Ezekiel 25:1-17 The Judgment of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia
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Ezekiel 25:1-17 The Judgment of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia
[Study Aired July 29, 2024]
Introduction
Our study for today is based on the nations which surround the people of Israel in Canaan. These nations were sworn enemies of Israel, and the fact that four were mentioned signifies that these countries represent the whole of the enemies of Israel. In this study, we shall come to know what these nations represent spiritually and their judgment by the Lord.
The study also focuses on the Lord accusing each of these four nations of their hatred for the people of Israel and the end result of the Lord’s judgment of these nations.
The Judgment of the Ammonites
Eze 25:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 25:2 Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them;
Eze 25:3 And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;
Eze 25:4 Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.
The Ammonites were descendants of Lot through the incestuous relation of Lot and his daughter. Lot was the nephew of Abraham, and therefore the Ammonites are fleshly related to the people of Israel.
Gen 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Gen 19:37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
Gen 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
The Ammonites therefore represent our flesh or the old man of the Lord’s elect. The reason the Lord was judging the Ammonites is stated in verse 3. They were glad when the sanctuary of the Lord was dishonored, the land of Israel was ruined and when the nation of Judah went into exile. As we are aware, it is our enemy who rejoices in our misfortune. The Bible speaks of our enemy being the devil who gives his power to our flesh or old man or the beast within us. That is to say that it acts through our flesh or old man.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
As described above, the beast within us or our old man or flesh is always blaspheming against our Lord. It is therefore at variance with our Lord Jesus Christ and His elect. That is why the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God and things of the spirit.
Rom 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (ESV)Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Our victory over the flesh is through walking in the spirit. In order to transition from being a carnally-minded person to a spiritually-minded being, which is pleasing to the Lord, there is the need for us to be judged by the Lord. In verse 4, the Lord told Ezekiel that He will deliver the Ammonites to the men of the east for a possession. In the Book of Job, he is described as the greatest of the men of the east because of his riches. These physical riches signify spiritual riches of the men of the east. On a positive note therefore, the men of the east symbolize the Lord’s elect with our Lord Jesus Christ symbolized by Job as the greatest man of the east. This is also confirmed by the fact that the east is where the sun, which represents our Lord Jesus Christ, rises. We, the Lord’s elect, are the first to taste of the rising of the sun or our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives in this age.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
It is the Lord’s elect to whom the Lord has given possession of the old man or the flesh. This possession is described in verse 4 as setting their palaces in her and making their dwelling place in her. However, this possession is a process that takes a lifetime. It is through possessing our bodies or overcoming our flesh that we can offer a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This possession or overcoming is actually accomplished by the birth and growth of the new man as the old man or the flesh dies daily through the Lord’s judgment.
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
In verse 4, we are also told that the men of the east shall eat the fruit of the Ammonites and shall drink her milk. The fruit and the milk of the Ammonites refer to the labors of our flesh. This implies that our labors shall not be in vain but shall assist us in achieving the purpose of Christ in our lives. This is the same as Terah, Abraham’s father, assisting Abraham in fulfilling the Lord’s purpose by taking him from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, close to the promised land.
Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Gen 11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
Gen 11:32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Eze 25:5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
In verse 5, the Lord said that He shall make Rabbah, which was the capital city of the Ammonites, located east of the Jordan, a stable for camels. This is the same as making the Ammonites a couching place or a resting place for flocks. On a positive note, a city in the Bible can mean a church as shown in the following:
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
According to Strong’s Dictionary, Rabbah means ‘great.’ A camel is a beast that is used to carry heavy burdens in the desert, and a stable is a habitation of flocks or pasture. This statement of Rabbah being a stable for camels is the same as the Ammonites being a couching place or rest for flocks. What the Lord is telling us in verse 5 is that He is gathering us together to give us rest from the burdens of this world and also to feed us His words (pastures). It is as we get to know His words that we come to know Him.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Eze 25:6 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;
Eze 25:7 Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
The Ammonites clapped their hands and stamped their feet as they rejoiced for the misfortune that had happened to the people of Israel. This shows us that they really hated the Israelites. As indicated, the Ammonites represent our flesh or the old man who is at enmity with the new man in the lives of the Lord’s elect. Verse 7 shows us the end result of the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh. The judgment of the Lord is symbolized in verse 7 as the stretching out of the hand of the Lord upon us.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
As a result of the Lord’s judgment, our old man is delivered for a spoil to the heathen as shown in verse 7. A spoil refers to the booty or plunder or the precious possession of those who are defeated in battle. During the Biblical times, the spoil served as the reward for victory won during a battle. This implies that the old man being delivered as a spoil for the heathen means that as the Lord’s elect, we shall surely win the victory over our old man or flesh through the Lord’s judgment.
