25:1 The word of the Lord came to me:
Jehovah spoke to Ezekiel once again.
25:2 “Son of man, turn toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
The Ammonites were cousins of Israel. They were descendants of Lot and Ammon. Ammon was the oldest daughter of Lot. She seduced her father into an incestuous affair after Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed. The Ammonites were perennial enemies of Israel. They were also involved in infant sacrifice.
25:3 Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: You said “Aha!” about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of world history, including the Ammonites. The Ammonites were happy when Jerusalem, the temple, and its people were destroyed. They were laughing and celebrating. This was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant.
25:4 So take note, I am about to make you slaves of the tribes of the east. They will make camps among you and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.
The tribes of the east were the nomads in the Arabian desert. They would attack the Ammonites, defeat them, plunder them, and enslave them.
25:5 I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Rabbah was the capital of Ammon. It would become desolate of people, but full of wilderness animals.
25:6 For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with intense scorn over the land of Israel, 25:7 take note, I have stretched out my hand against you, and I will hand you over as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands. I will destroy you; then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Since Ammon violated the Abrahamic Covenant by cheering for Israel’s destruction, then she would receive a kind-for-kind judgment. She would be destroyed, plundered, and enslaved as well. When this destruction comes upon her, then she would know that Jehovah is the one and only sovereign God over all of history.
25:8 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Moab and Seir say, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.”
Jehovah is also sovereign over Moab and Seir. Moab was the youngest daughter of the Lot-Moab incestuous relationship. She was a cousin and enemy to Israel.
Seir was the mountain range home of the Edomites. The Edomites descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Israel). Esau traded in her messianic blessing for a bowl of stew. Edom was also a bitter enemy of Israel.
25:9 So look, I am about to open up Moab’s flank, eliminating the cities, including its frontier cities, the beauty of the land—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim.
Moab supported Babylon and attacked Judah after Jehoiakim’s revolt. She was possibly hoping to gain additional Judean territory. Since God gave this land to Israel as an eternal possession, then Moab violated the Abrahamic Covenant. Moab would receive a kind-for-kind judgment. She would lose all of her cities as well. Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim protected Moab’s northern flank. When these important strategic cities were destroyed, then Moab lost her fortified defense system.
25:10 I will hand it over, along with the Ammonites, to the tribes of the east, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations.
The nomadic desert tribes of the east would conquer Ammon, just as Babylon had conquered Judah.
25:11 I will execute judgments against Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
After the nomadic desert tribes conquer Moab, then she would know that Jehovah is Lord. Moab had no excuse, because Ruth the Moabites became the grandmother of King David. The Moabites most likely knew of the Messiah to come.
25:12 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Edom has taken vengeance against the house of Judah; they have made themselves fully culpable by taking vengeance on them.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history, including the Edomites. Edom was the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Israel). They possessed and rejected more light than any other nation on earth (except for possibly the modern United States). After Babylon defeated Judah, then the Edomites began joyfully rounding up and killing fugitives who were fleeing from the Babylonian onslaught. This action was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant. Edom would receive a kind-for-kind judgment.
25:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom, and I will kill the people and animals within her, and I will make her desolate; from Teman to Dedan they will die by the sword.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of world history, including the Edomites. Edom stretched out her hand against Judah, so Jehovah would stretch out his hand against Edom. All of the Edomites and her animals would be killed. The cities of Edom would become desolate of people. Teman was the rock city of Petra. The Edomites did not think that anyone could take this rock city, because it was located high in the mountains with only one narrow entrance which could be easily protected. Dedan was another large fortified Edomite city.
25:14 I will exact my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will carry out in Edom my anger and rage; they will experience my vengeance, declares the sovereign Lord.’ ”
Jehovah will avenge Israel by destroying Edom. Edom was conquered by the Nabateans during the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testament. The remnant of the Edomites were called Idumeans. They moved west to the southern part of Israel, which was called the Negev. Josephus recorded that they were forced to become Jewish converts (Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews 13. 9. 1). Therefore, the Edomites lost both their country and their national identity.
25:15 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘The Philistines have exacted merciless revenge, showing intense scorn in their effort to destroy Judah with unrelenting hostility.
The Philistines came from Crete. They had been established enemies of Israel since the days of the Judges. Shamgar, Samson, and Samuel kept them from exterminating Israel. David finally defeated them and made them a vassal state of Israel.
Jehovah is sovereign over all nations, including the Philistines. While Judah was having troubles with Babylon, the Philistines arose and attempted to reconquer Israel. This was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant. They would receive a kind-for-kind judgment.
25:16 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note, I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines. I will kill the Cherethites and destroy those who remain on the seacoast.
Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. He asked the nations to take note of His prophecy. The Philistines stretched out their hand against Judah, so Jehovah would stretch out His hand against the Philistines. He would kill all of the Philistines. This destruction would happen during the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testament.
25:17 I will exact great vengeance upon them with angry rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I exact my vengeance upon them.’ ”
During this future destruction, the Philistines would learn that Jehovah is Lord.