Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 33-39. Changes and Preparations Necessary for the Blessed Future. Now that the security of Israel for the days to come is guaranteed by the destruction of the foreign nations, the mood of the prophet changes—the old rebellious house" (Ezekiel 2:5) gives place to "the children of my people" (Ezekiel 33:2)—and he passes on to his programme of reconstruction. The turning-point is constituted by the definite announcement of the fall of Jerusalem brought to Babylon by one who had escaped (Ezekiel 33:21). Ezekiel's gloomy threats, so long ignored or disbelieved, have at last been fulfilled; his prophetic reputation is confirmed; and he is now free to utter his message of hope and promise, to prepare his people, and to help them to prepare themselves, for the blessed future, with its restoration and reorganisation of Israel, which he so confidently anticipates. The first and fundamental item on his programme is the

Ezekiel 35 f. The Occupation of the Land.—Indispensable to the restoration of Israel is the possession of Canaan—Israel's land and Yahweh's land (Ezekiel 35:10).

Ezekiel 35 f. The Destruction of Edom.—The land had at the time been threatened, if not actually overrun, by the Edomites (Ezekiel 35:2; Mount Seir=Edom), between whom and Israel there had been from time immemorial a persistent hereditary feud (Ezekiel 35:5; cf. Genesis 27:40). Possibly the land, including the old northern and southern kingdoms (Ezekiel 35:10), had been given (Ezekiel 35:12) by Nebuchadrezzar in return for the support Edom had rendered to the Babylonians at the siege of Jerusalem (Psalms 137:7). The restoration of Israel must, therefore, be guaranteed by the destruction of Edom (cf. Ezekiel 25:12-14). But this destruction is morally justified on three grounds: (a) by Edom's cruel and ineradicable antipathy to Israel (Ezekiel 35:5); (b) by her occupation of Israel's soil and her implicit challenge of Yahweh (Ezekiel 35:10); (c) by her blasphemous pride. Her penalty is, therefore, to be desolation, utter and irrevocable; and by her extinction the way is cleared for Israel.