Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

In our previous article, we were introduced to this ‘postcard prophetic book’ which speaks of the age-old rivalry of Esau’s inheritance, Edom, with Jacob’s domain Judah and Jerusalem. In the New Testament, it was the murderous but futile attempt of Herod the Great, an Idumean who is part Edomite, to destroy the Christ child who is from the tribe of Judah(Matthew 2), that saw this deadly competition play out again. The rose-red city of Petra and the mountains of Edom tower 2,000 metres above sea level and made Edom aloof and arrogant. They rapturously cheered as Judah and Jerusalem were trampled by their enemies. Yet Obadiah bravely predicts that the tables will turn and Judah will prevail in the end, and the kingdom will be the Lord’s.  Hebrew Name of Obadiah The name ovadiah can mean ‘servant of Yahweh’ or ‘worshipper.’ Author of Obadiah The author is one of 13 Obadiahs found in the Bible. While he is universally accredited as being the author of the book that bears his...

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions — Obadiah 1:17 Introduction It represents an famous and age-old rivalry between two brothers, Jacob and Esau. This conflict extends to the New Testament with Herod the Great’s attempt to destroy the young child Jesus. We are refer to the regions of Edom versus Judah and the Book of Obadiah, shortest of all the Old Testament prophetic books, is very clear who will win this struggle. Obadiah predicts the fall of the nation of Edom, neighbour to Judah, especially because they gloated at the suffering and conquest of this region and its capital Jerusalem. The great symbol of Edom is its majestic mountains that tower over 2,000 metres above sea level. Edom is the eastern neighbour to the Arabah, Valley of the Desert, which is a sub-region of the Great Rift Valley and shares a north-south border between Jordan and Israel. Edom comes from t...