Brotherhood

1
Brotherhood

• Obadiah

2
Pre-natal Jacob and Esau

• The LORD said to her, Two nations are in your
  womb, and two peoples from within you will be
  separated one people will be stronger than the
  other, and the older will serve the younger
  (Genesis 25.23).

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Brotherly Skirmishes

• Personal
• Re Birthright
• May God give you of heavens dew and of earths
  richnessan abundance of grain and new wine. May
  nations serve you and peoples bow down to you.
  Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of
  your mother bow down to you. May those who curse
  you be cursed and those who bless you be
  blessed (Genesis 27.28-29).

4
Brotherly Skirmishes

• National
• Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of
  Edom saying This is what your brother Israel
  says You know about all the hardships that have
  come upon us. Our forefathers went down into
  Egypt, and we lived there many years. The
  Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, but when
  we cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry and
  sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now
  we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your
  territory. Please let us pass through your
  country. We will not go through any field or
  vineyard, or drink water from any well.

5
Brotherly Skirmishes

• National
• We will travel along the kings highway and not
  turn to the right or to the left until we have
  passed through your territory. But Edom
  answered You may not pass through here if you
  try, we will march out and attack you with the
  sword. Then Edom came out against them with a
  large and powerful army. Since Edom refused to
  let them go through their territory, Israel
  turned away from them (Num 20.14-18, 20b-21).
• Do not abhor an Edomite for he is your brother
  (Deuteronomy 23.7a).

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Destruction of Judah

• It was a serious blow to Jerusalem when, as
  the Babylonian peril came closer, Edom preferred
  to withdraw to its rocky terrain south of the
  Dead Sea and east of the Arabahrather than to
  hasten to Jerusalems help (Wolff 1986 43).
• The average difference in height of more that
  5000 feet has to be surmounted in a distance of
  15 to 25 miles. The rugged cliffs with their
  many caves offered natural protection to the
  Edomites living there (Wolff 1986 48 cf. Obad
  3).

8
Lament

• Obadiah condemns personified Edom for standing
  directly in front of Jacob as an indifferent or
  hostile observer instead of coming to the side of
  its brother Jacob when strangers and foreigners
  attacked (Raabe 1996 172 cf. Obad 10-14).
• Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the
  day Jerusalem fell. Tear it down, they cried,
  tear it down to its foundations! (Psalm
  137.7).

9
Restribution

• The day of the Lord is near for all nations.
  As you have done, it will be done to you you
  deeds will return upon your own head (Obad 15).
  
• the form of the oracle is dramatically presented
  as a direct communication from God to the nation
  concerned, although in fact Obadiah is not
  confronting the Edomites face to face but
  delivering the oracle among his own nation. Its
  implicit aim is to encourage and reassure Gods
  people, reminding them of his purpose and power
  to cut down to size their high and mighty rivals
  (Allen 1976 147)

10
Divine Turning of the Tables
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame you will be destroyed forever. On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them (Obad 10-11). The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau. The LORD has spoken (Obad 18).
11
Deliverers and Deliverance
But on Mount Zion will be deliverance it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance (v 17). Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORDs (v 21).
12
Deliverers and Deliverance

• Obadiah portrays Israels future situation as in
  some respects a repetition of the period of the
  judges just as Israel had mighty deliverers in
  the past, so it will have such heroes in the
  future (Raabe 1996 269).
• The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom
  of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign
  for ever and ever (Rev 11.15)

13

• Projecting
• into
• the New Testament

14
Wicked and Righteous

• Esau
• See that no one is sexually immoral, or is
  godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his
  inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward,
  as you know, when he wanted to inherit this
  blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about
  no change of mind, though he sought the blessing
  with tears (Hebrews 12.16-17).
• Jacob
• Yet, before the twins were born or had done
  anything good or badin order that Gods purpose
  in election might stand not by works but by him
  who callsshe was told, The older will serve the
  younger. Just as it is written Jacob I loved,
  but Esau I hated (Romans 9.11-13).

15
Stronger Brother Weaker Brother

• We who are strong Christians ought to bear
  with the failings of the weak Christian and not
  to please ourselves (Romans 15.1).
• Accept him whose faith is weak without passing
  judgment on disputable matters of religion and
  culture (Romans 14.1).
• You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or
  why do you look down on your brother? For we
  will all stand before Gods judgment seat (14.10)

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• Whoever loves God
• must also love his brother
• (1 John 4.21b).