- The Prophet
- Probably from Judah since he is aware of Edom's harsh actions toward
Judah
- Name means "Servant of the LORD" - this was a fairly common
name - eleven men in the Old Testament have this name
- The Book
- Shortest book in Hebrew Bible - only one chapter
- Date - early 6th century B.C.E.
not long after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587/586 B.C.E.
- Historical background
- Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother - this meant
the Edomites and Judeans were related
- Relations between the Edomites and Judeans was always strained
- Edom was conquered and decimated by David
- Edom regained its freedom under Solomon
- From Rehoboam's time to the fall of Judah, Edom was sometimes free of
and sometimes ruled by Judah
- When Jerusalem was besieged and fell, the Edomites refused to aid
Judah but instead aided the Babylonians and rejoiced at Jerusalem's destruction (cf. Lam.
4:21, Ps. 137:7)
- Contents of the book
- The sin of Edom
- Edom aided Judah's enemy
- Edom refused to give military aid to Judah (11)
- Instead, Edom rejoiced at Jerusalem's fall (12), looted Jerusalem
(13), and handed over escaping Judeans to the Babylonians (14)
- Edom was too proud and arrogant - the Edomites had set themselves
above God
- The Edomites believed their fortress city of Sela (also called Petra)
was impregnable (3-4) - they felt above judgment and destruction
- The Edomites also believed their wisdom would protect them (8)
- Edom's destruction
- Just as Edom betrayed Judah, its brother, so Edom's allies would
betray Edom (7)
- Edom would experience complete destruction (9-10,15-16)
- Historical note - after the exile of Judah, the Edomites moved north
into southern Judah and became the Idumeans - the Idumeans were later pushed out of their
traditional land and city (Sela) by the Nabatean Arabs who came from the Negev (19)
- Result of Edom's destruction
- God redistributes the land, thus showing his authority as ruler of
the nations (19-20)
- Judah will be saved by God (17,21) - a remnant from Judah will be
given back their land by God (17)
- God rules the nations, destroys those who claim to be God, and cares
for His people - Edom serves as an example of how God will deal with those who are opposed
to Him