Obadiah Is a minor prophet in Jerusalem during the time when the Babylonians invaded the southern part of Jerusalem..He is prophesying against Edomites.
His complaint against the Edomites is that while the plunderers and invaders have invaded Israel, the Edomites have proudly stood aside ,watching it all and to add fuel to fire ,has taken advantage of the situation, plundering and killing Israelites whenever they could see their weak position.
Who are the Edomites that God has expectations from them?
Israelites and the Edomites share a common ancestry.
Abraham’s son Isaac had two sons. The older one was Esau and younger one was Jacob.The Israelites were the descendants of Jacob and the Edomites were the descendants of Esau.They were neighbours.
From the verse 15 onwards he warns the nations at large who go against the nation of Israel.
Vs17 But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness;and the house of Jacob shall possess their possesions.
Vs21 And saviors shall come upon Mt Zion to judge the mount of Esau;and the kingdom shall be Lord’s.
God loves Israel.While His all encompassing love warrants that He punish them for their sins because He wants to prune them to make them Holy so that He can dwell amidst them,He suffers with them and feels their pain acutely.
In verse 11 he talks about, “cast lots upon Jerusalem“ it brought to me the picture of how after Crucification the soldiers cast lot to take away Jesus’ clothes.
Christ’s poignant cry in Mathew 23 vs 37 rings out through these prophecies ,”Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as the hen gathered the chickens under her wings, and ye would not !.
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