Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Obadiah 1:21
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion, etc.] Which according to some, is to be understood literally, either of Zerubbabel and Joshua, after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, who were the restorers of, their civil and church state; or rather of Judas Maccabeus and his brethren, who saved the people of the Jews from Antiochus and his generals, called “saviours”, as the judges of old were, (<160927>Nehemiah 9:27); but it is best to interpret these saviours of the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the word; and especially of the preachers of the Gospel in the latter days; called “saviours”, because they publish salvation, preach the Gospel of it, show unto men the way of salvation; and so they, and the word preached by them, are the means and instruments of the salvation of men; otherwise Christ is the only Saviour of God’s appointing and sending; and who came to effect salvation, and is become the author of it, nor is it in any others; (see <540416>1 Timothy 4:16 <263309>Ezekiel 33:9 <450106>Romans 1:6 <590119> James 1:19); these in great numbers, in the latter day, wilt appear on Mount Zion, or in the church of Christ, and, shall openly and publicly, as on a mountain, declare the everlasting Gospel; these will be with Christ the Lamb, among the 144,000 upon Mount Zion, (<661401>Revelation 14:1,6). Kimchi and Ben Melech say, these are the King Messiah and his companions, the seven shepherds and eight principal men, (<330505>Micah 5:5). Aben Ezra says the words refer to time to come; according to Baalhatturim on (<013204>Genesis 32:4); they will be fulfilled about the end of the sixth Millennium, when they expect the Messiah; and they are applied to times of the Messiah both by ancient and more modern Jews. In their ancient book of Zohar f40 it is said, “when the Messiah shall arise, Jacob shall take his portion above and below; and Esau shall be utterly destroyed, and shall have no portion and inheritance in the world, according to (Obadiah 1:18); but Jacob shall inherit two worlds, this world and the world to come; and of that time is it written, “and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion”, etc.” So, in the Jerusalem Talmud f41, “says R. Hona, we do not find that Jacob our father went to Seir ((see <013314>Genesis 33:14);) R. Joden, the son of Rabbi, says, in future times (the world to come, the days of the Messiah), is it not said, “and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau?”” And to much the same purpose it is said in one of their ancient Midrasses or expositions, f42 “we have turned over all the Scripture, and we do not find that Jacob stood with Esau on Seir; he (God) said, until now it is with me to make judges and saviours stand, to take vengeance on that man, as it is said, “and saviours shall come up”, etc.” And the Cabalistic writers f43 thus paraphrase the words, ““and saviours shall come up”; who are the Lord of hosts, and the God of hosts: “on Mount Zion”; which is, the mystery of the living God: “to judge the mount of Esau”; which is Mount Seir.” So Maimonides f44, quoting the passage in (<042418>Numbers 24:18), “Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies”, adds, by way of explanation, this is the King Messiah, of whom it is said, “and saviours shall come upon Mount Zion”. The work and business of these saviours will be, to judge the mount of Esau; to take vengeance on the Edomites, for their ill usage of the children of Judah, as the Jewish commentators generally inter…
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