to the people their unfaithfulness to God and the punishments that God therefore had to give. Obadiah does not address Judah or Israel. He does speak about Judah, but says nothing to their detriment. If God had spoken to his own people through Obadiah, He should have done so in the same way as the other prophets. But He speaks to Edom. That is why He ignores the failure of His own people and speaks according to His own intention. It is as with His speaking through Balaam (Numbers 23-24). While Moses says in several speeches to Israel that they are rebels, God makes Balaam say in the presence of Balak: “He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them” ( ). When God positions Himself against His people, He acts with them according to His righteous demands. He reminds them of their deviation and chastises them for their sins. But before the enemy, God always stands up for His people ( ). No enemy has the right to humiliate, despise, or plunder God’s people. If that happens, He shows what His people mean to Him and that no one can touch the “apple of His eye” with impunity ( ). It is like with a disobedient child. The parents will punish the child for his behavior. But if someone else wants to harm their child, they will stand up for him. God testifies It is as if God is challenged by the attitude of the enemy to give a testimony of what His people mean to Him. Every attack of the enemy brings forth what is in God’s heart for His own. When God opens His heart over His own, reflecting their value to Him above those who are hostile to Him and His people, we hear the most beautiful and exalted things. It is beautiful to see that very thing on the cross. That is where man’s enmity has become most manifest. On the other hand, there is also the great manifestation of Who God is as light and love, especially in the face of man who rejects Him in His Son. The “chief” of sinners, Paul ( ), can thus become someone to whom God communicates His most glorious mysteries ( ). Edom, symbol of hate In the hatred of Edom another general principle is expressed. In Edom, we see the hatred and enmity of the flesh toward God ( ) and what belongs to God. Edom is the symbol of hatred for what God chooses. As long as Edom is not confronted with God’s people, it does not become public. But as soon as that confrontation is there, what is dormant, emerges with all intensity. This can also be seen in the preaching of the gospel. People who appear to be neat shoppers suddenly express themselves in biting mockery or snarling annoyance when you offer them a gospel tract. No one knows himself until he comes into contact with what is of God. Such an encounter defines everyone. That is the true and decisive test for the soul. Christ is the perfect criterion and the perfect standard because only He is the perfect revelation of God. Division of Obadiah Obadiah’s prophecy can be divided in detail as follows: I The message of the LORD (Obadiah 1:1) II The humiliation of Edom (Obadiah 1:2-9) a. Edom’s character (Obadiah 1:2-4) 1. Edom’s future smallness (Obadiah 1:2) 2. Edom’s current pride (Obadiah 1:3-4) b. Edom’s disaster (Obadiah 1:5-9) 1. Edom’s plundering (Obadiah 1:5-6) 2. Edom trapped (Obadiah 1:7) 3. God’s initiative (Obadiah 1:8-9) III The indictment against Edom (Obadiah 1:10-14) a. The reason for the indictment (Obadiah 1:10) b. The statement of the indictment (Obadiah 1:11-14) 1. The indictment described (Obadiah 1:11) 2. The indictment repeated and supplemented (Obadiah 1:12-14) IV. The day of the LORD (Obadiah 1:15-21) a. The judgment on Edom (Obadiah 1:15-18) b. The occupation of Edom and other territories (Obadiah 1:19-20) c. The kingship of the LORD (Obadiah 1:21) A more global division is in three parts: I The downfall of Edom and its destruction (Obadiah 1:1-9), with 1. the council of the LORD to make Edom small by hostile nations and to cast him from his certain height of rock castles (Obadiah 1:1-4); and 2. a painting in bright colors of how Edom is completely plundered by enemies and abandoned and deceived by his allies and friends and goes down powerless (Obadiah 1:5-9). II The cause of his downfall (Obadiah 1:10-14). III The exercise of righteousness over the nations and Edom and the establishment of the kingdom in Israel and its restoration and victory (Obadiah 1:15-21). What Obadiah is going to say in this prophecy, he has seen. This is what the word “vision” points to. How he has observed what he transmits in the following verses is not entirely clear. He may have ‘seen’ something in his inner being, through something God has shown him. It is also possible that he may have observed an outward appearance, who has told him what to pass on. In any case Obadiah has seen things that are real. He does not pass on a guess, with a probable chance that he is wrong. In a broader sense it applies to all revelations which prophets receive, that they are things which God shows them. God makes His prophets part of His plans and ways with His people by showing them how He works. The prophets pass on their ‘visions’, that is what God has shown them, to God’s people, with the intention that the people will adjust their lives accordingly. In many areas of life, people actually proceed in the same way when they try to imagine what is going to happen. The intention of this is, that they will adjust their policies accordingly. For people there is always the chance of error in such a way of working. And if possible the outlines do meet the expectations, then there are always details which do not come true, or which have not been taken into account. Such guesses and mistakes are excluded with God. He proclaims the end from the beginning ( ). Then He not only gives a perfect representation of the beginning and the end, but also of the path that leads from the beginning to the end. What Obadiah has seen is a word from “the Lord GOD” about Edom. It is not people who give their opinion here, but God speaks. He is “the Lord”, Adonai, that is the Bidder, and “GOD”, Yahweh, that is the God of the covenant with His people, Who adheres to that covenant. When He speaks, we would do well to listen attentively. It is a word of the Lord GOD over or to Edom. This word begins in , but first there is an interlude. The word “we” applies to the prophet who here makes himself one with other prophets or with the whole people. The prophet and the others have heard “a report”, a message. It is a report sent by “an envoy ... among the nations of the Gentiles”. The content of the message resembles the announcement of a conspiracy. An alliance is going on among the nations to join forces and take up arms against Edom. In the “envoy … among the nations” you might recognize something from diplomatic visits to different countries. We can also think of the role of the media that provide the coverage. Yet Obadiah and his people are not stating first of all that they have heard this reporting from the ‘media’, but that they have “heard” it “from the LORD”. This is an important lesson for our assessment of the messages we hear from the news. When we observe the events on the world stage, are we also open to the voice of God that is heard in it? Do we look at the Bible to see along what line God is fulfilling His plans? Or do we just listen to the political leaders and judge their plans in the light of the power they have in our opinion? We are wise to put God’s Word next to the news medium and test its messages against the Bible. Then we will not be deceived by the appearance of events, but recognize the voice of the Lord in them. We will notice that diplomats and media, without being aware of it, are being used by God to carry out His plan. A word like this in Obadiah serves as comfort for God’s people. God makes known to His people that He is concerned with their cause. He shows that He is not indifferent to how His people are treated.

