The Prophecy of Obadiah
“How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!” (Obadiah 1:6).
Obadiah’s prophecy relates the judgment to come on symbolic Edom, which symbolizes Christendom. There appear to be four aspects of Edom in prophecy:
(1) EDOM = Christendom overall — Political, Religious, Civil, Financial, Social, etc.
(2) BOZRAH (Capital of Edom) = Religious Segment of Christendom
(3) MOUNT SEIR = Civil Governments of Christendom
(4) TEMAN = Church State Union of Christendom.
EDOM AS THE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, CIVIL, FINANCIAL, AND SOCIAL ELEMENTS OF CHRISTENDOM
Edom was the name given to Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, after he sold his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34). The name was subsequently applied both to the people descended from him and to the country in which they settled. Consequently, the name Edom is an appropriate symbol of a class who, in this age, have similarly sold their birthright; and that, too, for a consideration as trifling as the mess of pottage which influenced Esau. The name is frequently used by the prophets to refer to that great group of professed Christians that is sometimes called “the Christian World,” and “Christendom” (i.e., Christ’s Kingdom). In Volume 4, page 17, the symbolic Edom of prophecy corresponds to the symbolic Babylon of Revelation. This may also be found in the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
BOZRAH AS THE RELIGIOUS SEGMENT OF CHRISTENDOM
Bozrah was the capitol of Edom. Two scripture citations from Isaiah are the foundation for the view that the Bozrah represents the religious segment of Christianity.
Isaiah 53:1-4 NIV1 — “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? … “I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart.”
Isaiah 34:6 ASV — The sword of Jehovah is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats … for Jehovah hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.”
From Volume 4, pages 17,18: “As all of the land of Edom symbolizes all of ‘Christendom,’ so its capital city, Bozrah, represented Ecclesiasticism, the chief citadel of Christendom. The prophet represents the Lord as a victorious warrior who makes a great slaughter in Edom, and especially in Bozrah. The name Bozrah signifies ‘sheepfold.’ Bozrah is even yet noted for its goats, and the slaughter of this day of vengeance is said to be of the ‘lambs and goats’ (Isaiah 34:6). The goats would correspond to the ‘tares,’ while the lambs would represent the tribulation saints (Revelation 7:14; 1 Corinthians 3:1).”
Obadiah, by Michelangelo
MOUNT SEIR, THE CIVIL GOVERNMENTS OF CHRISTENDOM
Joshua 24:4 — “I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it.” Genesis 36:8,9 — “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir.”2 Mountains rep- resent governments. Mt. Zion in prophecy symbolizes the Government of the Kingdom, sometimes the spiritual phase and other times the earthly phase. Mountains will melt like wax and be cast into the sea. All Governments are removed in Armageddon following the union formed of Papacy, Protestants and Civil Government:3
Revelation 16:13, 14 — “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, (Civil Government) and out of the mouth of the beast, (Papacy) and out of the mouth of the false prophet (Protestant Church Federation). For they are the spirits of devils … which go forth… to gather the whole world to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
CHURCHES FALL BEFORE CIVIL GOVERNMENTS
Revelation 18:8 shows that the Churches fall first, before the civil governments. “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day … and she (Babylon) shall be utterly burned with fire.” Revelation 18:9 shows that the Civil Governments are still on the scene. “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.” In harmony with this, symbolic mount Seir in prophecy shows Civil Governments are the last to fall.
Ezekiel 35:3,4 NE (Ezekiel 35 is a prophecy all about mount Seir’s fall) — “Behold mount Seir, I am against you: I will make you a desolate waste … thus you shall know that I am the LORD. For you have maintained an immemorial feud and handed over the Israelites to the sword in the hour of their doom, at the time of their final punishment.”
Ezekiel 35:10-13 NE — “The two nations and the two countries [Judah and Israel united] shall be mine and I will take possession of them, though the LORD has been there… you have said, ‘The mountains of Israel are desolate [after Gog has ransacked Israel]. and have been given to us to devour.’ “
Ezekiel 35:14,15 — “These are the words of the Lord God: I will make you so desolate that the whole world will gloat [rejoice] over you. I will do to you as you did to Israel my own possession when you gloated [rejoiced] over its desolation. O [mount] Seir, you will be desolate, and it will be the end of all Edom. Thus men will know that I am the LORD.”
The churches of Babylon fall first, then afterwards, symbolic mount Seir falls, that is, the civil governments of Christendom. When this occurs it is the end of all Christendom.
TEMAN AS THE CHURCH STATE UNION OF CHRISTENDOM
Teman was the grandson of Esau. Thus Teman’s lineage descended from faithful father Abraham, through Isaac, then Esau, then Eliphaz, to Teman. Teman’s mother was the daughter of Seir, who had nothing in common with God. Thus Teman is a fitting symbol of the Church/ State union. He was the offspring on one side, of the false church who were aware of God’s promises (but sold their birthright), and of the state or government who were not believers in these promises.
BOOK OF OBADIAH DEPICTS JUDGMENT OF CHRISTENDOM
Obadiah 1-6 NAS — “The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom — We have heard a report from the LORD, And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, “Arise and let us go against her for battle.” (For God knows what she will do.)
Obadiah 2-4 NAS — “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You are greatly despised. The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, In the loftiness of your dwelling place, Who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’ Though you build high like the eagle, Though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.” (Christendom’s pompous arrogance is described, and God will bring down this arrogance.)
Obadiah 5,6 LB — This verse speaks to how thorough the judgment will be: “Far better it would be for you if thieves had come at night to plunder you — for they would not take everything! Or if your vineyards were robbed of all their fruit — for at least the gleanings would be left. O how Esau will be ransacked, And his hidden treasures pillaged!” (Nothing will be left.)
Obadiah 7-9 Address how the Confederacy of Christendom to be reversed. “All the men of thy confederacy … the men that were at peace with you, have deceived you, and prevailed against you; they who eat your bread will set an ambush for you.”
As in Revelation 17:16, the Union of Church and State will be reversed. The 10 horns picture the civil governments of Europe who were in union with the harlot supporting her throughout the age. This union will be reversed and they will destroy her.
Revelation 17:16 — “The ten horns which thou sawest and the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”
Obadiah 8-9 NIV — The Church/State leaders are to be destroyed and the “Warriors of Teman” introduced. “In that day, declares the LORD, will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, men of understanding in the mountains of Esau? Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down in the slaughter.” Hence, all the wise men leaders of Christendom will be removed.
“WARRIORS OF TEMAN”
The “Warriors of Teman” symbolize the Armies of Christendom’s civil governments. The warriors of Teman that will be cut down on the mountains of Israel in Jacob’s Trouble aptly symbolize the armies of the church/state union of Christendom.
Obadiah 10-14 RSV. This text gives us the greatest insight into the role of Christendom in Jacob’s Trouble. “For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. (11) On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. (12) But you should not have gloated over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; you should not have boasted in the day of distress. (13) You should not have entered the gate of my people in the day of his calamity; you should not have gloated over his disaster in the day of his calamity; you should not have looted his goods in the day of his calamity. (14) You should not have stood at the parting of the ways to cut off his fugitives; you should not have delivered up his survivors in the day of distress.”
— Br. George Tabac (adapted from discourse handout)
(To be continued)