Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
1/13
THEBOOKOFOBADIAH
Lesson4,Chapter1Continued3
InourstudyoftheBookofObadiah,weleftoffatverses12-14,whichlists8
thingsthatEdomoughtnottohavedone(inretrospect)andoughtnottodoas
regardstheirrelationshipwithIsrael.Itisalwaysmygoalandhopetobeableto
makeGod’sWordnotjustunderstandable,butalsorelatabletoyou.Thatis,too
much(I’mafraid)theBiblecharactersandthewordstheysaidandthechoices
theymadecanseemsodistantandoutoftouchwithusthattheyattain
vaporous,almostamythological,statustous.Wecan’tidentitywiththemandit
seemsasthoughthesefolksaresoextraordinaryandone-of-a-kindthatitisa
ratherhopelessendeavortotrytomakethemtotallyrealandhumanletalone
rolemodelsor,ontheotherendofthescale,havingacharacterweoughttodo
ourbestnottoadopt.But,realandhumantheywere.Theirthoughts,theirlives,
hadthesamesortsofconcernsweallface.Theyhadpreferences,prejudices,
weaknessesandstrengths,failuresandsuccesses,gooddaysandbad.Menhad
argumentswiththeirwives,andchildrendidn’talwaysobey.Itwasthesamefor
nations.Somehadgoodleaders,otherspoorones.Andofcourse,theircondition
didn’tremainstatic;theeffectivenessanddedicationoftheirleadership
vacillatedovertime.Thesenationshaderasofprosperityandofscarcity.Times
ofpeaceandtimesofwarandsocietaldiscontent.ItwasnodifferentforEdom,
whichisthemainsubjectofObadiah.
EdomwasnotalwaysanenemyofIsrael.But,inthesenseoftheirlegal,
technicalrelationshipwithYehoveh,GodofIsrael,theywereentirelyopposite
thatofIsrael.GodseparatedapeopleforHimselfawayfromallotherpeopleand
nationsoftheworld,inorderthattheymightserveHimandthatHispurposes
wouldbebroughtaboutthroughthem.ItbeganwithAbraham.Godmadea
covenantwithAbrahamandsoAbrahamandhisfamilybecamethefirsthumans
thatwecouldcall“God’scovenantpeople”.Abrahamhadchildren,andofthose
severalchildrenGodchoseIsaactobethelineofAbraham’sdescendantsthat
wouldcarryonthebenefitsandobligationsofthecovenantGodmadewith
Abraham.Isaachadchildrenandthechosenfromamongthemtocarryonthe
covenantlineofpeoplewasJacob.

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
2/13
WhatissignificantandpertinenttoObadiahisthatJacob’stwinbrother,Esau,
wasnotincludedinthatlineofcovenantpeople.I’llsaythisanotherway:Esau
wasdestinedtoliveoutsideofthecovenantGodmadewithAbraham,butJacob,
Abraham’sgrandson,inheritedthecovenant.Lateron,Jacobgainedthe
alternativenameofIsrael,andwentontofoundthenationofIsrael.Esauwent
ontofoundthenationofEdom.Therefore,eventhoughthedescendantsofthe
twobrothersIsraelandEdomdidn’tnecessarilywarwitheachother,theywere
usuallynotonfriendlyterms.And,theunderlyingreasonforthisnever-ending
frictionallhadtodowiththematterofthecovenant.
OneofseveralofYehoveh’sintrinsicattributesisthatHeisnotaGodwhounites;
rather,Hedivides,elects,andseparates.Hedividedthetwinboysintotwo
distinctgroupswithdifferentdestinies,andelectedJacobtocarryonthe
covenantline.Hethenseparatedthetwofromoneanother.GodisindeedaGod
oflove;butthatdoesmakeHimacompromisernordoesHeactinawaywe
mightsayiseven-handed.Linesaredrawn,evilandgoodaredefined,choices
aremade,dutiesandrolesareassigned,andthenboundariesbetweenallthese
thingsarecreated.AndexceptwhereHehasmadeawayforonesideto
cross-overtotheother,nomixingofHisseparatedchoicesisallowed.For
example,generallyspeakingEdomandIsraelwerenottomixincludinga
prohibitionofnomarriagebetweenthetwogroups.Fromahigherlevel,inorder
tounderstandthiscommandnottomix,isthatthosewhoareincovenantwith
GodarenottomixthemselveswiththosewhoarenotincovenantwithHim.So,
whatofthosewhowanttoworshipIsrael’sGodandbecomepartofthecovenant
people?Godmadeawayforthattohappen,andRuthwasoneofthebest
examplesofhowthiscanoccur.Ruth,anon-Israelite,crossedoverby
declarationandvowtohermother-in-lawwhowasanIsraelite.
