Year 3, Day 161: Ezekiel 35

Edom

Ezekiel 35 deals primarily with Mount Seir.  Seir was Edom’s geographical name.  This chapter returns us to a prophetic announcement against Edom.  Yes, we’ve already had one of those.  However, this prophetic announcement comes in the midst of hearing about the Hebrew people and God’s restoration of them.  This is a clue that the prophetic announcement here might be more than the announcement we had earlier.  Earlier God was pronouncing Edom’s destruction alongside the judgment of His own people.  But while God will lift His people up and restore them, Edom will continue in judgment.

The Hand of the Lord

In verses 1-4 we have the first of the four prophetic statements made by God against Edom.  In this first one, God’s point is simple and clear.  God will stretch out His hand against Edom.  The destruction that comes will be at the hand of God.  God will make the cities a wasteland.  ‘God will bring them low.  God’s wants the people of Edom to hear and understand that there is a price to pay for continually being a thorn in His side.

Bloodshed

In verses 5-9 we have the second of the prophetic announcements.  This section is a little more deep that the first announcement.  In this section we hear again and again about the love of bloodshed on behalf of the people of Edom.  God tells them upfront that it is because of their love for bloodshed that blood shall pursue them.

I think this section truly falls into the self-fulfilling prophecy section of scripture.  Think about it.  Have you ever heard the expression, “You are what you eat?”  Perhaps you’ve heard it said that “You are the sum of the friends you keep.”  Each of those expressions speaks to exactly the same kind of wisdom that God is giving to the Edomites in this section.

If you have a people who are constantly engaging in violent pursuits, they are going to become a violent culture.  If you have a people who settle differences violently, then violence will become the norm.  If you have a people who entertain themselves in violent pursuits, they will learn to appreciate violence.  When you add up all of those things, you get a violent culture.  God is telling the Edomites that because their culture was set up to appreciate and encourage violent behavior, they will always be pursued by the results of living in a violent culture.

I can’t help but think about our own culture as I read through these words.  Television is a horribly violent set of entertainment.  An alarming percentage of the popular movies are filled with scenes of violence.  Even the cartoons that our children watch are filled with violence towards one another.  Our sports are violent, and the athletes who participate in those sports are often violent in their behavior on and off the court.  {Although I am speaking in generalities.  I do acknowledge there are athletes who do not fit the mold I’m creating in these words.}

We can’t get away from it.  Our culture – like the culture of the Edomites – is growing increasingly violent.  The world is becoming increasingly violent.  I personally think that we are already seeing the effects of living in a culture that has a developing appetite for violence.  Like the Edomites, when we thirst for bloodshed we shall be pursued by blood.

Usurping God

In verses 10-12 we hear about Edom’s lust to control the Promised Land.  When God brought the Assyrians against Israel, Edom was greedy and wanted control of the land.  When God brought the Babylonians against Judah, the Edomites saw their opening.  They vied for control of the land.

Here’s the problem.  Yes, God was judging His people.  Yes, God was sending them into bondage.  But that does not imply that God had abdicated the promises made to Abraham.  God was not abdicating the covenant.  He was merely disciplining within the covenant.  The Edomites had no right to claim land that had not yet been forfeited!  In claiming the land of God’s people for themselves, the Edomites were usurping God’s authority and claiming to be more powerful than God.

Of course, this leads me back to our modern world.  How much fighting in the world goes on today because people continue to fight over control of the Promised Land?  It would seem that we still haven’t learned this lesson.  We still want to usurp God’s authority.

Judgment

In the closing verses we have a return to the basic idea of God’s judgment.  In these verses, it boils down to pride.  The Edomites have puffed themselves up before God.  They have been prideful in their boasting at the downfall of their neighbors.  Once more we see that God will give what the people have given.  God is an expert at turning the tables.  As the Edomites boasted over the fall of the Hebrew people, so the world will boast at the downfall of the Edomites.  What goes around comes around, especially when God is involved.

  

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