Obadiah, in verse 1, speaks of a messenger from the Lord sent to the nations to say, “rise up for battle” against the country of Edom. Edom, as we have already read in the book of Amos, was singled out for God’s judgement to make her “least among the nations” (v2). Edom was a very proud country which was situated on a high, natural rock fortress and thought that no-one could bring her “down to the ground” (v3). Her proud heart deceived her (v3) because, naturally, she soared aloft like an eagle with a nest that seemed as far away as the stars. Verse 4 tells us that the Lord would go all the way up there to bring her down (v4). This would be no ordinary plunder for she would be ransacked until there was be nothing left and even allies and friends would turn against her.

Edom lies south of the Dead Sea along the western border of the Arabian plateau on a range of steep red sandstone heights known as Mount Seir. Deuteronomy 2v12 explained how the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, had dispossessed the Horites and gone to live there. This is the location of the famous tourist spot Petra where houses and temples were carved out of the rock face itself. Esau was Isaac’s son who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage (stew-Genesis 25v27-34) and Edom became like him, more interested in selfish things than God’s purposes. It is fascinating that Esau had a reddy complexion, just like the rocks of Edom, and even the stew he desired.

Edom had an earthly wisdom but God would destroy her wise men (v8), it’s army would be shattered and everybody cut down. Israelites, in Deuteronomy 23v7, were commanded never to look down on Edomites because they were their brothers. The Edomites, sadly, like their father Esau, had an implacable hatred for Israel and, remember, they had refused to let them pass through their country on the way to Canaan. The sins of Edom were deemed more serious because they had looked down on their “brother” country when they were in trouble.

It is interesting to find in Hebrews 12 verses 14-17, where Esau is mentioned, that we are advised to make sure that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and we are to make every effort to live at peace with others. It calls Esau an “immoral and godless” person who sold his birthright for a single meal and when he wanted to inherit the blessing he was rejected and had no chance to repent, even though he sought that blessing with tears. Perhaps Edom is there to remind us that bitterness and disharmony should never be part of God’s kingdom and, for worthless reasons, we can miss out on God’s blessing.

The main evil of Edom was that she had not stood behind Israel in the day of their calamity. Instead of defending Israel, Edom took advantage of her vulnerability. She gloated over Israel’s misfortune (v12), looted her goods (v13) and handed over to the enemy any refugees who crossed her borders (v14).

In fact, there was soon to be a judgement day of Lord for all nations (v15) and the Lord said “as you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.” Yes, God’s people would also serve out their deserved punishment in exile but, eventually, would “possess their inheritance.” It looks forward to that day when “on Mount Zion there shall be those that escape and it shall be holy” (v17). Zion was the place of God’s presence and it is there that God’s people have a great future.

The book ends with a prophecy that “those who have been saved would go up to mount Zion and the kingdom would be the Lord’s” (v21). Perhaps this is speaking of the Gospel church when those who come to the Lord become part of that glorious kingdom of God.
The kingdom is holy (v17) because the oxygen of this kingdom is the Holy Spirit who lives in his people throughout the world. God cares deeply for the growth of his kingdom and he must deal with the enemies of that kingdom. The Lord warns us, through Obadiah, that sometimes the enemy can be those who we thought were friends and brothers and we should watch for roots of bitterness that cause trouble from within.

Obadiah means “worshipper of Jehovah” and our Lord would have nothing which would ruin our worship through disunity.