You have probably heard it said that in the Bible the minor prophets deliver a major message. One such minor prophet was Obadiah who dealt with the subject of God’s judgement against Edom. Because of Edom’s location along a major trade route and its impregnable rock fortress, they had what most nations covet – prosperity and security. But, like many nations today they also had pride and a burning hatred for God’s chosen people.
It was the great cruelty that the Edomites showed against God’s chosen people which resulted in their eventual judgement. Noting that Obadiah only contains one chapter, this is outlined in verses 10 to 14: “For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on the other side – in the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem – even you were as one of them. But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress.”
There is disagreement amongst Bible scholars as to which event Obadiah is referencing. Although there are four possible occasions, most favor one of two – a date of around the 840’s BC when the Philistines and Arabians attacked Jerusalem when King Jehoram was reigning or the time of the Babylonian invasion of 586BC. Although that portion of the prophecy has been fulfilled, what interests me is that there is a very similar mindset adopted by Israel’s neighbors today which mirrors the actions and attitude of the Edomites. But, just like the Edomites, what the enemies of Israel completely overlook is that there will be an eventual reaping of what they have sowed. Obadiah 15 to 16 reads: “For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head. For as you drank on my holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually. Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, and they shall be as though they had never been.”
There are currently many nations who are looking on gleefully at the violence perpetrated against Israel. However, although they celebrate warring, they remain blind to God’s warning. You see, whilst those nations may drink from a cup of celebration, all of the nations will one day drink of the cup of wrath that God will hand them as judgement for their treatment of His chosen people. Two verses come to mind on this point: Psalm 75:8 says: “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down.”
Zechariah 12:2-3 says: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”
Scholars are divided over the question of Edomite descendancy today, with some arguing that the Edomite line was completely destroyed. Whether or not they still exist as a distinct people group, there is no question that the spirit of the Edomites resides in the hearts of Middle Eastern leaders in the present day. In Ezekiel 36:5 we read this: Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.” Then and now the nations surrounding Israel want to destroy the Jews, possess the land and plunder its people and property.
But I want you to note the closing phrase of Obadiah: and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. As difficult as things are and as difficult as things will be for the Jewish people in the future Tribulation Period, how wonderful it is to consider the glorious Millennial Kingdom when Messiah will rule and reign. You see, the great hope in Obadiah is not just a temporary reprieve through the raising up of judges or kings, but a peaceful age initiated and ruled by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know this to be true because of Zechariah 14:9: “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be – ‘The LORD is one,’ and His name one. This is also affirmed in Revelation 11:15: Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'”
In that day idolatry will cease, false worship will cease, ludicrous UN resolutions against Israel will cease; media propaganda demonizing Israel will cease and violence against the Jews will cease. What a day that will be. Maranatha!
