In this message we will consider the prophecy of Obadiah.
In Hebrew the name Obadiah means “the servant of Jehovah.”
The time of Obadiah’s ministry was about 880 or 587 B.C. It is hard to determine which date is correct.
The object of Obadiah’s ministry was the southern kingdom of Judah.
The place of Obadiah’s ministry also was the southern kingdom of Judah.
The subject of the book of Obadiah is Jehovah’s dealing with Esau and Jacob’s victory for the kingdom of Jehovah, which is the manifestation of Christ.
The central thought of Obadiah is that Jehovah’s dealing with Esau issues in Jacob’s victory and possession for the kingdom of God in the age of restoration.
The book of Obadiah has five sections: the introductory word (v. 1a); Jehovah’s dealings with Edom (vv. 1b-9); the evils of Edom (vv. 10-14); the day of Jehovah upon all the nations (vv. 15-16); and the issue of Jehovah’s dealing (vv. 17-21).
Verses 1b through 9 are concerned with Jehovah’s dealings with Edom. Whereas Esau is the name of a person, the twin brother of Jacob, Edom is the name of a country.
Jehovah dealt with Edom by stirring up the nations to rise up against it for battle (v. 1b).
God purposely dealt with Edom by making him small among the nations and very much despised (v. 2). As a result, Edom was a lowly nation.
Because of its arrogance Jehovah will bring Edom from its dwelling in the lofty clefts of the rock to the ground (vv. 3-4). The people of Edom were proud of their lofty dwelling and thought that they were higher and more lofty than others.
Jehovah’s dealing with Edom included their being plundered by the thieves and spoilers (vv. 5-6). Although they lived in the lofty places, the thieves and spoilers still visited them.
Edom was also deceived by its confederacy (v. 7). Some nations formed a confederacy with Edom, but eventually they were unfaithful to Edom.
Jehovah dealt with Edom further by destroying its wise men, dismaying its mighty men, and cutting off each one from the mountain of Esau (vv. 8-9).