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THEBOOKOFOBADIAH
Lesson6,Chapter1ConcludedEND
TheoracleswefindinthebiblicalProphetsofwarninganddoomforthegentile
nationsbecauseoftheirbadtreatmentofIsrael,areatthesametimemessages
ofhopeandcomfortforIsrael.Toomuchwetendtolookatthegovernment
leadersofmodernIsrael,andmanyofthedubiouspoliticaldecisionstheymake,
andthinkthatthismustbethecriteriaforhowGodwillultimatelydealwithIsrael.
Yet,wemustunderstandthatIsraelisverydifferentfromallothernationsthat
haveeverexistedinthatitistheonlynationthatGodcreatedandset-apartfor
Himself.GodassuresusthatIsraelwillsurviveandisnotonlyatthecenterofHis
will,butalsowillbeatthecenterofthegovernmentthatHeestablishesafterall
thatmusthappenhashappened.Israel’sgooddestinywillhappennotbecause
Israelisgood,butbecauseGodisgood.Historically,Israelhasrepeatedlyfailed
atthetaskgivenittobeakingdomoflight,butGodwillnotfailtobringaboutHis
intentions…andthoseintentionsfocusonIsrael’sgoldendestiny.
However…thedestinyofthegentilenationsistosufferGod’sdirectwrath,and
thustheirdestructionisassured,tothepointthatitwillbeasthoughtheynever
existed.IntheBookofObadiah,Edomasrepresentativeofbothitself,andona
largerscaleasrepresentativeofallgentilenations,isspecificallycalledoutfor
collaboratingwithBabyloninordertoeliminateJudah.ForBiblestudentsoneof
themostimportanttake-awaysyoucanhavefromObadiahisthatdirect
connectionbetweenEdomandBabylonespeciallyasconcernstheEndTimes.
EdomandBabylonarevirtuallysynonymousinwhattheyrepresent:
unrighteousness,wickedness,anti-Israel,andthereforeanti-God.Thesearethe
kingdomsoftheanti-Christ.Therefore,theirdestinyisannihilation.
Wewereinverse16whenweendedthepreviouslesson.Togetourbearingsfor
today’sstudy,let’sre-readthefinal6versesofObadiah.
RE-READOBADIAHCHAPTER1:16–21
Verse16saysthatthenationswillsufferallthecalamitiesthatIsraelhas
suffered.But,verse17saysIsraelwillexperiencetheopposite.Thisoptimism
needstobetempered,however,becauseitalsoessentiallysaysthataholy

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remnantwillescape.Inotherwords,it’snotasthoughinthefinalbattlethat
Israelwillsomehowescapeunscathed.Infact,itappearsthatallthatwillremain
ofitwillbearemnant.
ItisinterestingthatJoelspeaksofthissameevent,butwithadifferent
perspective.
CJB
Joel4:14-17
14
SuchenormouscrowdsintheValleyofDecision!FortheDay
ofADONAIisuponusintheValleyofDecision!
15
Thesunandmoonhavegrown
black,andthestarshavestoppedshining.
16
ADONAIwillroarfromTziyon,he
willthunderfromYerushalayim,theskyandtheearthwillshake.ButADONAI
willbearefugeforhispeople,astrongholdforthepeopleofIsra'el.
17
"Youwill
knowthatIamADONAIyourGod,livingonTziyonmyholymountain."Then
Yerushalayimwillbeholy,andforeignerswillpassthroughhernomore.
NoticethatthisJoelpassagetellsofthissameeventasinObadiah17,andhow
theemphasisisonanewlyrestoredholinessofJerusalem.Thequestionis:so,
whendidJerusalemloseitsholystatus,andwhatisitthatwillreturnJerusalem
toitsholystanding?Answer:whatitalwayshasbeen:Yehoveh’spresenceinHis
HolyTemple.So,clearlyaTemplemustbestandingatthatmoment.
WhatObadiahseesisGod’sremedyforpasteventsofJerusalem’sdesecration.