Gen 49:27 Benjamin (representing the Lord’s elect) shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
Num 31:53 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
Jer 30:16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.
The Lord causing the Ammonites to perish and be destroyed out of the countries in verse 7 is to show us the defeat of the old man through the agency of the Lord’s judgment. It is through this victory over the flesh, which is a process, that we come to know the Lord.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Loving not our lives unto death means that as the Lord’s elect, He has caused us to be prepared to go through the fiery trials, or the evil experience given to us by Him, in order to inherit the promise. It is another way of saying that because of the joy that is set before us, we despise the sufferings that are marked for us.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Judgment of Moab and Seir
Eze 25:8 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen;
Eze 25:9 Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,
The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew, through an incestuous union with his elder daughter. They were therefore fleshly related to the people of Israel and therefore represent our flesh or our old man, just as the Ammonites also signify our flesh. Seir or Mount Seir are the alternative names of the mountainous tract in Palestine occupied by the descendants of Esau, who was the elder brother of Jacob. We can therefore also say that Seir is our flesh or our old man.
In verse 8, we are told that the Lord coming to judge the Moabites and the people from Seir was because they said that there is no difference between the house of Judah and the heathen. This accusation by the Moabites and people from Seir is justified as the house of Judah who represents us, the Lord’s elect, since we had not lived up to the standard of the Lord at a certain point of our walk with Christ when we were in Babylon. Thus, we were just like the heathen.
2Ki 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
2Ki 17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
2Ki 17:15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
Spiritually, the assertion by the Moabites and the people from Seir that we are just like the heathen implies that when we are under the control of the old man or the flesh, who is set in his ways, we cannot bring about the change that comes with knowing Christ. We are just like the heathen or our brothers and sisters in Babylon who think that no one can overcome the beast or the flesh within us.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?
In order to live a life worthy of the Lord, our old man, represented here by the Moabites and the people from Seir, must be destroyed through judgment to pave the way for our lives to be controlled by the new man after the image of Christ.
In verse 9, the Lord is saying that as a result of the Lord’s elect being no different from the people of the world, He is going to open up the cities that protect the borders of Moab. These cities were three, and they are Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon and Kiriathaim. As we have said earlier in this study, cities represent churches. The names of these cities therefore give us insight into the fact that the role of the churches of this world or Babylon is to protect the old man or the flesh within us represented here by Moab. Bethjeshimoth means ‘house of desolation’ or ‘desert.’ This house of desolation is Babylon or the physical churches of this world whose false teachings preserve our old man instead of destroying it. Baalmeon signifies the ‘lord of the habitation’ which means that Babylon is actually worshiping our old man, who is the lord of the habitation. Kiriathaim means ‘two cities’, and it signifies that the churches are witnesses against one another that they are not serving the interest of Christ, our Lord, but that of the flesh.
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
The Lord opening up these cities implies that the Lord will show us, His elect, what Babylon is all about. This revelation is given to the Lord’s elect who walk in the spirit and not according to the flesh. The fact that these cities are three implies that it is through the process of spiritual maturity through judgment that we come to see who Babylon really is.
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Eze 25:10 Unto the men of the east with the Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations.
