Study From the Book of Obadiah,1

                                     Study From the Book of Obadiah,1

     The book of Obadiah is the smallest book of the entire Bible. It is composed of one chapter of 21 verses. It is also one of the earliest prophetic books as it was written around 840 BC.

     Obadiah’s name means the servant of God, the Yahweh. Obadiah wrote his prophetic book to prophecy of the total destruction of one of the oldest nations in the world which was the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob.  There had been a struggle between the two even at the time of their birth as Jacob cling   with the ankle of Esau at birth.

     Edomites were very hostile to the Israelites. They occupied the southern part to the west of the Jewish Promised Land. They refused to help them when they were passing by and also helped the Babylonians to defeat the southern kingdom of Judah.

     The descendants of this nation were the Herod’s family who governed Israel at the time of the Lord Jesus, they were known as a very bloody family. Herod killed all children of Bethlehem under the age of two when the Lord Jesus was born with the intension to kill Him. He then killed John the Baptist.

     This nation did not repent, so it deserved total destruction.   The message now is clear. For all who prosecute the Christians today, the judgement of our Lord is near unless they repent as nations or individuals. The Lord’s judgment is total destruction like the judgment of Edomites.  The destruction occurs here in earth but also in the eternal hell with the devil they follow.

Structure;

Chapters 1-16 describe the destruction of Edom.

Chapters 17-21 describe the deliverance of Zion.