AlthoughIcouldciteseveralexamplesI’lljustgiveyoutwosothatyoucansee
whatI’mgettingat.
CJB
Jeremiah51:51"Thereproacheswehaveheardhaveputustoshame,
disgracecoversourfaces;becauseforeignershaveenteredthesanctuariesof
ADONAI'shouse."
CJB
Psalm79:1ApsalmofAsaf:God,thepaganshaveenteredyourheritage.
TheyhavedefiledyourholytempleandturnedYerushalayimintorubble.
AlthoughtheTemplewasrebuiltafterJudah’sreturnfromBabylon,therealityis
thattheArkoftheCovenantwasn’tintheHolyofHolies.Ithadgonemissing.
Therefore,sincetheArkoftheCovenantistiedtoGod’spresencethenwithout
thepresenceoftheArknoholinesswaspossible.So,theideaofdesignating

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Jerusalemasholyduringthose500yearsaftertheJews’returnfromBabylon
untilit’sdestruction,thistimeatthehandsoftheRomans,isalsonotactually
possible.WhentheHighPriestwouldentertheHolyofHoliesforbutonceper
year(onYomKippur),afterBabylonheenteredintoanemptyroom.So,when
theHighPriestsprinkledthebloodofatonementitwasnotontotheHolyArkas
prescribed,itwasontothefloorthusprobablyhavingnoeffect.
Becauseitissoimportantforustograsp,I’llsaythisanotherway:Jerusalem
hassufferedfrombeingNOTholysincethetimeBabylondestroyedtheTemple
rightuntiltoday.So,whatJoelandObadiahprophesyisthatintheEndTimes
GodwillmakeHispresenceagaininanewTemple,andasaresult,finallyafter
allthistime,Jerusalemwillagainbeholy.Thisnearlyforsuremeansthe
reappearanceoftheArkoftheCovenant,andRabbishavebeenlookingfor
centuriestothewhereaboutsoftheArk.Theenormityofsuchaneventis
staggeringinitseffect,andthatiswhytheProphetsspeakofitastheydo.
Verse18…stillitisGodspeakingtoJudah…connects3importantnamesfrom
Israel’spastinJacob,Joseph,andEsau.JacobandJosephofcourseare
mentionedasrepresentativeofthecovenantpeople,whileEsaurepresents
thosewhoareoutsidethecovenant.AlsonoticethatJacobandJosephsymbolize
fireandflame,butEsausymbolizesthestubblethatthefireandflameconsume.
BecausethenamesJacobandIsraelaresynonymous,thenthewaythename
JacobistypicallyusedintheBibleistorepresentallthetribesofIsrael.But,the
mentionofJosephisonlytothe2sonshesired,andwhogainedtribalstatus,
EphraimandManasseh.EphraimandManassehwentontobecomethelargest
tribesalongwithJudah.But,more,those2tribesalongwith8othersbrokeaway
fromIsrael-propertobecometheirownseparatekingdomthattheBiblecallsthe
NorthernKingdom.ThisnowdividedhouseofJacobalsoconsistedofaSouthern
KingdomcalledJudah.So,inthispassage,JacobisusedtospeakoftheKingdom
ofJudah,andJosephtheKingdomofEphraim/Israel.Clearlythe2kingdoms
havecomebacktogetherasoneinordertodealwithEdom(thestubble).Infact,
thisplaysexactlyintoafamousprophecyinwhichEzekielalsospeaksofthese
eventsoftheEndTimesandIsrael’sroleinit.

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CJB
Ezekiel37:15-22
15
ThewordofADONAIcametome:
16
"You,humanbeing,
takeonestickandwriteonit,'ForY'hudahandthosejoinedwithhim[among]
thepeopleofIsra'el.'Next,takeanotherstickandwriteonit,'ForYosef,the
stickofEfrayim,andallthehouseofIsra'elwhoarejoinedwithhim.'
17
Finally,
bringthemtogetherintoasinglestick,sothattheybecomeoneinyourhand.
