Obadiah: Exegesis & The Eschatological Day of the Lord

Message overview

Little can be said about Obadiah. God was not pleased to reveal to us this man’s origins, decedents, or details which we can identify him through. There are 12 Obadiahs in the Old Testament; none of which can be traced to this prophet.

His message was unique. Obadiah wrote the shortest book in all the Old Testament. He addressed the national sin of Edom and prophesied how God would destroy them (eventually in an ultimate sense) because of their treatment of Israel.

Obadiah’s message was primarily aimed at the Edomites. The people of Edom were descendants of Esau. When you read the prophecy you’ll notice the family-relational language. This is because the Edomites are descendants of Esau and the Israelites are descendents of Jacob. The enmity and resentment between Jacob and Esau was passed down to their descendents, and the prophet addressed the nation as a “brother” of Israel.

Though this prophecy was addressed to Edom there are parts of this prophecy which await their fulfillment to this day. There are portions of this letter which appealed to the historical situation of the day, and there are eschatological (final days) prophecies intertwined.

First we will look at the historical fulfillment of Obadiah’s prophecy. Then we will look at the content which remains unfulfilled in history and is therefore relevant to the final generation. Lastly we’ll look at the danger of dismissing the Minor Prophets as completely fulfilled and no longer applicable to our day.

Historical fulfillment

Obadiah was probably written around 586 B.C. We see parallels of his prophecy in the writings of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (compare Jer. 49:7-22; Ezek. 35:1-15; Ps. 137:7; Ob. 5-14) which lead us to believe that they were contemporaries, prophesying around the same time.

The historical situation Obadiah addressed, as we mentioned earlier, concerned the nations of Edom and Israel. In B.C. 606 – 586 the Chaldean (Babylonian) Army invaded Israel in three waves and destroyed the nation. God used this army to judge His people Israel for their sins of idol worship and national apostasy. During this judgment Edom sat back and watched Israel being destroyed. Not only was Edom unresponsive in helping Israel during the attack, but Edom partook of plundering of Israel after the scourge as well.

Edom’s sin, in God’s eyes was twofold. First, Edom did nothing to help Israel. The nation was unresponsive to Israel in her time of calamity, when Israel needed a “brother” most. When a nation does nothing to help Israel, and instead, in their heart approves of her destruction, God counts that nation just as guilty as the one who actually did the destroying. Passive approval of destruction is sin; both on an individual level and on a corporate level.

Secondly, Edom afterwards performed violence against Israel. Edom robbed Israel after the war, kicking Israel while she was down. For this God will destroy Edom forever, and for this reason Obadiah was raised up. He spoke of the necessary reciprocal devastation due to Edom.

Obadiah spoke of how Edom would now reap what they had sown. He prophesied about their destruction and said how it was due to the “pride in their hearts”. Edom had trusted in her wealth, politicians, and military strength. However, God promised to lay waste this country for its ruthless dealings with Israel. When judgment comes to a nation no military, politician, or amount of wealth can save that nation. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.

For the first 14 verses Obadiah prophesied God’s reciprocating judgment on Edom. The first 9 verses describe Edom’s fall and the reasons for that fall. Verses 10-14 hone in more specifically on the nature of and reasons for Edom’s impending judgment. These prophesies were fulfilled in 200 B.C. when the Maccabean Army invaded Edom and killed 20,000 Edomites. The Maccabees then forced the rest of the nation to obey Jewish Law.

When we come to verse 15 however the topic changes; there is now a new train of thought. In verse 15 the message shifts from historical to eschatological. The first 15 verses predict the immediate and impending national judgment against Edom. The last 7 verses however describe something altogether different. These verses describe the universal judgment of all nations at the return of Christ. These verses describe the future Day of the Lord where all nations shall receive their reciprocal judgment for the way they treated Israel in the last days.   

Eschatological Fulfillment

Verses 15-21 are clearly eschatological. They are speaking primarily of and immediately to events that will take place in the last days. The only way to dismiss the eschatological nature of these verses is to label them as poetic. This however is wrong.

You might run into people who say that these verses speak of the past (the time of Edom’s judgment; 200 B.C.) and that they are already fulfilled. Don’t believe these people. In order to do this these people dismiss the prophecies by changing the nature of the verses. They say that the verses are poetically referring to the past judgment on Edom. This is not true. It is not written poetically. It is written prophetically. Poetry is often used in the Old Testament to communicate judgment (e.g. imprecatory psalms), but this is not the case here.

