The book of obadiah is the shortest book in the old testament, the 4th book of the twelve minor prophets. Thus says the lord god concerning edom we have heard a report from the lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, arise, and let us rise up against her for battle. The book of obadiah is based on a prophetic vision concerning the fall of edom, a mountain dwelling nation v. Study guide for obadiah by david guzik blue letter bible. Obadiah, the shortest book in the old testament, is only 21 verses long. This relationship began with the two sons of isaac and rebecca, jacob and esau gen. Nevertheless, i believe that the prophesy occurred sometime immediately after 586 b. Watch our overview video on the book of obadiah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Historical background in general, the background for the book of obadiah is the relationship between israel and edom.
The villain, the guilty party, will end up belittled, loathed, and devastated. The text consists of a single chapter, divided into 21 verses, making it the shortest book in the hebrew bible. Obadiah is a book of recompense and deliverance, ending with the kingdom will be the lords. David guzik commentary on obadiah 1 describes the vision the prophet obadiah had. Theyre listed in the order they show up in the protestant bible. The texts of these minor but important prophets receive a fresh and penetrating analysis in this introduction and commentary.
Though the ultimate identity of this prophet is shrouded in mystery, obadiahs emphasis on jerusalem throughout this prophecy of judgment on the foreign nation. The author was obadiah, whose name means the servant of the eternal. Like a number of prophetic books, it is both a book of judgment and a book of hope. Summary of the book of obadiah the story of the bible.
God gave these children to rebecca and told her before they were born that the elder shall serve the younger. This summary of the book of obadiah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of obadiah. Book of obadiah bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets. Obadiah, chapter 1 united states conference of catholic bishops. The book of obadiah consists of one chapter, concerning edom, its impending doom 1. An obadiah was an officer in king ahab of israels court and hid gods prophets in a. Obadiah 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. This name has its origins from esau, jacobs brother. Obadiah jehiel father of obadiah children instances of obadiah 1 kings 18. The theme of this book is the abuse of gods people, gods land, and gods holy hill, the temple mount in jerusalem. Obadiah niv obadiahs vision the vision of bible gateway. This book is wholly concerning edom, a nation nearly allied and near adjoining to israel, and yet an enemy to the seed of jacob, inheriting the enmity of their father esau to jacob.
The scriptures have that beautiful faculty of appearing to be one thing on the surface, but on a deeper level, yielding rich and mighty treasures. In this book, we learn that god will completely defeat his enemies. Pusey said, god has willed that his name alone and this brief prophecy should be known to the world. Who this obadiah was does not appear from any other scripture. Obadiah means servant of the lord or one who serves shortest book in the old testament. The book of the prophet obadiah is the shortest book of the ot with 21 verses only. The authors name is obadiah, which means servant or worshiper of the lord.
Why did god judge edom so harshly in the book of obadiah. Obadiah means servant of the lord and occurs 20 times in the old testament, referring. Remember that many of the minor prophets are of supreme importance in understanding scripture and prophecy in particular. The book of obadiah was likely written between 848 and 840 b. The prophet reveals nothing about himself except his name in the book that he composed in 607 b. Obadiah, the shortest book in the old testament, is the pronouncement of doom against an ancient and longforgotten nation, the land of edom. The smallest old testament account, the book of obadiah is a vision written by the lords prophet known as obadiah, who prophesied against israels relative nation edom. Obadiah predicts the coming of the day of the lord and the establishment of. A free bible version and commentary on the book of obadiah in easyenglish. However, he explained all this in a manner that his readers could understand. If you want more, ive linked to quick, 3minute guides to every book of the bible, too. The author was obadiah, whose name means the servant of the. Obadiah is a prophet of god who uses this opportunity to condemn edom for sins. Obadiah was the name of a variety of individuals in the ancient world.
This book, which bears the title the vision of obadiah, consists of but twentyone verses, which are devoted to a prophecy against edom. The book of obadiah is a favorite study of modern jews. The book of obadiah is a prophecy of two brothers, two mountains, and two outcomes. Verses 37 in obadiah explain to the reader the reason for the punishment theme, confidence in ones power, intelligence, allies, or the. Some think that obadiah was a steward in the household of king ahab 1 kings 18. There are obadiahs in the old testament, and one of these may the obadiah who wrote this book. Point of note this is one of the 7 old testament books that are not quoted in the nt. The book of obadiah is the only one chapter book in the old testament.
Its authorship is difficult to date but was possibly written about 853841 b. The prophecy is largely concerned with the condemnation of edom descendants of esau for treachery toward their brother israel descendants of jacob and the resultant punishment. Obadiah 17 the first step in the future successes of the jews is the recovery of what was previously their own speakers commentary. This book, the shortest among the twelve minor prophets, is a single twentyoneverse oracle against edom. The book of obadiah introduction to the book of obadiah in the bible. Obadiah 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is one of the most respected interdenominational commentaries ever written. Obadiahs name, meaning worshipper of yahweh, offers an interesting counterpoint to the message of judgment he pronounced on edom, judahs neighbor to. Firstly, obadiah means serving jehovah, and we can see from this book how this old covenant book fulfills the scripture, the older shall serve the younger. An envoy was sent to the nations to say, rise, let us go against her for battle see, i will make you small among the nations. Such he undoubtedly was, and also a prophet, but what he was in other respects we are not informed.