18
Whenyourpeopleaskyouwhatallthismeans,
19
tellthemthatAdonaiELOHIM
saysthis:'IwilltakethestickofYosef,whichisinthehandofEfrayim,together
withthetribesofIsra'elwhoarejoinedwithhim,andputthemtogetherwiththe
stickofY'hudahandmakethemasinglestick,sothattheybecomeoneinmy
hand.'
20
Thesticksonwhichyouwritearetobeinyourhandastheywatch.
21
ThensaytothemthatAdonaiELOHIMsays:'IwilltakethepeopleofIsra'elfrom
amongthenationswheretheyhavegoneandgatherthemfromeverysideand
bringthembacktotheirownland.
22
Iwillmakethemonenationintheland,on
themountainsofIsra'el;andonekingwillbekingforallofthem.Theywillno
longerbetwonations,andtheywillneveragainbedividedintotwokingdoms.
AlltheProphetsthatcameandwentoverthemanycenturies,whoprophesied
abouttheEndTimes,Israel,andthefateofthenations,wereremarkably
consistent.And,becauseeachoneofferedalittledifferentperspective,or
focusedonadifferentaspectofEndTimesevents,wecanputtogetherthe
informationtopaintamorerobustpicture.Butalwaysitfocusesonthe
restorationofIsrael,andonthereturnofholinesstoJerusalem.
WhenweputthepiecestogetherweseethatIsraelwillbedecimatedNOTby
God,butthroughtribulationthatthegentilenationsthrustuponIsrael.However,
inrepaymentofdoingthis,GodwillintervenewithHisdivinewrathandpunish
thenations.WealsolearnthatJordanwillbeheavilyinvolved.Inaddition,none
ofthishappensuntilrepresentativesoftheNorthernKingdomand
representativesoftheSouthernKingdomhavereturnedtoIsraelandunited
underonebannerandonegovernment.Theyhavedonethis,sowecancheck
thiseventofftheEndTimeslist.Welearnthatallthenationsoftheworldturn
againstIsrael;thisishappeningbeforeoureyesasaconsequenceofthe
Israeli-GazaWar.WealsolearnthatIsraelwillagaincontrolandliveonthe
mountainsofIsrael.ThismeansJudeaandSamaria,whichtodayisknownasthe
WestBankthatishometothePalestinians.Israeldoesnothavefullcontrolor
sovereigntyoverthatarea,soweshouldbewatchingforthattohappeninthe

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nearfuture.And,finally,Jordan(Edom)hastobecomeweakandfeckless;itis
welldownthatroadasadecliningnationwithpoorleadership,littlenatural
resources,apooreconomy,andassuchtheArabworldaswellastheWestis
generallyambivalentaboutthemasnotamountingtomuch.
BacktothementionofJacobasfireandJosephasflame.Biblically,fireis
symbolicoftwothings:purificationordestruction.InBible-thinkpurificationand
destructionareopposites.Purificationisthepathwaytoholiness.Destructionis
thefateofwickedness.Poetically,Esauasthestubble(andasrepresentativeof
allgentilenations)is,then,worthyonlyofdestruction,andIsrael(asfireand
flame)willbeGod’sinstrumentinbringingthisabout.
TheextentofthedestructiontoEsauandthenationsisemphasizedwiththe
wordstoendverse18thatsaythatnonewillremain,asiftoimplythatnotone
personwillremainalive.Yet,linguisticallyspeakingthatisn’treallythecase.The
term“none”doesn’treallyappearintheverse...moreliterallyitisthattherewill
besosurvivors.Yet,biblicallyspeakingsuchanotiondoesnotequatetothe
Englishequivalentofnonemeaningzero.ItworksthesamefortheHebrew
notionofthewordall(kolinHebrew).Allornonemeanmostlyallandmostly
none.IfweweretotakethisstatementliterallyitwouldmeanthatafterGod’s
wrathnotonesinglepersonlivinganywherebutinIsraelwouldsurvive,and
clearlythatisnotthecasesinceotherpropheciesspeakofnationsexistingafter
theEndTimesapocalypse.
