Old Testament · Post-Exile
Obadiah
“The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.”Obadiah 1:15
Biography
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament — a single chapter. He prophesied against Edom, the nation descended from Esau, for gloating over Jerusalem's fall and assisting her enemies. The ancient sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau became national — Israel and Edom were perpetual enemies. Obadiah's message is that pride goes before a fall, and no nation that mistreats God's people will escape accountability.
Spiritual Lesson
Obadiah's brief prophecy carries a weighty truth: pride in one's own security and gloating over another's suffering are forms of rebellion against God. The principle of 'as you have done, it will be done to you' reflects the moral order God built into creation. God sees the treatment of his people — even when no one else does — and calls all nations to account.