Ezekiel 35

Ezekiel 35 ENEMIES REMOVEDEzekiel’s auditors must have been wondering how the Messiah could be their shepherd when their land was desolate and dominated by hostile forces. The prophet now addresses that issue. Edom’s complicity in Judah’s conquest by the Babylonians already has triggered two oracles of judgment (cf. Ezekiel 25:12-14). The purpose here is to establish a backdrop of judgment and desolation against which to highlight Judah’s salvation and restoration depicted in the following chapter. OF EDOM’S DOOMEze_35:1-4 The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 35:2) Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it. (Ezekiel 35:3) Say unto it: Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir.

I will stretch out my hand against you. I will make you an utter desolation. (Ezekiel 35:4) I will lay waste your cities. You will be desolate; and you will know that I am the Lord. The first obstruction to restoration has now been dealt with, that being the problem of corrupt leadership. Now Ezekiel deals with the second obstruction to Israel’ s golden age. All nations that oppressed God’ s people must be judged and destroyed.

Mount Seir, i.e., Edom, the ancient archenemy of Israel is singled out for special condemnation here (Ezekiel 35:1-2). Edom is symbolic of every nation that had oppressed Israel. Only when all the enemies of the Lord are destroyed is the deliverance of God’ s people complete. In this oracle God immediately declares himself to be in an adversarial relationship to Edom. He will stretch out his hand against Edom, i.e., smite that country. God’s outstretched hand results in the undoing and ultimate desolation of Edom (Ezekiel 35:3).The once proud cities of Edom will be laid waste. In this calamity the Edomites detect the operation of God (Ezekiel 35:4). OF EDOM’S DOOM Ezekiel 35:5-15 Yahweh’s control over the nations is not exercised capriciously, but according to strict principles of justice. Ezekiel offers three justifications for Edom’s doom. Edom’s Hatred (Ezekiel 35:5-9) Hatred manifested (Ezekiel 35:5): You have had an ancient hatred, and you have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword, in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end. The divine judgment is in recompense for the ancient hatred of the Edomites toward the people of God. This bitter animosity most recently had been manifested in the aid that the Edomites had rendered to the Babylonian conquerors of Jerusalem. Captured Israelites were handed over to the invaders for execution. Thus the Edomites, no less than the Chaldeans, participated in the time of their (Judah’ s) calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end, i.e., the iniquity that brought about their destruction.Hatred punished (Ezekiel 35:6-9) Bloodshed (Ezekiel 35:6; Ezekiel 35:8): Therefore, as I live (oracle of the Lord GOD), surely I will prepare you for blood. Blood will pursue you. Surely you hate blood, but blood will pursue you. (Ezekiel 35:8) I will fill his mountains with his slain. In your hills, your valleys and your streams those slain by the sword will fall. God had prepared Edom for blood, i.e., Edom will die a bloody death. Twice the prophet emphasizes that blood will pursue Edom. The blood shed by Edom now becomes the active pursuer of the guilty. Edom had hated blood, i.e., Israel— those to whom Edom had blood-ties. The blood of slain Israelites was now demanding retribution (Ezekiel 35:6). The dead bodies lie everywhere— hills, valleys, and streams (Ezekiel 35:8). Desolation (Ezekiel 35:7; Ezekiel 35:9): I will make Mount Seir an utter desolation. I will cut off from it travelers. (Ezekiel 35:9) I will make you desolations forever. You will not inhabit your cities; and you will know that I am the LORD. Those slain in the anticipated attack will be so numerous that Mount Seir (Edom) becomes desolate. No man survives to traverse that land (Ezekiel 35:7). Edom remains desolate forever. Such as might escape to neighboring lands gradually realize that the hand of the great God of Israel had been against them (Ezekiel 35:9).Edom’s Blasphemies (Ezekiel 35:10-13) First quotation (Ezekiel 35:10): You have said: These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and I will possess it; while the LORD was there. As the motivation of the judgment, two quotations are attributed to the Edomites. In the first, Edom bluntly claims ownership of the entire land once occupied by two nations, i.e., Judah and Israel (cf. Ezekiel 37:22). Edom harbored intentions of seizing Yahweh’s property. Even though the two apostate nations had been ejected from the territory that had been assigned to them, yet the Lord was still there.

