Obadiah

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Bible, just one chapter in length. It's entire focus is on the nation of Edom, making it unique among the prophetic books because it does not deal with Israel or Judah. So, who were the Edomites that they warranted such attention? Copied from enduringword.com, the list below is succinct and self-explanatory.

· The Edomites are the people descended from Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the brother of Jacob (Genesis 25:19-34). Esau was nicknamed “Edom” (which means, “red”) probably because he had red hair
· Esau eventually settled in the area of Mount Seir and absorbed a people known as the Horites (Genesis 36:8-43, which refers to Edomite rulers as dukes in the King James Version; Deuteronomy 2:12)
· When Israel came out of Egypt and wanted to pass through the land of the Edomites to enter into the Promised Land, the Edomites wouldn’t let them (Numbers 20:14-21)
· The Edomites opposed Saul and were conquered under David and Solomon (1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Kings 9:26)
· In the days of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Edom joined with Moab and Ammon to attack Judah, but the Lord fought for Judah and defeated them (2 Chronicles 20:1-27, the famous battle that was led with praise)
· The Edomites successfully rebelled against King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:16-22)
· King Amaziah of Judah brought them back under subjugation (2 Kings 14:9-11)
· The Edomites again attacked Judah in the days of King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:17)
· Centuries later, King Herod the Great (Luke 1:5) was an Edomite
· They fought side by side with the Jews the rebellion against Rome in 66-70 A.D. and were crushed by Rome, never to be heard of as a people again. The predictions of Obadiah 1:10 and 1:18 were proven true.

Being that the Edomites descended from Esau, who was Jacob's brother, the two nations were literal "brothers" as well. This relationship made their hatred toward Israel all the more distasteful to the Lord. In addition to their sins against israel as listed above, the Edomites were also involved in Judah's demise. Obadiah states that the Edomites rejoiced in the suffering of the Jews, neglected to help when Israel was attacked, plundered the northern kingdom (even taking possession of some of the land), after Assyria invaded, and killed or captured Jews who attempted to flee the Babylonians. The Edomites lived in the land of Hebron and prospered there for four centuries. They co-mingled with the Jews after they returned from exile and were destroyed along with them when Rome invaded. As a distinct people-group, they no longer exist, but have been absorbed into the Jewish nation and presumably the Arab nations as well.

Tomorrow's reading: Jer. 42-44; Ez. 33:21-33