CJB
Ruth1:16-17
16
ButRutsaid,"Don'tpressmetoleaveyouandstop
followingyou;forwhereveryougo,Iwillgo;andwhereveryoustay,Iwillstay.
YourpeoplewillbemypeopleandyourGodwillbemyGod.
17
Whereyoudie,I
willdie;andthereIwillbeburied.MayADONAIbringterriblecursesonme,and
worseonesaswell,ifanythingbutdeathseparatesyouandme."
UpontheadventofYeshua,adeclarationandavowstillarethenecessaryway
tocrossover.Paulusedthewell-knownmetaphorofbeinggrafted-in,andthe

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
3/13
customaryimageryofIsraelastheOliveTree,toexplainthismeansofcrossing
overfromnon-covenantpeopletothecovenantpeople.
CJB
Romans11:13-21
13
However,tothoseofyouwhoareGentilesIsaythis:
sinceImyselfamanemissarysenttotheGentiles,Imakeknownthe
importanceofmywork
14
inthehopethatsomehowImayprovokesomeofmy
ownpeopletojealousyandsavesomeofthem!
15
ForiftheircastingYeshua
asidemeansreconciliationfortheworld,whatwilltheiracceptinghimmean?It
willbelifefromthedead!
16
Nowifthehallahofferedasfirstfruitsisholy,soisthe
wholeloaf.Andiftherootisholy,soarethebranches.
17
Butifsomeofthe
brancheswerebrokenoff,andyou-awildolive-weregraftedinamongthem
andhavebecomeequalsharersintherichrootoftheolivetree,
18
thendon't
boastasifyouwerebetterthanthebranches!However,ifyoudoboast,
rememberthatyouarenotsupportingtheroot,therootissupportingyou.
19
So
youwillsay,"BrancheswerebrokenoffsothatImightbegraftedin."
20
True,
butsowhat?Theywerebrokenoffbecauseoftheirlackoftrust.However,you
keepyourplaceonlybecauseofyourtrust.Sodon'tbearrogant;onthecontrary,
beterrified!
21
ForifGoddidnotsparethenaturalbranches,hecertainlywon't
spareyou!
So,howisitthatnon-covenantpeople(gentiles)canjoin(begraftedinto)the
covenantpeople(Israel)?Adeclarationoftrustin,andavowto,theGodof
Israel.AndsinceMessiahYeshua’sadvent,thistrustrevolvesaroundtrustin
YeshuaasGod’sMessiahastheOnewhohasmadethewayforustobecomepart
ofthecovenant…allofGod’scovenants...withalltheirblessingsand
obligations…bymeansofbecomingpartofthecovenantpeople.
ThismatterofcovenantisatthecruxofwhatObadiahinstructsus.Thereare
entirelydifferentfatesthatawaitthoseincovenantwithGodversusthosewho
arenot.InObadiahIsraelrepresentsthefateofthoseincovenantwithGod,and
Edomthefateofthosewhoarenot.Therefore,ifyoubelieveandtrustintheGod
ofIsraelandHisSonYeshua,Obadiahisaboutaspertinenttoourpersonalfates
asitgets.
Withthatunderstanding,let’slookmorecloselyatObadiahverses12–14,
whichstateswhatnon-covenantpeopleoughtnottodotothecovenantpeople,

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
4/13
Israel.Orinmodernterms,whatJordanandallgentilenationsoughtnottodoto
thenationofIsrael.
CJB
Obadiah1:12-14
12
Youshouldn'thavegloatedoveryourkinsmanontheir
dayofdisasterorrejoicedoverthepeopleofY'hudahontheirdayofdestruction.
