3 Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
with beautiful
branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top
above the thick foliage. 4 The waters nourished it,
deep springs
made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around
its base
and sent their channels
to all the
trees of the field. 5 So it towered higher
than all
the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its
branches grew long,
spreading
because of abundant waters. 6 All the birds of the sky
nested in
its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth
under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in
its shade. 7 It was majestic in beauty,
with its
spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant
waters. 8 The cedars in the garden of God
could not
rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its
boughs,
nor could the plane trees
compare
with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match
its beauty. 9 I made it beautiful
with abundant
branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden
in the garden
of God.
10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar
towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, 11
I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal
with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, 12 and the
most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the
mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of
the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.
13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild
animals lived among its branches. 14 Therefore no other trees
by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick
foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are
all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm
of the dead.
2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you said “Aha!” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,
4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.
5 I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
6 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,
7 therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,”
9 therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim—the glory of that land.
10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations;
11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because Edom took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so,
13 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill both man and beast. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword.
14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
A Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah,
16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will wipe out the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast.
17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take vengeance on them.’”
The Heart That God Sees
Ezekiel 25:1-17
Ezekiel 25 lists many nations which God will punish. It might occur to us that this is just a historical account, but there are important messages and warnings here.
God looks at our hearts carefully and also the hearts of nations. God judges man's actions, but he also judges their motivations and intent.
Ezekiel 25:3 ESV
[3] Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile,
Aha in ancient Hebrew is mocking. God warns us not to rejoice in our enemies’ failures. We should embrace the heart of God and seek peace. We should forgive and not delight when our enemies suffer as mentioned in proverbs.
Proverbs 24:17 ESV
[17] Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Moab is the next nation that God will punish.
Ezekiel 25:8 ESV
[8] “Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’
Judah was a covenant nation with God. To degrade Judah was to degrade God.
God seeks to be first in our lives. To treat God holy, we have to put God first in everything.
God judges Edom and Philistia because of their violence.
Ezekiel 25:12 ESV
[12] “Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them,
Ezekiel 25:15 ESV
[15] “Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity,
Our world is full of hate and strife. Everyone feels offended and wants justice, but when we take our vengeance, we act as if we are God. God is not asking us to ignore justice or pretend bad things did not happen However, we need to trust God that he will do what is best. God is asking us to release the unforgiveness and bitterness and be content with God's justice.
We need to ask for a heart like God. We need hearts that grieve when others suffer or witness injustice. We need hearts that seek peace and love. Hearts to forgive as Jesus forgave.
