Edom's
perpetual hatred to Jehovah's people: the inveterate
enemy of Jerusalem
Edom is frequently spoken of in the
prophets. This people, who, as well as Jacob, were
descended from Isaac, had an inveterate hatred to the
posterity of the younger son who were favoured as the
people of Jehovah. Psalm 137 tells of this hatred in the
seventh verse. In Psalm 83 Edom forms a part of the last
confederacy against Jerusalem, the object of which was to
cut off the name of Israel from the earth. Ezekiel 35
dwells upon this perpetual hatred, shewn from the first
in the refusal to give them a passage through the land,
and upon the desire of Edom to possess the land of
Israel. Our prophet enlarges upon the details of the
manifestation of this hatred, which burst forth when
Jerusalem was taken. It is possible that there was
something of this sort when Jerusalem was taken by
Nebuchadnezzar. Edom is united with Babylon in Psalm 137
as the inveterate enemy of Jerusalem.
Their future
attitude and complete destruction: the armies of the
nations to be assembled in Edom's land
But it is evident that the
prophecy extends to other events. Jerusalem shall again
be attacked by these Gentiles, who seek to satiate their
hatred to the city of Jehovah, and to gratify their
ambitious purposes. Edom plays a sorrowful part on this
occasion, and its judgment is proportioned to its sin.
The nation is entirely cut off. When the rest of the
world rejoice, the desolation of Edom shall be complete.
Edom had purposed to take advantage of the attack of the
nations upon Jerusalem, to possess itself of the land,
and had united with them to take part in the attack, by
lying in wait—as was natural to a people whose
habits were those of the Arab tribes—to cut off the
retreat of the fugitives, laying hands, when possible, on
their substance, and giving them up also to their
enemies. The men of Edom knew not that the day of Jehovah
was upon all the nations, and that this conduct would but
bring down an especial curse on their own heads. Their
judgment is thus described: God takes away their wisdom,
their pride deceives them, their strength fails them, in
order that they may be entirely cut off. We have seen
them joining the last confederacy against Jerusalem, and
taking part in the destruction of that city. But it
appears that their confederates deceive them (v. 7); and
Edom, thus ill-treated by former allies, become
"small among the heathen" (v. 1, 2). The
nations are the first instruments of Jehovah's vengeance.
But another and yet more terrible event is linked with
the name of Edom, or Idumea, and is the occasion of
Jehovah's judgment falling upon that people. It is in
Edom that the armies of the nations will be assembled in
the last days. We have the account of this in Isaiah 34
and 63. See Isaiah 34: 5, 6, the rest of the chapter
displaying the judgment of desolation in the strongest
possible language. Isaiah 63 shews us Jehovah Himself
returning from the judgment, having trodden the winepress
alone. Of the peoples there were none with Him.
Edom's judgment
reserved for Israel as Jehovah's instrument
Finally, Israel itself
shall be an instrument in the hand of Jehovah for the
judgment of Esau (Obad. 18). The destruction in Isaiah
relates especially to the armies of the nations, which,
in their movements, find themselves assembled in Edom.
The part which Israel takes in the judgment is on the
people in general; and, I suppose, afterwards, when
Christ is at their head as the Messiah (compare v. 17,
18); and Isaiah 11: 14 appears to confirm this view of
the passage. At all events it takes place after Israel's
blessing.
Complete
destruction predicted by other prophets
That none shall be left of
Edom is also declared in Obadiah 5, 6, 9, 18; Jeremiah
49: 9, 10-22; and it will be observed that there is no
restoration of a remnant, as in the case of Elam and
others (Jer. 49: 39). A part of the latter prophecy
establishes the same facts as that of Obadiah, in nearly
the same words. The same judgment is pronounced in
Ezekiel 35, and in Isaiah 34, already quoted. We see in
these chapters, as well as in Isaiah 63, that it is the
controversy of Jerusalem, that Jehovah pleads with Edom
(Ezek. 35: 12; Isaiah 34: 8; 63: 4). In these passages
Jehovah does not forget His thoughts of love towards Zion
and His people.
The effect of
God's call to repentance, of His unchangeable
faithfulness and unwearying love: deliverance upon Mount
Zion
He closes the prophecy of
Obadiah with the testimony of the effect of His call to
repentance, of His unchangeable faithfulness to His
promises and unwearying love. Power and might against
those formidable enemies should be given to Israel, who
should in peace possess the territory which their enemies
had invaded. Deliverance should be on Mount Zion; from
thence Mount Esau should be judged, and the kingdom
should be Jehovah's. As corrupt power had been judged in
Babylon, so in Edom hatred to the people of God.