What is set forth in the verses is a description of the Day of the Lord in the Last Days just prior to the inauguration of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. These verses describe the time of Israel’s ultimate restoration and salvation which occurs after Jacob’s final trouble.

Verses 15-16 speak of the universal judgment which God will issue upon the nations of the earth at His return. A nation’s disposition towards Israel determines the nature of that same nation’s judgment (v15). “As you have done so shall it be done unto you”.

To prove this point we look back at the example set forth in verses 1-14.What happened with the historical nation of Edom? Edom was the precedent. It serves as a 2000 year old example of by demonstrating the consequences of how we align our hearts and actions with Israel, specifically in a time when she is judged by God. So how much more will this principle shine forth at the end of the age?

Verses 17-21 describe the final triumph Israel will experience at the seconding coming of Christ. At this point He will establish His literal and tangible kingdom on this earth. Then “the kingdom shall be the Lord’s (v21). And at that time “the kingdoms of this earth [will] have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

 

The Nature of the Kingdom of God at the End of the Age

At this point some further clarification is needed. What is the nature of this kingdom which the prophet speaks of? Is it a literal kingdom? Is it a spiritual kingdom? (For a further treatment of this subject click here or read The Nature of the Kingdom of God at the End of the Age for a fuller treatment of the subject)

The kingdom of God is presented in Scripture as having both literal (physical) aspects and spiritual (metaphysical) aspects. “The concept of God’s kingly or sovereign rule, [encompasses] both the realm over which it is exerted (Matt. 4:8; Luke 4:5; Rev. 16:10) and the exercise of authority to reign (Luke 19:12; Rev, 17:12, 17-18)” (Gentry/Norman, 2003, 987).

The kingdom covers both the physical (literal/geographical) dimensions of the earth, and it additionally covers the realm of authority through which it is exerted (heavenly/spiritual/metaphysical). The kingdom is a point of integration of both Testaments.

This is the progression of revelation in the Bible: The Old Testament revealed the kingdom as a physical rule of Christ on the earth, and the New Testament, to some degree, emphasized the realm of authority (heavenly/spiritual/metaphysical) through which the Kingdom operates. The New Testament compliments the revelation of the Old, it does not contradict it. 

The Bible presents God’s kingdom as an amalgamation of the physical and metaphysical, the natural and supernatural, the literal and the spiritual. This Kingdom, which has power and authority in all dimensions, is what will be established fully in the Millennial reign of Christ on earth.

What Does this Prophecy Mean to Us? 

“And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s. As you have done so shall it be done to you (vv 21, 15).This prophecy serves the church and the nations of the last generation by providing them with an example of the consequences which God will bring upon them depending on how they identify with Israel during her national judgment. Just because God judges the nation does not give us permission to act wickedly towards her. Israel has always been, and will always be the apple of His eye.

To us this prophecy reinforces the sobriety of the last days. Though the precedent has occurred (Edom and her judgment) our judgment awaits us. This message illustrates that we should prepare our hearts to identify with the people of God in their judgments, rather than walk in the wicked ways of Edom.

As individuals and as nations we will be judged by how we choose to align ourselves with the nation of Israel in her time of judgment in the last days. Will we follow in the ways of Edom, passively approving of her destruction, even agreeing with it in our hearts? Will we physically partake in the plundering of Jews worldwide in the hour of extremity? Or will we align ourselves with the chosen people of God, speaking light and truth to them in their hour of need?

Notice the obvious parallels between Edom’s treatment of Israel in her historical time of judgment and the biblical depiction of the nations in the last days. God’s response to Edom is an example given to the nations of the earth for their treatment of and identification with Israel in the last days.

How will we, as individuals and as nations identify with Israel as she passes through her darkest hour, and is judged for her most grievous sins; namely crucifying God? She is as guilty as any other nation/person without the blood of Christ. But the penetrating question is, “How will we stand with her on that day”?

Will we, as Edom, passively allow her to be molested by the nations, approving in our hearts of her destruction and calling upon ourselves the judgment of God? Or will we partner with the saints around the throne saying, “Just and true are all Your ways” (Rev. 15:3), understanding that ultimately “on Zion there shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness (v 17)?