Youshouldn'thavespokenarrogantlyonadayoftrouble
13
orenteredthegate
ofmypeopleontheirdayofcalamity-no,youshouldn'thavegloatedovertheir
sufferingontheirdayofcalamityorlaidhandsontheirtreasureontheirdayof
calamity.
14
Youshouldn'thavestoodatthecrossroadstocutdowntheirfugitives
orhandedovertheirsurvivorsonadayoftrouble."
Intheearly6
th
centuryB.C.,whenBabyloninvadedJudahandEdomaided
Babylon,apparentlyEdomdidallthesethingstoIsrael.Noticenothinghere
suggeststhatEdomactuallytookuparmsandjoinedtheattack.Andwhilethat
isnottosaythatEdomneverattackedIsrael,norwilltheyinthefuture,northat
somehowthemdirectlyattackingIsraelisOKbecauseitisnotspecifically
mentionedamongthese8“don’ts”,inthescenarioObadiahiswitnessto,Edom
isactingasanallytoBabylonbutalsoasanationthattakesjoyinIsrael’spain
andtroubles.
Inhisprophecy,onewouldhavetosaythatObadiah’sreportisoneofhorror
aboutwhathehasbeenshowninhisvision.So,Obadiahisbeingplacedinthe
positionofbeingpresentasBabylonattackedIsraelandhewatchedEdomhelp
them,andthenprojectswhattheyaredoingintothefuturewhentheywilldo
thesesamedastardlythingsagain.So,themessagetoEdomismoreorless:you
shouldn’thavedonethesethings,stopdoingthesethings,anddon’teverdo
thesethingsagain!ButtheprophecyinformsusthatindeedEdomwon’tstop
andtheywilldothemagainagainstIsraelinthefuture.
Asabriefeditorial:itisimportantforustograsphowtheChurch(ingeneral)
lookedatthisprophecy(andsimilarones)andwhysomuchoftheChurchnever
tookthemseriously.SimplyitisthatIsraelceasedtoexistasanationin70A.D.
andnotuntilthemid-20
th
centuryinmoderntimesdiditexistagain.So,for
nearly2,000yearstherewasnoIsrael,nosignitwouldeverreturnasanation,
andsonothoughtaboutIsraelorthepropheciesconcerningthem.Noneofthis
wasrelevantatalltotheChurch.Onceawayofthinkingandanumberof

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
5/13
foundationaldoctrinesarecreatedaboutsomething,theyareveryhardto
re-thinkorchange.So,theChristiancommunitydidn’tpayalotofattentionto
thatamazing,impossiblemomentwhenIsraelwasreborn…inaday,as
prophesied…asanationofJewsin1948.Anyofeventheremotestthought
aboutIsraelhadlongagolefttheChurch.Certainly,somenewerdenominations
thatsprangupinthe2
nd
halfofthe20
th
centuryhavenoticedIsrael’srebirthbut
themainattractionforthemisthatthisisallaboutEndTimesstufflike
Armageddon,theRapture,andthereturnofJesus,butwithIsraelnotreally
playingmuchofaroleotherthanascaretakersfortheHolyLand.Forother
denominationsthereactionsarevaried.SomedenythatIsrael’srebirthhasany
biblicalapplication…thatIsrael’sreturnismoreaclever,self-fulfillingprophecy
propagatedbyafewwealthyJewsandinsomewaysthisrebirthisactually
illegitimate.Othersseeitasaninterestingplacetovisit,butotherwiseits
existenceandpurposedoesn’tshowuponthatdenomination’sradar.Bottom
line:ittakesinterestintheOldTestamenttounderstandthecentralplaceGod
hasforIsraelintheEndTimesandbeyond.But,ifonebelievesthattheOld
TestamentisantiquatedandnolongerrelevantforChristfollowers,thenthereis
novalueinstudyingObadiahorintakinganythingaboutitseriously.Takingthis
positionisquiteproblematicbecauseseveralbranchesoftheChurcharefinding
themselvesinapositionthattheyaren’tsurewhethertheywantto,oroughtto,
supporttheIsraelisorthePalestiniansintheGazawarthatisgoingonasIwrite
thispiece.Bethatasitmay,asregardsIsrael,Obadiahmakesitclearwhatno
oneistodotowardsthem.
