In the next part of our series 'The Relevance of the Message of the Prophets for Today', Fred Wright examines Obadiah's challenge to the church.

In the shortest book within the Old Testament, just 21 verses, the voice of Obadiah resounds clearly concerning the present times. The book centres on the condemnation of Edom, referred to as Esau, because of the hostility towards Israel and the Jewish people. We may consider that Obadiah, who prophesied during the reign of Ahab (874-852 BC), is challenging the Church of today to repent and depart from the 'Esau syndrome'.

Estranged Brothers

In the scriptures the term Edom is used either to denote Esau, who exchanged his birthright for a single meal (Gen 25:30; 36:1, 8, 19), or as a collective term for the Edomites. Esau, the elder of Isaac's twin sons (Gen 25:21-26), was his father's favourite who should have received the patriarch's blessing, but due to his despising of it in favour of a bowl of pottage and a piece of bread, it became forfeit to Jacob (Gen 25:29f).

The event led to the deep-seated animosity between Israel and Edom (i.e. Gen 27:41-45; Ex 15:15; Num 20:18-21; 1 Kings 11:14f; 2 Chron 22:8; Ps 53; 82:7; Ezek 35:1f; Joel 3:18-19; Amos 1:11) of whom Esau was considered to be the ancestor.

The scriptures imply that selling off one's inheritance in the Lord as something common, or unworthy, causes deep offence or hatred from God; the converse is that the desire to gain the blessings of God, in this case the right to the land and the other promises given to the descendants of Abraham, cause God's love to be set upon one (Mal 1:2f; Rom 9:13, cf. Gen 12:2-3).

Obadiah is challenging the Church of today to repent and depart from the 'Esau syndrome' – or hostility towards Israel.

Esau compounded his estrangement by marrying foreign wives which brought grief to his parents (Gen 26:35). Esau therefore may be understood as representing those who have chosen to abandon the revealed ways of God and the hope of glory, in favour of things that are of immediate rather than eternal value (Heb 12:16f).

The deep-seated animosity between the two peoples may be illustrated by the fact that when, during the Exodus, Israel sought permission to travel on the Edomite king's highway, it was refused. The blood relationship between the people was emphasised in that, despite the offence, Israel was commanded not to abhor them (Deut 23:7-8).

David subdued Edom (2 Sam 8:13) but when Judah fell, Edom rejoiced (Ps 132:7). The prophets spoke out a coming judgment upon Edom for their bitter hatred (Jer 49:7-22; Lam 4:21-22; Ezek 25, 35:15; Joel 3:19; Amos 9:12).

The Esau Syndrome: Violence Against Jacob

The major charge against Edom is violence against Jacob, your brother, which is the first aspect of the Esau syndrome. The Jewish people should rightly be viewed as the Christians' elder brother (Rom 9:2; 15:27, etc). Violence - physical, economic and verbal - has assailed the state of Israel since its re-birth in 1948.

Replacement theology is also a form of violence. In its active form it condemns the Jewish people and promulgates anti-Semitism; in its passive form it attempts to remove the Jewish roots and distinctives of the Christian faith. Many tenets of Replacement theology arise from lack of knowledge, poor biblical teaching or traditional anti-Semitic motifs, recycled to fit the modern era.

The Esau Syndrome: Gloating Over Israel's Misfortune

The second aspect of the Esau syndrome is seen when those who hold a 'replacement' stance gloat when Israel seems to be in a state of catastrophe. Events are seen as an illustration that God has finished with the Jewish people and that the state of Israel is a theological aberration. Obadiah cries out (v12) that you should not look down upon your brother in the day of his misfortune.

Instead of gloating over the misfortunes of the Jewish state, or aiding and abetting those who wish to see its downfall, Christians should be very aware that the way one treats Jacob is a key to how the Lord will treat them (Gen 12:2-3).

The scriptures imply that selling off one's inheritance in the Lord as something common causes deep offence or hatred from God.

The prophecies of Obadiah speak to the Church about the source and place of deliverance, which is Zion. Those who produce a form of wisdom coming from Edom are roundly condemned by the prophet (v8).

The Esau Syndrome: An Exchanged Birthright

The third facet of the Esau syndrome is that much of the wisdom received within Christian theology has not been the wisdom that has come from Zion (the Jewish roots of the faith). It is as if, in a similar manner to Esau, the second century Church exchanged its Jewish birthright for a bowl of Greek philosophical pottage, and in so doing left behind the true Messianic understanding. In the words of Joseph Klausner, "...the Christian Messiah is in essence only a further development of the Jewish Messiah. From Judaism Christianity received the ideas of redemption, the redeemer Messiah, the Day of Judgment, and the kingdom of heaven."

The departure from the Jewish roots of the Christian faith has a detrimental effect - not only for the theology of the Church, but also within the field of Christian-Jewish dialogue. It is hardly surprising that a number of Jewish leaders have questioned the value of dialogue when the Christian side have presented them with a non-Jewish based theology whilst claiming to worship the Jewish Messiah. Counted as possibly the first Christian apologist, Justin, one of the first to articulate the replacement position in the early second century, persisted in wearing the philosopher's garb until the end of his days.

The early Church father, Origen (c 185-254), one of the most profound influences on Eusebius of Caesarea and through him the Emperor Constantine, studied philosophy at the feet of Ammonius Saccus in the company of Plotinus, the founder of neo-Platonism. Constantine 'nationalised' Christianity which developed ever more Greek concepts in its developing theology. The trend continued through the medieval period and by the time of the Enlightenment the scene was set for modern liberal theology to develop from centuries of a thought-system contrary to that inspired by the prophets of Israel.

Esau represents those who have chosen to abandon the revealed ways of God in favour of things that are of more immediate, less eternal value.

The Esau Syndrome: No Stabilising, Nourishing Roots

The fourth aspect of the Esau syndrome is the enfeeblement of the believing community. If as believers we lose contact with the roots of our faith, we will not receive nourishment but rather become weakened and blown around by winds of deviant doctrine. The despising of the Jewish roots of the faith has caused dire effects throughout the history of the Church. Antisemitism and the teaching of contempt developed and grew in the Christian Church and may be held to be contributing factors to the atrocities committed against the Jewish people, not least the Nazi Holocaust.

Obadiah's words chide the believing community today to return to the biblical teachings and depart from the syncretic, accommodationist positions held by many. The judgment upon Esau is terrible in the extreme concerning the pride exhibited. There is a spirit of pride within the believing community today that will not accept the revealed word of the Lord in the scriptures and prefer to follow the wisdom of men. Adhering to such a tendency will bring disaster and ultimately a post-Christian worldview. Even when a thief comes in the night he does not steal everything, but leaves something - those who are under the judgment of the Lord will be left with absolutely nothing.

Christians should be very aware that the way they treat Israel is a key to how the Lord will treat them.

Called to Endurance, Not Error

The following consideration brings us to a crisis point. Will the believing community heed the words of Obadiah and look to Zion for deliverance or will some persist in the Esau syndrome, continuing to despise God's election and call of the Jewish people as the vehicle of salvation? Will they return to the roots of the faith and be nourished and enriched by them, or will they continue in their error?

The consequences of ignoring the call are dire. The believers are called to endure in the days of trouble (Rev 1-3). Endurance only comes from certitude, or knowing God through the Messiah in a personal way. It is not enough simply to know about the power of God or have an idea about God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the father of Jesus the Messiah, may only be known by understanding the accounts of the self-disclosure of God through the Jewish scriptures, which include all of the New Testament, and seeking his face in the place of prayer.

Originally published in Prophecy Today, Vol 13 No 1, 1997. Revised November 2016.