True, his divine and holy presence had been seen earlier in a vision to depart from the land (cf. Ezekiel 11:23). He was still there, however, in the sense that the land was his. He alone had the right to determine who will occupy that land. Declaration of punishment (Ezekiel 35:11): Therefore, as I live (oracle of the Lord GOD), I will do according to your anger, and according to your jealousy that you have done out of your hatred against them. I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

God must recompense Edom for his anger and envy toward Israel. By punishing Edom, God will make himself known in Israel, i.e., he show himself still to be their protector and guardian. Second quotation (Ezekiel 35:12): You will know that I the LORD have heard all of your blasphemies that you have said against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are desolate; they have been given to us to devour. The second quotation attributes to the Edomites the intention to devour the mountains of Israel like some beast of prey. Twice in Ezekiel 35:12-13 Yahweh emphatically declares that He has heard, i.e., was aware of, the blasphemies spoken by the children of Edom. They were saying that since those mountains were now desolate, i.e., uninhabited, they had been given (by God?) to Edom. Seriousness of the sin (Ezekiel 35:13): You have magnified yourself against me with your mouth. You have multiplied your words against me; I have heard it.

Edom’s attitude constituted an affront to God. They had misunderstood the implications of God’s judgment on His people. They had failed to recognize the uniqueness of the land of Israel. He owned the territory that Israel had formerly occupied. To plan seizure of that territory was a manifestation of sinful pride that lifts itself up against God. God had heard Edom’ s proud boasts.