Whenverse12isbroughtacrossfromtheHebrewliterally,itsayssomethinglike:
Butdonotgazeuponthedayofyourbrother.TheHebrewBibleisfullof
expressionsandweencounteroneofthedozensofthemrighthere.To“gaze”
uponsomeonemeanstostandbackandlookwithinterestedpleasure.The
strengthoftheindictmentagainstEdomliesinthewordachi,whichmeans
brother.EdomisliterallyabrothernationtoIsrael.Thus,itisabhorrenttoalevel
thatisdifficulttomeasurethatJacob’sownbrotherwouldwatchwithjoyas
Jacobwasdecimated.Sincetheterm“theday”isnearlyalwaysassociatedwith
wrathanddestructionintheBible,then“thedayofyourbrother”meansatime
ofyourbrother’sruin.

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
6/13
EdomistoldthattheyshouldnothaveopenlyrejoicedoverIsrael’sdestruction.
ThismeanstheleadersandthepeopleofEdomcelebratedBabylon’sdecimation
ofJudah.InmoderntimeswefindthatJordan(Edom)alongwithotherArab
nationsliterallyheldwildlyhappystreetcelebrationsattendedbyscoresof
thousandsoverthemurder,rape,andkidnappingofmorethan1200Israelisby
HamasonOct.7,2023.Thesepeoplemayhavegazedwithascornfulpleasure
uponIsrael’stroubles,butIguaranteeyoutheyalsodidnotescapeTheFather’s
gazethatwaswithanythingbutpleasure.WhetherthiswasthefinalEndTimes
occasionthatthiswillhappenortherewillbeanotherisanopenquestion,butI
don’tthinkthiswasthatfinaloccasionjustyet.
The3
rd
“don’tdoit”ofverse12isthatEdomoughtnottohavespokenarrogantly
onadayoftroubleforIsrael.Interestingly,yetanotherHebrewexpressionis
usedhere.Literallythisreads“Anddonotopenyourmouthwide”.Thisisan
idiomthatmeanstothrowyourheadbackandhowlwithlaughter.Thereisan
elementofscornfulmockeryinvolved.WealsowitnessedthisrecentlywithEdom
(Jordan)andotherArabnationsoverthebarbarianattackbyHamasuponIsrael.
WherewereadintheCJB“onadayoftrouble”itiscertainlycorrectasathought
translationoftheHebrew,althoughitisnotliteral;andIliketolookatthe
literalbecauseitcanofferalittlemorenuancedunderstandingofwhatissaid.
Whatitsaysmostliterallyis“onthedayofnarrow”.HereisabriefHebrewlesson.
TheHebrewwordistsarah.Andwhileitliterallymeansnarrow,inHebrewidiom
formnarrowmeanssomethingthatissqueezeddownorhardpressed.Inthe
contextofadisasterthisexpandsfurthertomeansomethinglikedirestraits.So,
tosaythismeans“trouble”certainlygetsthegeneralideaacrossbutnot
perfectly.Here’sthethingwhenitcomestotranslatingtheBible:theOld
Testamentusesbarelymorethan9000uniqueHebrewvocabularywords.I’m
surethatisnotthetotalnumberofHebrewwordsthatexistintheHebrew
vocabulary…likelythere’snottoomanymore.Thatmightsoundlikealarge
numberbutconsiderthis.Whenovera100yearsagotheOxfordEnglish
Dictionarywasfirstcreated,therewasover400,000uniqueEnglishwordsinit!
So,it’snothardtoseethatthesameHebrewwordnecessarilymust,inmany
instances,beusedtomeanafewverydifferentthings.And,thereisawide
varietyofEnglishwordsthatcouldbechosentotranslateasingleHebrewword,
butwhichistheonethatbestcapturesthemeaning?Therealityisthatwesimply

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
7/13
donotknowthefullrangeofallthosepossiblethingsthosewordscouldhave
meant2500andmoreyearsago,butinrecenttimeswearefinallyrealizingthat
theBibleisjustoverflowingwithidiomsandexpressionsthatmakessomeofthe
sortofstrangethingswereadintheBiblesuspectasnotliteral,butitalsomakes
Bibletranslationevenmorechallenging.Obadiahisespeciallyfullofexpressions
(aswellasconsistingmostlyofpoetry),sothatiswhythebookissotechnically
difficulttodecipher.
