Obadiah Obadiah
Obadiah
Introduction
At a Glance
Author: Obadiah the prophet
Audience: Israel, Edom, and other surrounding nations
Date: Uncertain, but a plausible date is shortly following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC
Type of Literature: Prophecy
Major Themes: The complex relationship between Israel and Edom; lex talionis; inflated pride; the day of Yahweh; Edom and Adam; seeing Jesus in the book
Outline:
I. Superscription: divine revelation given to Obadiah — 1a
II. Divine judgment on Edom — 1b–14
a. The announcement of Edom’s destruction — 1b–7
b. The consummation of Edom’s destruction — 8–14
III. The revelation of the day of Yahweh — 15–21
a. Certain divine judgment on the nations, including Edom — 15–16
b. Promised divine deliverance for Mount Zion and the people of God — 17–18
c. The expansion and establishment of the kingdom of God — 19–21
About the Book of Obadiah
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament: just twenty-one verses. It starts out with a condemnation of Israel’s neighbor to the east, Edom (also called Idumea by the Greeks and Romans, which had shifted location by New Testament times to the area around Hebron, in southern Judah). The people of Edom traced their ancestry back to Isaac and Rebekah through their son Esau, the brother of Jacob (also known as Israel). Jacob and Esau had a very complex relationship. The ongoing family feud between the two nations mirrored the stories of the two patriarchs who gave rise to these neighboring tribes.
When the superpower Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, the holy city of the descendants of Jacob, in 586 BC, some of the Edomites saw it as an opportunity to loot the city. Such behavior was more than simple destructive violence and theft; since it came from a brother nation, Obadiah saw it as raw betrayal.
Purpose
The book of Obadiah announces Yahweh’s judgment against Edom and all humankind for those times when they descend into and operate out of the shadow side of human nature. God cannot tolerate evil. And yet, condemnation is never the last word in his covenant promises. Along with Joel and Amos, Obadiah shares a vision of the fulfillment of God’s kingdom: a future where he blesses not only the tribe of Judah but also all the nations surrounding them and, by implication, eventually the entire world.
Author and Audience
We know absolutely nothing about the prophet Obadiah except for his name (in Hebrew Obadiah means “servant of Yah[weh]”). There are other Obadiahs in the Bible (e.g., 2 Chron. 17:7), but no direct evidence is forthcoming to connect them to this prophet. And much like the name Theophilus in Luke’s writing (Luke 1:1–4; Acts 1:1–3), the name Obadiah could be a description rather than a proper name. Theophilus could have been simply a “friend of God” (in Greek theo means “God” and philos means “friend”), or Luke could have been writing to a specific man named Theophilus. In the same way, we must also allow for the possibility that the book of Obadiah was written by an unnamed “servant” (Hb. obed) of Yahweh, rather than someone with the proper name Obadiah. For the purposes of this discussion, the translation team will assume the proper name is the correct explanation.
We also do not know precisely when he wrote, although we do know that the incident that catalyzed the need for his prophecy was the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the subsequent looting of the nation of Judah by the Edomites. Additionally, the content of Obadiah 1–9, Jeremiah 49:7–22, and Ezekiel 35:1–15 have distinct similarities regarding the divine judgment that was poured out on Edom, which has led many to suggest that Obadiah may well have been a contemporary of both Jeremiah (late 600s–early 500s BC) and Ezekiel (early 500s BC).
Of course, this prophecy was written to the people of Judah to help them interpret, from God’s point of view, the horrific behavior of the Edomites toward them and to give the people of God hope. Additionally, one cannot rule out the possibility that Obadiah was also sending a direct message to Edom and, perhaps, to all the surrounding nations.
In a broader sense, Obadiah is also a warning letter to all humanity, alerting us to the consequences of striking out in unprovoked aggression toward others, especially when they are at their most vulnerable. Obadiah starts with a telephoto lens focusing on Judah and Edom, but the end of the book uses a wide-angle lens, applying the truths of the prophecy, both judgment and promise, to neighboring nations.
