The Book of Obadiah

Purpose of The Book of Obadiah:
To illustrate that God will not be pleased with the mere avoidance of sin, but desires rather an active display of mercy, especially towards our immediate neighbors and fellow believers.

Summary of The Book of Obadiah:
Obadiah, the shortest book of the Old Testament, consists of only one judgment oracle against the neighboring country of Edom. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob's older brother, and were thus "cousins" of Israel. Yet when Israel was in trouble and needed Edom's military support, Edom refused. Therefore Obadiah communicates God's displeasure at their unwillingness to lend aid to the people of God when they were in great need. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain asked God. Both in that story and in this one, God's answer is a definite "YES!".

Author and Dates of The Book of Obadiah:
Obadiah gives us little clue as to when he wrote his book, but it seems that it must have occurred after Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586 BC - probably soon after.

Outline of The Book of Obadiah:

1. Edom Summoned to Court (v. 1).
2. Sentencing (v. 2-9).
3. Accusations (v. 10-14).
4. The Day of the Lord (v. 15-21).

Themes of The Book of Obadiah:
Sins of Omission: Much of what we hear about sin comes in the form of "don'ts." Obadiah's harsh message to Edom affirms that being faithful to God is very much more like a list of "do's." Edom didn't do the do's, and that's just as bad as if they did do the don'ts.
God's Universal Reign: God was not simply the God of Israel, and He is not now simply the God of the Church. He is the God of the Universe, and all peoples of all nations are under His rule and His law.