Faith & Reason Nexus

MEANING: “Worshipper of Yahweh”

AUTHOR: Obadiah

TIME WRITTEN: Unknown

POSITION IN THE BIBLE:

• 31st Book in the Bible
• 31st Book in the Old Testament
• 9th of 17 books of Prophecy (Isaiah – Malachi)
• 4th of the 12 Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi)
• 35 Books to follow it

CHAPTERS: 1
VERSES: 21
WORDS: 670

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT OBADIAH:

• Unique Length: Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, consisting of only one chapter.
• Obadiah’s Background: Obadiah probably lived in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Interestingly, there are thirteen individuals named Obadiah in the Old Testament, but the author of this book is not clearly identified among them.
• No Kings Mentioned: Unlike many other prophetic books, no specific kings are mentioned in Obadiah, making it difficult to precisely date the book.
• Possible Contemporary: Some scholars believe Obadiah may have been a contemporary of the prophet Elisha, and possibly the earliest of the writing prophets.

Concerning Edom:

• Edomite Lineage: The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. The name “Edom” means “red,” a reference to the red stew for which Esau traded his birthright.
• Geographical Location: The Edomites inhabited the mountainous region of Seir, located south of the Dead Sea.
• Hostility Toward Israel: The Edomites were longstanding enemies of the Israelites. They refused Moses’ request to pass through their land during the Exodus, opposed King Saul, and fought against King Jehoshaphat. They were eventually subdued by David.
• Historical Downfall: Over time, Edom was dominated by powerful empires such as Assyria and Babylon. In the 5th century B.C., the Nabateans forced the Edomites out of their homeland, leading them to settle in the southern part of Palestine, where they became known as the Idumeans.
• Herod the Great: Herod, who became King of Judea under Roman rule in 37 B.C., was an Idumean. He is infamous for ordering the massacre of male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill Jesus.

Obadiah’s Prophecy:

• Destruction of Edom: Obadiah prophesied the complete and permanent destruction of Edom, stating that they would be “cut off forever” (Obadiah 1:10) and that “no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau” (Obadiah 1:18).
• Fulfillment: The Edomites, who once applauded the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., eventually disappeared from history following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Historical Irony: Notably, while the Edomites supported the Babylonians during the destruction of Jerusalem, many of their descendants, the Idumeans, died defending Jerusalem from the Romans in 70 A.D.