Exposition by Max A Forsythe
The
Reformer's Fire
Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Behind our Old Testament text this morning there is a long history of conflict and disagreement between the people of Edom and those of Israel-Judah. This continual conflict was described by Amos (1:11) as one where "[Edom's] anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked." That continuing conflict goes back to the contention between Jacob and Esau. And it continued unabated to the final destruction of the Jewish State in 70 AD.
According to Scripture, the brotherly quarrels began early (Genesis: 25:22) "The babies jostled each other within [Rebekah]." As we know, Jacob and Esau did not get along well during their lives! Late in life they went their separate ways and there was peace of a sort down to the time of King Saul. From that his time on, there was continual warfare between the kings of Israel-Judah and Edom. This conflict went deep into the soul of both countries.
Scripture records the Israelite and Judean anti-Edomic view in Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Malichi, Jeremiah and our text for today Obadiah. We may be certain that the descendants of Esau returned the favor. In fact, the two peoples scorned, hated and battled each other, with a relentlessness that finds no comparison between kindred anywhere else in history. These two peoples make the Irish & British differences of our century seem tame by comparison.
Reasons for the hostility of Edom and Israel are not difficult to find. The two nations were neighbors with bitter memories and rival interests. Each nation was possessed by a strong sense of distinction from the rest of mankind. In Israel this pride was due to the consciousness of a peculiar destiny not yet realized.
In Edom there was early realized a complacent satisfaction of having already arrived. The land of Edom was remarkable for its isolation, self-sufficiency and economic opportunities and reputation for worldly wisdom. The purple mountains of Edom range a hundred miles in length and twenty wide. They are well watered and contain ample fields for grains and grapes. There was security here as Obadiah notes in verse three. This security created an aloof feeling noted in verse ten. Their position astride several key trade routes also contributed to their wealth. It was this position that enriched both David & Solomon once Edom was under their thumb.
This necessity of a subdued Edom for Judean prosperity led to regular wars and revolutions which increased the already bitter memories with renewed horrors of revenge and Edomite alliances with any and all of Jerusalem's enemies. The regular prophecies against Edom promise that one day the descendants of Esau will get what they deserve for their treachery, deceit and conflict. Feelings ran particularly high about the time that Obadiah recorded his short vision from the Lord.
The words in verse thirteen and fourteen of Obadiah indicate that this prophecy constitutes a warning against Edom. The words in those verses may be translated in this form. (Obadiah 13-14 NASB) "Do not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster. Yes you, do not gloat over their calamity in the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth in the day of their disaster. And do not stand at the fork of the road to cut down their fugitives; and do not imprison their survivors in the day of their distress."
Since this may be construed to be a warning we would do well to date this prophecy before the final fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC. It would appear from history that the Edomites did not pay heed to this warning because within four years of the destruction of Jerusalem the prophetic warnings began to be fulfilled. In 582 BC Edom was raided and desolated by the Babylonians. The Nabatean Arabs moved in and took over Esau's ancestral lands. The few Edomites that were left found refuge in depopulated areas of southern Judea.
There in Idumea they lived for four centuries as active enemies of the postexilic Jews. In 126 they were subdued by one of the Maccabean rulers and absorbed into the Jewish state. With the appearance of Rome in the affairs of Palestine the Jews nicknamed the Imperial authorities after their defeated relatives. Rome was seen as Edomite in its pagan grasp after the independent calling of Israel. When Palestine was conquered by the Romans in 63 BC, an Edomite by birth was placed on the throne. This was none other than Herod who had no calling to seek after the true interests God's people. Finally in 70 AD with the total destruction of Jerusalem the line of Esau finally disappears from history. Thus is verse 18 of Obadiah exactly fulfilled. "There will be no survivors from the house of Esau." The Lord has spoken.
We return to the unheeded warning of Obadiah which many commentators dismiss as containing no spiritual value. But, there is a theme to Obadiah's vision. It is to be found in the second part of verse fifteen. "As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head." This is God's confirmation of what we would call the moral law. The greatest of the Jewish Rabbis, Hillel was once asked to sum up the whole Law. He answered: "What is hateful to thee, do not to another. That is the whole law and all else is explanation." This was echoed by Philo, a Jewish teacher in Alexandria who said: "What you hate to suffer, do not do to anyone else."
In a similar sense this idea is echoed in the elemental natural law developed by other peoples. Isocrates, a Greek orator, said: "What things make you angry when you suffer them at the hands of others, do not do to other people." Confucius was once asked if there was one word which may serve as a rule of practice for living. He answered: "Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."
Thus, we see that this concept was common to many ancient civilizations. It was to the natural wisdom of Edom that God appealed through Obadiah. God spoke clearly so as to be understood. It was through this natural law which has regularly been reasoned out since the beginning of time, that God appealed to the common sense of Edom. "As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. This verse followed immediately after the warnings given in verses thirteen and fourteen.
Yet, the words of God fell on deaf ears, because the Edomites like their ancestor Esau were godless. Esau was a profane person with no concept of a birthright, no faith in the future, no capacity for visions, and interested only in the satisfaction of his appetites. The same appears to be true of his descendants who did have some pagan gods like all peoples, but they were essentially irreligous, living only for food, spoil and vengeance.
They appear to be a people unable to appreciate things spiritual! It is recorded in Luke's Gospel (23:8-11) that "when Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. ... Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate." Some people, like Herod, never hear from Jesus because they cannot appreciate who He is. Their hearts and minds cannot fathom even the natural reasonableness of the Law of God.
For these Edomites was God's wrath reserved. The situation which the wise men of Edom found themselves is described well by the Apostle Paul.
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God or images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen." (Romans 1:18-25)
Such were the people of Edom. But may we, like Obadiah hear our Master's voice. May we, unlike the Edomites, acknowledge the reasonableness of God's words. May we be empowered not only to hear and acknowledge but also to do what God requires of us.
Resources Used:
Archer, Gleason L. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties.
Halley, Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook.
Murphy, Roland E. "The Book of Obadiah," Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary.
Sampey, John R. "Obadiah," International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.
Smith, George Adam. The Expositor's Bible: The Book of the Twelve Prophets.
Places Preached:
Rushsylvania United Presbyterian Church (USA) 17 Jun 73
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 13926 -- Columbus, OH 43213
Obd00a 06 August 89
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