Verse18endswiththewords“forYehovehhasspokenit”.ThepointofGod
sayingthisissothatIsraelandallGodworshipperscanbecertainthatitis
Yehovehwhosaysthis.Thatis,thisprophecycomesfromtheGodnamed
Yehoveh.Justasimportant,sinceitcomesfromGoditis100%certainthatitwill
happenjustasitisspoken.Yet,oneofthepointsofdebateaboutprophecies
suchasObadiah’sisthatitspeaksonlyofthingsthathappenedlongagointhe
past,andpeoplearewronglyinferringthatitisspeakingofthefuture.Listento
Jeremiah.
CJB
Jeremiah49:12ForthisiswhatADONAIsays:"Thosewhodonotdeserveto
drinkfromthiscupwillhavetodrinkitanyway,soshouldyougounpunished?No,
youwillnotgounpunished;youwillcertainlydrinkit.

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JeremiahwasanadultlivinginJudahwhenBabyloninvadedandexiledthe
people.Yet,insteadofspeakingintheincompletetenseaboutEdomandthe
nations(incompleteissimilartothepasttense),JeremiahrecordedGodas
sayingthatwhenEdomandthenationsarepunished,itwillbealatertime(not
assomethingthat’salreadyhappened).So,thisisjustoneofseveralproofsthat
theseareEndTimeseventseventhoughtheyhappenedtoalesserextentinthe
ancientpast.
Inaword,“restoration”isthethemeofverses19through21.Agoodwayto
thinkoftheseversesisasObadiah’sfurtherexplanationofwhatthepreviousfew
versesmeant.Thatis,theseareObadiah’swords.Inspired,certainly,butnotthe
samelevelofperfectionasrecordingwhatYehovehshowedhiminavision.
Thereare4setsofwordassociationsherethatonceweseethismakesthe
structureeasiertounderstand.First,NegebisconnectedwithMt.Esau.Second,
ShephelahisconnectedwithPhilistines.Third,theterritoryofEphraimis
connectedtotheterritoryofSamaria.Andfinally,Benjaminisconnectedwith
Gilead.AtthetimethatObadiahwrotethis,itseemsthatEdomoccupiedagood
portionofthesoutherndesertregionofJudahcalledtheNegeb,andthe
PhilistinesoccupiedmostoftheMediterraneanCoastalplainofJudahcalledthe
Shephelah.TheconnectionbetweenSamariaandtheEphraimiteswasplain
becauseSamariawasthecapitalcityintheterritorytheEphraimitesheld.The
connectionbetweenBenjaminandGilead,however,iscloudy.SincetheNegeb
wascontrolledbyEdom,theprophecyisthatthissituationwillreverse.The
samefortheShephelah…thePhilistineswilleventuallybebootedout.
TheterritoryofEphraimessentiallyreferstomostoftheNorthernKingdomthat
wasconqueredbyAssyriaaround723B.C.,andtodayitiswhatiscalledthe
WestBankcontrolledbythePalestinians.Theprophecyisthatcontrolofthis
territorywillreturntoIsrael.GileadisontheeastsideoftheJordanRiver,an
areathatveryearlyinIsrael’soccupationofCanaanweretheterritoriesof
Reuben,Gad,andManasseh.BenjaminwasoriginallypartoftheNorthern
Kingdomandrepresentedthesouthernmostoftheirborders.Lateritwas
annexedbyJudah.Atanyrate,thepredictionisthattheinhabitantsofthatarea
willmoveeastandtakeovertheterritoryontheeastsideoftheJordanthatat

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onetimebelongedtoReuben,Gad,andManasseh.Today,thatterritorybelongs
toJordan(Edom).Thus,allthesechangesrepresentIsrael’srestorationinallof
itsparts,largelybacktothewayitwasafterJoshuafirstledIsraelintothe
PromisedLandandconqueredthevariouspeopleslivingthere.Itisunderstood
thatwhilegeographicalnamesareused,infactitmoremeansthepeopleof
thoseregions.
