Ezekiel 25 Five Foes
Ezekiel prophecies against five foes of Israel. Ammon, Moab, Seir, Edom and Philistia all disparage Israel when she is being disciplined.
I’m running into timeline issues now with Ezekiel’s prophecies. There are very few prophecies that he is given between the time his wife taken from him and the fall of Jerusalem. We enter a section of prophecies against other nations, but this isn’t the first on the list. It is the first in the book, but Egypt is actually first. I’m going to stick with biblical order for our time together, but switch it to chronological order for the “Bible Stories for Adults” series.
Today, we deal with five of Israel’s most consistent adversaries. They are also her closest neighbors. They are thrilled when Jerusalem falls. “That’s the last we will hear from that arrogant crowd” is their sentiment. Not only are they glad that they won’t have to fight against Israel, but are doing the “Happy Dance” over what the people are going through. NOT COOL!
God is NOT pleased with their behavior, and He makes sure that the people of Israel know that He will see to their punishment for their attitudes. Ezekiel doesn’t go to these individual nations and proclaim God’s judgment. He proclaims it in front of the exiles, to let them know that He will repay them for their attitudes.
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Ezekiel is still absorbing the news of Jerusalem’s fall. Yes. He knew it was going to happen because God told him so. But knowing it is coming and hearing of its occurrence are two different things. His heart hurts for his brothers and sisters and ESPECIALLY for the Lord.
The Temple of the Lord has been burned to the ground. But Ezekiel will NOT weep or cry over it. He was the example for the people on how to act when his own wife was taken from him. He puts on his sandals, his robe, and his turban just like he has always done.
Today, as Ezekiel spends time with the Lord, God speaks to him. It hasn’t been too long since the last time God directly spoke to him. The last time was right after the fall of Jerusalem and the fugitive came to tell him about it. That was also THE DAY that God released his tongue!
Ezekiel listens closely to the words of the Lord.
“Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon[a] a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord. For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 25:2-7).
“It serves them right” Ezekiel starts to say, but in his spirit, he feels the Lord telling him that HE is not to boast over Ammon’s punishment either.
“No one is to rejoice over the pain of another. Yes. It is well deserved, but do not think that I won’t deal with you as I have dealt with them for the same sins.”
“I’m sorry Lord” Ezekiel says. Once his spirit is humbled again, the Lord continues on.
“Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’ therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. I will give it along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, that the Ammonites may be remembered no more among the nations, and I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 25:8-11).
“They didn’t rejoice over Israel’s downfall Lord.”
“No. But they counted MY people as no different than all the other nations. The people that I called to Myself. Israel is set apart and not like the other nations, for I am their God and they are MY people.”
“I… alright Lord.” Ezekiel waits quietly for what more the Lord has to say.
“Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God” (Ezekiel 25:12-14).
“Lord” Ezekiel quietly says.
“Yes, son of man. Speak.”
“Israel is in no position to do this to anyone, let alone one of our ancient foes.”
“I have not put a date on this promise, have I?”
“No.”
“Then KNOW that it WILL happen when I appoint the timing. Israel will not be in captivity forever. And I will use her once again to judge the nations around her.”
“Yes Lord. Thank You for that promise.”
The Lord is not finished yet, and Ezekiel knows it.
“Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast. I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them” (Ezekiel 25:15-17).
“Who will be Your agent against the Philistines? Will it be Israel as well?”
“That is not for you to know right now. All you need know is that I will repay them for their malicious vengeance against My people, Israel.”
Ezekiel waits a little longer but hears nothing more from the Lord. He concludes his time with the Lord and finishes his morning preparations. As he takes his walking stick from beside the door, he touches his wife’s shawl which hangs by it. His fingers linger for a moment. Before he can be sucked back into memories, he takes his hand down and opens the door.
Ezekiel makes his way to the marketplace. As he walks along, people notice his direction and begin to follow.
“He must have another word from the Lord” they whisper to one another.
“I wonder what it is today.”
“Maybe it is about the end of this exile. Jeremiah, the prophet who was in Jerusalem until the day it fell, said it would only be for seventy years.”
“We will have to wait and see.”
Ezekiel steps up on his favorite stone. He turns and faces in the direction Ammon would be. As he begins to speak of the way that Ammon reacted to Israel’s downfall, the people begin to get angry.
“How could they be so cruel?”
As Ezekiel proclaims their judgment, those same people smile and start to rejoice. Ezekiel immediately gives them the same warning he received for his actions. “DO NOT be joyful over the discipline of another, lest you be disciplined for the same sin they committed.”
This is enough to silence the people’s attitudes.
Ezekiel moves on through the other nations that God is judging. He also shares the things that God ministered directly to his heart, when they raise the same kinds of questions.
The people are ecstatic to hear that they are STILL God’s people. And that He has plans for them. Plans to use them, even as His instruments of correction. It is the first ray of hope they have had in a LONG time!
(to be continued)
I wonder if Ezekiel’s prophecies were carried to these countries. If they were, what did the people think of God’s words? Did they tremble in fear or blow it off as so much hot air? No matter what their response, God’s words DID come to pass. NOTHING He says comes back void or falls flat.
We are moving into prophecies against other nations around Israel. God had a lot of ‘shaking up’ coming for the area. He also tells us of prophecies yet to come. We can be certain that those prophecies will come true, just as surely as His prophecies for the time of Ezekiel.
Father God, Your word ALWAYS comes to pass. Not a single ‘jot or tittle’ is dropped in Your plans. I can trust Your words even more than I trust that the sun will rise in the morning! After all, YOU made the sun to begin with.
There is so much in the prophecies in Your word that I don’t understand. Not understanding it, or not knowing how it will all shake out, doesn’t make me trust Your promises any less. It makes me cling tighter, in case there is some ‘turbulence’ along the way. And I’m certain that there WILL Be some that I have to ‘ride out’, white knuckles and all.
Hold me tight Father as Your prophecies unfold around me. Show me what You would have me do in this day and age, as Your child, to help wherever You have prepared for me to serve.