Edom’s Gloating (Ezekiel 35:14-15): Thus says the Lord GOD: When the whole earth rejoices, I will make you a desolation. (Ezekiel 35:15) Because you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel when it was desolate, so will I do to you. You will become a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all of Edom, even all of it; and they will know that I am the LORD. The whole earth rejoices when Edom becomes desolate (Ezekiel 35:14). Edom had gloated when Israel’ s inheritance— God’ s gift to his people— had been destroyed. Therefore, Edom’s punishment will correspond to the transgression. With the destruction of Edom, the enemy of God’ s people, the whole earth realizes that Yahweh is just and mighty in the defense of his honor and his people (Ezekiel 35:15).Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Five Verse 1 AGAINST EDOMIt is rather surprising to have another prophecy against Edom at this particular place in Ezekiel, especially since he had just concluded one against the same people back in Ezekiel 25; and a number of scholars have attempted to explain this. Cooke noted that this prophecy, “Gives greater detail, indicating that Edom had recently aggravated their offenses against the covenant people and their God. Also the full accomplishment of God’s purpose required the return of the captives to Palestine; and Edom had proposed to hinder that purpose by laying claim to Palestine itself."[1]Dummelow observed that, “Before the land could be returned to its rightful owners, all false claims had to be disposed of. The prophecy had already disposed of the false claims of that conceited remnant in Judea (Ezekiel 33:23-29); and this was a logical place to take care of the false claims of Edom."[2]Keil pointed out that, “The prophecy does not apply to Edom alone, because Edom here stands as a representative of the whole world of mankind in their hostility toward God and the covenant people."[3] Edom was thus used also by Isaiah in chapters 34,43 as a representative standing for the entire wicked world; and in our Commentary on those chapters, it was pointed out just how appropriate this use of Edom really was. The same is true here. The meaning of this prophecy against Edom, therefore, is simply that no wicked nation on earth would be allowed to interfere with God’s bringing his righteous remnant back from Babylon at the end of their punishment, and again establishing them in their ancient homeland. Ezekiel 35:1-3“Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, and say unto it, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, O mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against thee, and will make thee a desolation and an astonishment.““Set thy face against mount Seir …” (Ezekiel 35:2). The prophecy is against the people called Edom, the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, who occupied the rugged country southeast of the Dead Sea. Here “mount Seir” stands for the people. “This area in Graeco-Roman times was called Idumaea”;[4] the stronghold of the area was the Edomite capital of Petra, also called Sela, a rockbound fortress with magnificent stone palaces, the ruins of which are still impressive. “I am against thee, O mount Seir …” (Ezekiel 35:2). The following verses suggest a fourfold indictment against the Edomites: (1) They had aided Babylon in their final conquest of Jerusalem. Taylor suggested that they bartered with Nebuchadnezzar, offering their support for portions of Judea after the conquest.5 Edom had attempted to annex Israel’s territory. (3) Her joyful exultation over Judah’s fall was a shameful expression of her attitude toward God’s people. (4) The Edomites from the very beginning of their history had maintained a perpetual enmity against Israel (Amos 1:11). “This enmity against Israel, in the last analysis was also bitter and implacable enmity against God Himself."[6]The serious nature of this quadruple indictment was pointed out by Beasley-Murray. For example, Edom’s claiming part of Judea as her own possession contradicted the prior claim of God Himself who had preempted it for his Chosen People. In view of God’s intention of again moving the Jews into the land, “Edom’s claim was little short of blasphemy in the eyes of God and of his prophets."[7]Verse 4 “I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah. Because thou hast had a perpetual enmity, and hast given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end; therefore, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue thee.““A perpetual enmity …” (Ezekiel 35:5). This enmity is indeed a historical phenomenon. It began when Esau sold his birthright for a plate of lentils and continues until this very day in the conflict between the Arabs and the Israelites, despite the fact of the Edomites being no longer a recognizable group. The hatred, however, in both cases goes back to the old conflicts between Esau and Jacob, and between Isaac and Ishmael. This perpetual enmity is mentioned in Amos 1:11. The historical disasters that have accompanied this vein of hatred are a pitiful example of how hatred, no matter what the source of it, in human hearts can produce disastrous results in the persons harboring the hatred. Christ himself has warned us, that “If we will not forgive those who trespass against us, God will not forgive us our trespasses!” (Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:35). “In the time of her calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end …” (Ezekiel 35:5). Plumptre has summarized the various opinions of scholars on what this means: Keil thought it meant the time of Judah’s final transgression; Currey saw the meaning as the time when the capture of Jerusalem put an end to her iniquity; Hengstenberg suggested that it was the time of the iniquity that brought on her end; and Ewald translated it, “At the time of her extremist punishment."[8]The long hatred for Israel on the part of Edom led to their refusal of permission for Israel to pass through their land (Numbers 20:14-21); to their invasion of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:10-11); to their aiding Nebuchadnezzar in the overthrow of Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:13); and to the outrageous conduct of the Herods and their dynasty against the purposes of God during the days of Christ and the apostles. The Herods were Idumaeans (Edomites). See much more on this in Isaiah 34-43. “Since thou hast not hated blood …” (Ezekiel 35:6, KJV). Those who are still familiar with the KJV will no doubt wonder about the first word here. Sith is an Old English term that means since, or seeing that. Verse 7 “Thus will I make mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it him that passeth through and him that returneth. And I will fill its mountains with its slain: in thy hills and in thy valleys and in all thy watercourses shall they fall that are slain with the sword. I will make thee a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not be inhabited; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.““Him that passeth through and him that returneth …” (Ezekiel 35:7). This is an old expression equivalent to “all that go to and fro,” “all comers and goers,” “all the buyers and the sellers.” “It means `everybody without exception.’"[9]The total desolation of Edom has come to pass in the most startling manner. The National Geographic Magazine a few years ago ran an article with many graphic pictures of the desolated capital of ancient Seir, Petra. It still seems incredible that a city with such a fortress could ever have fallen; but there it stands in the blistering desert sun, its ancient red walls of solid stone exhibiting its magnificent architecture, beautiful palaces, and many other signs of ancient prosperity in a breath-taking silence that reminds one of the petrified forest of Arizona.

