A Family at Odds

O. T. #2146  "A Family at Odds"

March 10, 2022

Introduction to Obadiah

This is the shortest book of the Old Testament. Little is known about its writer, but his name, Obadiah, means  Servant of the LORD. There is no description of himself or his family. There are 12 other men in the Bible with the same name.

There is a controversy about the date Obadiah wrote his prophesy. It could have been in the 840's BC during Jehoram king of Judah's reign. Others think it was before Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. So that is not our main focus. We know that the predictions of God's prophets occur and it what is more important.

Background

The Edomites are the subject of Obadiah's book, their destruction coming, and what caused it. They were descendants of Esau, who was a twin brother of Jacob, oldest son of Isaac and Rebekah (Abraham's son). Do you recall how the red-headed Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some stew? Also, Jacob deceived his father into giving Isaac's blessing to him and not his brother. Therefore, the two families have been at odds to this day.

Jacob's sons became the 12 tribes of Israel (another name for Jacob), forming the nation of Israel, the covenant people with God. They were called Hebrews and later known as Jews.

Esau disregarded the covenant promises by marrying two Canaanite women (Gen. 26:34) and later the daughter of Ishmael (Gen. 28:9). He loved the out-of-doors and continued to live in the open spaces (Gen. 25, 27). Esau settled in a region of mostly rugged mountains south of the Dead Sea (Gen 33, 36) called Edom (Greek "Idumea"), which was 40 miles wide and 100 miles long.

The struggle between the twins began in the womb and continues today. Arabs want to destroy Israel because they consider the ones who should have inherited the good land, the Promised land. Yet that was not who God chose. Something I discovered was that King Herod who reigned during Jesus' life, was a descendant of Edom and Esau. That explains a lot of things, right?

Continue with us throughout this study and we will find what will happen to Edom and why, as well as how the principles here apply to us today.

Are there ill feelings or jealousy in our family or church? Have we dealt with it? If not, it will continue and be destructive, not a blessed family or blessed church.

Do you recall that 1 John 3 gave a message to love our brothers? What can we do to show God's love or mend broken relationships?