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You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Obadiah Introduction Obadiah is relatively unknown as far as the prophets go. Obadiah means 'servant of the Lord.' He probably wrote his book just after the fall of Jerusalem to the invading Babylonians, in the late 500's BC. This book is a 'doom' song pointed at the nation of Edom, which is located just east of Judea, southeast of the Dead Sea. Edom is a nation descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob. In Obadiah's time, the capital of Edom was Sela, later to be renamed Petra. Obadiah, with its 21 verses, is the shortest Old Testament book. To probably most people this book has little appeal and is little known. Its message is primarily one of doom and judgment against the gentile nations who take advantage of and abuse the nation of Gods people. All believers belong to and form, Gods chosen nation. And again, in Obadiah's time that nation is illustrated by the nation of Israel. In the future Tribulation period, at its mid-point, when the warning is given to all who reside in and around Jerusalem, to flee to the mountains. They are sent to the mountains of Moab and Ammon, which are immediately to the north of Edom, in present day Jordan. They are not to run to Edom. Edom is the selected target of this book and prophecy of doom. This book contains a powerful message about the justice of God. His righteousness demanded vengeance on Edom, Israel's perennial enemy. Judgment against Edom is mentioned in more Old Testament books than against any other foreign nation, Isa. 11:14, 34:5-17, 63:1-6, Jer. 9:25-26, 25:17-26, 49:7-22, Lam. 4:21-22, Eze. 25:12-14, 35, Joel 3:19, Amos 1:11-12, 9:11-12, Obad., Mal. 1:4. In the Tribulation, Edom will be especially brutal toward Gods people who try to hide within its borders. Betraying them to the then existing powers that be. For that, God will unleash tremendous judgment against its inhabitants. The animosity between the Edomites and the Israelites is one of the oldest examples of discord in human history. The conflict began with a struggle between Jacob and Esau in the womb of their mother Rebekah, Gen. 25:21-26. Years later, when Esau was hungry, he readily traded his birthright to Jacob for some red stew. For that reason Esau was also called Edom, Gen. 25:30, which means red. Also when Esau was born his skin appeared red, Gen. 25:25. Later Esau moved to the land of Seir, Gen. 36:8-9, the red sandstone area southeast of the Dead Sea. There his descendants, the Edomites, displaced the Horites, Deut. 2:12,22. Interestingly the Hebrew word for Seir, is similar to the word for 'hairy', the meaning of 'Esau'. 'Seir' and 'Mount Seir' became synonyms for Edom, 2 Chron. 20:10, 25:11, Eze. 35:15. Edom refused to let the Israelites pass through their land when Israel was on the way to the Promised Land, Num. 20:14-21. God told Israel not to hate Edom since they were related, Deut 23:7. However, hostility developed and continued for centuries, Eze 35:5. Saul, 1 Sam 14:47, David, 2 Sam 8:13-14, Joab, 1 Kings 11:16, and Solomon, 1 Kings 11:17-22) all had problems with the sons of Edom. In the late sixth or early fifth century BC the Nabateans, from northern Arabia, worshipers of gods and goddesses of fertility and the celestial bodies, drove out most of the Edomites. The expelled Edomites settled in Idumea, the Greek name for southern Judea. Later, 120 BC, the Edomites there, then called Idumeans, were subdued by John Hyrcanus, a Maccabean, who forced them to be circumcised and to follow Judaism, Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews 13. 9. 1; 14. 7. 9. Herod the Great, king of Judea from 37 BC to 4 BC, was an Idumean, Edomite. The Idumeans joined the Jews in their rebellion against Rome in 70 AD, but were almost obliterated by Titus, the Roman general. The Edomites then faded from History. This small book of Obadiah speaks of the danger of the great sin of pride and arrogance, the feeling of superiority that often results from taking advantage of others. Obadiah graphically illustrates on a national scale the truth of Prov 16:18, 'Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.' Obadiah Outline I. The Predictions of Judgment on Edom 1:1-9 II. The Reasons for Judgment on Edom 1:10-14 III. The Results of Judgment on Edom 1:15-16 IV. The Possession of Edom by Israel 1:17-21 End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.

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