1. Obadiah 1:19–21 (ESV)
  2. Application

The future gathering of God's people

Obadiah 1:19–21 (ESV)

19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

Obadiah 1:19–21 makes it clear that God will gather all his people together. There will come a time when all of God’s people, all of those who belong to him and have been rescued through the death of Jesus Christ, will finally be gathered.

This vision was partially fulfilled in 539 BC when the people of Israel returned to the Promised Land of Canaan. The Persian king Cyrus made a proclamation that allowed God’s people to go back to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1–11).

Ultimately, this promise will be fulfilled not with God’s people going to the land of Israel today, but when Jesus Christ returns in glory to gather all his people to him. When Jesus Christ returns to judge the living and the dead, he will cast all his enemies into everlasting condemnation, but he will take all of his chosen ones to himself into heavenly joy and glory.