Ezekiel 35
COMMENTARY:
: 5 Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end. (343 “hatred” [eybah] means enmity, personal hostility, hostile mind, animosity, or rancor.)
DEVOTION: Here we have two relatives that have a bad history between them. The children of Esau were those who inhibited Edom. They lived in the land of mount Seir. They didn’t like their relatives because they thought they had cheated them out of the land that was promised to Jacob.
Remember Jacob who is also named Israel had lied to his father Isaac and received the blessing that was supposed to go to the firstborn, Esau. Not only that but he also made Esau give up his birthright for a serving of pottage when he was hungry.
The hatred was real. Jacob ran away from home to get away from his brother trying to kill him. When he returned he was afraid his brother was still going to try to kill him. This did not happen but the relatives never forgave Jacob or Israel for what had happened.
Now the Babylonians were coming to destroy Jerusalem and the people of Edom were helping them. They were capturing those who were trying to escape the army of Babylon and giving them to them to be killed and enjoying every minute of it.
This type of personal hostility is not to be found in those who believe in Jesus Christ. It is not a Christian characteristic. It is a sin. We need to turn those who abuse us over to the LORD and let HIM deal with them.
The problem is that there are people in our churches who will NEVER forgive someone for their mistreatment of them. They will hold on to their hatred and never seek restoration with someone who had offended them.
The Bible tells us that we are to forgive those who offend us, so that, the LORD can forgive us.
There are many bitter people in the pews of our churches singing songs to the glory of God but they will not let go of someone who has hurt them decades ago. It is eating them up.
CHALLENGE: Don’t be one of those who claim Christ and want HIS forgiveness and yet will not forgive a fellow human being for something they have done to you.
: 11 Therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will even do according to your anger and according to your envy which you have used out of your hatred against them and I will make MYSELF known among them, when I have judged you. (7068 “envy” [qin’ah] means jealousy, a greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill, ardor, enmity, wrath, or passion.)
DEVOTION: The LORD is looking down on the children of Esau and listening to what they are saying but also seeing their attitude toward the children of Israel. Our words can sometimes seem nice but the LORD looks at our heart.
He knows when we are faking friendship with someone. The children of Esau might have pretended to like the children of Israel before the Babylonians came to destroy Jerusalem.
The LORD doesn’t want us to fake friendship. HE wants us to be honest in our words and in our attitudes. HE saw the hatred the Edomites had toward the Israelites. HE saw their actions.
HE told them that HE was going to judge them by their own attitudes. If they wanted to act one way – HE would give them the same action.
HE doesn’t want those who follow HIM to be angry. We are not to let the sun go down on our anger. HE doesn’t want believers to envy anyone. HE provides all that we need. HE loves us and knows what is right for us and when it is right for us. HE wants our trust.
CHALLENGE: God not only hears our words but HE sees our attitude toward others. HE wants us to make sure that we are consistent in the way we talk and the way we act toward those who are HIS servants. We will not be blessed if our attitude is wrong toward others.
: 12 Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that I have heard of all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume. (5007 “blasphemies” [na’atsah] means provocation, contempt, defamation, blasphemous language expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred, reproach, or disgrace.)
DEVOTION: This nation was saying bad things about the nation of Israel. They were using words that shouldn’t come from the mouth of anyone. They were using the LORD’S name in vain. They were saying bad things against the LORD.
As believers we are to watch what words we use and which words we avoid. Sometimes believers will hear words they are not sure what they mean. These words should be avoided until we can look up the words in a dictionary or ask someone who can give us an answer. It is better not to use a word than to use it out loud and everyone hears you using it.
God is listening to your every word. Parents should be listening to every word their children use. Leaders should be listening to the words other believers use and advice
them against the use of some words.
The people who don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior know what words believers should use and what words they shouldn’t use. Our words are a part of our witness for the LORD. Bring glory to the LORD with your words.
CHALLENGE: We need to realize that God hears our every word and deals with us according to our words and actions. We need to be treating fellow believers well or the LORD will deal with us. We need to also make sure that we are dealing with our enemies well as well and let the LORD deal with them.
: 13 Thus with your mouth you have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them. (1431 “boasted” [gadal] means to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, or do great things.)
DEVOTION: Mount Seir is the place where the descendants of Esau lived. Esau was the brother of Jacob. Jacob took Esau’s blessing and birth right by tricky. Jacob ran from him. On the way back Jacob was renamed Israel. His twelve children inherited the Promised Land. Esau inherited Mount Seir.
There was a natural hatred for Israel by those who lived in Mount Seir. They enjoyed seeing them go into captivity. They even helped their enemies collect them. If the Israelites ran from their enemies the Edomites caught them and gave them to their enemies.
The children of Israel were cousins to Esau. They should have known better than to mistreat a relative. The LORD was going to judge them. They not only helped the enemy of Israel but they put the LORD down in the process. They said bad things about the LORD. What they didn’t realize was that the LORD heard every word they said.
We need to realize that the enemies of the LORD are saying many bad things about the LORD and about Christianity. We need to remember that the LORD hears all their comments and HE will judge them one day for those comments.
They are not getting away with all the things they are doing and saying against the church and the people of God now. Everyone is going to stand in front of the LORD one day. Those outside of Christ will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
Also, we need to remember that the LORD hears everything we say. If we promise the LORD something, we need to keep our promises. If we are in the worship service and don’t sing – the LORD hears that. If we are given a opportunity to witness and don’t say a word – the LORD is there. Remember that judgment will begin at the “house of the LORD.”
CHALLENGE: We need to watch our words. I have heard many things from the mouth of believers that make me wonder what they were thinking. I have said some things against some of God’s children that I should have never said. Our words need to be measured.
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