The message is timeless: Yahweh will punish evil and bless the faithful remnant, as he has demonstrated so often in history. Eventual victory is assured via the triumph of his kingdom through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Messianic King. God will have his way with his creation.
Major Themes
The Complex Relationship between Israel and Edom. These nations saw their complex, troubled relationship originating from the stories of twin brothers, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau in Genesis. Right at birth, Jacob emerged grabbing hold of his older twin’s heel, and God prophetically announced that these sons would be the founders of two separate nations, and the older would serve the younger. The family was divided, with Isaac having a preferential love for Esau and Rebekah having a loving preference for Jacob (Gen. 25:19–28). Esau despised his birthright by swapping it for a plate of stew from Jacob, and later Jacob impersonated Esau and deceived their father into giving him the paternal blessing meant for Esau. Such blessings had legal force in the ancient Near East and included inheritances. At this treachery, Esau was furious and determined to murder his brother (Gen. 27:1–46). Jacob fled the family home and went to live with his uncle, Laban, the brother of Rebekah (Gen. 28–31).
After many years, Jacob finally reunited with Esau in the land of Edom, on his way back to Canaan (Gen. 32:1–21). Jacob arrived fearfully, with gifts and humility, and Esau responded with an embrace and kiss. There was no longer any grudge between them (Gen. 33:1–16).
However, while the relationship between the two brothers may have been reconciled, later years saw enmity reemerge between the two nations of Israel and Edom. Several other Old Testament texts refer to Edom’s hostility toward the Israelites, also commonly known as “the sons of Jacob [Israel].” In particular, the Edomites refused to allow the Israelite tribes to pass through their territory en route to Canaan during their wilderness wanderings (Num. 20:14–21). Deuteronomy 2:1–6 records the Edomites’ fear of the Israelites. Israel’s hostility toward Edom in future successful military battles against the Edomites is recorded elsewhere (2 Sam. 8:13–14; 2 Kings 8:20–21).
Lex Talionis. This phrase is Latin for “the law of retribution.” It calls for punishment that parallels the severity of the crime. Edom would be treated the same way she had treated others, including, of course, Israel. This is brought into sharp focus in Obadiah 15, which explicitly declares: “As you have done to others, so will it be done to you: you will be paid back for all that your deeds deserve.” Just as Edom had treated Israel with contempt (Obad. 11–14), so would God similarly punish Edom (v. 15). Just as Edom had profaned the holy mountain of God in Jerusalem, so would she—along with the nations—keep on drinking the bitter cup of God’s judgment (v. 16). The Hebrew phrase is ʿayin tachat ʿayin, or “an eye for an eye” (Ex. 21:23–27).
Inflated Pride. The Edomites did not believe that the rules applied to them, as do many in our world today. They saw themselves, literally and figuratively, as “above” their neighbors (they lived at a high elevation; Obad. 3). Obadiah called them out on this and announced the consequences of such comparative thinking. God regards pride as one of the most heinous of sins, primarily because it displays an attitude of arrogant independence from God as both Creator and Lord. Those who are filled with arrogant pride—as the Edomites were—draw upon themselves the righteous anger of God, since they erroneously believe that they can live independently of God and have no need of him in their lives.
The Day of Yahweh. The concept of the day of Yahweh (the phrase is often translated as “the day of the Lord”) is a common one throughout much of the prophetic literature and is likewise a major theme in the book of Obadiah. It has a twofold application, one profoundly negative and the other sublimely positive. Negatively speaking, Edom has a “day” in store for her judgment (v. 8), since she stood by on the “day” that her neighbor, Judah, was attacked—most likely at the hands of the invading Babylonian armies during the period 605–586 BC (vv. 11–14). Additionally, verse 15 records that all the nations have a bitter “day” of judgment coming to them.
