Understanding The Bible |
Dr. Clarence
E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1970
OLD TESTAMENT
PROPHETIC BOOKS
OBADIAH: Introduction and Simple Outline
WRITER
AND TIME OF WRITING:
Obadiah, the prophet, whose name means "Servant of Jehovah, "
prophesied shortly after the Babylonian invasion of Judah. (Whitcomb does not
agree and puts him very early, about 840-830 BC.)
THE THEME OF
THE BOOK:
First, the destruction of Edom (9) because of his cruelty (14) to the fleeing
remnant of Judah during the Babylonian conquest of Palestine (11). Second, the
millennial splendor of restored Judah after the Lord Jesus Christ returns and
sets up His kingdom (17-21).
UNIQUENESS:
It is the shortest book in the Old Testament.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
Petra was the capital of Edom. It was cut out of solid cliffs of rose-colored
rock, and its majestic temples and palaces are, even in their ruins today, one
of the wonders of the world. Since Petra could be reached only through a narrow
ravine, which a handful of soldiers could guard against a great army, the Edomites
felt impregnable against all enemies (3-4) and were lifted up in pride (3).
History tells no clear story of how Petra was destroyed, but it stands here written that this was to be done, and the silent ruins have for centuries cried out to the truth of this prophecy. Obadiah made it plain that Petra's fall was to be accomplished through the treachery of allies or internal traitors from within the city (5, 7), as some think.
INTERESTING
EVIDENCE AGAINST EVOLUTION:
Evolutionists like to talk much of "cave men" as being slightly
more intelligent than their simian ancestors, with crude abilities. Unfortunately
for their theory, here is a city of "cave men," the true troglodytes
of history, who were noted for their wisdom (8), and who skilfully carved great
temples, palaces, and homes out of the solid cliffs--works of art wonderful
in their ruins. This degree of civilization utterly explodes the "cave
men period" theory of the evolutionists as unhistoric, unscientific, and
therefore untrue.
SUMMARY OUTLINE
The Title
1a
I. THE THEME: Proud Edom to be humbled 1:1b-4
II. HOW EDOM WILL BE DEFEATED (By treachery) 1:5-9
III. THE REASON FOR EDOM'S PUNISHMENT 1:10-16
IV. THE MILLENNIAL BLESSING UPON ISRAEL 1:17-21
EXPOSITORY
ANALYSIS
The Title 1a
THE THEME:
Proud Edom to be Humbled 1:1b-4
v.l "The Lord GOD": not "Jehovah Elohim" but "Adonai
Jehovah, " that is, "the covenant-keeping God (of Israel) who
is Master" (of the nations and of their destiny).
"heathen": should always be read "(Gentile) nations."
So, wherever it occurs in the Old Testament, the word only designates all
who were not Jews.
v.2 "dwellest in the clefts of the rock, " etc., refers to Petra,
great cliff city (see "Historical Background" above).
HOW EDOM
WILL BE DEFEATED (By treachery) 1:5-9
v.5 "robbers by night" and "men of thy confederacy.. .have
deceived thee" (7), refers to the fact that only treachery on the part
of Edom's trusted allies made possible her capture, so impregnable were
her natural defenses.
Read v.5: "would they not steal"... "leave some gleaning
grapes" (RV)
Read v.7: "lay a snare" (RV)
THE REASON FOR EDOM'S PUNISHMENT 1:10-16
For cruelty
to Judah 10-14
v. 14 "day of the LORD (or Jehovah)" means any time when God
openly judges and it is unmistakably clear to all, through the pre-announcement
of a prophet, that the judgment is from God (see notes on Joel and Zeph.
1:14-18). All such "days of the LORD" are illustrations of
that greater final period of judgment, pre-eminently "THE Day of
the LORD,' described in Revelation 6-20, which begins with the pouring
out of judgments on the earth, and is climaxed by the personal return
of Christ to destroy the enemies of God (Rev. 19:11-21) and set up His
1000-year Kingdom reign (Rev. 20:1-6).
The spiritual
law of sowing and harvest 15-16
One reaps what one sows (Gal. 6:7), whether individually or nationally.
"Mason's
Notes"
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