ThenextaccusationagainstEdomisthattheyenteredthegate(singular)of
God’speopleinthedayoftheirdisaster.Thatis,whereaswetypicallyhavea
pluralwordusedforenteringJerusalem(gates),herewedonot.Whileitis
conjecture,Ithinkthereisvaliditytotheideathatwhereasmostcommentators
assumethisistalkingaboutthegatesintoJerusalem,inrealityitisnot.Theidea
behindthisverseisburiedalittleunderitswords.Probablythisistalkingabout
themanysmalltownsandvillagesscatteredthroughoutJudea,mostofwhich
hadneitherwallsnorgates.Rather“gates”simplymeanttheentrypoint.The
cruxofthisverseisnotthatEdomfollowedtheBabyloniansoldiersthroughthe
citygatesofJerusalemtolootandpillage,butrathertheywentafterthesmaller
townsthatdidn’thavethesameabilitytoresistthemasdidJerusalem;towns
thatBabylondidn’thavemuchinterestinanyway.Typically,onlylocal
residentsandinvitedguestsenteredintoaguard-gatedcity.WhywouldBabylon
andEdomenterinthefirstplace?Nodoubttolootjustaswearetoldafewwords
later.So,again,Israelwasinabadwayandanationthatoughttobeabrother
totheminsteadconspiredwiththeenemytodoharmtothem.
Inverse13weagainhearofEdomgloatingoverJudah’scalamity.Inverse14,
itisthatEdomshouldnothavestoodatthecrossroadstocutdownthefugitives.
TheHebrewisalittlehardtodecipherandcouldbespeakingaboutEdom
standingatabreachinacitywallorevenatthemouthofanarrowpassintothe
mountains.But,somethinglike“escaperoute”isthesenseofit.So,theideais
thattheEdomites(nodoubtinapre-plannedmaneuver)stationedthemselves
atthemostlikelyplacesthattheresidentsofJudahwouldtrytoescapefromthe
Babylonianinvaders.And,there,Edomwouldinterceptandcapturethem,
possiblytoturnthemovertoBabylon.Whatastunningbetrayal!It’snotjust
thatEdomwasabrothernation,it’sthattheJudahiteswereGod’scovenant
peopleandEdomwascompletelyawareofthat.Thereisalsoanotherpossibility.

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
8/13
ItshouldnotgounnoticedthatinAmoschapter1,Edomisspokenofasbeing
involvedinthehumantraffickingtrade.ItissaidthatPhilistiaandTyrewould
handoverentirepopulationsofpeopletoEdom(wholikelypaidforthemat
wholesaleprices).Accordingto2Chronicles28,EdomactuallyraidedJudahand
capturedpeople…butforwhatpurposes?Toincreasetheirownpopulation?Not
likely.So,whatIamsayingisthatratherthanEdomworkinginconcertwith
BabylontocapturefleeingJudahitesandgivingthemtoBabylon,theyusedthis
opportunesituationtocapturethesefleeingJudahitestokeepforthemselves
andusethemintheslavetrade.Essentiallythisiskidnappingthatusesthose
takentoexchangeformoney.TheeffectisthesamecomparedtoHamas
kidnappingcloseto300Israelis,andholdingthemasbargainingchips.No
matterhowfarastrayIsraelandmanyIsraelishavegone,theyarestillGod’s
peopleandforHamasoranyonetodosuchathingtothemistoplaywithdivine
fire.TosupportHamas’sactionsmakesthoseleadersandtheirnations,and
thosefaithgroups,equallyculpable.
Movingontoverse15,thematterofwhatEdomdidtoIsraelisexplainedin
termsofwhatisgoingtohappentotheminreturn.EverythingthatEdomdid,
willnowhappentothem.Itisbettertorearrangeverse15sothattheorderthat
isnodoubtintendedismoreclear.Whereasitsays:
CJB
Obadiah1:15FortheDayofADONAIisnearforallnations;asyoudid,itwill
bedonetoyou;yourdealingswillcomebackonyourownhead.
Itismoreclearthisway:
Justasyouhavedone,itwillbedonetoyou;yourdeedswillreturnuponyour
ownhead.ForthedayofYehovehisnearagainstallthenations.