Obadiah announces edoms downfall to babylon, which is an image of how god will bring down all arrogant and violent nations. The book of obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of edom and the restoration. Highlights from the books of obadiah, jonah, and micah. If this is true, then jerusalems destruction obadiah verse 11 is the same as in. Book of obadiah overview insight for living ministries. Thelords message about edom and what edom represents in the end times. Obadiah 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. The book closes with the promise of deliverance for zion. In favor are the many similarities between the book of obadiah and jeremiah 49. Some of the ancients imagined him to be the same with that obadiah that was steward to ahabs household. Their fortified cities included sela petra, teman and bozrah.
Obadiah is a prophet of god who uses this opportunity to condemn. An obadiah was an officer in king ahab of israels court and hid gods prophets in a cave 1 kings 18. Some believe obadiah may have been a contemporary of elisha. This fact makes it difficult to date the time of writing. As brief as this book is, scholars raise many questions about it. Obadiah probably lived in the southern kingdom of judah. Obadiah verse 1 identifies the author of the book of obadiah as the prophet obadiah.
More than ten persons of the ot bear the same name but none of them is identical with the prophet. Edoms pride and downfall is disclosed in the book of. The book is named after the prophet who received the vision 1. The book of obadiah meaning servant of the lord, a minor prophet in the old testament, is a prophecy written to the southern kingdom of judah and alternates to the nation of edom. Welcome to the study of the shortest book in the word. Obadiah is a little book, but it is an example of an atomic bomb in the bible. Yahweh will judge edom both historically through the nations and eschatologically through israel. We haveheard a rumour from the lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen,arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
All 66 books of the bible in easy, onesentence summaries. The short book of obadiah the shortest in the ot is an oracle against the nation of edom. Obadiah chapter 1 verse by verse bible commentary matthew. Some have thought that this is the same obadiah that was ahabs steward in 2 chronicles 17. Though the ultimate identity of this prophet is shrouded in mystery, obadiah s emphasis on jerusalem throughout this prophecy of judgment on the foreign nation of edom, allows us at least to presume that obadiah came from somewhere near the holy city in the southern kingdom of judah. Obadiah nkjv the coming judgment on edom the bible. After i read the book of obadiah with the kids in my childrens church class and i explained the backstory, i asked them to tell me how we can apply obadiahs message to our own. The book begins by calling itself a vision which is an indication also shared by isaiah 1. The name obadiah means servant or worshipper of jehovah. This book is not addressed to the jewish people but to the nation of edom who were the descendants of esau who was the oldest son of isaac and rebekah and the brother of jacob. Obadiah is a prophet of god who uses this opportunity to condemn edom for sins against both god and israel.
We do not know anything of the book s author but his name obadiah servant or worshipper of jehovah. The apostle paul quotes this verse and builds on this idea in romans 9. Some of the ancients imagined him to be the same with that obadiah that was steward to ahabs household 1 ki. The book of obadiah is a book of prophetic oracles. In a book completed over two centuries earlier, the prophet jonah candidly relates what he personally experienced in connection with his missionary assignment. The book of obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of edom and the restoration of israel. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make.
It is not improbable that he had other visions, or revelations, from god, besides this which is here recorded, but this only has been preserved for the benefit of future ages. Obadiah, book of, servant of yah, the shortest ot book, stands fourth among the minor prophets in the mt, but fifth in the lxx. Obadiah free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. The prophesy is entirely against edom, the descendants of esau, the brother to jacob who was the father of the. We have heard a rumour from the lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. This book of obadiah is only one chapter long, with 21 verses in the king james version. Dating the book of obadiah accurately is nearly impossible due to the scant historical information contained in the book. The purpose of obadiah is to show that god will judge all those who are against his children, his chosen people. The hebrew name obadiah means worshipper of yahweh or servant of yahweh. Obadiah is not only the shortest prophecy, but also the shortest book of the old testament.
Like so many of the prophets, little is known of obadiah. Also the requirements needed to cling to israel if. Obadiah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. While several options have been proposed by scholars, the best argument places obadiah in the 840s bc, making him the earliest writing prophet, a few years prior to joel, and a contemporary of elisha. God says to the messiah, sit here on the right side of me. Obadiah with only one chapter and a total of 21 verses is the shortest book of the old testament and is shorter than most of the books in the new testament.
The book of obadiah closes with a promise that israel would have their nation restored, unlike edom which would be cut off forever. In it they read the future of their own people and of christendom. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the. Obadiah the lords message about edom and what edom represents in the end times the book has only this one chapter. Ive written a onesentence overview of every book of the bible. This is what the sovereign lord says about edom we have heard a message from the lord. This is a lot to take in, so if you want to start with baby steps. Edoms pride and downfall is disclosed in the book of obadiah. This is what the sovereign lord says about edomwe have heard a message from the lord. This summary of the book of obadiah will help with many different forms of bible study. Bartons theory of the composition of obadiah is thus summed up by bewer. When were obadiahs prophecies against edom fulfilled obadiah 1. Introduction the author the author of the book is named obadiah which means servant of yahweh.
So obadiah is just a prophet who wrote one of the great prophecies of the scripture. And the house of jacob shall possess their possessions. The vision of obadiah the name of this prophet signifies, a servant, or a worshipper, of the lord. Shalawam israel this is a short summary about the fall of esauedom due to all their detestable practices. However it is quoted in several places by the prophet joel and jeremiah. Obadiah, with only one chapter consisting of 21 verses, is the shortest of all old testament books and purports to be a record of the vision of obadiah. Obadiah 1, new international version niv the bible app. May 05, 2020 book of obadiah bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets. Book of obadiah, also spelled abdias, the fourth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, in the jewish canon treated as one book, the twelve. They debate its author and date of composition, and they point to the striking similarity between passages in obadiah and jeremiah to question whether obadiah. We do not know anything of the books author but his name obadiah servant or worshipper of jehovah.