Edom In Trouble Again
Ezekiel 35:1 – The word of the LORD came tome: 2 – “Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir, and prophesy against it. 3 – Say to it, ‘This is what the sovereign LORD says: “‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin. 4 – I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD! 5 – “‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at a time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment. 6 – Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. 7 – I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns.’”
Mount Seir is within Edomite territory. If we connect this chapter with the previous chapter (34) we find a well-rounded picture of the trouble Israel was in and why. Israel had bad shepherds who abused her and led her into sin. This certainly was not an excuse for their sin but demonstrates that God knows every angle to our stories and is a righteous judge. Israel had reached the climax of punishment when the people of Edom, from the region of Mt. Seir, decided to hit them instead of help them – this attitude did not sit well with God and they would fall under judgment.
We can be tempted to have similar attitudes, judging others without knowing all the information; being merciless instead of merciful. This warning is for us. We will be judged according to the same measure we use. Mt. Seir chose bloodshed, so bloodshed would be their lot to the point of being cut off completely.
When we assemble together for worship and prayer. Take the time to encourage and build up, not discourage and tear down.
And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:23-25.
Where two are gathered 