So,theideaisthatEdomwillsufferitsconsequencesfordealingwithGod’s
covenantpeople,anditwillhappeninconnectionwiththeeventoftheDayofthe
Lordagainstallthenationsoftheworld.And,severalprophetsmakeitclearthat
God’swrathagainstthenationsisanEndTimesevent.Therefore,I’dlikeyouto
pleasehearthis;youandyourfamily’swell-beingmightdependonit.YouandI
liveinthosenationsthatareprophesiedfordestruction.ThatBelieverslivein

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
9/13
thesenations…evenBelieversthatsupportIsraelandstandagainsttheir
enemies…doesn’tchangethings.Thisisthenatureofnationalandcommunal
judgments.
OurstatusasBelievershastodowithourindividualsalvationandrelationship
withGod,whichisadifferentissuethanwhathappenstothenationorgroupwe
arepartof.Thethingisthis:theancientpropheciesdon’tnuancethedestruction
andevilthatwillhappentothenationsoftheworldthewaytheNewTestament
does.TheNewTestamentdividesthemayhemandcatastrophesintotwo
categories:tribulationandwrath.Tribulationistheresultofman’sevilagainst
othermen.Forexample,whatHitlerdidwasman’sevilagainstothermen…it
wasnotGod’swrath.Ontheotherhand,whathappenedtoSodomand
Gomorrahwasnotman’sevilagainstothermenbutratherthedestructionwas
duetoGod’swrath.
Believers,wewilldefinitelybearoundintheEndTimestosufferfromtribulation
nomatterwhatnationwearepartofandnomatterhowdevoutofBelieverswe
areinYeshua.However…thepurposeoftheRaptureissothatthesamedevout
BelieverswillnotsufferGod’swrath.Thus,aswefollowthe21judgmentsof
Revelation,whatwenoticeisthatthefirstseveraljudgmentsaretheresultof
tribulation.Startingwiththe6
th
sealjudgment,however,itisGod’swraththat
beginstobepouredoutsowhateverexactlytheRaptureis,itseemsthatit
happensbeforethen.Whatisinterestingisthatwhilethenationswillsuffer
God’swrath,Israelwon’t.Infact,Hiswrathislargelyabouttakingdivine
vengeanceagainstthenationsoftheworldfordoingthingsagainstIsraelthat
theyshouldnothavedone.AllofthisiswhyI’msoadamantaboutthe
importanceofpreparation.Preparationisnotaboutavoidingcalamitiesoreven
tribulation;itisaboutsurvivingthem.But,bydefinition,allpreparationcanonly
bebeforehand.Onceacalamitystrikes,itistoolate.
Oneoftheinterestingfeaturesofverse15isthestatementthattheDayof
Yehovehis“near”.TheHebrewwordisqarobanditmeansnearinrespectto
timeorsometimesindistance(thatis,asopposedtofarawayintimeor
distance).Here’sthething:verylikelyeventhoughthatistheproperand
technicaldefinitionofthewordqarob,itisactuallyusedasakindofHebrew
stereotypicalexpressiontogetacrosstheideaofurgency.Thatis,itisamanner

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
10/13
ofspeakingthatsaysthatchangeoratleastourfocusedattentionisneeded
rightawayasopposedtoGodtryingtogiveusatimetableoralocationforwhen
orwhereaneventwillhappen.WeusetypicalexpressionslikethisinEnglish.
Whenwesay“givemeaminute”,we’renotspeakingaboutadurationoftime,or
exactly60secondsforuseinatimetable,we’resayingthatwehavetodo
somethingbeforeweleaveorsomesuchthing,anditwon’ttakeverylong.My
motherusedtosaytome:Yourroomisadisaster.You’vegot30secondstoget
thatcleanedup!Shedidn’tmeanthat½halfofaminuteisallthetimeIhadto
beginandfinishcleaningupmyroom.ShemeantIwastostopwhatIwasdoing
rightnowandgocleanmyroom.
