Ezekiel 25 is the beginning of the oracles against other nations these oracles last until chapter 32. Chapter 25 in particular deals with the neighboring nations in Palestine as opposed to those in places like Tyre or Egypt. The judgment on the nations are as follows:
Ammon/Ammonites (near modern day Jordan)-Ezekiel 25:1-7
(a) He was to prophesy against them. “thus says the Lord”. He would give them to the sons of the east for a possession. Sons of the east was a blanket term for the Bedouin nomadic tribes that inhabited the desert steppe and often invaded cultivated territories like Palestine in raiding bands. During times of drought this was especially true. They will live among the Ammonites. Not only would it be a raiding band they would come to stay this time. They will eat their fruit and drink their milk. God would make Rabbah (capital of Ammon) a pasture for camels.
(b) This is because Ammon celebrated/rejoiced against Israel and its current downfall to the Babylonians. Therefore God would stretch out His hand against them and made them spoil to the nations. They would perish from the lands. God will destroy them. Bottom-line is that Ammon had absolutely no compassion for Israel, so they would suffer the same type of fate.
Moab/Moabites (on eastern side of the Dead Sea)-Ezekiel 25:8-11
They would be judge because Moab and Seir said, “ Judah is like all the nations” meaning that the Moabites from a religious point of view. They viewed Israel’s God as no more powerful than any other nation’s God which were obviously false gods.
Edom/Edomites (below Moab on eastern side of Dead Sea)-Ezekiel 25:12-14
They would be judge because of the Edomite’s acts of vengeance towards Israel in the aftermath of the Babylonian invasion. So its territories would be laid waste from Teman to Dedan or north to south.
Philistia/Philistines (near modern day Gaza against Mediterranean Sea)-Ezekiel 25:15-17
The Philistines would be judge because of the same type of actions as Edom. They acted vengefully against Israel when the chips were down. This gave vent to constant enmity between Israel and the Philistines.
All of these oracles are clear demonstrations of God’s sovereignty and ability to act in the course of all nations not just Israel’s. Nobody punishes God’s children except God though the vehicle or nation he chooses. These countries were clearly not acting on God’s behalf other than to be an example to anyone that got bright ideas about antagonizing or picking on God’s chosen. If you pick on God’s chosen without God’s permission, God picks on you…and God is serious.
Craigie, Peter C.. "Oracles Against The Nations." Ezekiel (Daily Study Bible (Westminster Hardcover). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1983. 187-191. Print.
Eichrodt, Walther. "Chapter 5.1-17: Oracles Against Neighboring Nations In Palestine." Ezekiel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1970. 355-364. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment