The Bible Dept. with Dr. Manny Arango
Episode: Day 243 — Obadiah
Release Date: August 31, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Dr. Manny Arango guides listeners through the often-overlooked Book of Obadiah—the shortest book in the Old Testament, spanning only 21 verses. The episode focuses on understanding Obadiah’s historical context, the relationship between Israel and Edom, “nerdy nuggets” connecting Obadiah to other prophetic texts, and the profound timeless truth about jealousy, competition, and brotherly love.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Obadiah: The "Flyover" Book
- Dr. Arango introduces Obadiah as the “flyover book” of the Bible, comparing it to how certain U.S. states are overlooked during election cycles.
- Quote: “Obadiah is a flyover book. You know, people don't typically take pay attention to Obadiah, but Obadiah's got some gold and we are going to mine that gold.” (05:15)
2. Historical Context (The Fall of Jerusalem and Edom’s Betrayal)
- Obadiah is set just after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem (written around 585 BC).
- Unlike most prophetic books, Obadiah is not addressed to Israel or Judah, but to Edom—a “brother nation” descended from Esau (twin brother of Jacob).
- Notable Point: Obadiah addresses how Edom aided and gloated over the Babylonians’ destruction of Jerusalem, betraying their kinship with Israel.
Quote: “This enemy is actually a brother nation...the Edomites are supposed to act towards Israel and Judah as if they are brothers, because their foreparents are brothers. But Edom, instead of acting with loyalty and love...Edom helped.” (08:25)
Relevant Passages:
- Genesis 25:35 — prophecy about Jacob and Esau’s descendants (07:40)
- Obadiah v.10 — “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame.” (12:49)
3. Nerdy Nuggets: Obadiah and Jeremiah 49
- Dr. Arango highlights several parallels between Obadiah and Jeremiah 49, indicating both prophets witnessed and spoke to the same events.
- Obadiah v.1 ≈ Jeremiah 49:14
- Obadiah v.2 ≈ Jeremiah 49:15
- Obadiah v.3 ≈ Jeremiah 49:16, etc.
Quote: “A lot of scholars believe that Obadiah and Jeremiah actually both lived through the same event...and have something to say about the Edomites who were not helpful during that stressful, just traumatic time in Israel's history.” (16:25)
Takeaway: This overlap substantiates the historical setting and emphasizes the dual witness against Edom’s actions.
4. The Day of the Lord: Restorative for Israel, Final for Edom
- Obadiah speaks about the “Day of Yahweh” (Day of the Lord) as judgment.
- For Israel/Judah: Exile as punishment, but ultimately restoration and fulfillment of God’s promises.
- For Edom: Judgment with no restoration—Edom ceases to exist, while Israel persists.
Quote: “The day of the Lord showed up for both groups. And just like Obadiah said, there would be restoration for one, which is Jacob, but not restoration for the other, which is Esau.” (19:05)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Brotherhood and Betrayal
“This is not how brothers are supposed to act towards each other, okay?...You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction.” (12:16 — quoting Obadiah v.12)
On Jealousy and Competition
“You can be so jealous and so competitive and so insecure, you begin to gloat over your brother in the day of their misfortune. You should not be wishing that anybody fails...That's a competitive, jealous, insecure, scarcity mindset way to be thinking about life.” (22:00)
Practical Application (Timeless Truth)
“You don't have to compete with anybody. You got to compete with yourself yesterday. You got to compete with yesterday's version of you. That's the only person that you have to compete with. And God has the ability to do incredible things through you.” (26:15)
On Building Upon Others’ Failures
“I'm not building, you know, what God wants me to build on the leftovers of somebody else's failure. It's a terrible way to think about life.” (25:20)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:55-01:20 — Introduction to Obadiah (“the flyover book”); why the book is often overlooked
- 03:10-04:40 — Historical context: Fall of Jerusalem and Edom’s betrayal
- 06:00-08:30 — Esau, Jacob, and the roots of Israel-Edom relations
- 11:40-13:45 — The heart of God’s complaint: Edom’s gloating and active harm
- 15:50-17:30 — “Nerdy nugget”: Parallels between Obadiah and Jeremiah 49
- 18:38-19:50 — The “Day of the Lord”: contrasting outcomes for Edom and Israel
- 21:45-23:00 — The core timeless truth: jealousy, competition, scarcity mindset
- 24:00-26:50 — Personal reflection: how these truths apply in Christian life and ministry
Timeless Truth & Personal Application
The Core Lesson from Obadiah
- The Book of Obadiah is profoundly about how we treat our brothers and sisters—especially when they are vulnerable or suffering.
- It warns against allowing jealousy, competition, and a scarcity mindset to take root in our hearts.
- Dr. Arango’s personal reflection challenges both church leaders and laypeople: do not cheer or build your life on someone else’s misfortune; instead, celebrate when others succeed and support when they struggle.
“What you do in those moments will actually say more about you than it does about them. It will reveal what kind of brother you are.” (27:30)
Conclusion
Dr. Manny Arango demonstrates that even the Bible’s shortest, most neglected books hold weighty, timeless truths. Obadiah, though overlooked, delivers a convicting warning against betrayal, envy, and opportunism—and calls believers to radical generosity of spirit, brotherly love, and faith in God’s abundance.
Next Episode Preview:
Tomorrow: The Book of Haggai (Day 244). Dr. Arango will dive into Haggai chapters 1 & 2.
For More:
- Download the reading plan: thebibledept.com/plan
- Start your journey: thebibledept.com/start-here