Joel, Obadiah, Malachi by David W. Baker

Author:David W. Baker
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Education, Encyclopedias & Subject Guides, Reference, Old Testament, Religion & Spirituality, Bible Study, Bible Study & Reference, Old Testament Study, General, Religion, Religious Studies & Reference, Biblical Commentary, Commentaries, Guides, Christian Books & Bibles
ISBN: 9780310571711
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2006-04-27T08:00:00+00:00

MESSENGERS AND MESSAGES. Literacy was rare in the ancient Near Eastern world because of the complex writing systems of the major societies such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. Messages, if written, were recorded by scribes and delivered orally to the recipient, who also likely was illiterate. It is, therefore, of vital importance to indicate clearly both the source and the recipient. The former is necessary since it is under the sender’s authority, rather than that of the messenger, that the message is to be understood. The words were not those of the messenger but of his sponsor. This is clear also in the context of Old Testament prophecy, where the authority of the message does not lie in the prophetic messenger but in the divine sender, Yahweh himself.

This position of the messenger as intermediary is how God pictures the roles of Moses and Aaron when confronting Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1–2) and is indicated frequently in the prophetic books when they state that the words are those of Yahweh (e.g., “This is what the LORD says,” over 300 times in the prophets; “declares the LORD,” over 350 times). In the same way that neither Moses nor any kings claimed authorship of the law, so the prophets do not claim to be originators of their messages to the people. In fact, prophecies of human origination were specifically declared as false (Jer. 23:30–31, 36). It is due to Obadiah’s position as a messenger of God that his warning to Edom needs to be heeded.

God as warrior. Israel as a nation entered into the Promised Land through battle (Joshua), and through battle lost it again (2 Kings 17:3–6; 18:9–11; 25:1–7; Jer. 39:1–7; 52:4–11). Throughout its history Israel faced armed conflict, so the metaphor of the Lord as a warrior God is most appropriate (Ex. 15:3; Ps. 24:8).7 Starting life as a slave race with no army, Israel needed instruction in warfare from God, even in as elementary matters as determining potential able-bodied fighters (Num. 1:2–3). Yahweh himself takes their side numerous times in battle, leading them with “an outstretched arm” (e.g. Deut. 4:34; 7:19; cf. Exod. 17:16; 1 Sam. 17:47; 1 Chron. 5:22; 2 Chron. 20:15, 17). Deities depicted as warriors were common among Israel’s Near Eastern neighbors.8 Yahweh defends his people through warfare, but his end goal is peace, not only for Israel but for all humanity. This is a role carried on by Jesus in his defeat of natural calamities, the demonic, disease, and even death (e.g., Mark 4:35–5:43).

Nationalism. Nationalistic pride is not the domain of Edom alone but characterizes the human race, both in terms of ethnic as well as ecclesiological associations. Humanity is pictured as reaching toward heaven from their habitation in Babylon early in human history (Gen. 11:1–11, esp. v. 4; cf. Job 20:6; Prov. 21:24) just as Babylon did much later (Isa. 14:12–14; Jer. 51:55; cf. Isa. 13:19; Hab. 2:2–5). While one might expect such self-confidence on the part of the world powers (cf. Assyria, 2 Kings 19:22; Isa. 10:12; Zech.

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