Welcome! I don’t know how it makes you feel, but I feel relieved that today we’re reading about judgment on people outside of Judah. See if you can remember the stories of why God is doing what He’s doing to these people. Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the marginal relief of seeing this this week, not that it isn’t also hard to read for the awfulness, but Lord, it’s against the enemies of Your people, so there’s something comforting about that. Help us stay faith-filled and looking forward to Your return. Lead me, Lord. Amen.
Judgment on Gentile Nations—Ammon
Please read Ezekiel 25:1-5
1 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face toward the [a]Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 And say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God, for thus says the Lord God, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession, and they will set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make Rabbah [your chief city] a pasture for camels and [the cities of] the Ammonites a resting place for flocks [of sheep]. And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”
Ammon will be destroyed, but first they will know, He is the Lord. Because they gloated when God’s people and places were made desolate.
Please read Ezekiel 25:6-7
6 For thus says the Lord God, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the contempt, and malice, and spite of your soul against the land of Israel, 7 therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you and will hand you over as prey and spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you. Then you shall know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”
When they are prey and spoil they will know without any doubt, He is the Lord. His words are believable. You can count on them. He will do what He says He will do. His judgments are always right. Be very careful what you rejoice about.
Please read Ezekiel 25:8-11
Judgment on Moab
8 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because [b]Moab and Seir (Edom) say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the [pagan] nations,’ 9 therefore, behold, I will deprive the flank of Moab of its cities which are on its frontiers, the glory of the land, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon and Kiriathaim. 10 I will give it, along with the children of Ammon, to the people of the East as a possession, so that the children of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations [any longer]. 11 Thus I will execute judgment and punishment on Moab, and they will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”
Moab will lose some cities. The Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations any longer. God tells them this so that they will know He is the Lord. They get judged and punished but not totally destroyed. They will get the chance to change the way they live. Because they said what they said. Be very careful what you say about others.
Please read Ezekiel 25:12-14
Vengeance on Edom
12 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because [c]Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended and has incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them,” 13 therefore thus says the Lord God, “I will also stretch out My hand against Edom and I will cut off and destroy man and beast. I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom in accordance with My anger and My wrath, and they will know and experience My vengeance,” says the Lord God.
Edom is going to be desolate. They will know and experience the vengeance of God. Revenge is the Lord’s. We would do well to remember that.
Please read Ezekiel 25:15-17
Vengeance on Philistia
15 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because the [d]Philistines have acted revengefully and have taken vengeance [contemptuously] with malice in their hearts to destroy with everlasting hostility and hatred,” 16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the [e]Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. 17 I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes and chastisements and they will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance on them.”’”
The remnant on the sea coast will be destroyed. They will experience God’s vengeance. And they will know, He is the Lord.
Now, look back, one place isn’t getting the chance to know He is the Lord. Well, any more chance anyway. Only to know His vengeance. Make sure you know He is the Lord. His Judgment is always accurate. He will not long delay in saving His people. Make sure you are one.
Be very careful how you walk out your life. Repentance and forgiveness exist right now. The door is open to accept it and live in light of it. One day it will close, so now is the time. Repent and be saved.
Footnotes
[a] Ezekiel 25:2 – Ammonites – A nomadic, hostile people descended from Lot and his younger surviving daughter. They worshiped Molech.
[b] Ezekiel 25:8 – Moab and Seir – These people were descendants of Lot and his elder surviving daughter. In general, they were far more civilized and peaceful than the Ammonites.
[c] Ezekiel 25:12 – Edom – These people were descendants of Esau (later called Edom), the elder twin brother of Jacob (later called Israel). They settled south of the Dead Sea, southwest of Moab and east of Arabah.
[d] Ezekiel 25:15 – Philistines – The name of this coastal people was derived from Philistia, the country bordering the Mediterranean where they settled. It is believed that they were originally from the island of Crete, home of the Minoan civilization.
[e] Ezekiel 25:16 – Cherethites – Probably another name for the Philistines, or a reference to another closely related group from Crete also living in Philistia.