However, the theme of deliverance brings us to the second application of this powerful motif, namely the wonderfully positive application of divine blessing and renewal. This is explicitly recorded in verses 17–21, where the day of Yahweh promises to usher in an era of restoration and renewal for the people of God. First, they will be restored to the land of promise, and Mount Zion, symbolizing the city of Jerusalem, will once again be renewed in holiness. Second, the nation of Edom will be totally eradicated at the hands of the house of Jacob, and God’s people will have no more enemies from that source ever again. This manifestation of the day of Yahweh will also result in the reestablishing of the kingdom of God for all the people of God and, by implication and extension, the rest of the world. It will truly be a universal kingdom.
Edom and Adam. The Hebrews originally wrote without vowel markers. Thus, the words Edom and Adam would look exactly the same (ʾdm) to the original readers of the book of Obadiah. We don’t want to read too much into this, but one can make the case that the first part of the book deals with the nation of Edom, while the second part deals with surrounding nations and, by extension, all humankind, the descendants of Adam. In other words, God speaks to all of us, all of the time, in his Word.
Seeing Jesus in the Book. The prophetic anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ is found in the book of Obadiah, as it is throughout the entire Old Testament canon. The Christological focus here is embedded in the theme of the day of Yahweh, where restoration and renewal are promised to the people of God. It is promised both that the covenant people of Yahweh will themselves be rendered holy again and that the land of promise itself will be resanctified and returned to God’s people. This will result eventually in the reestablishing and expansion of the kingdom of God for the entire world. The ultimate mechanism by which this divine transformation will be accomplished is the coming of the Messianic King, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer. The redeeming sacrifice of Christ on the cross will bring about ultimate renewal, resulting in the once-for-all eradication of sin and death for all who trust in him. And the renewal of the land of promise, the land of Canaan, is an earthly foretaste of the new heavens and the new earth, which will constitute the divine re-creation of the cosmos, where God the Father, the risen Christ, and his people from all over the world will one day live forever in the eternal kingdom of heaven.
Obadiah
The Servant of Yah
ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ:
Obadiah Obadiah: TPT
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The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
The Passion Translation ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿObadiah Obadiah
Obadiah
Introduction
At a Glance
Author: Obadiah the prophet
Audience: Israel, Edom, and other surrounding nations
Date: Uncertain, but a plausible date is shortly following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC
Type of Literature: Prophecy
Major Themes: The complex relationship between Israel and Edom; lex talionis; inflated pride; the day of Yahweh; Edom and Adam; seeing Jesus in the book
Outline:
I. Superscription: divine revelation given to Obadiah — 1a
II. Divine judgment on Edom — 1b–14
a. The announcement of Edom’s destruction — 1b–7
b. The consummation of Edom’s destruction — 8–14
III. The revelation of the day of Yahweh — 15–21
a. Certain divine judgment on the nations, including Edom — 15–16
b. Promised divine deliverance for Mount Zion and the people of God — 17–18
c. The expansion and establishment of the kingdom of God — 19–21
About the Book of Obadiah
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament: just twenty-one verses. It starts out with a condemnation of Israel’s neighbor to the east, Edom (also called Idumea by the Greeks and Romans, which had shifted location by New Testament times to the area around Hebron, in southern Judah). The people of Edom traced their ancestry back to Isaac and Rebekah through their son Esau, the brother of Jacob (also known as Israel). Jacob and Esau had a very complex relationship. The ongoing family feud between the two nations mirrored the stories of the two patriarchs who gave rise to these neighboring tribes.
When the superpower Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, the holy city of the descendants of Jacob, in 586 BC, some of the Edomites saw it as an opportunity to loot the city. Such behavior was more than simple destructive violence and theft; since it came from a brother nation, Obadiah saw it as raw betrayal.
Purpose
The book of Obadiah announces Yahweh’s judgment against Edom and all humankind for those times when they descend into and operate out of the shadow side of human nature. God cannot tolerate evil. And yet, condemnation is never the last word in his covenant promises. Along with Joel and Amos, Obadiah shares a vision of the fulfillment of God’s kingdom: a future where he blesses not only the tribe of Judah but also all the nations surrounding them and, by implication, eventually the entire world.
