Prophet Obadiah (9th century before the Nativity of Christ)

The holy Prophet Obadiah, one of the twelve minor prophets (these prophets are called “minor” because of the small size of their books), lived in the ninth century before the Nativity of Christ. He came from the village of Betharam near Shechem, and served as governor of the household of Ahab, the lawless king of Israel. At that time all Israel had fallen away from the Lord and was offering sacrifice to Baal, but Obadiah was steadfastly faithful to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and served Him in secret. When Ahab’s wife, the lawless and depraved Jezebel, was persecuting the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah hid them and gave them food. Ahab’s heir, King Ahaziah, sent three detachments to seize the holy Prophet Elijah (commemorated 20 June). One of them was led by Saint Obadiah. Through Elijah’s prayer fire came down from heaven and consumed two of the detachments, but the Lord spared Obadiah and his soldiers (4 Kings 1). From that time the blessed one left military service and followed the Prophet Elijah. Later he himself received the gift of prophecy. Saint Obadiah’s God-inspired work, his prophetic book, stands in fourth place among the books of the minor prophets. It contains prophecies about the Church of the New Testament. Saint Obadiah is buried in Samaria.