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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday May 10, 2015
A MESSAGE FOR EDOM
(Restoration for Israel)
Ezekiel 35-36
In Ezekiel 35, the prophet Ezekiel presents yet a second prophecy
of doom against Edom (the first was Ezekiel 25:12-14), or, Mount Seir, and the
whole geographical region where Edom is located. Therefore, this particular
prophecy is against all people living in that area, including Edom, one of
Israel’s oldest enemies.
Seir is the name of the valley and mountain range of Aravah, from
the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf. It is also where the Horites lived, who were
conquered by King Kedorlaomer before he himself was defeated by Abraham
(Genesis 14:6), and, where Jacob sent messengers in an attempt to soften his
brother Esau’s expected rage against him for swindling him out of his
inheritance (Genesis 32:3). Esau is the father of the Edomite nation.
As I stated in an
earlier commentary, Edom’s conflict with Israel dates all the way back to the
time when Edom refused to allow Israel to cross its border when they were
wandering in the desert following their exodus from Egypt (Numbers 20:14-21).
Ezekiel said in chapter 25 that Edom’s sin was that she “took revenge on the
house of Judah”, and that she saw Judah’s conflict with Babylon as a grand
opportunity to strengthen her own position of power in the region. Edom
believed that, if Judah were destroyed, she would be able to gain a foothold in
the area south of the Dead Sea. And so they aided Babylon in her efforts to
destroy Jerusalem.
Here in Ezekiel 35, the
LORD says that Edom’s continued hatred for Israel led her to butcher them when
they were helpless (under duress from Babylon). Their actions against Israel
came at a time when GOD was already punishing Israel for their sins against
HIM. In this passage GOD hurls four accusations at Seir, as reasons for HIS
judgment on that region.
·
The
first accusation was that they were always hostile toward HIS chosen people
(v.5).
·
Secondly,
they maintained a desire to take possession of, and own the land that GOD had
already given to HIS people, Israel (v.10).
·
Thirdly,
they harbored an ongoing disrespect for GOD HIMSELF (v.10).
·
And
finally, they refused to submit to GOD, and boasted proudly against HIM, which
is the general reason for the fall of all mankind (v.13).
And so Edom became
somewhat of “an object lesson” for all nations in general, who are hostile to
Israel. In the day when GOD restores Israel, HE will also judge the nations of
the world, based on how they treated Israel, GOD’s “original representative
nation” here on earth.
Ezekiel 36 is the exact
antithesis to Ezekiel 35. After GOD judges Israel’s enemies, HE will, at a
future date, bless HIS chosen nation with complete restoration. Here Ezekiel
contrasts GOD’s plan of judgment, and Israel’s present condition, with GOD’s
plan of restoration, and Israel’s future blessings.
In this passage GOD
tells Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel’s mountains, which were soon to be cleansed
of all of the shrines and altars, along with all of their demonic influences
that could currently be found there. Israel had become possessed by the demonic
forces of many nations while worshipping those nations many idol gods. As a
result of their poor spiritual choices, they now suffered physical defeat, and
they were now mocked and slandered by those same nations (Vs.1-3).
The LORD’s anger was
kindled against the pagan nations, especially Edom, because of her utter
contempt against HIM, by happily taking Israel’s land for themselves, as a
reward after Judah’s destruction. GOD’s intent in this chapter, however, is to
encourage HIS down-throdden people of Israel, and assure them that HE had not
abandoned them. This, all in light of the fact, that, none of the exiles would
ever live to see this prophecy fulfilled. GOD wanted them to know that Israel
would rise from its shame, and that her mountains would once again produce
abundant crops, and its land would again be filled with people, flocks and
herds (Vs.5-15).
When the Israelites
were living in their own land they defiled it with evil deeds, and to GOD,
those acts were utterly detestable. They had polluted the land with murder,
idolatry, and adultery, and so GOD poured out HIS anger on them, and scattered
them abroad to many distant lands, as one of HIS forms of punishment. Even
after they were scattered abroad, they still brought dishonor to GOD’s holy
name. The pagan nations began to mock them by saying, “These are the people of the LORD, and HE couldn’t keep them safe in
their own land” (Vs.16-20).
Being concerned for HIS
OWN name and reputation, GOD sent this message to the exiles through the
prophet Ezekiel (Vs.22-27) (NLT):
“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message
from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it
to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered
among the nations. I will
show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the
nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says
the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. For I will gather you up
from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your
filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new
spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a
tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that
you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”
Here in this passage we see
one of scripture’s earliest revelations of GOD’s plan for us through CHRIST
JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT. GOD would not only give us a new “human spirit”, or,
“desire to obey HIM” (v.26). After we have been cleansed by the blood of CHRIST,
which was shed as a sacrifice for our sins and uncleanness, GOD would also
allow us to be embodied by HIS HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT would be paramount
in helping steer us and guide us into all righteousness and obedience, based on
our own personal choice, and “saving faith” in HIM (v.27).
In GOD’s Mosaic Law
(Leviticus 16:30-31), a ritually unclean person would not be able to
participate in worship services. And so the idea of being “clean” or “unclean”
could have a significant impact on one’s personal relationship with GOD. This
law also carried over to “moral and immoral acts” as it is emphasized in Psalm
106:36-39. Men of GOD saw in this concept of ritual uncleanness, a powerful
image of “the inner defilement” that is caused by sin.
The whole nation of Israel
had defiled itself through their forbidden practices of idolatry, adultery, and
murderous sacrifices of children in the fire to Mollech. GOD’s holiness
absolutely required that the Israelites vacate from HIS holy land, which would
continue to exist long after that generation of people, had expired. The land
had to cleansed of the “demonic defilement” that comes with worshipping people,
places, and things other than GOD HIMSELF. And the people themselves had to be
cleansed by allowing their sins to “run its course” for seventy years in
Babylon, after which, GOD would be ready to hear their prayers once again, and
be willing to also, grant their special requests (v.37).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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