Aswemoveontoverse20,thefirstwordsare“theexiles”.MostBiblescholars
willtellusthatthisverseisverydifficulttotranslate,andverylikelybecause
therearesomeerrorsinitstransmissionthatarenotuncommonamongthe
oldesthandwrittentextsbecausetherearecertainHebrewlettersthatare
notoriouslysimilarlookingtoothers,andtheyoftengetconfused.Thereseems
tobetwogroupsofexilesthatarebeingspokenabout,anditisthesetwogroups
ofexilesthatwilltakepossessionoftheNegebawayfromEdom.
Duetothebeginningsyntaxoftheverse,itmeansthatthehappeningsdepicted
inverse20aremoreorlesssimultaneouswiththoseofverse19.Theexilesthat
arebeingspokenof(andI’mstillassumingitistwogroupsofexiles)mustbe
speakingoftheexilessentawayfromtheNorthernKingdomofEphraim/Israel
bytheAssyrians,andlatertheexilessentawayfromtheSouthernKingdomof
JudahbytheBabylonians.Thisforcertainisnotspeakingofanymilitary,but
rathersimplyascivilians…thosepeopletakencaptivefrombothJudahand
Ephraim/Israel.
TheBookofEzekielspeaksofthisinitsownwayanditisenlighteningwhenwe
connectittoObadiah.
CJB
Ezekiel37:1-14WiththehandofADONAIuponme,ADONAIcarriedmeout
byhisSpiritandsetmedowninthemiddleofthevalley,anditwasfullofbones.
2
Hehadmepassbyallaroundthem-thereweresomanyboneslyinginthe
valley,andtheyweresodry!
3
Heaskedme,"Humanbeing,canthesebones
live?"Ianswered,"AdonaiELOHIM!Onlyyouknowthat!"
4
Thenhesaidtome,
"Prophesyoverthesebones!Saytothem,'Drybones!HearwhatADONAIhasto
say!
5
TothesebonesAdonaiELOHIMsays,"Iwillmakebreathenteryou,and
youwilllive.
6
Iwillattachligamentstoyou,makefleshgrowonyou,coveryou
withskinandputbreathinyou.Youwilllive,andyouwillknowthatIam

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ADONAI."'"
7
SoIprophesiedasordered;andwhileIwasprophesying,therewas
anoise,arattlingsound;itwasthebonescomingtogether,eachboneinits
properplace.
8
AsIwatched,ligamentsgrewonthem,fleshappearedandskin
coveredthem;buttherewasnobreathinthem.
9
Nexthesaidtome,"Prophesy
tothebreath!Prophesy,humanbeing!SaytothebreaththatAdonaiELOHIM
says,'Comefromthefourwinds,breath;andbreatheontheseslain,sothatthey
canlive.'"
10
SoIprophesiedasordered,andthebreathcameintothem,and
theywerealive!Theystoodupontheirfeet,ahugearmy!
11
Thenhesaidtome,
"Humanbeing!ThesebonesarethewholehouseofIsra'el;andtheyaresaying,
'Ourboneshavedriedup,ourhopeisgone,andwearecompletelycutoff.'
12
Thereforeprophesy;saytothemthatAdonaiELOHIMsays,'Mypeople!Iwill
openyourgravesandmakeyougetupoutofyourgraves,andIwillbringyou
intothelandofIsra'el.
13
ThenyouwillknowthatIamADONAI-whenIhave
openedyourgravesandmadeyougetupoutofyourgraves,mypeople!
14
Iwill
putmySpiritinyou;andyouwillbealive.ThenIwillplaceyouinyourownland;
andyouwillknowthatI,ADONAI,havespoken,andthatIhavedoneit,'says
ADONAI."
