Judgment on Mount Seir

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 35:1-15

 

 

 

It did not take long for persecution to begin in the Church. After the great revival that occurred in Acts 2 after Peter’s address to the crowd in which 3,000 were saved, A miracle of healing by Peter and John brought about persecution (Acts 3,4). This persecution escalated with every Apostle, except John, suffering martyrdom for their faith. God preserved John so he could author his gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. Living and functioning in a fallen world means God’s people should expect persecution, enduring it by knowing Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).

 

Ezekiel receives another word from the Lord and is instructed to prophesy against Mount Seir (Ezekiel 35:1-2). It is not a good word because it is a word telling them the Lord intends to stretch out His hand against them and make the land most desolate (Ezekiel 35:3). The Lord will lay their cities to waste, and then they shall know the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:4).

 

The charges against the people of Mount Seir are that they have harbored an ancient hatred against the children of Israel using the power of the sword during Israel’s time of calamity (Ezekiel 35:5). God is preparing them for bloodshed like they intended for Israel, making Mount Seir most desolate with no one leaving or returning there (Ezekiel 35:6-7). The mountains, hills, and valleys will be filled with those slain by the sword, with Mount Seir remaining perpetually desolate and uninhabited, causing them to know the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:8-9).

 

The reason for the charges against the people of Mount Seir are their claims that the nations of Israel and Judah are theirs with intentions of possessing them, even though the Lord is there (Ezekiel 35:10). The Lord intends to return His anger against them making Himself known to them as the Lord God (Ezekiel 35:11-12). The Lord reminds them that He has heard their words of boasting against Him (Ezekiel 35:13). The Lord concludes by reminding the people of Mount Seir that the earth will rejoice at their destruction like they rejoiced when Israel became desolate, with them knowing the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:14-15).

 

The region of Mount Seir is the region in which Esau settled (Genesis 36:8). Since the people living in the region of Mount Seir were descendants of Esau, God told the Israelites to leave them alone and not meddle with them on their way to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 2:1-7). The people of Mount Seir are mentioned again in Scripture (2 Chronicles 20:1-30) when they joined forces with the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to attack King Jehoshaphat of Judah. This led Jehoshaphat to call the nation to prayer, culminating with the Spirit of God coming upon Jahaziel, telling the army of Judah to come out against them because the Lord is with them. The strategy of attack is for the singers to precede the army with the praises of the Lord, causing ambushes to come upon Ammon, Moab, and the people of Mount Seir. Whether this is the calamity referred to in Ezekiel 35:5 or not is unimportant, because God intends to execute judgment against the people of Mount Seir for what they did to His people, Israel.

 

There are consequences for anyone coming against God’s people, which now includes both the Jews and the Church. While neither the Jews nor the Church are perfect, they are people called by God with a purpose. However, we should pray that God will help them deal with their imperfections instead of persecuting them. In Revelation 2 and 3, John addresses seven churches, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses to return them to a right standing with God. When one observes an imperfection in the Church, rather than persecution, one should try teaching from the Word of God so that they can correct the imperfection. Persecution is one trying to establish superiority over another, similar to the persecution of Jesus and the early Church (John 11:47-48; Acts 4:13-17). A persecutor’s purpose is to put someone down to build themselves up as superior (Luke 18:9-14). Instead of persecuting someone in the Church for a wrongdoing, we should correct them using the word of God so they can repent and experience restoration to a right standing with God. Persecution has consequences, but correction can bring restoration. Remember, vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19).

 

Restoration to the Lord begins with one making Jesus their Lord through confessing Jesus as their Lord with a genuine belief that Jesus died for their sins and was resurrected from the dead in victory over sin and death (Romans 10:9-10). This is not optional for all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and live under a death sentence for our sins (Romans 6:23), but as the second half of Romans 6:23 tells us, God’s gift to humanity is eternal life through Jesus Christ. If you have never done so or have drifted away from God, I invite you to experience restoration by praying with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.