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THE MINOR PROPHETS

 

The Prophet Obadiah

Thence Will I Bring Thee Down

Lesson #5

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     In this study, we will briefly look at the prophecy of Obadiah.

 

B.      Three interesting facts about this book:

1.       This is the shortest book in the Old Testament, one chapter consisting of only 21 verses.

2.       Too, this book is not addressed to the nation of Israel.  It is addressed to a kinsman of Israel.

3.       This book is never quoted in the New Testament.

 

C.     This book, however, contains many powerful lessons that need to be absorbed by the children of God.

 

D.     There are some unique statements in the book.

1.       “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee…” (v. 3).

2.       “How are the things of Esau searched out…” (v. 6).

3.       “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen…” (v. 15).

4.       “…as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee…” (v. 15).

5.       “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness…” (v. 17).

6.       “…and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (v. 21).

 

E.      Let’s overview this book and see some of the lessons it holds for us.

 

I.                    THE AUTHOR (v. 1)

 

The vision of Obadiah…

 

A.     There are 13 Obadiahs mentioned in the pages of the Bible.  We are not sure if any of the others are the Obadiah who wrote this book.

 

B.      His name means:  “servant of the Lord” or “worshiper of Jehovah.”  These two statements reveal much about the prophet who wrote this book.

 

C.     His words were not his.

1.       This was a divine vision.

a.       Vision

1)      Strong (2377):  a sight (mentally), that is, a dream, revelation, oracle

2)      BDB:  vision, oracle, prophecy (divine communication)

b.      Hebrews 1:1

 

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.

 

2.       “Thus saith the Lord God…” (v. 1).

a.       The prophet was the Lord’s mouthpiece.

b.      He merely spoke the message that was communicated to him by the Spirit of God (2 Pet. 1:21).

 

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

II.                 THE RECIPIENTS

 

A.     The recipients are noted within the book.

1.       “Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom…” (v. 1).

2.       “How are the things of Esau searched out…” (v. 6).

3.       Edom and Esau are mentioned again in verse 8.

4.       Jacob is called his brother in verses 10 and 12.

5.       “The house of Esau” is referred to twice in verse 18.

6.       “The mount of Esau” is referred to in verse 19 and verse 21.

 

B.      Esau was the twin brother of Isaac born to Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25:24-26).

 

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, there were twins in her womb.  And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob:  and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

 

C.     It was told to Rebekah that she had two nations in her womb (Gen. 25:23).  The nation which sprang from Esau was the nation of Edom (Gen. 36:43).

 

…these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession:  he is Esau the father of the Edomites.

 

D.     This nation was located to the south of Israel.

 

Edom - Wikipedia

1.       “Edom occupied a narrow mountainous strip of territory, 110 mile long and 30 miles wide, on the eastern side of the Palestinian valley, bounded on the east by desert.  Seir is another name for the region that refers to the mountain range that runs north to south through its length (Gen. 32:3; Deut. 2:1, 5)” (Dunn, 337).

2.       “The ancient capital was Bozrah.  In Obadiah’s time it was Sela, probably the city later known as Petra” (Dunn, 337)

 

E.      As the kinsmen of Israel, they should have loved the Israelites, cared for them, and assisted them in their endeavors.  Instead of showing brotherly love, these two brothers and their nations were constantly at odds with each other.

1.       There was a struggle between them while they were in the womb (Gen. 25:22).

 

And the children struggled together within her…

 

2.       Jacob purchased Esau’s birthright (Gen. 25:33) and stole his blessing from Jacob (Gen. 27:27-29).

3.       Esau refused Jacob passage through his land when Israel was heading toward the Promised Land (Num. 20:17-20).

4.       Edom was subdued by David during his reign (2 Sam. 8:14).

5.       Edom revolted against Israel (2 Kings 2:20-22).

 

III.              THE DATE

 

A.     The book is difficult to date.  Claims have been made for an early date, a middle date, and a late date.

 

B.      Many believe that Obadiah 11-12 have reference to the time when Nebuchadnezzar took Israel captive between 606 B.C. and 586 B. C.  If this is the case, then the date of the book would be late.

