Single lesson
Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom
Obadiah 1:1–14; Obadiah 1:15–21
Obadiah 1:1–14 is a message from Yahweh about Edom. It announces coming downfall, exposes pride and false security, and explains that Edom’s treatment of Jacob and Jerusalem matters deeply to God. This lesson also brings together The Deliverance of Israel.
Before you teach
This passage begins with “the vision of Obadiah” and presents what the Lord Yahweh says about Edom. The message moves from a call against Edom, to reasons for Edom’s fall, to a clear description of violent and proud actions against Jacob and Jerusalem. It remains prophecy and teaching throughout.
Explain the central teaching of Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom, using two details from the reading. God speaks against proud security and against taking part in another people’s disaster. This passage teaches that Yahweh judges according to deeds, preserves escape on Mount Zion, and declares that the kingdom is Yahweh’s.
Welcome: Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom
5 minIntroduce “The Destruction of Edom”, “The Deliverance of Israel” and locate Obadiah 1:1–14; Obadiah 1:15–21. God speaks against proud security and against taking part in another people’s disaster. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Obadiah 1:1, Obadiah 1:8, Obadiah 1:14
Read and explain the passage
12 minThe Destruction of Edom (Obadiah 1:1–14): The passage opens as a vision and a message from Yahweh about Edom. An ambassador calls nations to rise against her in battle. Yahweh then says Edom will be made small and greatly despised. This sets the tone clearly: Edom’s position among the nations will be brought low by God’s word.
The Deliverance of Israel (Obadiah 1:15–21): The passage begins with a broad announcement: the day of Yahweh is near "all the nations". The line, "As you have done, it will be done to you", explains the justice being described. Their own deeds return upon them, so judgement is presented as a fitting response to what they have done.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “The Destruction of Edom”, “The Deliverance of Israel”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Obadiah 1:1, Obadiah 1:2, Obadiah 1:15
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What pictures in verses 3 and 4 show Edom’s false sense of safety?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that Yahweh judges according to deeds, preserves escape on Mount Zion, and declares that the kingdom is Yahweh’s. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Obadiah 1:3, Obadiah 1:4, Obadiah 1:5, Obadiah 1:6, Obadiah 1:7, Obadiah 1:19, Obadiah 1:20, Obadiah 1:21
Make and respond: Vision and message evidence map
12 minWork on “Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom: Vision and message evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “The Destruction of Edom”, “The Deliverance of Israel” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Obadiah 1:1, Obadiah 1:11, Obadiah 1:21
Closing: return to The Deliverance of Israel
3 minRevisit Obadiah 1:15–21. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about The Deliverance of Israel and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Obadiah 1:15, Obadiah 1:18, Obadiah 1:21
Questions to explore
What pictures in verses 3 and 4 show Edom’s false sense of safety?
Notice the high rocks, the eagle, and the nest among the stars, then compare them with Yahweh’s words, “I will bring you down from there”.
Obadiah 1:3, Obadiah 1:4
How do verses 5 to 7 describe the completeness of Edom’s loss?
Look for the contrast with thieves and grape pickers, then add what happens to hidden treasures and to Edom’s allies and friends.
Obadiah 1:5, Obadiah 1:6, Obadiah 1:7
What is the final big truth the passage ends with?
Notice how the place names and acts of judging lead to the closing statement about who the kingdom belongs to.
Obadiah 1:19, Obadiah 1:20, Obadiah 1:21
Make, think or respond
Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom: Vision and message evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage describes”, “What is explained in the text”, “What question remains”.
- Read Obadiah 1:1–14; Obadiah 1:15–21. Use “The Destruction of Edom”, “The Deliverance of Israel” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Circle an explanation the passage itself provides. Leave unexplained details as questions for further reading.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Obadiah 1: The Destruction of Edom connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “The Destruction of Edom”, “The Deliverance of Israel” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Obadiah 1:1–14; Obadiah 1:15–21. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Obadiah 1:1–14; Obadiah 1:15–21. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Obadiah 1
1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord Yahweh says about Edom. We have heard news from Yahweh, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle.
2 Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says Yahweh.
5 “If thieves came to you, if robbers by night—oh, what disaster awaits you—wouldn’t they only steal until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn’t they leave some gleaning grapes?
6 How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out!
7 All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way, even to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. Friends who eat your bread lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him.”
8 “Won’t I in that day”, says Yahweh, “destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?
9 Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.
10 For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever.
11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them.
12 But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress.
13 Don’t enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Don’t look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity.
14 Don’t stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape. Don’t deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress.
15 For the day of Yahweh is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head.
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been.
17 But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
18 The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn among them and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau.” Indeed, Yahweh has spoken.
19 Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the lowland, the Philistines. They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria. Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20 The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.
21 Saviors will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be Yahweh’s.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.