Eze 25:11 And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Again, in verse 10 the Lord is saying that He will hand over the Moabites together with the Ammonites to the men from the east. As we have indicated earlier, the men from the east represent the Lord’s elect who are given to possess our old man or flesh. The Ammonites not being remembered among the nations implies that our old man shall be completely destroyed in our lives. In verse 11, we are made aware that it is through the judgment of the Lord upon our old man (Moab) that we come to know who the Lord is.
Jer 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
Eze 6:10 And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.
The Judgment of Edom
Eze 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;
Eze 25:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
Eze 25:14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
The people from Edom were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. The Edomites therefore represent our flesh or our old man. We know from the word of the Lord that vengeance belongs to the Lord. That is to say, as the Lord’s elect, we should not take vengeance on our enemies.
Psa 94:1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
Psa 94:2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
As shown in verse 12, the sins of the Edomites were that they took vengeance on the Lord’s people, which was the prerogative of the Lord alone. In this sense, the Edomites were taking the place of the Lord to avenge His people. Any time we are meting out vengeance to someone, we are taking the place of our Lord. This is what the man of sin within us or our flesh does when we are under its control as he thinks of himself as God sitting in our temple or the throne of our hearts and mind.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there comes a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
The Lord stretching out His hands on Edom in verse 13 means the Lord coming to judge the man of sin or our old man with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. Cutting off the man and the beast from Edom signifies the destruction of the old man through the Lord’s judgment. In verse 13, we are also told that the Lord shall make desolate Edom, from Teman to Dedan. The Edomites settled in the mountainous region of Seir. The word Teman means ‘from’ and Dedan signifies ‘low country.’ Thus, making desolate Edom from Teman to Dedan means the Lord will destroy the Edomites from their mountainous region to the low country in South Arabia. In other words, the Lord will do a thorough work of destruction of our old man through His judgment.
Rom 9:28 The Lord will carry out his sentence on the land, completely and decisively.” (GW)
The instrument of the Lord’s judgment in this case is the sword. The negative application of the use of the sword refers to false doctrines or bitter words spoken against us.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.Psa 64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
Psa 64:3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
In verse 14, the Lord is saying that He will take vengeance upon Edom using the people of Israel as His instrument of judgment. In other words, the Lord will judge the old man of every elect in this age. This judgment is the evil experience we are going through in this life with the Lord coming with His brightness and spirit of His mouth.
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
The Judgment of Philistia
Eze 25:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
Eze 25:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
Eze 25:17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.
The Philistines dwelt on the southern coast of Canaan and consisted of a confederation of city-states generally referred to as Philistia. They were sworn enemies of the people of Israel and had engaged Israel in battles, notably, Samson’s slaying of a thousand Philistines and David’s fight with the Philistine’s giant, Goliath. Initially, the Philistines had the upper hand over Israel, but over time, the Israelites became stronger and a dominant force in Canaan. Just like us, our flesh dominated us for a certain period of our lives until Christ came to us. Being the enemies of Israel, it is no wonder that in verse 15, the Philistines had taken revenge with a despiteful heart derived from hatred of the Lord’s people. The Philistines therefore represent our old man or our flesh that sits in our temple claiming himself to be God.
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
As indicated earlier, the Lord stretching forth His hands upon the Philistines (verse 15) means the Lord coming to judge our old man. As shown in verse 16, the Lord’s judgment shall result in the cutting off of the Cherethims and the destruction of the remnant of the sea coast. The word “Cherethims” means ‘executioners’ or ‘killers’. It therefore refers to our flesh or old man that gradually puts us to death. The remnant of the sea coast also refers to our flesh. This implies that the cutting off of the Cherethims and the destruction of the remnant of the sea coast signifies the destroying of our flesh or our old man. In verse 17, the Lord is assuring us that He shall execute vengeance upon the Philistines with furious rebukes. That means that the Lord shall judge our old man with the spirit of His mouth or His fiery words. It is through judgment that we come to know the Lord.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked (our old man) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
May the Lord continue the work He has started in us to bring it to completion in the fullness of time. Amen!!
Other related posts
- Ezekiel 25:1-17 The Judgment of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia (July 29, 2024)