‏ Obadiah 1-9

Introduction

Obadiah is fourth in the row of the twelve minor prophets whose books in the Dutch Bibles are at the end of the Old Testament. The book that bears his name is the smallest book we have in the Bible. You have to know the order of the minor prophets by heart to find this book without too much trouble.

But we would have missed a lot if we didn’t have his message in the Bible. Obadiah’s message is as powerful and valuable as those of the other prophets. Uniquely, he does not address his message to God’s people, but to a people that is extremely hostile to God’s people. It is striking that this hostile people is a brotherly nation. This gives a special meaning to Obadiah’s message.

Let us listen to the message of this man of God. We will discover that also his message contains a lot that is recognizable and current for us.

“For judgment [will be] merciless to one who has shown no mercy” (Jam 2:13a). This verse of James can well be placed as an inscription above the book of Obadiah, as it powerfully represents the contents of the book. Perhaps we are wondering if the indignant prophetic sound of Obadiah is consistent with the New Testament message of forgiveness. But equally, we may wonder if we ourselves are not prisoners of what someone once called ‘a kind of sugar-coated Christendom’.

Do we still know the indignation for things that simply cannot be done, things about which God is angry? Obadiah is totally upset about Edom’s arrogance and gloating towards Israel, a brother nation after all. But Edom is a brother nation in another sense than Moab and Ammon. Moab and Ammon are descendants of Lot, the son of a brother of Abraham. It is also a different brother nation than the Ishmaelites because the latter are descended from Abraham, but not via Sarah. Edom is a son of Isaac, the promised son of the pleasure of the LORD. Closer to Israel is not possible. Then it turns out: the closer the bond, the deeper the gap. As we progress in our reflections on this book, the correctness of Obadiah’s position against Edom will become more and more clear.

