Read Ezekiel 25
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face againstthe Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel, 7 therefore I will stretch out my handagainst you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” 9 therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim—the glory of that land. 10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, 13 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill both man and beast. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will wipe out the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. 17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I take vengeance on them.’”
Go Deeper
God Almighty, being the only Just Judge, turns His wrath from the people of Israel to the nations surrounding Judah. This continues through chapter 32 and follows the principle of 1 Peter 4:17-18. God has already addressed the sins of His people (Israel), and now addresses the sins of the pagan nations. God, as Creator, is sovereign to judge over all humans whether those humans acknowledge Him as The Lord or not.
The Lord begins with the Ammonites. God exposed their sin of rejoicing over the fall of Jerusalem. They treated God’s people with contempt and refused to mourn over God’s desecrated sanctuary, all of which subjected them to judgment. Their judgment was to be conquered by and absorbed into another nation, so that they might know The Lord. Secondly, God speaks to the Moabites. They found pleasure in mocking Judah, and this taunt was not only directed to God’s people but to God Himself. Even though the nation of Judah did not reflect God’s call for them to live as a people set apart for Godliness (hence their judgment with the fall of Jerusalem), the Moabites further humiliated the nation of Israel with their taunting. Their judgment was the loss of independence as a nation, so that they might know The Lord.
Next, The Lord addresses the Edomites. They took vengeance against Judah, and their revenge contributed to Judah’s downfall. God, being the only righteous avenger, judges man and animal through His just vengeance so that they might know The Lord. Lastly, God ends with the Philistines. They were ancient enemies of Israel and were in a longstanding conflict with them. The Philistines treated the people of Judah with deep hatred. God Himself rebuked the Philistines with their own downfall, so that they might know The Lord.
All paragraphs open with the Lord providing His reason for their specific judgment: that nation’s particular sins against Israel and God Himself. All paragraphs close with the Lord providing His ultimate purpose for their judgment: that all people might know Him as The Lord. How does severe judgment bring these pagan nations to know The Lord? While this chapter addresses God’s power to judge, His purpose is always larger than judgment.
Within our own lives, all we may understand is His refinement of us. Yet it is within the refinement that we learn more of God’s character. God provides self-revelation for us to know Him through His commandments, creation, Word, and more. Yet there is a day, for believers and nonbelievers alike, that God will make Himself known through His judgment. This judgment day is approaching (Matthew 25:31-46). God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), so He has gifted His believers with the gospel message of Jesus to spread (Matthew 28:18-20)! May this urgency sink deeply into our soul and take root there, as we rely on God to open doors for sharing this Gospel message.
Questions
- Do you believe in God’s sovereignty to judge myself and others? Does your life (thought & deed) reflect your answer to this?
- In seasons of refinement in your own life, what qualities of God have you come to know more intimately?
- Where, specifically and practically, is a door that God has opened for you to share the gospel? If you don’t know, pray that you will!
Pray This
First, read Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, and Romans 10:9-10.
Next, pray this:
Lord, I have fallen short and sinned against myself, others, and ultimately You. I believe that Jesus was crucified and raised from the grave so that I may be saved. I need Your grace, every day for all of my days. I praise You as the sovereign Lord and thank You for Your forgiveness. Please open my eyes to the open doors You have placed in my life and fill me with an urgency to share the Gospel message that You have so graciously invited me into. Thank You for loving me first. I love You, Lord!
Amen.
2 thoughts on “Ezekiel 25”
We spend little time thinking about judgement day as we rush through our days with an urgent agenda. These daily choices ultimately reveal what we believe about God. He calls us to acknowledge him as the one true God and be on mission with him. In seasons of refinement in my life, I’ve come to know his sovereignty more deeply. This important character trait is now a lens that I view my personal life and the happenings in the world. It’s not by chance that we are studying the book of Ezekiel while war is raging in Israel. I’m thinking of the various responses that have come to light since it all started, much like we read in today’s passage—joy, scorn, hatred, vengeance. There’s an urgency to live and share the gospel today wherever we are. For me it’s in a classroom of 81 innocent children. Praying Acts 20:24 for the church at large, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the Good News of God’s grace.”
Where your heart and actions are reveals where your allegiance is. Our heart should be to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We should be devouring His Word, seeking His face, listening for His voice to seek the lost. We need to fervently share the gospel so that my son, your brother, my friend’s sister has one more or the first opportunity to say yes to Jesus as Lord. I have recently learned about a dot and line. Our life is but a dot it is finite but the after life=eternal life is the line that never ends. How are you doing at living for God in your dot? How will that effect your line?
God You are the reason for life. Thank You for helping me see You in all that I say, do, look at, and even how I breath this breath of life You haven given me. Thank You for boldness to share You so that none parish but have an opportunity at eternal life with You Psalm 34 I will bless the Lord at all times; Your praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
In Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!