Audio Download

Ezekiel 35:1-15 – Prophecy Against Mount Seir

[Study Aired October 28, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study is about what the Lord has spoken regarding the destruction of Mount Seir. To understand this prophecy against Mount Seir, we need to know what Mount Seir represents. In the Bible, Mount Seir is the same as “Seir”. It refers to the mountainous region that the Lord gave to Esau. This is recorded in Deuteronomy 2:22 as follows:

Deu 2:22  As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:

In view of Seir belonging to the descendants of Esau who was the elder brother of Jacob, the Lord forbad the Israelites from invading the Seir region.

Deu 2:2  And the LORD spake unto me, saying,
Deu 2:3  Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Deu 2:4  And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
Deu 2:5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

During the time of King Hezekiah, some men from the tribe of Simeon attacked the Amalekites who were living in Seir. After defeating the Amalekites, they dwelt there permanently.

1Ch 4:41  And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.
1Ch 4:42  And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
1Ch 4:43 And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

Over time, Edom became a threat to Judah and therefore the Lord allowed Judah to attack the Edomites or Seir.

2Ch 25:11  And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
2Ch 25:12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

In Today’s study about the prophecy against Mount Seir, the Lord is speaking to us about the destruction of Seir or the Edomites. We need to understand that the Edomites represent our flesh as we see that Esau is the elder brother of Jacob, a symbol of the elect. In other words, we are fleshly related to the Edomites and therefore Mount Seir signifies our flesh or old man.

In our walk in the churches of this world, which is symbolized by the Israelites’ forty-year journey through the wilderness, we did not see our flesh as a serious threat to our walk with the Lord and therefore we did not engage our flesh in any fight in accordance with the Lord’s command to the people of Israel, not to meddle with the Edomites. In spite of that, we did win some victories over the flesh as we were able to stop some of the overt sins that we were committing, just as some of the Israelites in King Hezekiah’s time defeated the Amalekites living in Mount Seir and stayed there.

We can see that the Israelites did not confront the Edomites during their journey in the wilderness. It was when they were in the land of Canaan that they started to engage Mount Seir or the Edomites. Being in Canaan therefore represents becoming part of the assembly of the Lord’s elect.

In the fulness of time therefore, when we have left Babylon and are in the assembly of the Lord’s elect or the church of the firstborn, as our eyes are being enlightened and our ears are hearing, we come to see clearly that our enemy or the present danger is our old man or flesh. That is when the Lord comes to judge our old man or flesh with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to destroy it so that we can walk in victory.

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:

Today’s study focuses on the destruction of Mount Seir as part of the Lord’s promise to His elect to deal with our old man or flesh to grant us the grace to be overcomers. As we can see in Today’s study, the destruction of Mount Seir or the Edomites is through the Lord’s judgement. The study therefore emphasizes the need for our old man or flesh to be judged so that we can learn righteousness. It is through the Lord’s judgement that we come to know Him intimately.

Eze 35:4  I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

As the Lord’s elect, we shall have complete victory over the flesh or the Edomites as we see David, a symbol of the elect, destroy every male in Edom.

1Ki 11:15  For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
1Ki 11:16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom: )

In 1 Kings 11:16, we can see that David and the people of Israel stayed for six months in Edom as they put to death every male. The number six is the number of man. The six months therefore show us that it takes a lifetime here on earth (six months) to have complete victory over the flesh.

Mount Seir or Edom Shall Be Judged

Eze 35:1  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 35:2  Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 
Eze 35:3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. 

As indicated in the previous studies, the word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel signifies the Lord coming to His elect with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. What this means is that the Lord coming to His elect is to judge them for the destruction of their flesh. The coming of the Lord is also to illuminate His words (His brightness) so that we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

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:

As we have indicated in the introductory section of this study, Mount Seir refers to the Edomites who were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. Mount Seir therefore represents our old man or flesh. Here in verse 3, the Lord is showing us that He is against our old man or flesh. The coming of the Lord to us with His words is therefore to show us that our flesh is destined to be destroyed through His judgement. The Lord stretching His hand against Seir to make it most desolate in verse 3 is therefore the Lord coming with His judgement to destroy the beast within us or our old man or flesh.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

It is through the destruction of our flesh that we learn righteousness.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Eze 35:4  I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 

The judgement of the Lord not only destroys our flesh, but also ruins the cities within us. In the Bible, cities represent churches. For example, the city of New Jerusalem represent the assembly of the Lord’s elect. However, Jerusalem which is and is in bondage with her children symbolizes the physical churches of this world or Babylon.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The cities laying waste in verse 4 therefore means that Babylon within us shall be destroyed and “thou shall be desolate” signifies the judgement of our old man or flesh which shall result in his destruction.

Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Eze 35:5  Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast 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: 
Eze 35:6 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. 

The Edomites or Mount Seir hated the people of Israel. This enmity started even when Esau and Jacob were in the womb of Rebekah. The people of Israel were therefore perpetual enemies to Mount Seir or the Edomites.

Gen 25:21  And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Gen 25:22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

Our flesh, signified by Mount Seir, is always against the formation of Christ within us. This formation of Christ within us is the new man after the image of Christ. The two nations in Genesis 25:23 therefore represent our flesh and the new man within the Lord’s elect. As indicated, our new man shall be stronger and dominates our flesh.

Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Shedding the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in verse 5 means putting the Lord’s elect to death through false doctrines, signified here by the force of the sword. We are therefore guilty of the death of the Lord and of His saints during our time in Babylon. This is because the water (the false doctrines) we were drinking in Babylon makes us hate the Lord’s elect and as Apostle John said, everyone who hates his or her brother or sister is a murderer.

Mat 23:34  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

The force of the sword in verse 5 refers to the negative aspect of sword, which are words that are spoken which destroy us. The sword refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary which makes us hate our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

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:

The period that we are put to death through false doctrines is referred to in verse 4 as the time of the calamity of the Edomites or the time that their iniquity had an end.  This time is the period of our walk in the physical churches of this world or Babylon.

As a result of the enmity of the flesh against our new man, the Lord is saying in verse 6 that He is preparing Mount Seir unto blood or to be pursued by blood. That is to say that the Lord is preparing our flesh to be put to death.

In verse 6, we are also told that since the Edomites or Mount Seir had not hated blood, blood shall surely pursue them. That is another way of saying that if we take the sword, we shall surely perish or die by the sword.

Mat 26:52  Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Eze 35:7  Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. 
Eze 35:8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. 

The Lord turning mount Seir into a barren wasteland implies that our old man or flesh shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgement such that he will not resurrect to harm us again. Everyone who comes and goes from mount Seir in verse 7 refers to us who are dominated by the flesh during our time in Babylon. The Lord cutting off those who come and go from mount Seir signifies the destruction of our flesh or old man when He comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness.

The mountains, hills and in the valleys all represent places of worship. Here in verse 8, the Lord is telling us that our places of worship are filled with people who are spiritually dead as a result of being slain with the sword which signifies being put to death through false doctrines. As we can see, the rivers in verse 8 represent false doctrines. Therefore, the rivers which are filled with the slain means that the false doctrines we imbibe cause us to become spiritually dead.

Eze 35:9  I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

Making the Edomites a perpetual desolation means making the destruction of our flesh permanent. The other part of the sentence in verse 9 which states that their cities shall not return, emphasis the permanency of the destruction of our flesh and all his accessories including the assemblies or churches of this world (cities) which end up strengthening our flesh.

Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

Eze 35:10 Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: 

The two nations or countries referred to verse 10 are Judah and Samaria which represent the people of Israel, that is, the Lord’s elect in Babylon. Verse 10 therefore shows us the enmity that the Edomites had against the people of Israel. This verse is portraying to us the flesh’s desire to dominate or possess us as the Lord’s elect and therefore we are always in a struggle against our flesh. However, as the Lord’s elect, we are assured of victory over our flesh.

Gen 4:6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Gen 25:21  And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Gen 25:22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Gen 25:24  And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Gen 25:25  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
Gen 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

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.

In Genesis 25:26, Jacob taking hold of Esau’s heel means that as the Lord’s elect, symbolized by Jacob, we shall overcome or possess our flesh. It is insightful to note that in verse 10, the Lord is telling us that He is there with the people of Israel in spite of the hatred which was driving the Edomites to possess Judah and Samaria. In a similar vein, the Lord has been with us throughout our walk with Him even when we were dominated by our flesh.

Isa 43:1  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isa 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Eze 35:11  Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee. 

The Lord doing according to the anger and the hatred of the Edomites against the Lord’s people is similar to the Lord telling us that He will answer us according to the idols in our hearts. In other words, we reap what we have sown.

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Eze 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

In verse 11, we are also told that the Lord will make Himself known among us as our flesh or old man is being judged. This implies that it is through the Lord’s judgement that we come to know Him as He unveils to us the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Eze 35:12 And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.
Eze 35:13  Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.  

Verse 12 continues to make us aware that it is through the Lord’s judgement that we come to know Him. The blasphemies of the Edomites refers to our old man or flesh thinking Himself as God and occupying the temple of the Lord in our hearts and mind. Our inability to walk in the spirit but succumb to the flesh makes our old man or flesh think that the Lord has given us over to him to dominate us permanently. In other words, our old man thinks that the Lord has laid us waste and therefore we are given to follow His dictates all through our lives. In this sense, our flesh is always boasting against the Lord (verse 13).

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.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come 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?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

The Lord hearing the boast of our flesh in verse 13 means that He is doing something about it. At the acceptable year of the Lord, He comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to deliver us from our flesh.

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:

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Eze 35:14  Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. 

Verse 14 is saying that the whole earth would rejoice when the Lord turns mount Seir or the Edomites into a wasteland. This is speaking about the salvation of all men during the lake of fire age when all humanity shall rejoice as they are judged, resulting in the death of their old man.

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Eze 35:15 As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

The inheritance of the house of Israel is the reward we shall receive when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. In Revelation chapter 2 and 3, we are given details of this reward. Our reward is also referred to as the crown of righteousness, the crown of life or the crown of glory.

2Ti 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

This inheritance is dependent on overcoming the flesh or our old man. This means that when we are dominated by the flesh, then our inheritance is desolate. In other words, we have lost our inheritance. In verse 15, we can see that our flesh rejoices when we are under his control or domination. Here the Lord is telling us that He will make our flesh or old man desolate just as at a time in our lives, our inheritance was desolate. Mount Seir and Idumea all refer to our flesh. It is the destruction of our flesh through the Lord’s judgement that we come to know the Lord. In other words, we come to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

We thank the Lord for His wonderful work of salvation in our lives. May His name be praised. Amen!!