AnotherpointI’dliketomake:whenGodsays“asyoudiditwillbedonetoyou”
inmanywayssoundsliketheoppositeofwhatwe’vebeentaughtfromthepulpit
abouthumanrelationships.Thatis,weareinstructedNOTtorepayevildoneto
uswithevil,butratherwithkindness.Wearenottoretaliatewhensomeone
offendsus…andsoon.However,whatthisissueoflikeforlikeisenvisioning
hereinObadiahisthelong-standingprincipleofjusticethatGodhasordained,
whichscholarscallLexTalionis.Or,proportionaljustice.Thatis,wearenotto
executeapersonforstealingproperty.Andifapersonstealsagoat,theyarenot
requiredtoreplaceitwithabull.Butithasanothersidetoit.Ifsomeonemurders
another,theymustgiveuptheirownlife.So,God’sjusticeforEdomandforthe
nationsisthatthemannersinwhichtheyharmedandoppressedIsraelwillbe
visitedbackuponthemasthesamemeasureofthepunishmenttheydeserve.
Historicallyspeaking,Israelhasbeendestroyedafewtimesbygentilenations.
Eachtime,theyhaveeventuallycomebackasanation.So,nowGodwilldestroy
thenationswhoparticipatedindestroyingthem.Andwhilethiscyclemayrepeat,
intheEndTimesitwillbetheendofthesecyclesandthesenationswillnever
ariseagain…oratleastinanyrecognizableform.
ThereisalsoanotheraspectofhowEdomtreatedIsraelcomingbackontheir
ownheadthatissomethingvaluablethatIlearnedthehardwayasayounger
man.Itisthattypicallyanaturalconsequenceofattemptingrevengeor
retributionforanoffenseagainstyouwillbackfireinthelongerrun.And,justas
typically,doingsomethingintentionallyharmfulagainstsomeonewillnearly
alwaysresultinanegativeconsequencetotheperpetrator.Itmaynotbe
immediate,butitisclosetoinevitable.Inotherwords,whileinthecaseofEdom

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
11/13
God’swrathcertainlyisthecatalyst,itdoesn’talwayshavetobe.Ourown
unwiseandunkindactionscanturnaroundandeventuallybiteusinwayswe
nevercouldhaveimagined,eventhoughwemightgetimmediatebenefitor
satisfaction.Itseemsasthoughthisisjustthewaytheuniverseoperatesand
whywouldn’tit?Yehoveh,GodtheCreator,designeditallandspokeitinto
existenceandsonaturallyeveryprocessoperatesinwaysthatreflectHisplan
andorder.Itisinescapable…althoughfromAdamandEveforward,humanity
hasbelievedGod’splanandordercanbedefeated…evenheavenlycreatures
havetriedandfailed.
So,fromverse15ofObadiahforwardwefindaconceptpresentedthatisequal
initsuniversaleffecttothatwhichIjustmentionedabouthowtheCosmosand
alllife…spiritualandbiological…wasplannedandordered.ItisthattheDayof
Yehovehiscoming!Nothingcandelayit,andnothingcandefeatit.This
interventionintotheaffairsofhumanswillaffecteverylevelofsociety,beginning
withthemilitaryandthepolitical,butalsoquicklyengulfingtheleadersofallthe
world’sreligions.Amos,Zephaniah,Jeremiah,andIsaiahallspeakaboutthis
day.So,whatwehavetograspisthatEdom’sfateisnotuniqueorisolated;
ratherourentireplanetwillbeaffectedbecauseourentireplanet…everynation…
hasbecomelikeEdominGod’seyes.Listentooneofthemostexcitingand
terrifyingpassagesinalloftheProphets.
CJB
Zechariah14:1-3Look,adayiscomingforADONAIwhenyourplunder,
[Yerushalayim],willbedividedrighttherewithinyou.
2
"ForIwillgatherallthe
nationsagainstYerushalayimforwar.Thecitywillbetaken,thehouseswillbe
rifled,thewomenwillberaped,andhalfthecitywillgointoexile;buttherestof
thepeoplewillnotbecutofffromthecity."
3
ThenADONAIwillgooutandfight
againstthosenations,fightingasonadayofbattle.
ThispassageperfectlymirrorswhatwehavebeenstudyinginObadiah.
