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MESSAGE STATEMENT:1 |
The prophet Obadiah proclaimed through a vision that edom (and the nations) will be completely destroyed because of the evil which it did against its brother during the fall of Jerusalem, and that the lord will restore a remnant from Judah enlarging her land and making her his kingdom |
A. Judgment Speech: The sovereign Lord declares that He is going to bring Edom down to a lowly, despised place among the nations because of the arrogance of her heart 1b-14
1. Illustration of God’s Sovereign Control: God is described as sovereign over the nations as Obadiah (and the faithful remnant of God’s people) have received a message of Edom’s judgment while an envoy has been sent among the nations with the same message 1b
2. Judgment Speech against Edom: The Lord proclaims that he is going to bring Edom down to a lowly, despised place among the nations because of the arrogance of her heart 2-4
a. Announcement: The Lord promises to make Edom small among the nations 2a
b. The Results of Judgment: The results of Edom being made small among the nations is that she will be despised 2b
c. An Accusation: Edom has been arrogant in her heart as is displayed through her dwelling places 3-4a
d. Announcement: The Lord is gong to bring Edom down 4b
B. Expansion of Edom’s Judgment: Edom’s judgment will be complete as though she had been robbed when her alliances betray her and the Lord destroys her counselors so that her military men are slaughtered 5-9
1. Left with Nothing: Edom will be left with absolutely nothing as if thieves, or grape gathers had come to her 5-6
2. Useless Alliances: All of Edom’s alliances will betray her, by turning her over to her enemies and overcoming her themselves 7
3. Useless Internal Power: The Lord proclaims that He will destroy the counselors of Edom with the result that her military men will be slaughtered 8-9
a. Wisdom: Yahweh will destroy the counselors of Edom 8
b. Military Might: Edom’s military will be slaughtered 9
C. The Reason for Edom’s Judgment: Obadiah proclaimed that Judah would be destroyed because of the violence which she did to her brother like not aiding him, gloating over his destruction, and actually capturing and killing some of his fugitives 10-14
1. Summary--Violence to Jacob (the Nation): Judah will be destroyed because of violence which she did to her brother Jacob 10
2. Particulars of Edom’s Violence: Obadiah identifies the particulars of Edom’s violence as not aiding Judah, gloating over her destruction, and actually capturing and killing some of her fugitives 11-14
a. Did Not Aid Judah: Judah was like the Babylonians who carried off wealth, entered the gate of Jerusalem and cast lots for Jerusalem rather than helping her brother 11
b. Gloated over Destruction of Judah: Edom gloated, rejoiced, boasted on the day of Jerusalem’s destruction entering into her gate and looting her wealth 12-13
c. Killed and Captured Some from Judah: Edom stood at the road to kill Judah fugitives and imprison her survivors when Jerusalem fell 14
A. Judgment upon the Edom and the Nations: Obadiah proclaims that the day of the Lord is coming near upon all of the nations (including Edom) when talionic justice will be rendered bringing destruction for their destruction of Jerusalem 15-16
1. Coming of the Day of the Lord: The day of the Lord is coming near upon all of the nations 15a
2. Application of Talionic Justice: As Edom has done to others, it will be done to her 15b
3. Edom Destroyed: Just as the nations destroyed Jerusalem (including Edom), so shall they (including Edom) be destroyed forever 16
B. Blessing on Judah: Judah will be blessed in that a remnant will have its own possessions on Mount Zion, judge Edom, enlarge its boarders and become God’s kingdom 17-21
1. A Remnant on Zion: A remnant will be on Mount Zion who will be holy and have its own rightful possessions 17
2. Judah Will Judge Edom:2 Judah will destroy Edom as a fire destroys land causing Edom to be given to the inhabitants of the Negev 18-19a
3. Judah’s Enlarged Boundaries: Judah will enlarge her boundaries to include the Palestine Plain, the territory of Ephraim and Samaria, and Gilead 19b-20
4. Yahweh’s Kingdom Will Judge Edom: Deliverers will ascend the capital of Judah (Mount Zion), judge the capital of Edom, and Judah will be the Lord’s kingdom 21
1 This outline is adapted through my own study from the analyses of Gleason L. Archer, Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 306; Carl E. Armerding, Obadiah, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, VII:340; Walter L. Baker, Obadiah, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty: Old Testament, 1455; Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., Interpreting the Minor Prophets, 110-12; Homer Heater, Jr., Notes on the Book of Obadiah, unpublished class notes in seminar in the exilic Old Testament prophets [Dallas Theological Seminary, Fall 1990], 175-76; Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 379; John A Martin, An Outline of Obadiah, unpublished class notes in 304 preexlic and exilic prophets, (Dallas Theological Seminary, Fall 1983), 1-2.
2 This certainly has an historical sense as Heater writes, The Edomites were subjugated in the Maccabean era by John Hyrcanus (134-104 B.C.). He forced them to be circumcised and to accept the Jewish faith. The Greek name for this section was Idumea. Alexander Jannaeus appointed Antipater I as governor of Idumea. He was the grandfather of Herod the Great (Homer Heater, Jr., Notes on the Book of Obadiah, unpublished class notes in seminar in the exilic Old Testament prophets [Dallas Theological Seminary, Fall 1990], 173). But the final realization will occur in the eschaton.