Obadiah 1:15

The Deliverance of Israel

15 For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.

Obadiah 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

Obadiah 1:15

For the day of the Lord [is] near upon all the Heathen
That is, the time was at hand, fixed and determined by the Lord, and he had spoken of by his prophets, when he would punish all the Heathens round about for their sins; as the Egyptians, Philistines, Tyrians, Ammonites, Moabites, and others; and so the Edomites among the rest; for this is mentioned for their sakes, and to show that their punishment was inevitable, and that they could not expect to escape in the general ruin; see ( Jeremiah 25:17-26 ) . This destruction of Edom here prophesied of, and of all the Heathen, was accomplished about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, so that it might be truly said to be near; and some time within this space Obadiah seems to have prophesied; and the day of the Lord is not far off upon the Pagans, Mahometans, and all the "antichristian" states, When mystical Edom or Rome will be destroyed; see ( Revelation 16:19 ) ( 17:14 ) ( 19:19-21 ) ; as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy reward shall return
upon thine own head;
this is particularly directed to Edom, upon whom the day of the Lord's vengeance shall come; when he punished the Heathens, then the Edomites should be retaliated in their own way; and as they had rejoiced at the destruction of the Jews, and had insulted them in their calamities, and barbarously used them, they should be treated in like manner; see ( Ezekiel 35:15 ) ; and thus will mystical Babylon, or the mystical Edomites, be dealt with, even after the same manner as they have dealt with the truly godly, the faithful professors of Christ, ( Revelation 18:6 ) .

Obadiah 1:15 In-Context

13 You should not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over their affliction in the day of their disaster, nor loot their wealth in the day of their disaster.

14 Nor should you stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives, nor deliver up their survivors in the day of their distress.

15 For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.

16 For as you drank on My holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. They will drink and gulp it down; they will be as if they had never existed.

17 But on Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will reclaim their possession.