Obadiah ... WHO?

Yup, we're continuing on in 2017 with looking at the structure of Old Testament books in the Bible.

Next up is the book of OBADIAH.

Obadiah’s name means “the servant of Yahweh.”

The book is a vision recounted by Obadiah. Obadiah tells us that the vision is what the Sovereign Lord says about a place called Edom. Edom is identified with the Islamic God, Allah, and the West Bank Palestinians. This is quite relevant to today’s current events.

Point one (verse 2): God will make Israel “small among the nations.” Certainly true today as Israel is looked down on now by other nations. Recent UN sanctions show how much neighboring countries hate Israel.

Point 2 (verse 4):

Reference seems to be made to Palestine and the US with the words “eagle” (on the Palestinian emblem and a US mascot) and “stars” (on the US flag).

Point 3 (verses 6 and 7):

Israel will be ransacked, pillaged, deceived, and overpowered. That does not sound good. In fact, here are the next two verses. See if you can empathize with Israel:

 8 “In that day,” declares the LORD,
   “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom,
   those of understanding in the mountains of Esau?
9 Your warriors, Teman, will be terrified,    and everyone in Esau’s mountains
   will be cut down in the slaughter.

Teman means south and is associated with Medina, one of Islam’s holy cities. The reference to Esau’s mountains means those trying to keep possession of the al Aqsa Mosque.

I get shivers reading verse 10:

10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,  
   you will be covered with shame;
   you will be destroyed forever.

Violence. This is the way the Arabs have treated the Jews for years and it is most interesting that the Hebrew word here is transliterated as Hamas.

I don’t want to overwhelm you with more points, but if you’re interested in this tiny book (only 21 verses in total) here’s the rest of it. I’ve underlined the rest of my points and clarified them in parentheses and red ink.

11 On the day you stood aloof
   while strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates    and cast lots for Jerusalem,
   you were like one of them.
12 You should not gloat over your brother             

(“should not” phrase is repeated in 13 and 14 as well hammering the fact of Palestinian pillaging)
   in the day of his misfortune, 
nor rejoice over the people of Judah        

(and yet we find the Palestinians partying in the streets after terrorist attacks on Israel)
   in the day of their destruction,
nor boast so much
   in the day of their trouble.
13 You should not march through the gates of my people
   in the day of their disaster,
nor gloat over them in their calamity
   in the day of their disaster,
nor seize their wealth
   in the day of their disaster.
14 You should not wait at the crossroads
   to cut down their fugitives,
nor hand over their survivors 

(this was done in the 1930’s and 1940’s)
   in the day of their trouble.

 15 “The day of the LORD is near
   for all nations. (not just Islam)
As you have done, it will be done to you;
   your deeds will return upon your own head.
16 Just as you drank on my holy hill, (the Temple Mount)
   so all the nations will drink continually;
they will drink and drink
   and be as if they had never been.  (this means total annihilation)
17 But on Mount Zion will be deliverance;
   it will be holy,
   and Jacob will possess his inheritance. (this is a promise to Israel)
18 Jacob will be a fire
   and Joseph a flame; (this is a blessing for Israel)
Esau will be stubble,  (this is a curse for the Arabs)
   and they will set him on fire and destroy him.
There will be no survivors
   from Esau.” (this is a prophetical curse on the Arabs)
            The LORD has spoken.

 19 People from the Negev will occupy  (Negev means dry, hence desert)
   the mountains of Esau,
and people from the foothills will possess  (promise to Israel – 1)
   the land of the Philistines.
They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, (promise to Israel – 2)
   and Benjamin will possess Gilead. (promise to Israel – 3)
20 This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan
   will possess the land as far as Zarephath; (promise to Israel – 4)
the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
   will possess the towns of the Negev. (promise to Israel – 5)
21 Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion
   to govern the mountains of Esau.  (promise to Israel – 6, this may mean the Dome of the Rock/Al Asqa Mosque)
   And the kingdom will be the LORD’s.

Love the ending. In the end the KINGDOM WILL BE THE LORD’S!