Obadiah, where he prophesied and about what

Obadiah means ‘servant of the LORD’. In the Old Testament several people listen to that name (1Kgs 18:3-16; 1Chr 12:9; 2Chr 17:7). Among them is the prophet of whom we have a book – in this case better: a message – in the Bible. He cannot be identified with any other Obadiah. The only time we encounter his name is in this book of the Bible. In order to find out more about him we will have to look at the contents of his message.

When we read that message, the place of action turns out to be the city of Jerusalem and its immediate surroundings, the mountainous land of Judah. Zion, the holy mountain of God (Oba 1:16 ; 17 ; 21), is the center of it. Nevertheless, the prophecy of Obadiah does not have Jerusalem or Judah as its subject, but Edom. Edom is told that it will be punished for what it has done to the children of Judah, after Jerusalem has been taken.

When did Obadiah prophesy

Obadiah is one of the first of the minor prophets. It is assumed that he prophesied during the reign of Jehoram (848-841 BC). Some historical biblical data is favorable of this assumption. In the time of Jehoram the Philistines and the Arabs invaded Judah and plundered Jerusalem (2Chr 21:16-17; Joel 3:3-5; Amos 1:6). Under Jehoram, the Edomites free themselves from the domination of Judah (2Kgs 8:20-22). Another clue can be found in the comparison with what Jeremiah says about Edom in his prophecy (Jer 49:7-22). This is very similar to what Obadiah says.

Although the minor prophets are not strictly chronologically arranged, the place he occupies also gives an indication that he belongs to the older prophets. The minor prophets can be divided into main groups in such a way that the prophets who prophesied before the exile are mentioned first, while the three prophets who close the row of twelve have prophesied after the return from exile.

Edom, that is Esau

To better understand the prophecy, it is useful to look at the origin of Edom. Esau was named Edom in connection with the sale of his birthright (Gen 25:30). On that occasion Esau reveals his true nature. With his deed he shows his contempt for the gift of God. He prefers the immediate satisfaction of a bodily need. He is rejected because he rejects the gift of God (Heb 12:16-17).

Esau personally is never cursed. He has even received a blessing from Isaac (Heb 11:20), although the Name of God does not appear in it (Gen 27:39-40). If he would have served his younger brother Jacob, as God had determined at his birth (Gen 25:23b), there would also have been a blessing for him.

Only after a long history of revelation of hatred and enmity against his brother did God say that He hated him (Mal 1:3). This hatred of God does not concern Esau personally, but Esau in his offspring. Three times it says in the list of descendants of Esau that Esau is Edom (Gen 36:1 ; 19 ; 43). Edom is the name of the offspring of Esau as a people.

Edom’s hate against Israel

The first enmity of Edom reveals itself in Numbers 20. The Israelites are on their way to the promised land and must pass through the land of Edom. The request for this is refused by Edom with much display of power (Num 20:14-21). Despite all the courtesy of Moses and the people, Edom continues to show his enmity. They listen to nothing but the wicked and proud whisperings of their own hearts. They have always cherished this basic attitude of enmity.

Later, David submits them through Joab (2Sam 8:14). Under Jehoram they become apostate (2Kgs 8:20-22). As Judah and Israel decline more and more, Edom becomes increasingly arrogant and rejoices in the evil that strikes God’s people (Psa 137:7). In Psalm 83, we see how Edom is part of the last alliance against Jerusalem with the intention of wiping the name of Israel off the earth (Psa 83:5-9). Ezekiel 35 also speaks of this everlasting hatred of Edom and shows that it has been public from the beginning (Eze 35:1-6).

Some descendants of Esau

Edom’s hatred of God’s people is sharply marked in his offspring. Amalek, for example, is a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12). The descendants of Amalek are the first to attack Israel after the exodus from Egypt (Exo 17:8). The LORD says of them that He will “utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven” (Exo 17:14). He will do so through His own people (Deu 25:17-19).

