The remnants of Israel

Obadiah is the first of the twelve Minor Prophets. He raises several important themes, which are also taken up and further developed by later prophets. These themes include “the remnant of Israel” and “the Messianic Kingdom (the Millennium).” (1) Among Israel, there will be those who escape the judgment of the day of the Lord (the Great Tribulation). These are “the remnant of Israel.” Those who survive the Great Tribulation will come to live in the Messianic Kingdom (v 17). The same thing is prophesied in Joel 2:32, Isaiah 4:2, 37:31-32, etc. (2) During the Great Tribulation, two-thirds of Israel will die, and only one-third will survive (Zech. 13:8-9). (3) On the other hand, in the house of Esau (Edom), no one will survive. In other words, there will be no descendants of Esau in the Messianic Kingdom. (4) Other prophets also prophesy that Edom will be completely destroyed. Ezekiel 25:12-14, Isaiah 34:5-15, and Jeremiah 49:19-20 are some examples. (5) The reason Edom will ultimately be destroyed is that God will rain down sulfur and fire from heaven. For that reason, throughout the period of the Messianic Kingdom (a thousand years), the land of Edom will continue to smolder with fire and smoke (ref. Isa. 34:9-10). During the period of the Messianic Kingdom, the natural world will be restored, but only Edom and Babylon will continue to smolder with fire and smoke. This will become a symbolic scene that displays God’s judgment.

The land Israel will possess

In the Messianic Kingdom, Israel will come to possess territory greater than what it possessed even in the days of David and Solomon. (1) The tribe of Simeon (the people of the Negev) will come to possess the mountain of Esau (Mount Seir). (2) The tribe of Judah (the people of the lowland) will come to possess the land of the Philistines (the region along the Mediterranean Sea). Furthermore, they will also possess the plain of Ephraim and the plain of Samaria. (3) The tribe of Benjamin, which had only a narrow territory in the south, will come to obtain Gilead, the land east of the Jordan River. (4) The people who have returned from captivity will extend their possession as far as Zarephath (a town in Lebanon), and the captive people who have returned from Sepharad (Spain) will come to possess the cities of the Negev. (5) Finally, the Messianic kingship will be established on Mount Zion (Jerusalem). Do you have a biblical view of history and a view of the end times, and are you thinking about planning your life based on them? If you oppose God’s plan, it means destruction. Let us think about planning our lives in accordance with God’s master plan. The Messianic Kingdom (the Millennium) will surely be fulfilled on earth.