EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 25:1-17
Ezekiel: “They shall know that I am God”
God’s Plans for *Israel and the Nations
Ezekiel Chapter s 25 to 39
Ian Mackervoy
Part Two – Ezekiel 25:1-33Punishment of the Nations |
Punishment of the countries near Judah – Ezekiel 25:1-17
In the ancient world, all the nations had different gods. People often thought that their gods were only powerful in their own nations. Really, their gods had no power. The *LORD is the only real God. He created heaven and earth. So, he is the judge of every nation. And he told Ezekiel to declare his judgement against the nations that were near Judah.
Chapter 25
Punishment of Ammon – Ezekiel 25:1-7
v1 The *LORD spoke to me. v2 ‘*Son of man, look toward the *Ammonites and *prophesy against them. v3 Say to them, “Hear the words of the *LORD your King. This is what the *LORD your King says to you. You were glad when people destroyed my *temple. You were glad when the armies ruined the nation called *Israel. You were glad when the people from Judah went into *exile. v4 Therefore, I will give you to the people in the East to be theirs. They will build their camps and they will have their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk. v5 I will make the city called Rabbah into a field for camels to feed in. The country called Ammon will be a place for sheep to rest. Then you will know that I am the *LORD. v6 This is what the *LORD your King says. You clapped your hands and you jumped because of joy. You laughed with all your spite against the nation called *Israel. v7 Because of this, I will use my power against you. I will give you to the nations who will rob you. Then you will not exist among the countries. You will never again be a nation. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the *LORD.” ’
Verses 1-7 Ammon was a country to the north-east of Judah. It was on the edge of the desert that is east of the Jordan River. Ammon was to the north of the country called Moab. It was between the rivers called Arnon and Jabbok. The chief city was Rabbah. Rabbah was in the place that is now called Amman, in Jordan.
In about 600 *BC, Ammon joined Babylon to fight against Judah (2 Kings 24:2). In 594 *BC, Ammon joined a plot to fight against Babylon. This was with Edom, Moab, Tyre and Sidon. They tried to involve Judah in that plot (Jeremiah chapter 27). The plot failed.
When the *Babylonians destroyed the *temple, the *Ammonites were glad. They took delight in the defeat of Judah. They were glad when the *Jews went into *exile. They laughed and they clapped their hands with joy. Because of this, God was angry with them.
The *Lord would send the *Babylonians to destroy Ammon. It would not exist as a country again. This happened in the year 582 *BC. This was about 5 years after the *Babylonians had destroyed Jerusalem.
The *Babylonians would either kill the *Ammonites or they would take them away as *exiles. People from the east would come and they would live in the country.
What the *Lord says will happen. This shows that *Israel’s God is the only real God.
Punishment of Moab – Ezekiel 25:8-11
v8 ‘This is what the *LORD your King says. “Moab and Edom spoke about the people from Judah. ‘Look, Judah is like all the other nations.’ v9 Because of this, I will cause armies to attack the cities on the border of Moab. They will attack Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon and Kiriathaim, the best cities in the country. v10 Then I will give Moab, with the *Ammonites, to the people from the east. They will possess the country. Moab, like Ammon, will never again be a nation. v11 So, I will punish the *Moabites. And they will know that I am the *LORD.” ’
Verses 8-11 The territory of Moab was south of the Arnon River. It was along the lower region to the east of the Dead Sea.
This was the *sin of Moab. They said that *Israel was like all the other nations. In effect, they said that *Israel’s God was like any other god. And the *Moabites laughed when the *Babylonians defeated Judah (Jeremiah 48:27). Because of these insults, the *Lord would allow Moab’s enemies to destroy it.
Armies would attack from the north. They would come into the best cities first. These cities were the border towns of Moab. They were called Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon and Kiriathaim. These three cities were north of the Arnon River. This had been part of the territory of *Israel.
The *Babylonians attacked Moab in the year 583 *BC. They killed the *Moabites or they took them away into *exile. People came from the east and they lived in the country. From that time, the nation called Moab did not exist.