There are still some Edomites who distinguished themselves. There is Haman, the Agagite (Est 3:1-10 ; Est 8:3 ; 5 ; Est 9:24), who is inspired by only one thing and that is the extermination of the Jewish people. The name Agag is the title of the kings of Amalek. We also hear of ‘Doeg the Edomite’, who murders eighty-five priests of the LORD and exterminates the priestly city of Nob (1Sam 22:17-19). Edom’s hatred of God’s people and his murderousness also characterizes Herod’s family. Herod the Great is an Edomite. He is notorious for his infanticide in Bethlehem. His son Herod Antipas had John the baptist beheaded. Another son, Herod Agrippa I, kills James and also wanted to kill Peter.

God stands up for His people

The previous prophets, Hosea, Joel and Amos, spoke to Judah and Israel. They have presented to the people their unfaithfulness to God and the punishments that God therefore had to give. Obadiah does not address Judah or Israel. He does speak about Judah, but says nothing to their detriment. If God had spoken to his own people through Obadiah, He should have done so in the same way as the other prophets. But He speaks to Edom. That is why He ignores the failure of His own people and speaks according to His own intention.

It is as with His speaking through Balaam (Numbers 23-24). While Moses says in several speeches to Israel that they are rebels, God makes Balaam say in the presence of Balak: “He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them” (Num 23:21). When God positions Himself against His people, He acts with them according to His righteous demands. He reminds them of their deviation and chastises them for their sins. But before the enemy, God always stands up for His people (Psa 105:12-15).

No enemy has the right to humiliate, despise, or plunder God’s people. If that happens, He shows what His people mean to Him and that no one can touch the “apple of His eye” with impunity (Zec 2:8). It is like with a disobedient child. The parents will punish the child for his behavior. But if someone else wants to harm their child, they will stand up for him.

God testifies

It is as if God is challenged by the attitude of the enemy to give a testimony of what His people mean to Him. Every attack of the enemy brings forth what is in God’s heart for His own. When God opens His heart over His own, reflecting their value to Him above those who are hostile to Him and His people, we hear the most beautiful and exalted things.

It is beautiful to see that very thing on the cross. That is where man’s enmity has become most manifest. On the other hand, there is also the great manifestation of Who God is as light and love, especially in the face of man who rejects Him in His Son. The “chief” of sinners, Paul (1Tim 1:15), can thus become someone to whom God communicates His most glorious mysteries (Eph 3:2-11).

Edom, symbol of hate

In the hatred of Edom another general principle is expressed. In Edom, we see the hatred and enmity of the flesh toward God (Rom 8:7-8) and what belongs to God. Edom is the symbol of hatred for what God chooses. As long as Edom is not confronted with God’s people, it does not become public. But as soon as that confrontation is there, what is dormant, emerges with all intensity.

This can also be seen in the preaching of the gospel. People who appear to be neat shoppers suddenly express themselves in biting mockery or snarling annoyance when you offer them a gospel tract. No one knows himself until he comes into contact with what is of God. Such an encounter defines everyone. That is the true and decisive test for the soul. Christ is the perfect criterion and the perfect standard because only He is the perfect revelation of God.

Division of Obadiah

Obadiah’s prophecy can be divided in detail as follows:

I The message of the LORD (Obadiah 1:1)

II The humiliation of Edom (Obadiah 1:2-9)

a. Edom’s character (Obadiah 1:2-4)

1. Edom’s future smallness (Obadiah 1:2)

2. Edom’s current pride (Obadiah 1:3-4)

b. Edom’s disaster (Obadiah 1:5-9)

1. Edom’s plundering (Obadiah 1:5-6)

2. Edom trapped (Obadiah 1:7)

3. God’s initiative (Obadiah 1:8-9)

III The indictment against Edom (Obadiah 1:10-14)

a. The reason for the indictment (Obadiah 1:10)

b. The statement of the indictment (Obadiah 1:11-14)

1. The indictment described (Obadiah 1:11)

2. The indictment repeated and supplemented (Obadiah 1:12-14)

IV. The day of the LORD (Obadiah 1:15-21)

a. The judgment on Edom (Obadiah 1:15-18)

b. The occupation of Edom and other territories (Obadiah 1:19-20)

c. The kingship of the LORD (Obadiah 1:21)

A more global division is in three parts:

I The downfall of Edom and its destruction (Obadiah 1:1-9), with

1. the council of the LORD to make Edom small by hostile nations and to cast him from his certain height of rock castles (Obadiah 1:1-4); and

2. a painting in bright colors of how Edom is completely plundered by enemies and abandoned and deceived by his allies and friends and goes down powerless (Obadiah 1:5-9).

