Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 35

Verses 1-15

EZEKIEL - CHAPTER 35

PROPHECY AGAINST MOUNT SEIR

Verses 1-15:

Verses 1, 2 call upon Ezekiel to prophecy against Mt Seir, the land of Esau, and do it without any misgiving, Deuteronomy 25:5; Genesis 36:8. Mt Seir was also known as Idumea, Genesis 36:9. They were bitter enemies of Israel.

Verses 3, 4 warn that the Lord will stretch out His hand against and make her very desolate. He too declared that He would make her cities to become desolated, laid waste, until they should know that He was the Lord, Jeremiah 49:17; Amos 1:11; Obadiah 1:10. In their national character, Edom is to be destroyed, though a remnant of her people is to be called by the name of the Lord, Amos 9:12.

Verse 5 asserts that this judgment of Mt Seir, Edom, shall be certain because of their "perpetual hatred" as delivered from Esau against Jacob, Psalms 137:7; Amos 1:11; Obadiah 1:11-16. This severe judgment is also to be full, because of her cruelty against Israel, in bloodshed by the sword, Jeremiah 18:21; See also Ezekiel 25:12; Daniel 9:24.

Verse 6 affirms that the Lord would prepare the land and cities and people of Seir to be destroyed by bloodshed, "sith" meaning "seeing that," they had not themselves hated blood but became parties to murder by it, for a long period of time, Genesis 9:6. The measure Edom had poured out to others was now to be poured upon them, Psalms 109:17; Matthew 7:2; Matthew 26:52.

Verse 7 affirms that after a bloody manner, such as Edom had practiced against Israel, He would cause those who passed out (went forth), and those who returned to the land; The highways would come to be unoccupied, because of the death that stalked the waysides, even as Edom had done toward those who passed through her land, Ezekiel 29:11; Judges 5:6; Obadiah 1:14.

Verses 8, 9 describe the judgment slaughter of the Edomites to the extent that men should lay slain, covering her mountain tops, her hills, her valleys, and dead bodies and blood should pollute her rivers. This was to be so complete that she was to exist as a perpetual, national desolation, never to rise as a nation again, so that her escaping remnant would recognize the Lord as the living God, v. 4; Ezekiel 25:13; Jeremiah 49:17-18; Malachi 1:3-4.

Verse 10 also attributes this judgment to Edom’s boast that these two nations, Israel and Judah, would one day belong to her. But the Lord was in Israel, with His covenant people, whom none could annihilate, or put out of existence; Edom could not possess Israel’s vacated inheritance, Ezekiel 36:5; Psalms 83:4; Psalms 83:12; Obadiah 1:12. Israel’s exile was temporary, but Edom’s was to be permanent, for the Lord was on the throne, a thing Edom ignored, Psalms 48:1-3; Psalms 132:13-14.

Verse 11 affirms that God will send upon Edom His anger, after the order that Edom had vented her vengeance against Israel, Matthew 25:45; Acts 9:1; Acts 9:4-5. This is a type, of the actions and end, of all foes or enemies of God, Galatians 6:7-8; James 2:13; Numbers 32:23.

Verse 12 assures Edom that she shall know that the Lord is God, and has heard her blasphemies against Him and His people of Israel and Judah, when He shall send His judgment upon her. He had heard her blasphemous boasts that she would take over the mountains of Israel which were laid bare or desolate for her to pluck. God regards things done against His people, as done against Him, Matthew 24:45; Acts 9:1; Acts 9:4-5; 1 Samuel 2:3; Revelation 13:6.

Verses 13, 14 continue to relate that the Lord listens and responds, to the boastings and blasphemies of the wicked, as they multiply their words of vanity, to face them in the hour of judgment, Matthew 12:36-37. It is further stated that when the whole earth rejoices, in the restoration of Israel and Judah, Edom and her foes shall be made desolate, lay helpless under Divine judgment, Isaiah 65:13-14; Isaiah 65:17-19. So shall all God’s foes fall, 1 Samuel 2:3; Revelation 13:6; Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:25.

Verse 15 concludes that as Edom had rejoiced at the temporary desolation of Israel, so He would desolate Mount Seir which is Idumea, all of it, until they know that He is Lord of all, Ezekiel 35:12; Ezekiel 36:4-7. Right triumphs over wrong, righteousness over sin, life over death, only through the covenant of Grace and redemption and restoration of all things, through Jesus Christ, Acts 3:19-21; Romans 11:6; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 4:4-5.