Obadiah Verses 14 thru 16

OBADIAH (SERVENT OF YAHWEH

There is at least twelve people name Obadiah in the Bible. Smiths Bible Dictionary 

The book itself does not include much information about Obadiah, nor the date and place of the book being written. 

The book of Obadiah is about Edom’s judgment and Israel’s restoration.

According to Mark Rooker: “The book of Obadiah is a condemnation of Edom for her evil treatment of Judah during the time of Judah’s greatest crisis, the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian empire.” 

According to Walter Kaiser: “Obadiah’s message was a prophecy against Israel’s eastern neighbor, Edom, who was descended from Esau.” 

 In this morning’s study we will continue to ‘Unravel the Words of Obadiah’. We will take a look at verses 14 thru 16. 

Obadiah means “Servant of Yahweh”. As a servant of Yahweh our desire is to work for Him and also to be pleasing to Him. This is really where it begins for each of us. Yahweh is not going to teach us, illuminate Biblical texts for us, or give us insight if we are not interested in serving Him or doing His work. 

Beginning with verse 10 we learned of Edom’s destruction. With this verse 10 the scene now changes. Another picture of violence and cruelty now rises before the prophet’s eyes. He sees Jerusalem surrounded by enemies and they are overcome. Strangers carry away captive her forces, foreigners enter into her gates. And there, not only standing aside in unbrotherly detachment from Jacob, but rejoicing with malicious joy, speaking words of proud scorn, doing acts of robbery and wrong, are seen within the Edomites. The two pictures, one of the past, the other of the future, Obadiah is commissioned to portray before the eyes of men, and to reveal the hidden link that binds them together in the relationship of cause and effect. Verse 10 contains a general statement of the sin and its punishment. In verses 11-14 the prophet writes in the impassioned strain of a spectator and describes at length the sin. The punishment is further described in verses 15-16.

14  crossway = fork of the roads, or a mountain pass.

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossing = In a place where two or more roads met, to stop the Jews that fled, let them take which road they would: or, "in the breach"; that is, of the walls of the city

neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of their distress = or "shut up"; they shut their brothers (Jacob) up in their houses, or stopped up all the avenues and ways by which they might escape, even such as remained of those that were killed or carried captive

15  For = summarizing in connection with verse 10, wherein Edom was threatened with cutting off for ever.

the day of Yahweh = The prophecy is now enlarged, and includes all the nations who were Israel's enemies.

As you have done it will be done to you = The measure that you measure with will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2). 

thy reward = the reward of thy deed. The payment that they have paid out to others is going to be revisited upon their heads

16  ye ... upon my holy mountain = a periphrasis for, “ye Jews”, whom Obadiah now by a sudden apostrophe addresses. The clause, “upon My holy mountain,” expresses the reason of the vengeance to be taken on Judah’s foes; namely, that Jerusalem is Yahweh’s holy mountain, the seat of His temple, and Judah His covenant-people.

as ye have drunk, etc. = namely, the cup of wrath

swallow down = so as not to leave anything in the cup of calamity; not merely “drink”

Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!

Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com