Author and Audience
We know absolutely nothing about the prophet Obadiah except for his name (in Hebrew Obadiah means “servant of Yah[weh]”). There are other Obadiahs in the Bible (e.g., 2 Chron. 17:7), but no direct evidence is forthcoming to connect them to this prophet. And much like the name Theophilus in Luke’s writing (Luke 1:1–4; Acts 1:1–3), the name Obadiah could be a description rather than a proper name. Theophilus could have been simply a “friend of God” (in Greek theo means “God” and philos means “friend”), or Luke could have been writing to a specific man named Theophilus. In the same way, we must also allow for the possibility that the book of Obadiah was written by an unnamed “servant” (Hb. obed) of Yahweh, rather than someone with the proper name Obadiah. For the purposes of this discussion, the translation team will assume the proper name is the correct explanation.
We also do not know precisely when he wrote, although we do know that the incident that catalyzed the need for his prophecy was the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the subsequent looting of the nation of Judah by the Edomites. Additionally, the content of Obadiah 1–9, Jeremiah 49:7–22, and Ezekiel 35:1–15 have distinct similarities regarding the divine judgment that was poured out on Edom, which has led many to suggest that Obadiah may well have been a contemporary of both Jeremiah (late 600s–early 500s BC) and Ezekiel (early 500s BC).
Of course, this prophecy was written to the people of Judah to help them interpret, from God’s point of view, the horrific behavior of the Edomites toward them and to give the people of God hope. Additionally, one cannot rule out the possibility that Obadiah was also sending a direct message to Edom and, perhaps, to all the surrounding nations.
In a broader sense, Obadiah is also a warning letter to all humanity, alerting us to the consequences of striking out in unprovoked aggression toward others, especially when they are at their most vulnerable. Obadiah starts with a telephoto lens focusing on Judah and Edom, but the end of the book uses a wide-angle lens, applying the truths of the prophecy, both judgment and promise, to neighboring nations.
The message is timeless: Yahweh will punish evil and bless the faithful remnant, as he has demonstrated so often in history. Eventual victory is assured via the triumph of his kingdom through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Messianic King. God will have his way with his creation.
Major Themes
The Complex Relationship between Israel and Edom. These nations saw their complex, troubled relationship originating from the stories of twin brothers, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau in Genesis. Right at birth, Jacob emerged grabbing hold of his older twin’s heel, and God prophetically announced that these sons would be the founders of two separate nations, and the older would serve the younger. The family was divided, with Isaac having a preferential love for Esau and Rebekah having a loving preference for Jacob (Gen. 25:19–28). Esau despised his birthright by swapping it for a plate of stew from Jacob, and later Jacob impersonated Esau and deceived their father into giving him the paternal blessing meant for Esau. Such blessings had legal force in the ancient Near East and included inheritances. At this treachery, Esau was furious and determined to murder his brother (Gen. 27:1–46). Jacob fled the family home and went to live with his uncle, Laban, the brother of Rebekah (Gen. 28–31).
After many years, Jacob finally reunited with Esau in the land of Edom, on his way back to Canaan (Gen. 32:1–21). Jacob arrived fearfully, with gifts and humility, and Esau responded with an embrace and kiss. There was no longer any grudge between them (Gen. 33:1–16).
However, while the relationship between the two brothers may have been reconciled, later years saw enmity reemerge between the two nations of Israel and Edom. Several other Old Testament texts refer to Edom’s hostility toward the Israelites, also commonly known as “the sons of Jacob [Israel].” In particular, the Edomites refused to allow the Israelite tribes to pass through their territory en route to Canaan during their wilderness wanderings (Num. 20:14–21). Deuteronomy 2:1–6 records the Edomites’ fear of the Israelites. Israel’s hostility toward Edom in future successful military battles against the Edomites is recorded elsewhere (2 Sam. 8:13–14; 2 Kings 8:20–21).
