Saviors on Mount Zion

Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, but one with particular importance for Latter-day Saints. The general message is one of condemnation to Edom, the location of the descendants of Esau and approximately where we find modern-day Petra in Jordan. Their sin was described this way: “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.” They, physical neighbors to Israel and Judah and brothers as descendants of Abraham, had not helped them in their time of distress. Instead they had rejoiced in Judah’s difficulties and Edom had been proud when Israel was distressed. For these actions the day of the Lord would eventually be upon them and their “reward shall return upon [their] own head” (Obadiah 1:10-12, 15). Idumea is another name for Edom, and the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord used it to speak of the world in general: “And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:36). So I think we can understand the warning of Obadiah to apply to all in the world today who mistreat their brother and rejoice in his suffering—those who act like ancient Edom will also one day face their own judgment and their reward shall return upon them.

                In contrast to this description speaking of both the captivity of Judah and future destruction of Edom, the final verses of the book of Obadiah speak of a future deliverance for the Lord’s people. We read, “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” In language that suggests the Second Coming we are told that “The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau.” The day will come in the future when the wicked will be burned and the Lord’s people will possess their lands. And then in the most famous passage for Latter-day Saints, and the final statement of the book, Obadiah prophesied, “And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Obadiah 1:17-18, 21). In the immediate context this suggests triumph for Israel over their foes in Edom who had persecuted and mistreated them. But for Latter-day Saints it has a much broader meaning, referring to the great latter-day work of bringing salvation to the living and the dead. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion [see Obadiah 1:21]. But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah.” We are to act as saviors (with a lower-case s) or deliverers of those who are in spiritual bondage in the world of the spirits, helping them triumph over the world and gain salvation through faith in the Savior (with a capital S) Jesus Christ. And thus in the more general sense of Obadiah we can overcome the world (Edom) and be deliverers as we go to the temple and labor there in behalf of our ancestors. Obadiah’s invitation then is for us to leave Idumea and come to Mount Zion—the place where the ancient Temple in Jerusalem was—and assist the Savior in delivering His people from death and sin.