The Kingdom Shall Be The LORD’s
Since this little book has the equivalent of one chapter it must be treated along with another book if we follow our pattern of doing two chapters per week. The subject fits in well with the prophecies of Jeremiah as we have recently seen in ch.49 of that book, verses 7-22. It relates to the land of Edom which Gen.36:1 tells us is another name for Esau. The land we are referring to lies between two north-south mountain chains and roughly between two bodies of water one at each end, the Gulf of Akaba, south, and the Dead Sea, north. The entire eastern mountain range shows on topographical maps as being Mount Seir (v.9) to which the 35th chapter of Ezekiel is addressed. In or near that range is Mt. Hor where Aaron died and is referenced particularly in chapters 20, 33&34 of Numbers. Akaba is the long gulf that runs along the east side of the Sinai Peninsula at the head of which is Ezion-Geber where Solomon had his smelting operation. The area between the mountain ranges is the familiar Wilderness of Zin where much of the wanderings of Israel took place (Num.21:4) and where they lifted up the serpent, as we certainly remember.
We go now from geography to the history lesson. The Edomites hated Israel, standing against them, resisting their advance to the promised land (Num.20:18) to which Israel meekly acquiesced (v.21). Currently Edom is chided by Obadiah for standing as one with those who invaded Jerusalem and carried its forces captive (v.11). They had rejoiced over the destruction of the children of Judah and sought to despoil them in the day of their calamity and distress (vs.12&13). From eleven to fourteen the words "in the day of..." are repeated nine times.
We note with satisfaction that in the end, as always, God’s people will triumph! Verses eighteen to twenty-one record that Judah shall devour as flame, the stubble, and "the house of Esau" shall be no more." "The day of the Lord is near"(v.15) and the captivity of Jerusalem (captives) will possess the cities of the south, the mount of Esau (Edom) shall be judged "and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s." Wow! (Wowee as Pastor Mike would say.)