Lex Talionis. This phrase is Latin for “the law of retribution.” It calls for punishment that parallels the severity of the crime. Edom would be treated the same way she had treated others, including, of course, Israel. This is brought into sharp focus in Obadiah 15, which explicitly declares: “As you have done to others, so will it be done to you: you will be paid back for all that your deeds deserve.” Just as Edom had treated Israel with contempt (Obad. 11–14), so would God similarly punish Edom (v. 15). Just as Edom had profaned the holy mountain of God in Jerusalem, so would she—along with the nations—keep on drinking the bitter cup of God’s judgment (v. 16). The Hebrew phrase is ʿayin tachat ʿayin, or “an eye for an eye” (Ex. 21:23–27).
Inflated Pride. The Edomites did not believe that the rules applied to them, as do many in our world today. They saw themselves, literally and figuratively, as “above” their neighbors (they lived at a high elevation; Obad. 3). Obadiah called them out on this and announced the consequences of such comparative thinking. God regards pride as one of the most heinous of sins, primarily because it displays an attitude of arrogant independence from God as both Creator and Lord. Those who are filled with arrogant pride—as the Edomites were—draw upon themselves the righteous anger of God, since they erroneously believe that they can live independently of God and have no need of him in their lives.
The Day of Yahweh. The concept of the day of Yahweh (the phrase is often translated as “the day of the Lord”) is a common one throughout much of the prophetic literature and is likewise a major theme in the book of Obadiah. It has a twofold application, one profoundly negative and the other sublimely positive. Negatively speaking, Edom has a “day” in store for her judgment (v. 8), since she stood by on the “day” that her neighbor, Judah, was attacked—most likely at the hands of the invading Babylonian armies during the period 605–586 BC (vv. 11–14). Additionally, verse 15 records that all the nations have a bitter “day” of judgment coming to them.
However, the theme of deliverance brings us to the second application of this powerful motif, namely the wonderfully positive application of divine blessing and renewal. This is explicitly recorded in verses 17–21, where the day of Yahweh promises to usher in an era of restoration and renewal for the people of God. First, they will be restored to the land of promise, and Mount Zion, symbolizing the city of Jerusalem, will once again be renewed in holiness. Second, the nation of Edom will be totally eradicated at the hands of the house of Jacob, and God’s people will have no more enemies from that source ever again. This manifestation of the day of Yahweh will also result in the reestablishing of the kingdom of God for all the people of God and, by implication and extension, the rest of the world. It will truly be a universal kingdom.
Edom and Adam. The Hebrews originally wrote without vowel markers. Thus, the words Edom and Adam would look exactly the same (ʾdm) to the original readers of the book of Obadiah. We don’t want to read too much into this, but one can make the case that the first part of the book deals with the nation of Edom, while the second part deals with surrounding nations and, by extension, all humankind, the descendants of Adam. In other words, God speaks to all of us, all of the time, in his Word.
Seeing Jesus in the Book. The prophetic anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ is found in the book of Obadiah, as it is throughout the entire Old Testament canon. The Christological focus here is embedded in the theme of the day of Yahweh, where restoration and renewal are promised to the people of God. It is promised both that the covenant people of Yahweh will themselves be rendered holy again and that the land of promise itself will be resanctified and returned to God’s people. This will result eventually in the reestablishing and expansion of the kingdom of God for the entire world. The ultimate mechanism by which this divine transformation will be accomplished is the coming of the Messianic King, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer. The redeeming sacrifice of Christ on the cross will bring about ultimate renewal, resulting in the once-for-all eradication of sin and death for all who trust in him. And the renewal of the land of promise, the land of Canaan, is an earthly foretaste of the new heavens and the new earth, which will constitute the divine re-creation of the cosmos, where God the Father, the risen Christ, and his people from all over the world will one day live forever in the eternal kingdom of heaven.
Obadiah
The Servant of Yah
ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ:
:
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The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
The Passion Translation ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