It brings a mist to the eyes and a catch in the throat just to see it. What an awful thing it is for God to “stretch forth his hand” against a city, or a people. “A perpetual desolation …” (Ezekiel 35:9). “This is a much harsher fate even than that which was inflicted upon Ammon and Egypt, who at least had a prospect of restoration held out to them (Jeremiah 49:6; andEzekiel 29:14)."[10] Note that this threat of perpetual desolation is repeated here from Ezekiel 35:5. However, the eternal justice of God is seen in this perpetual desolation of Edom. Who murdered the innocents of Bethlehem in his frenzied efforts to kill the Lord Jesus Christ? Answer: It was the savage Idumaean (Edomite) Herod the Great. Who murdered John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Christ, the Herald of the Gospel Age? Answer: It was another Herod, an Edomite, who presented John’s head on a platter to please a dancing girl. Who mocked the Son of God in one of those six crooked trials preceding his crucifixion? Answer: It was another Herod, of course. Who murdered the apostle James? Answer: A Herod (Edomite). Who imprisoned the apostle Peter and condemned him to death as soon as the Passover ended? Answer: It was Herod Agrippa (another Edomite, of course). Who murdered the sixteen men who kept the prison on that night when an angel released the apostle Peter, on the false charge that these guards had released Peter? It was that same Herod the Edomite. Who fully decided to exterminate all of the apostles of the Church of God, and as a preparatory move had himself installed as a god down at Caesarea (Acts 12)? It was that same son of the devil, the Edomite Herod Agrippa. This Edomite was so wicked that God did not even allow him to live a normal life; but cut him down in the very act of his announcement that he was god! Yes indeed that evil people deserved the retribution with which Almighty God rewarded them. Verse 10 “Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it, whereas Jehovah was there: therefore, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast showed out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I shall judge them. And thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, have heard all thy revilings which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to devour.““These two nations and these two countries …” (Ezekiel 35:10). These are Israel and Judah, the covenant people after the division of the monarchy, the northern and the southern Israels, Samaria and Jerusalem. “Whereas Jehovah was there …” (Ezekiel 35:10). True enough, God was in Palestine; but is he not also in every other place in all the earth? Jonah fled to Tarshish (or was trying to do so) “from the presence of Jehovah”; but he found out that God’s presence was not limited to Palestine. God is not only the God of Palestine, but the God of all the world and of all humanity. “Thy revilings which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel …” (Ezekiel 35:12) The revilings were bad enough, but Edom’s verbal assault upon the mined countries was followed by their moving militarily against them. It appears that they actually penetrated and occupied Palestine as far south as Hebron. Verse 13 “And ye have magnified yourself against me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard it. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: when the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. As thou didst rejoice over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.““And have multiplied your words against me …” (Ezekiel 35:13). The words that men speak have an importance far beyond what many suppose. Words are by no means unimportant or inconsequential. The Son of God Himself has warned us all that, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). “When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate …” (Ezekiel 35:14). This gives the time when desolation shall come to Edom. It shall be when “the whole earth rejoiceth,” a reference to the times of the New Covenant, the present dispensation of God’s grace. The present state of the ancient land of Edom is an eloquent fulfillment of what is here foretold. Any good encyclopedia, travel magazine, or travelers’ guide will afford all the proof that is needed that the prophecies in this chapter against Edom have received the most literal fulfillment. Plumptre noted that: “This land, once so rich in flocks and herds, so mighty in its rock-hewn cities, so extensive in its commercial activities, so renowned for the architectural splendor of its palaces, is now a desolated and deserted wilderness. Its whole population consists of three or four miserable tiny villages. No merchant would now dare to enter it; its highways are unused; its cities are in ruins."[11]No ghost town of Arizona or California is any more forlorn or deserted than is Petra. Feinberg has a statement which is true enough, but which is also the basis of a great deal of popular misunderstanding. He said: “When a nation gives itself over to the perpetual hatred of Israel, then there is no other alternative than perpetual desolation from God. Nation after nation has experienced this in the past, and some have done so in modern times."[12]This is true enough as long as one understands which Israel of God is meant. The only Israel God has in our generation is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, his church; and it has no connection whatever with any racial group of people who ever lived on earth. Our generation needs to get that fact in focus. The old racial Israel lost their status when their official leaders cried, “Let him be crucified; we have no king but Caesar.” Ever since that time, they have indeed had no king but Caesar; and this fact is the one overwhelmingly corroborated by history down to the present time. The great name for Israel in the Old Testament is `the vine’; but, in time the old racial Israel became a bastard vine; but, in the fullness of time Jesus Christ the True Vine came into our world (John 15:1 ff); and ever since that event, Christ and his followers have been the Only Israel of God.

