Biblical Theology XXVII: Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is most likely written during the Babylonian Exile, and makes reference to Edom's betrayal of the covenant people by helping their enemies loot Jerusalem. This is likely a reference to the Babylonian plunder of Jerusalem. The name 'obad/'ebed Yahu means "servant of YHWH," and may not be a literal name so much as the designation of this particular prophet. Edom is descended from Esau in the Bible, and as a fellow descendant of Abraham was often viewed as allied with Israel, often as a vassal state.

Theology: Edom represents the potential Gentile friends or enemies of Israel that may be condemned or saved depending whether they become faithful allies or enemies of God's people. In the Book of Obadiah, Edom has joined with Jacob's enemies and betrayed their brothers. Hence, they will receive the judgment of God as one of His enemies. The book, therefore, argues that the judgment of God over the nations is linked to Israel. To mistreat the people of God is to mistreat God, and will bring down His wrath. To do good to His people is to do good to God, and thus, will bring about blessing. In this regard, it recalls the promise to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you, all of the families of the land will be blessed" (Gen 12:3). Whereas the presence of God's people in the land would have led to blessing if they had been treated with favor, their mistreatment will lead instead to the complete destruction of those people.

Obadiah argues that there will be nowhere to hide from God's judgment once this has occurred. Although Edom had its strongholds in the mountains, and the people likely trusted in the impenetrable nature of their secure dwellings, God will annihilate them from there. "Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to place your nest among the stars,

I will cast you down from there!” declares YHWH (v. 4).

Part of that judgment is that God's people will be restored even when the nations deal with them treacherously, and their reward will include not only their own land, but that of their enemies as well. Their enemies will have no remnant upon the earth. In this regard, Edom really does represent all of the enemies of God's people throughout all of the nations, as this promise to rule over the other nations from Jerusalem is a staple promise in the Prophets.

“For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations!

Just as you have done, so it will be done to you.

You will get exactly what your deeds deserve.

For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain,

so all the nations will drink continually.

They will drink, and they will gulp down;

they will be as though they had never been. (vv. 15-16)

The "day of YHWH" refers to the day when all of the wicked nations that are opposed to God's people will be destroyed. The destruction of Edom is a microcosmic event that will occur before the macrocosmic event that involves the whole world. In Joel, the microcosmic event was made up of a locust-induced famine, but here it is the destruction of Edom's people.

Ethics: Given that the book rests in the midst of the Book of the Twelve, one might suggest that it functions the same way the other books do in that it is a warning that gives those who are being warned a chance to repent. Hence, the declarations of total destruction are contingent upon a lack of heeding the warnings in the book. This becomes all the more convincing in light of the fact that that the next book in the anthology is the Book of Jonah that warns Nineveh of impending doom, but offers no promise of God relenting if the wicked city should repent. However, when they do repent, God does relent.

In this regard, the book may function both as a means to save Edom rather than destroy it, and as a comfort to God's people who were unjustly betrayed by the neighboring state. The enemies of God's people, therefore, should repent and treat them favorable so that they may not be destroyed in a microcosmic or the macrocosmic judgment of God; but rather live at peace with Israel who will rule over Edom from Mount Zion when YHWH is the sole King over all of it. The hope of this is realized in Acts 15:15-17, where the Gentiles are repenting and serving YHWH via Jesus Christ. For those who do not repent, however, there is a promise of total annihilation, and so the book seeks to influence the behavior of the nations toward God's people today in light of the promised judgment to come.