Ezekiel’sprophecyspeaksoftheawakeningofalltheseIsraelitesscatteredto
the4windsforsolongthattheyhadlostanyhopethattheycouldpossiblybe
reassembledasapeopleandreturnedtotheirformerland.Ofcourse,forthisto
happen,thelandofIsraelfirsthadtobere-established.Inoneofmostamazing,
miraculousfulfillmentsofprophecy,in1948ithappened!Nowafewdecades
later,thoserattlingbonesofEzekielhaveindeedcomealiveandthedescendants
ofall12tribesofIsraelarecomingbacktotheirhomeland…drawntherebysome
mysteriousinvisiblehand…toreclaimtheirinheritance.I’msadand
disheartenedthatsofewBelievershaveevennoticedthisishappening.The
sameBelieversthatseemtowanttoknowsomuchaboutEndTimesmattersare
oblivioustowhatishappeningwithIsrael.Andiftheyhavenoticed,toomuchit
isacknowledgedwitha“ho-hum”,and“thishasnothingtodowithme”mindset,
withmanycheeringonandsupportingIsrael’sarchenemies.Andyet,theEnd
TimescompletelyrevolvesaroundIsraelandGodvindicatingthem.And,Church,
I’llremindyouthatyoudidNOTreplacenationalorethnicIsrael!Youdidnot
takeoverIsrael’sblessingsfromGodasthisblasphemousdoctrinethatyouhave
hasbecomefoundationalfortheConstantinianChurch.

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Thephrase“thelandoftheCanaanitesuptoZarephath”isreferringtothe
inhabitantsofthecoastnorthofMountCarmel.Thoseinhabitantswerethe
Phoenicians.WhyusethetermCanaanites,whentheCanaaniteshadcenturies
earlierthanObadiahbeenrootedoutandtakenoverbyIsrael?Becauseby
invokingthatterm,theideaistorecallallthelandthatwasoriginallypromised
toMosesfortheIsraelitepeopleheledoutofEgypt.
Zarephath,then,wasaPhoeniciancity.Zarephathrepresentedthefarthest
northernextentoftheterritoryGodhadgiventoIsrael.It’skindofimportantto
knowwherethatplaceistodayinmoderntermssinceitwillhelpusto
understandthesortsofthingsthatmusthappen,andwheretheymusthappen,
inorderforthisprophecytobefulfilled.
ThisplaceistodaylocatedinwhatisthecoastofLebanon,nexttothevillageof
Sarafand.ItisinterestingthatatleastsomeofwhatismoderndayLebanonis
actuallymentionedintheBibleasbeingpartofIsrael’\slandinheritance.Hereis
butoneofafewpassagesthatspeakofthis.
CJB
Deuteronomy1:6-8
6
"ADONAIspoketousinHorev.Hesaid,'Youhavelived
longenoughbythismountain.
7
Turn,getmovingandgotothehill-countryof
theEmoriandalltheplacesnearthereinthe'Aravah,thehill-country,the
Sh'felah,theNegevandbytheseashore-thelandoftheKena'ani,andthe
L'vanon,asfarasthegreatriver,theEuphratesRiver.
8
Ihavesettheland
beforeyou!Goin,andtakepossessionofthelandADONAIsworetogivetoyour
ancestorsAvraham,Yitz'chakandYa'akov,andtheirdescendantsafterthem.'
ThenextphraseinObadiah20thatspeaksofwheretheexileswillcomefrom
mentionstheexilesofJerusalemwhoareinSepharad.Theuseoftheword
Jerusalemdoesn’tmeanonlythecity.Itwasjustacommonwayofexpressingall
ofJudah(sinceJerusalemwasJudah’scapital).That’stheeasypart.Thehard
partisindeterminingthewhereaboutsofSepharad.Partoftheproblemcomes
fromsomeobviouscopyisterrors.Forinstance,intheGreekSeptuagint(the
GreektranslationoftheHebrewBibledatingtothe3
rd
centuryB.C.,whichisthe
textsourceoftheOldTestamentinmostmodernBibles),insteadofthisverse
reading“Sepharad”itreadsEphratha(aclearmisspelling)becauseiftaken
literallyitmeansanareaneartoBethlehem,whichmakesnosense.Likewise,

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theLatinVulgateBiblehas“Bosphorus”(thatis,thestraitbetweenAsiaMinor
andThrace),whichequallymakesnosenseandisalmostcertainlymostlyjusta
misspelling.
