Ezekiel 35:1-15

Ezekiel: “They shall know that I am God”

God’s Plans for *Israel and the Nations

Ezekiel Chapter s 25 to 39

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 35

The *Lord will destroy Edom – Ezekiel 35:1-15

v1 The *LORD spoke to me. v2 ‘*Son of man, look toward *Mount Seir and *prophesy against it. v3 Say to it, “This is what the *LORD your King says. I am against you, *Mount Seir. I will stretch out my hand against you. And I will make you into an empty desert. v4 I will destroy your cities, and you will become empty. Then you will know that I am the *LORD.

v5 You have always been an enemy of *Israel. You gave the *Israelites to those who attacked them. When their final punishment came, you handed them over to die by the sword. v6 I am the God who lives. So I, the *LORD your King, say this to you. I will give you to those who will kill you. They will chase you. Since you have not hated blood, death will pursue you. v7 I will make *Mount Seir into an empty desert. I will kill all who go into it. And I will kill all who come out of it. v8 I will fill its mountains with the bodies of those people who die in the battle. Those people who die in the war will *fall on your hills. They will *fall in your valleys. And they will *fall in all your streams. v9 I will make you into a desert. Nobody will ever live in your cities. Then you will know that I am the *LORD.

v10 You said, ‘These two nations and these two countries will be ours. We will take them to be our own countries.’ But the *LORD was there. v11 So, this is what the *LORD your King says. I am the God who lives. I will deal with you as you did with the *Israelites. You were angry. And you were jealous because you hated them. So, I will punish you. I will show them who I am. v12 Then you will know that I am the *LORD. And I have heard all your insults against the mountains of *Israel. You said, ‘They are empty. They are ready for us to take them as our own country.’ v13 Because you are proud, you have spoken much against me. I have heard you. v14 This is what the *LORD your King says. When I destroy your country, the whole earth will be happy. v15 You were happy because of what happened to the *Israelites. But I will do the same thing to you. *Mount Seir and all Edom, I will ruin you and you will be empty. Then you will know that I am the *LORD.” ’

Verses 1-4 Here *Mount Seir means the country that was called Edom. That country was to the east of the Dead Sea. It went down to the Gulf called Aqaba. The main cities were called Petra and Teman.

Perhaps Edom hated *Israel more than all the other nations. Edom came from the family of Esau. And *Israel came from the family of Esau’s brother, Jacob. There had been problems between them from the start. They hated each other. Esau *turned away from God. Edom had done as much damage to *Israel as it could.

God will punish Edom. He will destroy its cities. Then they will know that the God of *Israel is the *Lord.

Verses 5-9 Through their history, Edom had helped those who attacked *Israel. The *Edomites joined with Babylon in the fight against Judah. They were glad because of the defeat of Jerusalem. They killed many of the *Jews. So, God would cause the *Edomites’ enemies to kill them.

These things will happen. Then people will know that the God of *Israel is the *Lord.

Verses 10-15 The *Edomites wanted to own the land that belonged to Judah and *Israel. They had spoken against the *Lord. They did not recognise that the God of *Israel is the *Lord of all. They did not realise that the *Lord was with his people. So, the *Edomites could never possess the country called *Israel.

As the *Edomites had done to the *Jews, so the *Lord would do to the *Edomites.

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.
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.

'son of man ~ Ezekiel. ‘Son of man’ was the title that God used for Ezekiel. It emphasised that Ezekiel was a mere man. Ezekiel would have to depend on God’s Spirit to make him strong. Only then could Ezekiel do what God told him to do.
prophesy ~ to speak a prophecy.
prophecy ~ a message from God; a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
fall ~ when enemies destroy a city or a country; when a person dies suddenly.
turn ~ to change your behaviour, your friends, or your God; or, to carry out actions in order to oppose someone.
Edomite ~ a person from the nation called Edom or anything that has a relationship with Edom.
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.