"The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom..." (Obadiah 1:1). Obadiah is the shortest (one chapter and 21 verses) book in the Old Testament. The name Obadiah, a common name among the Jewish people, means "worshipper of Jehovah" or "servant of Jehovah." The steward who was in charge of Ahab's house and who protected 100 of God's prophets from Jezebel's wrath (1 Kings 18:3-16) was named Obadiah. Also, there was Obadiah, a teacher of the law, who along with others, was sent by King Jehoshapat to teach in the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7).
The Edomites descended from Esau, Jacob's older brother. "And the Lord said to her: two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger." (Genesis 25:23) The brothers separated after Isaac's death, but reunited in Genesis 34. Yet, as time passed, their descendants often treated one another as enemies. It all began when, as the Israelites left Egypt after God freed them from bondage, Edom refused to allow them to pass through their land. (Numbers 20:14-21)
"Edom occupied a narrow, mountainous strip of territory (mountain peaks 5700 feet), about 100 x 20 miles in dimension, located on the eastern side of the Palestinian rift valley. The buildings of pink stone carved out of the solid rock still stand, to the amazement of all who see. The purple cliffs of iron and manganese make a background that defies description." (Yates, The Prophets, pg. 169)
The theme of Obadiah's message is the utter destruction of Edom. At this point in history, there was nothing she could do to avoid God's judgment sentence. Edom took pride in her rock fortresses, narrow gorges, and brave warriors, all of which served as protection for the city. However, it was all to no avail when God brought His judgment upon them. Read the following explanations.
"Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you..." (Obadiah 1:2-3) Edom was a perfect example of the truth Solomon spoke many years earlier: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Edom's past caught up with her. She paid for the fierce cruelty she had shown to others.
"You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity. Nor laid hands on her substance in the day of her calamity." (Obadiah 1:13) When God's people were down, instead of showing pity and compassion, Edom took advantage of their weakness. So God turned the tables. In the day of Edom's destruction, there was no one to show her pity or compassion.
"But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of captivity; nor would you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in her day of distress." (Obadiah 1:12) When Judah went into captivity, Edom rejoiced at her plight. Now, the other nations would rejoice at Edom's captivity.
After Jerusalem's destruction in 70 AD, The Edomites were never heard from again. This short book shows the certainly of God's word. God does not forget the evil actions of others against His people. When a nation believes there is no consequences for its ungodly actions, reality can be swift and painful! Perhaps we should take a lesson from Edom.