EDOM'S JUDGMENT FOR HER PROUD HATRED OF ISRAEL

III: God's Recompense For Edom's Hatred Of Israel

(Obadiah 15-21)

I. Introduction

A. God's judgment of Edom "is mentioned in more Old Testament books than it is against any other foreign nation," for the Edomites had a long and bitter hatred of Israel. (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1453)

B. The prophecy of Obadiah is a study on God's justice (Ibid.), and our study of Obadiah concludes with viewing God's recompense to Edom for her hatred of Israel in Obadiah 15-21. We study this passage for our insight:

II. God's Recompense For Edom's Hatred Of Israel, Obadiah 15-21.

A. The Lord announced that the "day of the Lord," the time of God's judgment on Edom (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1457), would involve God's paying back Edom for her hatred of Judah, Obadiah 15. ["God's judgments on Edom corresponded to her crimes . . . (1) She looted Jerusalem (v. 13), so she was looted (v. 6; cf. Jer. 49:10). (2) Edom killed Judean fugitives (Obad. 14; cf. Amos 1:11), so she was slaughtered (Obad. 8; cf. Isa. 34:5-8; Ezek. 32:29; 35:8). (3) She handed over Judean survivors to the enemy (Obad. 14; cf. Ezek. 35:5), so Edom's allies expelled her (Obad. 7). (4) Edom rejoiced over Judah's losses (Obad. 12; cf. Ezek. 35:15), so she was covered with shame and destroyed (Obad. 10)." (Ibid., p. 1457-1458)]

B. In a graphic illustration of this recompense, God referred to the practice of the Edomites' celebrating Judah's fall to Gentile invaders by not only trespassing onto God's Holy temple Mountain as Gentiles, what would ceremonially corrupt it (cf. Numbers 3:10), but also ingesting wine there in spitefulness, Obadiah 16a. God determined that Edom and all the Gentiles who had troubled Israel would continually drink, that is, to keep drinking and swallowing down from the figurative cup of God's wrath (cf. Revelation 16:19; 18:6) so that they would end up so destroyed, it would be as if they had never existed, Obadiah 16b!

C. However, God would reverse the fortunes of His people while afflicting their enemies, Obadiah 17-21:

1. God would provide deliverance for His people on Mount Zion where the Edomites had so maliciously celebrated their fall before their enemy invaders, Obadiah 17a.

2. There the people of God would experience holiness in contrast to their past sin that had led to God's punishing them at the hand of Gentile invaders, Obadiah 17b with Deuteronomy 28:15, 25.

3. The descendants of Jacob would possess the property of their enemies, including the land of Esau's descendants, the Edomites themselves, Obadiah 17c.

4. The Southern Kingdom of Judah (the house of Jacob) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (the house of Joseph) would be like fires and Edom (the house of Esau) as flammable stubble so that God's people would devour the Edomites, leaving nothing according to the Word of the Lord, Obadiah 18.

5. God's people would possess Edom's territory, Philistine territory, the land of Ephraim and Samaria and Gilead east of the Jordan River, Obadiah 19-20b, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Obadiah 19-20.

6. Even Jewish exiles from Judah in Obadiah's era who had been sold into captivity would possess the cities of Judah's Negev, the southern part of Judah, Obadiah 20c; Ibid., Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p .1458.

7. The Lord would provide judges, deliverers on Mount Zion and in Edom's territory to govern these territories, and the kingdom of Edom would belong to the Lord, Obadiah 21; Ibid.

Lesson: For hatefully trespassing on God's Holy Mount, ceremonially polluting it as godless Gentiles, and there spitefully to celebrate the fall of God's people by ingesting wine, God would reverse the fortunes of Edom and His people, causing Edom and all oppressive Gentiles to drink of the cup of God's wrath to the full. Edom would be attacked and utterly destroyed by Israel and Judah, her land and all the lands of surrounding Gentiles who had oppressed God's people would be overtaken and possessed by the people of God.

Application: (1) May we treat Hebrew people with respect, for the Genesis 12:1-3 Abrahamic Covenant is in effect and is yet to be fulfilled in the Kingdom (cf. Romans 11:1-12; Amos 9:11-12). (2) May we respect other people and their properties lest God recompense us with judgment, 1 Peter 2:17a. (3) Since God repaid Edom for her hateful attitudes and actions against His people, may we treat others only as we would want others to treat us, Matthew 7:12. (4) Edom's spiteful celebration of drinking wine on Mount Zion, comparable to Babylon the Great's drinking of her cup of wickedness only to have God turn these cups into vehicles of His wrath (Obadiah 16; Revelation 16:19; 18:6), warn us against celebrating when others face calamities, even if such parties are our godless foes, for Proverbs 24:17-18 claims that if we rejoice when God punishes our enemies, it displeases Him!