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Obadiah & Jonah OBADIAH & JONAH DAY 1: BACKGROUND OF OBADIAH Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament consists of twenty-one verses, but this tiny book packs a punch! I love this picture of Obadiah as a referee, for that is what he’s doing to a certain degree. The Lord speaks through Obadiah to condemn Edom, but also to encourage God’s people. There’s a “sucker punch” in this book though. A clear warning is given that we should apply to our own lives. Read with that in mind, because the messages of these Minor Prophets apply just as much today. BACKGROUND OF OBADIAH What we know about Obadiah is ridiculously small. He lives up to the meaning of his name, “the Lord’s servant” in how he faithfully delivers the message God has for him to present, then as silently as he came on the scene, disappears. Because he does not name any ruling kings and speaks of an attack that could be from two different time spans, the book is somewhat hard to date. Some believe that Obadiah was active approximately 841-825 B.C. Others believe the book is more accurately dated 626-585 B.C. The lack of kings may be a simple omission because the author did not deem it important, or it may be that there was no king in place at that time, especially following the overtake of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Below is a chart explaining some additional reasons behind the different dates. Obviously, the accuracy of the book’s date is not ultimately important, for the book is included in our Bible because of it’s message. However, it is good to understand the background and reasoning. 841 – 825 B.C. 626-585 B.C. Edom revolted against Jerusalem in King Jehoram’s day Vividness of description in v. 11-14 best fit the (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chron. 21:8-17) destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Verses 12-14 suggest future directives Edom had extended hostility toward Judah & Israel for centuries Jeremiah seems to have borrowed from Obadiah’s Similarity to Jeremiah 49 which was written at the time prophecy (Jeremiah 49) of Judah’s fall to Babylon demonstrates similar time or Obadiah borrowing from Jeremiah Joel 2:32 seems to borrow from Obadiah v. 17 Verse 19’s reference to possessing Ephraim & Samaria suits a later date since Israel was still in existence earlier Locations mentioned in Obadiah are different than Reference to “sons of Israel…exiles of Jerusalem (vs. 20) where exiles were taken in 586 B.C. (Babylon) imply both the Assyrian & Babylonian captivity took place Placement in the canon argues for an earlier dating Canon placement is due to the theme of “day of the Lord” rather than chronological placement Personally, I tend to agree with placing the book’s date to the time of Jerusalem’s fall. The message of Obadiah is partly condemnation to Edom for their terrible actions toward God’s people, but also a word of encouragement to the Hebrew captives that Edom would indeed be judged for their spiteful behavior. “There is little reason to believe that Obadiah went to Edom to deliver his message as Jonah went to Nineveh. As with other oracles against the nations, there is no explicit statement that the message was delivered to anyone outside of Israel, and the message’s interpretation does not require it. Normally the prophetic judgment speeches against the nations were intended for the ears of God’s people.” -- Smith & Page, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Edom and Israel To further understand the relationship, or lack thereof, between God’s chosen people and Edom, one must look back all the way to Genesis. Esau, also known as Edom (Gen 36:1), and Jacob were twins who struggled even in the womb. However, the tensions didn’t end there and carried into future generations. Look up the following verses and make note of what occurred. • Numbers 20:14-21 A Jew and An Edomite • 1 Samuel 14:47 In the New Testament, Jesus comes face to face with Herod the Great, also an Edomite • 2 Samuel 8:13-14 (Idumean). Ironically, and also consistent • 1 Kings 11:14-25 with biblical prophesy, Jesus the Jew suffers on the cross and serves as an eternal King. • 2 Chronicles 21:8-10 Herod on the other hand was disgraced, exiled and finally buried in a foreign country. • Ezekiel 35:3-9 Today’s DeVotional Thought In the story of these nations you also have the extended story of these two men, Jacob and Esau. God, in a sense, has put Jacob and Esau into an enlarger and blown them up to national size. As the prophet discusses this you can see that the story of these two men continues; Israel is still Jacob and Edom is still Esau. Jacob and Esau were in perpetual antagonism. We read in the book of Genesis that even before they were born, they struggled together in their mother’s womb. That antagonism marked the lives of these two men, and, consequently, the lives of their descendants, the two nations of Israel and Edom. And as you recall from Genesis, Jacob was mother’s darling and Esau was daddy’s little man, and there was one unending conflict between the two of them which did not end with the lives of these men. The nations carried on this same conflict, and all the way from Genesis through Malachi there is the threat of struggle and unbroken antagonism between them. In the book of Malachi (remember, Genesis records the beginning of these nations), the last book of the Old Testament, God says, “I have loved Jacob but I have hated Esau.” (Malachi 1:2) Why does the story of these two men come to a focus here in this little prophecy of Obadiah? What is so important about these two men and these two nations? Well, that is what the book of Obadiah makes very clear to us. In the New Testament we discover that there is a perpetual antagonism within the nature of the Christian. In Galatians 5:17 we are told that the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; they are opposed to one another. He has taken these two men and the subsequent nations that came from them and used them through the Bible as a consistent picture of the conflict between the flesh and the spirit – Jacob and Esau, Israel and Edom. These two men, Jacob and Esau, and the nations Israel and Edom, always appear as a picture of a struggle between the flesh and the spirit that is going on in our own lives as believers. Esau lusts against Jacob, and Jacob against Esau; the two great principles are irreconcilably opposed to one another. -- Ray C. Stedman, Obadiah: Death to Edom! DAY TWO: OBADIAH Today we’ll cover the whole book of Obadiah. Really tough with it only being one chapter, right? I think you’ll be amazed how much is in this tiny book! But, before we delve in, I want to mention one last thing that will help you better understand what you’re reading. The people of Edom lived in and near the mountains. Later, Petra became its capital – easily defended due to a narrow canyon entrance. Located near a mountain range containing Mount Seir, Petra also became known by that mountain name, symbolizing its strength and lofty position. Over the years, several Arab groups, one being the Nabataeans who carved Petra’s now famous structures out of the sandstone walls, gradually overtook Petra and Edom, which is now modern day Jordan. OK, you’re ready to read Obadiah! Because of its short length, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to use the inductive method of Bible study and discover key words, themes, etc. on your own. Don’t worry, I’ll still give you some structure and guide you through. 1. Read all of Obadiah without marking anything. Just read and get the basic idea and flow. 2. Read Obadiah again, this time identifying key words. List those words below. 3. Read through Obadiah once more, this time marking your key words and symbols, types, and references to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 4. What do you consider to be the main theme of Obadiah? 5. Complete the chart below based on what you discovered in your reading. Use another sheet if needed. WHO is the author? And the target audience? WHAT sins and promises are discussed? WHEN was it written? What clues help you determine this? WHERE are Jesus & the Holy Spirit represented in the book? WHY was it written? HOW does this book apply to you and our world today? DAY 3: BACKGROUND OF JONAH Unlike Obadiah, we know a bit more about Jonah. Read 2 Kings 14:23-27 and answer the following: • Who was king of Judah? • Who was king of Israel? • Based on the kings named, when was Jonah actiVe? (Use your timeline for assistance.) • Who was Jonah’s father? • Where did Jonah live? NINEVAH AND THE ASSYRIANS To understand Jonah, you need to know a bit about Nineveh and the Assyrian people. One of Noah’s grandsons, Nimrod (the mighty warrior) established the city and tower of Babel (Gen. 10, 11), which later became Assyria, and Nineveh its capital. We’ll learn more about the destruction of Nineveh when we study the book of Nahum, but Nineveh’s ruins can be seen today outside the city of Mosul, Iraq.
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