Ezekiel 25
[Ezekiel 25:1] THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN UNTO ME, SAYING,
Rabbi Moshe Eisemann (Artscroll commentary) suggests that chapters 25 to
32 form a bridge between the chapters we have just studied that dealt with
destruction and disaster and those that speak of the coming consolation.
Chapters 25 to 32 deal with other nations. The creator of the universe, the
one true God, is the God of Israel. There is no other. He reveals Himself
to us in the Bible. All nations must find their salvation through serving
Him and they will be judged according to how they related to His people.Eisemann
says that all men were promised reward if they keep the commandments of the
Almighty and strive to do His will:
[Leviticus 18:5] YE SHALL THEREFORE KEEP MY STATUTES, AND MY JUDGMENTS: WHICH IF A MAN DO, HE SHALL LIVE IN THEM: I AM THE LORD.
[Isaiah 26:2] OPEN YE THE GATES, THAT THE RIGHTEOUS NATION WHICH KEEPETH THE TRUTH MAY ENTER IN.
[Psalms 33:1] REJOICE IN THE LORD, O YE RIGHTEOUS: FOR PRAISE IS COMELY FOR THE UPRIGHT.
[Psalms 125:4] DO GOOD, O LORD, UNTO THOSE THAT BE GOOD, AND TO THEM THAT ARE UPRIGHT IN THEIR HEARTS.
Israel had extra responsibilities:
[Exodus 19:6] AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF
PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION. THESE ARE THE WORDS WHICH THOU SHALT SPEAK UNTO
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
Even when disaster overcame Israel (or Judah) the nations would have
to realize that this was proof of Divine Providence and take heed:
[Deuteronomy 29:24] EVEN ALL NATIONS SHALL SAY, WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD
DONE THUS UNTO THIS LAND? WHAT MEANETH THE HEAT OF THIS GREAT ANGER?
Cf. also what we wrote in our commentary to Zechariah:
[Zechariah 1:15] AND I AM VERY SORE DISPLEASED
WITH THE HEATHEN THAT ARE AT EASE: FOR I WAS BUT A LITTLE DISPLEASED, AND
THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION.
Note: "THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION" in Hebrew "azru [helped]
leRa [to make worse]".It means that because the Jews (Judah) had sinned God
was angry at them and delivered them into non-Jewish hands as a punishment
BUT the non-Jews took advantage of the situation and oppressed the Jews.
Therefore God is angry at them.Ammon will be punished for helping the enemies
of Judah, exulting over the fate of Judah and attempting to profit by it.
[Ezekiel 25:2] SON OF MAN, SET THY FACE AGAINST THE AMMONITES, AND PROPHESY AGAINST THEM;
[Ezekiel 25:3] AND SAY UNTO 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; AND AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL, WHEN IT WAS DESOLATE;
AND AGAINST THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, WHEN THEY WENT INTO CAPTIVITY;<<AHA,
AGAINST MY SANCTUARY, WHEN IT WAS PROFANED>>: Even now the site of
the Holy Temple is desolate. Moslem Arabs trample the site down and dig it
up and destroy all remains of Israelite heritage they can find. Jews are not
allowed to pray there. The Muslims are able to do this because the rest of
the world backs them up in this matter.
<<AGAINST THE LAND
OF ISRAEL, WHEN IT WAS DESOLATE>>: God wants the land of Israel to
be rebuilt and settled with Jews and Israelites. God is a Zionist. Opponents
of Zionism are enemies of the God of Israel.
[Ezekiel 25:4] BEHOLD, THEREFORE I WILL DELIVER THEE
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.
<<THE MEN OF THE EAST>>: The land of Ammon would be overrun by people from the east.
[Ezekiel 25:5] AND I WILL MAKE RABBAH A STABLE FOR
CAMELS, AND THE AMMONITES A COUCHING PLACE FOR FLOCKS: AND YE SHALL KNOW
THAT I AM THE LORD.
[Ezekiel 25:6] FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THOU HAST CLAPPED
THINE HANDS, AND STAMPED WITH THE FEET, AND REJOICED IN HEART WITH ALL THY
DESPITE AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL;
[Ezekiel 25:7] 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 25:8] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THAT MOAB AND SEIR
DO SAY, BEHOLD, THE HOUSE OF JUDAH IS LIKE UNTO ALL THE HEATHEN;
<<MOAB AND SEIR>>: "Seir" was another term for Edom but
not necessarily the land of Edom that lay to the southeast of Judah. There
were also Edomites entities in the north and these too were also associated
with Seir. "Seir" apparently refers to the Horites (Hurrians) who were widely
spread over the Middle East. The Poles and other Europeans also contain an
infusion of Hurrian ancestry.
<< THE HOUSE OF JUDAH IS LIKE UNTO ALL THE HEATHEN>>: Moab was
to be punished for speaking against the Jews even though objectively speaking
they were not saying anything that was necessarily incorrect. Even though
the Jews may sometimes have incurred the wrath of the Almighty they are still
part of the People of God. He will take vengeance for his people.
[Ezekiel 25:9] 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,
[Ezekiel 25:10] 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.
[Ezekiel 25:11] AND I WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENTS UPON MOAB; AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.
[Ezekiel 25:12] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THAT EDOM HATH DEALT
AGAINST THE HOUSE OF JUDAH BY TAKING VENGEANCE, AND HATH GREATLY OFFENDED,
AND REVENGED HIMSELF UPON THEM;
[Ezekiel 25:13] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD;
I WILL ALSO STRETCH OUT MINE HAND UPON EDOM, AND WILL CUT OFF MAN AND BEAST
FROM IT; AND I WILL MAKE IT DESOLATE FROM TEMAN; AND THEY OF DEDAN SHALL
FALL BY THE SWORD.
<<DEDAN>>: This was an Edomite center.
[Ezekiel 25:14] 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.
<<AND THEY SHALL DO IN EDOM ACCORDING TO MINE ANGER>>:
Tradition says that the seed of Joseph will destroy Edom. The book of Obadiah
is dedicated to this theme.
[Ezekiel 25:15] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THE
PHILISTINES HAVE DEALT BY REVENGE, AND HAVE TAKEN VENGEANCE WITH A DESPITEFUL
HEART, TO DESTROY IT FOR THE OLD HATRED;
[Ezekiel 25:16] 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 SEA COAST.
<<CHERETHIMS>>: in Modern Hebrew "Kretim". This means Crete.
It was the name of an area of Philistia and also refers to the fact that
part of the Philistines came from Crete and related areas. They were part
of Minoan civilization. Linguistic evidence links the Philistines with the
Pelasgians of Greece and with areas on the eastern coast of the Adriatic.
Don Isaac Abarbanel quoted sources that linked the philistines with the Venetians
and Genoese of Italy.
[Ezekiel 25:17] 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 INDEX
CHAPTER 26
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