Obadiah 1 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Edom is frequently spoken of in the prophets. This people, who, as well as Jacob, were descended from Isaac, had an inveterate hatred to the posterity of the younger son who were favoured as the people of Jehovah. Psalm 137 tells of this hatred in the seventh verse. In Psalm 83 Edom forms a part of the last confederacy against Jerusalem, the object of which was to cut off the name of Israel from the earth. Ezekiel 35 dwells upon this perpetual hatred, shewn from the first in the refusal to give them a passage through the land, and upon the desire of Edom to possess the land of Israel. Our prophet enlarges upon the details of the manifestation of this hatred, which burst forth when Jerusalem was taken. It is possible that there was something of this sort when Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Edom is united with Babylon in Psalm 137 as the inveterate enemy of Jerusalem.
Their future attitude and complete destruction: the armies of the nations to be assembled in Edom's land
But it is evident that the prophecy extends to other events. Jerusalem shall again be attacked by these Gentiles, who seek to satiate their hatred to the city of Jehovah, and to gratify their ambitious purposes. Edom plays a sorrowful part on this occasion, and its judgment is proportioned to its sin. The nation is entirely cut off. When the rest of the world rejoice, the desolation of Edom shall be complete. Edom had purposed to take advantage of the attack of the nations upon Jerusalem, to possess itself of the land, and had united with them to take part in the attack, by lying in wait—as was natural to a people whose habits were those of the Arab tribes—to cut off the retreat of the fugitives, laying hands, when possible, on their substance, and giving them up also to their enemies. The men of Edom knew not that the day of Jehovah was upon all the nations, and that this conduct would but bring down an especial curse on their own heads. Their judgment is thus described: God takes away their wisdom, their pride deceives them, their strength fails them, in order that they may be entirely cut off. We have seen them joining the last confederacy against Jerusalem, and taking part in the destruction of that city. But it appears that their confederates deceive them (v. 7); and Edom, thus ill-treated by former allies, become "small among the heathen" (v. 1, 2). The nations are the first instruments of Jehovah's vengeance. But another and yet more terrible event is linked with the name of Edom, or Idumea, and is the occasion of Jehovah's judgment falling upon that people. It is in Edom that the armies of the nations will be assembled in the last days. We have the account of this in Isaiah 34 and 63. See Isaiah 34: 5, 6, the rest of the chapter displaying the judgment of desolation in the strongest possible language. Isaiah 63 shews us Jehovah Himself returning from the judgment, having trodden the winepress alone. Of the peoples there were none with Him.
Edom's judgment reserved for Israel as Jehovah's instrument
Finally, Israel itself shall be an instrument in the hand of Jehovah for the judgment of Esau (Obad. 18). The destruction in Isaiah relates especially to the armies of the nations, which, in their movements, find themselves assembled in Edom. The part which Israel takes in the judgment is on the people in general; and, I suppose, afterwards, when Christ is at their head as the Messiah (compare v. 17, 18); and Isaiah 11: 14 appears to confirm this view of the passage. At all events it takes place after Israel's blessing.
Complete destruction predicted by other prophets
That none shall be left of Edom is also declared in Obadiah 5, 6, 9, 18; Jeremiah 49: 9, 10-22; and it will be observed that there is no restoration of a remnant, as in the case of Elam and others (Jer. 49: 39). A part of the latter prophecy establishes the same facts as that of Obadiah, in nearly the same words. The same judgment is pronounced in Ezekiel 35, and in Isaiah 34, already quoted. We see in these chapters, as well as in Isaiah 63, that it is the controversy of Jerusalem, that Jehovah pleads with Edom (Ezek. 35: 12; Isaiah 34: 8; 63: 4). In these passages Jehovah does not forget His thoughts of love towards Zion and His people.
The effect of God's call to repentance, of His unchangeable faithfulness and unwearying love: deliverance upon Mount Zion
He closes the prophecy of Obadiah with the testimony of the effect of His call to repentance, of His unchangeable faithfulness to His promises and unwearying love. Power and might against those formidable enemies should be given to Israel, who should in peace possess the territory which their enemies had invaded. Deliverance should be on Mount Zion; from thence Mount Esau should be judged, and the kingdom should be Jehovah's. As corrupt power had been judged in Babylon, so in Edom hatred to the people of God.