By this punishment, people will know that the *Lord is the only real God.
Punishment of Edom – Ezekiel 25:12-14
v12 ‘This is what the *LORD the King says about Edom. “The people in Edom were cruel in what they did against Judah. They are guilty because of what they did. v13 Therefore, this is what the *LORD your King says. I will use my power against Edom. I will kill its men and animals and I will destroy Edom. From Teman to Dedan, the inhabitants of Edom will die by the sword. v14 I will use my people *Israel to destroy Edom. The *Israelites will do to them all that my anger demands. And they shall know that I, the *LORD your King, have punished them.” ’
Verses 12-14 Edom was the territory south of Moab. It was from the Dead Sea to the Gulf (bay) called Aqaba.
Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau was the *ancestor of Edom. Jacob was the *ancestor of *Israel. There had always been trouble between Edom and *Israel. Edom (also called Seir) wanted to possess *Israel and Judah (Ezekiel 35:10). Edom had attacked *Israel often.
God promised to destroy Edom. He would kill the people and the animals. To do this, he would use the *Israelites. The *Babylonians attacked Edom and they destroyed much of Edom. But it remained as a nation. Then in the year 126 *BC, John Hyrcanus led *Israel in the defeat of Edom. Since that attack, Edom has not existed.
Ezekiel said that this would happen in time. Then the people would know that this punishment came from the *Lord God of *Israel.
Punishment of Philistia – Ezekiel 25:15-17
v15 ‘This is what the *LORD your King says about the *Philistines. “The *Philistines have been cruel and they have always fought against my people, Judah. They have tried to *destroy my people because they hate them. v16 Therefore, this is what the *LORD your King says: I will use my power against the *Philistines. I will kill the *Cherethites. I will *destroy the people that live on the coast. v17 Because of my fierce anger, I will punish them. They will know that I am the *LORD because of this punishment.” ’
Verses 15-17 Philistia was to the west of Judah and it reached to the Mediterranean Sea.
All through the history of the country called *Israel, the *Philistines had been enemies. They hated *Israel and they were a cruel nation. King David managed to beat them but afterwards they became a strong nation. King Jehoshaphat defeated them and King Uzziah made them serve him. They were strong against King Jehoram and King Ahaz.
So, the *Lord said that he would destroy Philistia. The *Cherethites and the people that live on the coast were the *Philistines. The *Babylonians may have destroyed Philistia. Philistia has not existed as a nation since that time.
Punishment of Tyre and Sidon – Ezekiel 26:1-28
God told Ezekiel to declare his (God’s) judgement against the great commercial cities called Tyre and Sidon. These cities had become very wealthy and very proud. In fact, they were so proud that God compared their king to Satan (the devil). This passage is also similar to Revelation chapter 18. That chapter is about the end of the great commercial powers that rule the world.
Israel ~ Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel. Israel became the name of the northern nation when it separated from Judah. However, Ezekiel sometimes uses the word ‘Israel’ to refer to Judah.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. It probably means ‘always God’. This name has a relationship with the special promises that God gave to his people.
Ammonites ~ a person from the nation called Ammon or anything that has a relationship with Ammon.
prophesy ~ to speak a prophecy.
prophecy ~ a message from God; a gift of the Holy Spirit.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God or other gods. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the real God.
worship ~ an act to give honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
exile ~ When people have to live in a foreign country they are in exile. Such a person is called an exile.
BC ~ years before Christ was born.
Babylonian ~ a person from the nation called Babylon or anything that has a relationship with Babylon.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. It probably means ‘always God’. This name has a relationship with the special promises that God gave to his people.
Moabite ~ a person from the nation called Moab or anything that has a relationship with that nation.
sin ~ Sin means the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God. People are called sinners because of their sins.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Philistine ~ a person from the nation called Philistia or anything that has a relationship with that nation.
destroy ~ to carry out the most severe punishment possible; to cause someone to suffer; to kill everyone in a nation.
Cherethites ~ another name for the Philistines.
Philistine ~ a person from the nation called Philistia or anything that has a relationship with that nation.