Itisthewayofhumans…that’sallofus…tothinkinrelativeterms.I’veheard
(andIsupposeadmittedlyusedtothink)thatintheEndTimeswhenthisDayof
theLordarrivesandallthenationsareravaged,theUSAwillbethelone
exception.Why?Wemaynotbeperfect,butwemustbeabetterandmore
good-mindednationthanalltheothers,soGodwillspareus.Ihaverealizedthat

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
12/13
thisisafalseconception.Someofthisfalseconceptionwasbecauseuntil
perhaps20yearsago,wethoughtofourselvesasafundamentally,andmajority,
ChristiannationdevotedtoGod.Thetruthisthateventhoughourfounding
fathersbelievedstronglyinGod,theBible,andthe10commandments,many
weredeistsandlittlemore.Still,wethink,that’sbetterthannothingorbelieving
inafalsegod.ThenwethinkthatinstitutionalChristianityisthefaiththatYeshua
taught,andsoifweadheretothatwearerelativelybetterthanthosewhodon’t.
ButwhenweopenuprecordedChurchhistory,wefindthattheChurchaswe
knowitactuallybeganinthe4
th
centuryattheurgingofConstantine,andin
Rome…notintheHolyLand…anditdisavowedtheJewishpeople,Israel,andthe
veryBiblethatYeshuaandalltheApostlesusedandtaughtfrom.But,wethink,
evenifthat’strue,it’sbetterthanfollowingIslam,orHinduism,oranyother
religion,becauseatleastthereisanuggetoftruthatitscore(thatJesusis
Savior).
IfItake$5frommymom’spurse,butyoustealaniPhone,I’mstillabetter
personthanyoubecauseeventhoughboththingsarestealing,stealingan
iPhoneisworse.AndifmuchoftheworldsupportsHamasandthePalestinians
againstIsrael,butIsupportthePalestiniansANDIsrael,I’mamuchbetter
personandGodwillacceptitmorebecausealthoughI’mnotsupposedto
supportIsrael’senemiesatleastIalsosupportIsrael.Relative.But,theBible
couldn’tbemoreclearthatthisissimplynothowGodseesthingsnorisittaught
thatwayintheHolyScriptures.Andthisiswhyalotofnations,politicians,
religiousleaders,laymenandjustregularsecularfolksaregoingtobeshocked
andsurprisedwhentheDayofYehoveharrives.Let’sremoveanysuchnaïve
notionsfromourminds.AllnationsaregoingtosufferGod’swrath,andtherefore
everynation’scitizenswillaswell,anditwon’tbeonahumanlycalculated
relativebasis.Itiswritten,andsoitwillbe,whetherwethinkitfairandjustor
not.
MightyoubethinkingthatwhatI’msayingisabitoverboard?Let’sreadObadiah
verse16.
CJB
Obadiah1:16Forjustasyouhavedrunkonmyholymountain,sowillallthe
nationsdrinkinturn;yes,theywilldrinkandgulpitdownandbeasiftheyhad
neverexisted.

Lesson4-ObadiahChapter1Continued3
13/13
Ifthatisn’tawake-upcall,Idon’tknowwhatis.
Thefirstwordofthisverseshouldn’tbeoverlooked.InHebrewthewordiski.It
isawordthatcouldbecalledaconnecting-word.Inthiscaseitconnectsverse16
toverse15.Thatis,becauseofverse15,thenverse16isgoingtohappen.
However,thatleavesafundamentalquestionforthisverse:whoisthe“you”
thathavedrunkofGod’sholymountain?IsitEdom?Isitthenations?Orisitthe
Israelites?Thishasbeenasubjectofdebateforaverylongtime,butthatdebate
ismorecenteredonChristianfundamentalismthanonrealBibleexegesis.That
is,moreontraditionalChurchdoctrinethanonwhattheBiblesays.Whatthe
BiblesaystakessomepreviousunderstandingaboutwhatGodisdoingandwhy,
andsoitexplainsHisspeech.Basically,itisthis:someofthepreviousDaysof
theLordwereGod’swrathuponHisownpeopleIsraelfortheirunfaithfulness
andrebellion.But,intheend,God’swrathwillbeuponallthenationsinorderto
preserveandprotectIsrael.
Thus,the“you”intheopeningphraseisIsrael.And,whatIsraelhasdrunkis
God’sfuriouswrath.Now,sowillthenations.
We’llcontinueinObadiahnextweek.