 

C.     See Handout

 

IV.              THE THEME

 

A.     Edom was not a righteous nation.  The Edomites became idolaters (2 Chron. 25:14).

 

Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir…

 

B.      Instead of being an ally of Israel, they became a bitter enemy against them.  In Obadiah, the prophet lists some of the evils Edom committed against God’s people.

1.       They PROTECTED THEM NOT (vs. 11-12a).

2.       They PRAISED THEIR DESTRUCTION (v. 12b).

3.       They PARTOOK OF SPOILS (v. 13).

4.       They PREVENTED THEIR ESCAPE FROM THE ENEMY (v. 14).

 

C.     This was a huge mistake (See Gen. 12:1-3)

 

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing:  and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:  and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

1.       A curse was placed upon all those who cursed Abraham’s seed.

2.       God is always true to His word.  Now that Edom had so viciously opposed his brethren, God had to punish them.

 

D.     The punishment is noted in several verses in the prophecy of Obadiah.

1.       “…(how art thou cut off!)… (v. 5)

2.       “…that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter” (v. 9).

3.       “…and thou shalt be cut off forever” (v. 10).

4.       “…and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau…” (v. 18).

 

E.      The problem, however, was that Edom was a proud and arrogant nation. 

1.       Their location in the mountain range of Seir provided them with a very secure location.

a.       “So nestled was it in its rocks, that an enemy could only know of its existence; an army could only approach it through treachery” (Elkins & Warren, 349).

b.      “The Greeks knew of but ‘one ascent’ to it, and that made by hands” (Elkins & Warren, 349).

c.       Edom could be approached by a two-mile ravine which Mohammedans claimed was supernaturally made by Moses’ rod when he struck the rock” (Elkins & Warren, 349).

2.       This pride is noted in Obadiah 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?

 

a.       The sin:  pride

b.      The result:  deceived thee

c.       The boast:  Who shall bring me down to the ground?

 

F.      The answer to this question is provided in Obadiah 4.  It is the key verse of the book and provides our theme as well.

 

Though thou exalt thyself as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

 

1.       Note the words of Obadiah 21.

 

And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

 

2.       The destruction was going to be complete (Obad. 5-6).

 

If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough?  if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?  How are the things of Esau searched out!  how are his hidden things sought up!

 

G.     In the closing verses of this prophecy, we read of Israel’s victory over Edom.

1.       Promise of deliverance (v. 17)

2.       Punishment of the enemy (v. 18)

3.       Possession of the land (vs. 19-20)

4.       Power over Edom (v. 21)

V.                 LESSONS

 

A.     God is faithful to His word.

 

B.      When sin has gone so far, even God’s mercy can no longer tolerate it.

 

C.     Nations cannot forever oppose God, and live.

 

D.     Pride goeth before destruction.

 

E.      What goes around comes around through God’s divine providence (see Obad. 15).

 

F.      We need to have respect for little things.  Obadiah is a little book, but its message is profound.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     “Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen:  thou art greatly despised” (Obad. 2).

 

B.      “But, Edom lives only in history, and the memory of her is but a monument to her complete destruction (Elkins & Warren, 350).

 

C.     There are several other prophecies that also predict the demise of Edom.

1.       Isaiah 34:5-15; Ezekiel 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Amos 1:11-12

2.       Jeremiah’s prophecy is unique because it contains many words and phrases found in Obadiah 1-9 (See Jer. 49:17-22).

 

D.     The fall of Edom (Taken from Know Your Bible, Frank J. Dunn, p. 340)

1.       In 582 B.C., four years after Babylon took Jerusalem, Edom was raided by the Babylonians.

2.       In 126 B.C. they were subdued by the Maccabean rulers and absorbed by the Jewish state.

3.       When the Romans conquered Palestine (63 B.C.), they placed the Herods, an Edomite family, over Judah.

4.       With the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), the Edomites disappeared from history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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