The Prophet You Overlooked, but Shouldn’t Have—Obadiah
Jack Klumpenhower
4/18/2013
If you had to name the most obscure book in the Bible, you might choose the prophecy of Obadiah. His one-chapter message has to do with a tiny Middle Eastern country that no longer exists. “Who cares?” you might ask.
Indeed, you have no reason at all to care, provided that you’ve never been hurt by someone who should have helped you. So long as you’ve never been angry at a backstabber, never furious with a gloater, never secretly dreamed of how you could hurt that bully every bit as badly as he hurt you—you can forget Obadiah. If you’ve never been obsessed over a wrong done to you that you just don’t have the power to make right, go ahead and tune out.
But if you know from experience about resentment and anger and, yes, hatred—then pay attention.
The Evil of Edom
Obadiah spoke against the cliff-dwelling nation of Edom. The Edomites felt secure on their high mountains, which bordered the territory of God’s people, the Israelites. They were also cousins to Israel, descended from Jacob’s brother, Esau. That relationship had always been rocky. Esau and his descendants rejected God and often fought with Israel. But nothing compared to what happened when Israel was laid waste by the reigning world power, Babylon.
Obadiah tells us that the Edomites celebrated Israel’s destruction. They cheered while Israelite children were murdered. They plundered the land while Israelites were being taken into exile. Some Israelites made the mistake of thinking they could run to the cliffs of Edom for safety, but the Edomites grabbed them and handed them over to be killed. Psalm 137 says the Edomites even traveled to Jerusalem and made a sport of watching the Babylonians tear down the Israelite city, cheering, “Level it to the ground!” (Psalm 137:7, NLT).
It’s no wonder that the same psalm speaks of Israel hoping its enemies’ babies will be smashed against rocks. That line gets criticized for being too violent, but it’s understandable when you know the context. That’s exactly how you’d feel if your own kids had been slaughtered or taken captive and the neighborhood bully was gloating about it. You’d want the harshest revenge possible.
The Reversal from God
Obadiah says this is where God steps in. The Edomites will get the punishment they deserve. Their boastful lives will be destroyed, their fortresses looted: “On the mountains of Edom I will destroy everyone who has understanding” (Obadiah 1:8, NLT). This is exactly what the Israelites imagined doing to their tormentors, and God will take care of it.
But then, Obadiah says, God will go further. Here’s the end of Obadiah’s prophecy: “Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem to rule over the mountains of Edom. And the Lord himself will be king!” (Obadiah 1:21, NLT).
Do you see? God will do what the Israelites could never imagine having the power to do themselves. He’ll rescue them from Babylon. He’ll bring them back to Jerusalem. From that relatively puny mountain, they will rule Edom. God will reign! This is much more than Israel getting its revenge. It means that all the evil will be reversed—not just paid for, but undone! In the end, everything they have gone through will be worth it.
The fullness of Obadiah’s prophecy wouldn’t start coming true until Jesus arrived more than 500 years later. King Herod, who tried to kill baby Jesus, was an Edomite. Herod failed and died, but Jesus still lives. And Jesus has ascended to heaven, where he rules all things, and one day will return as King of all. The Edomites? Shortly after Herod’s downfall they were conquered for the last time, never again to be a nation. That’s how it goes for enemies of God.
The Cure for Resentment
Some people are maddeningly evil. When they hurt you, you need to know that God notices. God cares. God is angry, too. And God will act. He will do much more than you could imagine.
Because of Jesus, a reversal is coming. Those who trust in their own selfish schemes and fortresses will find themselves destroyed and their evil gone forever. Those who trust in Jesus will have their sins forgiven, their hurts healed, and their lives renewed so fully that everything they suffered will be worth it.
This is hope. The sure hope we have in Jesus is powerful medicine. It’s needed today just as much as it was when Obadiah administered it centuries ago. If you’re filled with resentment and plagued by pain, it isn’t up to you to fix what you just don’t have the power to fix. It’s up to God.
This is the fourth in a series of articles about the shorter books of prophecy known as the Minor Prophets.
Jack Klumpenhower is a writer and children’s ministry worker living in Colorado.
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