FAQ

The prophet Obadiah lived in Judea during the 6th century BC. More specifically, his book may be dated either to the beginning of the 6th century or to its end, as there is no unanimous consensus in biblical scholarship. The prophet's name means "servant of Yahweh" and could be either a proper name or a pseudonym. Nothing is known about the prophet's personal identity.

His book is dedicated to a prophecy concerning Edom, a nation neighboring and related to Israel. Within the broader biblical context, the book of the prophet Obadiah extends moral demands to all nations. The prophet operates on the premise that basic humanity and decency are obligatory for everyone, and that biblical morality should not be confined solely to the Judeans who worship the One God. God presents these demands to all of humanity, for we are all created by Him. Just as Israel suffers catastrophe when turning away from the Lord's commandments, so Edom (and other nations) perish when they forsake humanity and decency. In this moral universalism, the prophet Obadiah closely mirrors the prophets Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Nahum, who lived somewhat earlier.

Furthermore, like all the prophets, Obadiah speaks of the "Day of the Lord"—a time when God Himself will visit His people. This is how the Old Testament refers to the time of the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. Obadiah emphasizes that the Day of the Lord will bring salvation to the chosen people, and he is among the first (if not the very first) to proclaim that on the Day of the Lord, the Kingdom of God will be manifested in the world.