Ezekiel 25
Chuck Smith on Ezekiel 25
Verse by verse, the C2000 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
Verses 1-3
Chapter 25 Now beginning with chapter 25, God begins to pronounce His judgment upon the surrounding nations of Israel. And the first, of course, that of the Ammonites. We have today the city of Ammon, which comes from Ammonites, and the city of Ammon is the capitol of Jordan. And so the Ammonites and the Moabites who are going to be reviewed here for judgment are modern-day Moab. When we get to Edom, you are moving down to the southern part--or modern-day Jordan-when you move down into Edom, you are getting into southern Jordan and into Dedan, which is Saudi Arabia. And so these are the judgments proclaimed of God against these nations at that time.
Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned ( Ezekiel 25:3 );
Because they rejoiced, danced in the streets when they heard that the sanctuary was profaned and the people were slaughtered. They had a big celebration. Much like they did when they got news that Sadat was assassinated. Same thing. You see, people haven't changed much. There's still that certain amount of barbarity in man. "When you said, 'Aha,' against My sanctuary when it was profaned."
and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; Behold, therefore I will deliver you to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk. And I will make Rabbah [which was the capitol of Ammon] a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because you have clapped your hands, and stamped with your feet, and rejoiced in your heart with all of your hatred and animosity against the land of Israel ( Ezekiel 25:3-6 );
Verses 4-6
When they heard of the destruction and desolation, they danced, they jumped, they clapped their hands and stamped their feet rejoicing in the destruction.
Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD ( Ezekiel 25:7 ).
Verse 7
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir [Mount Seir in Moab] do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like the heathen ( Ezekiel 25:8 );
Verse 8
Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim, Unto the men of the east with the Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD ( Ezekiel 25:9-11 ).
Verses 9-11
So God is going to prove who He is to the surrounding nations.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance ( Ezekiel 25:12 ),
Verse 12
Now when the enemies came against Judah and it was obvious that they were going to fall, then the Edomites also attacked that they might take loot. And so they added insult to injury, actually.
taking vengeance, you have greatly offended, and you have revenged himself upon them; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman ( Ezekiel 25:12-13 );
Verse 13
Where one of the counselors of Job had come, from the east there in Teman, the Temanite.
and 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 mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a [hateful] despiteful heart, to destroy it for their old hatred; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them ( Ezekiel 25:13-17 ).