The2mostpopularviewsarethateitherSepharadisreferringtoSpain(whichis
whattheAramaicTargumandPeshittainterpretitas),ortoSardisthatislocated
inwesternAsiaMinor.Idon’tthinkitispossibletobecertainexactlywherethis
isreferringto.Yet,theessenceofitisthatitisfarawayandsoeventhose
descendantsofJudah(Jews)thatliveinthemostremoteplaceswill…somehow…
beincludedintherestorationprocess.
ThefinalphrasespeaksofIsraelrepossessingthecitiesoftheNegeb.TheNegeb
isthevastdesertregioninsouthernIsrael.Itwouldseemlikeanunlikelyplace
foranypeoplegroupsuchasEdomtosetuptownsandcities,soforIsraelto
againpossessthemseemedverydubious.However,prettyrecentarchaeological
digshaveuncoveredagrowing,ifnotthriving,ancientEdomitepresenceinthe
Negeb.So,apparentlythisiswhatthisverseistalkingabout.
Verse21bringsObadiahtoaclose.WefindthatIsraelwillhave“Deliverers”
(plural)thatleadthemuptoMountZiontojudgeMt.Esau.Delivererscannotbe
referringtoYeshuabecauseclearlyitisspeakingofmorethanone.Andtogoup
toMountZion(meaningtheTempleMountinJerusalem)to“judge”meansit
moreinthesenseofrulingoverEsau(Edom)thaninsomekindofjudicialtrial.
WefindthetermDeliverersusedinotherplacesintheOldTestament,whichcan
beahelpfultooltounderstandwhatitistalkingabout.Nehemiahcanbe
instructional.
CJB
Nehemiah9:27Soyouhandedthemovertothepoweroftheiradversaries,
whooppressedthem.Yetinthetimeoftheirtrouble,whentheycriedouttoyou,
youheardfromheaven,andinkeepingwithyourgreatcompassion,yougave
themsaviors(deliverers)tosavethemfromthepoweroftheiradversaries.
So,itisthatwearetounderstandthetermdeliverersinthecontextofhaving
greatheroesthatariseamongIsraeltosavethemfromtheiroppressorsthatwe
needtounderstandthewordsofObadiah21.

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Theverse,andinawaywhatitisthatGodhastosayaboutJudahinObadiah,
canbesummedupbysayingthat3mainpointsaremade.TouseDouglas
Stuart’swords,those3pointsarethese:
1)Jerusalemwillagainbethecenterofrefugeandprosperityfortheexilesof
Israel.
2)JerusalemasthecapitalofJudahwillcontrolasubduedEdom(Jordan)in
therestorationera.
3)Yehovehwillbeacknowledgedsupreme.
AsStuartwiselypointsout,thereasonthis3
rd
pointissoimportantisthatthe
Israelites…whetheroftheNorthernKingdomortheSouthern…continuedto
understandYehovehasbutoneamongalargepantheonofgods.Obadiah’s
prophecyessentiallysaysthatsomedaythaterrorthatwassoembeddedinthe
mindsofIsraelites…andmadeIsraeltoomuchlikethepaganworldwhobelieved
thesame…willberesolvedandtheywillcometoseeYehovehastheonlygodin
existence,andsowillworshipandappealonlytoHim.
OnemorethingI’dliketopointoutandthenwe’llclosethisstudyofObadiah.
Noticehowwehavethewords“DelivererswillgoupintoMontZiontojudge
MountEsau”.Whatthisversedoesistosummarizethatintheend,thefinal
battleonearthwillbeaboutMountZionagainstMountEsau.Jacobagainsthis
twinbrother.IsraelagainstJordan(andthewholeworld,forthatmatter).The
covenantpeopleagainstthenon-covenantpeople.And,thatasimpossibleasit
mighttoseemtous,today…eventoIsrael…Israelwillbevictoriousoverthe
entireworld.
ThisconcludesourstudyoftheBookofObadiah.