Ezekiel 35:1-2

Ezekiel 35:1-2. For some time the prrphet has been writing against the wicked men in the nation of the Jews, especially the leaders among them. Now a chapter is given to Edom or Seir and certain condemnations will be uttered against that nation because of its hatred for God’ s people. Set thy face against means for Ezekiel Lo turn his attention against the nation that had disrespected God’ s people.

Ezekiel 35:3

Ezekiel 35:3. Mount Seir is a geographical term and refers to a tract of land lying east of the Dead Sea. It is often mentioned by name of Edom because the Edomites occupied that land for many years. Ezekiel 35:4 Ezekiel 35:4. The prophet was told to predict a desolation for that land. A brief condemnation was made against it in chapter 25: 12-14, but a more detailed prediction is made here before the interests of Palestine are to receive further attention.

Ezekiel 35:5

Ezekiel 35:5. Edom had cherished ft hatred against Israel for a long time and had been constant (perpetual) in it. He had shown that hatred by shedding the blood of the children of Israel. What made, the mistreatment of Israel worse was the fact that the heathen nation took advantage of them in times of calamity.

Ezekiel 35:6

Ezekiel 35:6. Sith is an old rendering of a word that means “since” or any other word with a similar bearing. The verse means that since or inasmuch as the Edomites seemed to welcome bloodshed, the Lord will impose upon them an abundant share of it.

Ezekiel 35:7

Ezekiel 35:7. Cut off . . . passeth out . . . returneth means the land will be made so desolate that it will put a stop to coming and going. There will be nothing to encourage any kind of traffic and hence it will cease to be done.

Ezekiel 35:8

Ezekiel 35:8. Of course this verse is a strong statement not to be taken literally. The meaning is that dead men will be seen in all the places named.

Ezekiel 35:9

Ezekiel 35:9. Since the hatred of Edom for God’s people was perpetual, so the desolation of the country was to be permanent. The purpose of such a chastisement was to make the people of the land know that I am the Lori.

Ezekiel 35:10

Ezekiel 35:10. The two nations and tioo countries refers to Judah and Israel, into which the Jews were divided after the death of Solomon (1 Kings 12), Edom was vain enough .to think he could possess the lands of those contries. Whereas the Lord was there is the expression or comment of the prophet. It is Ezekiel saying, “Edom thought he could take that land, which was impossible since the Lord was there.”

Ezekiel 35:11

Ezekiel 35:11. God proposed to deal with the Edomites according to the anger which they had shown toward His people. His judgments against these enemies of the Israelites will be a demonstration of the divine power.

Ezekiel 35:12

Ezekiel 35:12, The things the Edomites had said about the land of Israel might all have been true, but their motive in saying them was displeasing to God. He never would tolerate a spirit of triumph against His people no matter how much they deserved the chastisement or misfortunes. And such an attitude would be doubly offensive if it was claimed that the loss or misfortunes were brought for the benefit of the foes.

Ezekiel 35:13

Ezekiel 35:13. Boasted means the Edomites had magnified their own importance. They did that when they made the claim expressed by the closing statement of the preceding verse. I have heard them- is a significant fact. God is everywhere with his infinite knowledge and will bring to account all the thoughts and words of wicked men.

Ezekiel 35:14

Ezekiel 35:14, The whole earth was to rejoice at the desolation of Edom.

Ezekiel 35:15

Ezekiel 35:15. This verse repeats the thoughts of the preceding one. It should not be regarded in the sense of “returning evil for evil” or as an act of retaliation, but as a just punishment of Edom for his wicked attitude toward God’ s people. Seir and Idumea are names that applied to the land occupied by the Edomites, the second word being another form of Edom.