II The cause of his downfall (Obadiah 1:10-14).

III The exercise of righteousness over the nations and Edom and the establishment of the kingdom in Israel and its restoration and victory (Obadiah 1:15-21).

The Vision of Obadiah

What Obadiah is going to say in this prophecy, he has seen. This is what the word “vision” points to. How he has observed what he transmits in the following verses is not entirely clear. He may have ‘seen’ something in his inner being, through something God has shown him. It is also possible that he may have observed an outward appearance, who has told him what to pass on. In any case Obadiah has seen things that are real. He does not pass on a guess, with a probable chance that he is wrong.

In a broader sense it applies to all revelations which prophets receive, that they are things which God shows them. God makes His prophets part of His plans and ways with His people by showing them how He works. The prophets pass on their ‘visions’, that is what God has shown them, to God’s people, with the intention that the people will adjust their lives accordingly.

In many areas of life, people actually proceed in the same way when they try to imagine what is going to happen. The intention of this is, that they will adjust their policies accordingly. For people there is always the chance of error in such a way of working. And if possible the outlines do meet the expectations, then there are always details which do not come true, or which have not been taken into account.

Such guesses and mistakes are excluded with God. He proclaims the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10). Then He not only gives a perfect representation of the beginning and the end, but also of the path that leads from the beginning to the end.

What Obadiah has seen is a word from “the Lord GOD” about Edom. It is not people who give their opinion here, but God speaks. He is “the Lord”, Adonai, that is the Bidder, and “GOD”, Yahweh, that is the God of the covenant with His people, Who adheres to that covenant. When He speaks, we would do well to listen attentively. It is a word of the Lord GOD over or to Edom. This word begins in Oba 1:2, but first there is an interlude.

The word “we” applies to the prophet who here makes himself one with other prophets or with the whole people. The prophet and the others have heard “a report”, a message. It is a report sent by “an envoy ... among the nations of the Gentiles”. The content of the message resembles the announcement of a conspiracy. An alliance is going on among the nations to join forces and take up arms against Edom.

In the “envoy … among the nations” you might recognize something from diplomatic visits to different countries. We can also think of the role of the media that provide the coverage. Yet Obadiah and his people are not stating first of all that they have heard this reporting from the ‘media’, but that they have “heard” it “from the LORD”.

This is an important lesson for our assessment of the messages we hear from the news. When we observe the events on the world stage, are we also open to the voice of God that is heard in it? Do we look at the Bible to see along what line God is fulfilling His plans? Or do we just listen to the political leaders and judge their plans in the light of the power they have in our opinion?

We are wise to put God’s Word next to the news medium and test its messages against the Bible. Then we will not be deceived by the appearance of events, but recognize the voice of the Lord in them. We will notice that diplomats and media, without being aware of it, are being used by God to carry out His plan.

A word like this in Obadiah serves as comfort for God’s people. God makes known to His people that He is concerned with their cause. He shows that He is not indifferent to how His people are treated.

Humiliated

In Oba 1:1, God first addressed His own people with a word about Edom, to give them courage. But after this single word of encouragement for his people, the LORD bursts forth against Edom from Oba 1:2. Without pardon, already at the beginning of His speaking to Edom, He establishes the judgment of that people. In the following verses He expresses the foundation for this determination.

Without any defense Edom must hear and suffer the judgment. There is no possibility to appeal. That will not be possible, because God is the highest court of law. They won’t do it either because there is nothing against the accusation. A procedural error is excluded.

It is said as if it has already happened. It doesn’t matter to God whether something lies in the future or in the past. For Him it is always present. Time is only an element available to Him. He is not bound by it. Everything that the LORD intends to do, what He says, also happens.

The fate that Edom has to endure here is the special fate of all those who are not satisfied with the part assigned to them, of all those who yearn for more. To be despised then is particularly painful.

The LORD carries out His judgment through the nations He has summoned, first the Assyrians, then the Babylonians. But He does not leave it at that. After this judgment of Edom by the nations, there is also a judgment which He Himself carries out (Isa 63:1-6). But Israel is also called in as an instrument in God’s hand to carry out the judgment on Edom (Oba 1:18).

