BOOKS OF THE
BIBLE
OBADIAH
Name - Nothing is known of the author of this brief book of prophecy, except
what may be gathered from his writing; nor have we any information as to the place and time of
his writing. Some authorities place it during the reign of the wicked Athaliah in Judah and at an
earlier date that of Joel. It appears more probable, however, that it was written after the fall of
Jerusalem and that the references to the gloating and cruelty of the Edomites toward Judah were
historical; whereas, the predictions of the destruction of Edom were genuinely prophetic. This
would suggest the date of writing at about 585 B.C. and would mean that Obadiah was a
contemporary of Jeremiah. There are numerous other Obadiahs mentioned in the Bible, but very
little is recorded of any of them.
Theme - Although the burden of the prophet is the judgment of God upon the
Edomites, he faithfully maintains the love of God for disciplined and humiliated Israel, and
predicts the establishment of a new Judahite Kingdom with Jerusalem as its centre and the
ultimate inclusion of Edom in the Messianic kingdom.
Outline - Though brief, the book may best be considered in four parts: I.
Edom's Humiliation and Punishment (Vrs. 1-9) II. The Crowning Sin of Edom (Vrs. 10-14)
III. Guilt of the Nations; Edom's Visitation in the Day of the Lord (Vrs. 15,16) IV. Judah's
Restoration and Edom's Inclusion in the Future Kingdom (Vrs. 17-21)
