Ezekiel 25:15-17

IV. THE WORD AGAINST PHILISTIA 25:15-17

TRANSLATION

(15) Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the Philistine have acted in revenge, and have taken vengeance with contempt in (their) soul to destroy with eternal enmity, (16) therefore, thus says the LORD: Behold, I am about to stretch out My hand against the Philistine, and I shall cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. (17) And I will execute great vengeance on them by acts of furious chastisement;[376] and they shall know that I am the LORD when I execute My vengeance on them.

[376] Rendering of the Berkeley Version; NASB, with wrathful rebukes.

COMMENTS

The Philistine invaded Palestine about 1200 B.C. in the days of the Judges. They hailed from the island of Caphtor (Amos 9:7). Knowing the secret of smelting iron, they immediately gained the advantage over the Israelites who still fought and farmed with bronze weapons and implements. Samson fought valiantly against them, and Samuel inflicted upon them a stinging defeat (1 Samuel 7:13). It was David, however, who broke their power. From that point on, in periods of strength Israel dominated Philistia, and in periods of Israelite weakness the Philistine broke free. During these periods of independence the Philistine did all they could to harass the Jews.

Ezekiel condemned the Philistine for their constant enmity against Judah. Filled with ruthless vengeance, they were determined to utterly destroy the people of God (Ezekiel 25:15).

God's mighty hand, which so recently had been stretched out against Jerusalem, would now be turned against these neighbors who had aided and abetted the Babylonians. The Philistine and the Cherethites[377] who lived among them would be destroyed. In fact all the remnant of the seacoast was to be destroyed (Ezekiel 25:16). God's vengeance against these people would take place in the form of wrathful rebukes (NASB) or acts of furious chastisement (BV). This suggests that the demise of the seacoast peoples would be the result of repeated blows (Ezekiel 25:17).

[377] It is thought that the Cherethites were a band of Cretan mercenaries brought to the south coast of Palestine by the Egyptians. David hired them for his personal bodyguards, and they proved intensely loyal to him. In this passage as well as Zephaniah 2:5, Cherethities are condemned along with Philistine. It is not clear whether these terms are synonymous, or whether separate peoples are intended.

The fulfillment of this prediction began in the sixth century B.C. during the lifetime of Ezekiel. Gaza was attacked and destroyed by Pharaoh Hophra. Later the Babylonians devastated the land. During the intertestamental period the Jewish armies made several campaigns into the area[378] doing substantial damage.

[378] 1Ma. 5:68; 1Ma. 10:84; 1Ma. 13:47-48.

As one reads the four short oracles of chapter 25, one cannot help but recall the promise made to Abraham: I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you (Genesis 12:3 a). God always has been concerned about worldly attitudes and actions toward His people. People of the world are not in sympathy with God's program and plan. Ammonites who gloat over the misfortune of God's people are still in abundance. Modern day Moabites would secularize the people of God by refusing to acknowledge that He indeed has called out of the world a chosen people. The Edomites are illustrative of those who are vindictive and openly hostile toward God's people. The Philistine are those who act out their hatred and brutality toward God's people. The abiding message of this chapter is that God defends the honor of His people, and ultimately overthrows all who oppose His people.