Arrogance

What Edom radiates is: ‘I am strong, we are wise. Edom was known for his wise men. The intelligentsia of that region was in Edom (Oba 1:8). You can still see it today in the rock town of Petra, a whole town carved into the rock. But Obadiah tastes what is behind it. He tastes Edom’s deep desire to make himself totally invulnerable: ‘No one can compete with me anymore; I am sitting here in my ivory tower, and we are safe.’

Arrogance is always misleading. Anyone who is arrogant is counting on being able to handle anything and that nobody is in control of him. In his arrogance, Edom thinks he is safe. In his arrogance, he looks down despicable on his enemies (cf. Psa 10:5b-6). He who looks down on others does not look up, where God dwells. With Edom there is a total lack of knowledge of God and therefore also of himself.

Edom thinks he is inviolable. After all, he lives in almost inaccessible rock houses. His haughty question “who will bring me down to earth?” testifies to his arrogant self-confidence (cf. Isa 14:13; Gen 11:4). He does not express his question out loud, but in his heart. He does not count with God, who resists the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble (Pro 3:34; Jam 4:6; 1Pet 5:5).

Those who think high of themselves believe that others think high of them as well. They are people who “measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves” (2Cor 10:12). They make themselves the center of their thinking and the standard of comparison to which they measure others.

Edom boasts of his power and prestige and forgets that he has squandered his birthright and the prestige that goes with it for a dish of lentil. He has absolutely no interest in the things of God. What use is a birthright that you only get when your father dies (Deu 21:15-17)? You will have to wait for that. You live now and now you want to enjoy it. No nagging about later.

Evidently, Scripture expresses his attitude in the words of his ancestor Esau: “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright” (Gen 25:34). You can see it in front of you: the man of the field, of the hunt, of the hard life, who only wants a full stomach. In order to fill his stomach, he negligently exchanges a blessing from God for the future for an instant satisfaction of his desires. When that satisfaction is fulfilled, he gets up to start the next adventure. Who does what to him?

Esau and Edom are clear examples of many who do not care about God’s blessing. The only thing they are interested in is a successful family life, a successful study, a high function in business. As long as it contributes to their prestige, the caress of their ego, making and keeping their status inviolable.

Let’s not think that such behavior can only be found in the world. Situations also occur in the midst of Christians, where blessings from God are exchanged for direct satisfaction of needs. The pastor who is seeking prestige from people, will inevitably tell people what they want to hear, and consequently will be “respected”. But he misses the blessing, the approval of God, now and in the future.

There Is No Escape From God

In the previous verse we hear Edom boast: ‘Who will bring me …? To that haughty, challenging question suddenly comes the answer of the LORD which he does not suspect: ‘I will bring you …’ Edom imagines himself safe, utterly untouchable, unattainable for any power he can imagine. But he counts outside the LORD.

In Edom we see the short-sightedness of all people with whom there is no thought of God. Such people calculate their chances only in the light of what they perceive of possible dangers. But their calculations of probability always crash on Him, Who they do not involve in their deliberations. It is impossible to escape Him.

Edom may feel safe from people, but God knows where to find him. Whether he is at the highest place on earth or at the highest place in the universe, neither is a problem for God. The higher Edom would rise, the deeper his fall would be. Nowhere in the whole of creation can a place be found which is out of the reach of God, which He would not be able to reach. Nowhere in all of creation is there a place where God cannot enter. Everything is within His reach and accessible. It is man’s wisdom and also his salvation if he acknowledges it before God. David is such a person (Psa 139:7-12; cf. Amos 9:2; Isa 14:12-20; Job 39:27-28).

Thieves, Robbers and Grape Gatherers

To illustrate the total plundering of Edom, two cases are presented in which something is left to be done. If Edom is plundered, nothing will be left. The first case concerns theft and robbery. “Thieves” are people who secretly steal the property of others. “Robbers by night” do the same, but with violence. Such people take what they can use. They leave the other stuff behind.

Among criminals it also happens that a kind of code of honor is used. They don’t see any point in hurting people, and sometimes they won’t cross a certain boundary. Where that boundary lies is, of course, determined by their own depraved conscience. Be that as it may, the conduct of these wicked people is set as an example to Edom. With Edom, there is no limit at all to their depraved actions. Whatever they can steal, they take with them, whether they can use it or not. With them, there is no respect whatsoever for the possession of the other. That is why they themselves will be “ruined” completely and without pardon.

The second case concerns honorable people like “grape gatherers”. They leave some gleanings. God-fearing people do this consciously, because God has commanded it (Lev 19:10; Deu 24:21). Godless people do so unconsciously, because there are grapes that they just don’t see and that are only discovered during an accurate gleaning. But such carelessness does not occur when the time for the extermination of Edom has come. Those who rob him will leave nothing of him.

Hidden Treasures Searched Out

The enemies of Edom are searching all the hidden corners for something that can still be taken; nothing is overlooked (Jer 49:10). Everything to which Edom attaches any value is searched out. Petra, the capital of Edom, is a large warehouse of Syrian Arabian merchandise, where many treasures are piled up and hidden. The enemies search for those hidden treasures because of their value. They also search for it because with the loss of these riches, the wealth and power of Edom will be destroyed.

Many people put their trust in their treasures and their wealth. It makes them feel safe and independent. At the same time, there is the fear of losing them and rightly so. It is precisely their treasures that attract robbers instead of deterring them. Wealth does not offer security, but uncertainty.

Paul says to Timothy that he should warn the rich not “to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God” (1Tim 6:17; Pro 23:4-5). Whoever collects treasures on earth is in great danger of being robbed by thieves, no matter how well they are hidden. This is not the case with treasures in heaven. They cannot be robbed (Mt 6:19-21).

Edom Is Cheated

Edom not only seeks protection in his rocks and treasures, but also seeks support from his allies. They will be deceived by this as well. Their allies, to whom they send their messengers to ask for help, will send those messengers back to the border because they do not want to be involved in Edom’s entanglements. Even their friends and beneficiaries abandoned him, deceived him. Nothing and nobody is there anymore on which they can rely. They are all alone.

The sentence “there is no understanding in him” indicates that Edom knows nothing of the evil that will be done to him from sides from which he does not expect it. His famous sages, in their widely acclaimed wisdom, have not taken into account the deception and power of the so-called friends. He will see all his calculations and expectations fail, blind as he is to the traps laid by those who depend on him.

In the unfaithfulness of allies, friends, and beneficiaries, Edom receives legitimate retribution for the treatment of his brother Jacob, which is discussed below. Because of the misfortune into which Edom is plunged, they will lose their usual understanding and no longer know how or what to do. They will lose all sense of the path to salvation.

This is the fate of all those who rely on their own wisdom. They imagine themselves to be all-knowing, but have no knowledge of the human heart and of God’s actions.

The Wise Men Destroyed

The words “declares the LORD” indicate the beginning of a next section that includes Oba 1:8-9. In Oba 1:4 these words form the conclusion of the part of Oba 1:2-4. In Oba 1:8-9, God speaks of the destruction of Edom that hangs over this people as a threat. He Himself takes this destruction in hand. The time when He will make the judgment is “on that day”. As so often in the language of the prophets, this means the time when God will openly enter the world to fulfill all His prophecies. For the wicked it means judgment; for His oppressed people it means deliverance and salvation.

The Edomites, and especially the tribe of the Temanites (Amos 1:12; Hab 3:3), are known for their wise men (Jer 49:7; Job 2:11 ; Job 4:1). But that wisdom will not bring them salvation. In the previous verse it is already stated that their wisdom leaves them in the lurch in the face of their allies and friends. Here the wise men themselves are destroyed from Edom by the LORD.

Step by step, Edom is deprived of every resource they believe they have. After relying in vain on their rocks, riches and allies, they now also lose their wise men and with them their understanding.

The Mighty Men Are Cut Off

The extermination of Edom is nearing completion. After Edom’s wisdom is taken away, he is deprived of his strength. When wisdom and understanding are taken away from them, the courage of brave warriors also falls away. Stiffened with fear, they will not be able to defend their people. They will not be able to resist when the people are murdered and exterminated.

The most powerful heroes do not benefit if God is not for us. If He is for us, nothing can harm us; if He is against us, nothing can help us.