How should Ezekiel 35:10 influence our view of God's sovereignty over nations? Setting the Scene “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and countries will be ours, and we will possess them,’ even though the LORD was there.” What Jumps Out of the Verse • The speaker is Edom (Mount Seir), boasting it will annex both Judah and Israel. • The claim ignores a crucial reality: “the LORD was there.” • God hears national ambitions and responds as Owner and Defender of the land. God’s Sovereignty Displayed • Ownership: Leviticus 25:23—“The land is Mine.” Nations manage territory only by divine lease. • Presence: Psalm 46:7—“The LORD of Hosts is with us.” His nearness means no land is god-forsaken. • Boundaries: Acts 17:26—He “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.” • Judgment on arrogance: Obadiah 3–4; Proverbs 16:18—pride precedes a fall, nationally as well as personally. • Protection of His covenant people: Zechariah 2:8—whoever touches Israel “touches the apple of His eye.” Implications for Today’s Nations • National borders are not ultimately set by military power or diplomacy but by God’s decree. • Any claim to territory that dismisses God’s presence or purposes invites His opposition. • God weighs motives; ambition born of greed or hatred becomes grounds for judgment (Ezekiel 35:11). • He can raise or remove rulers at will (Daniel 2:21; 4:32). • A nation’s security rests less on alliances and armies than on humble recognition of God’s rule (Psalm 33:16-19). Living in Light of His Sovereignty 1. Cultivate humility—both personally and nationally—acknowledging God as supreme Landlord. 2. Pray for leaders to respect God’s moral order and Israel’s ongoing role in His plan (Romans 11:28-29). 3. Refuse despair when global powers shift; the Lord remains “there,” active and unthwarted (Isaiah 40:15-17). 4. Align citizenship priorities: honor earthly authorities, yet place ultimate loyalty in God’s kingdom (Philippians 3:20). 5. Share the gospel confidently, knowing Christ already possesses “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). |
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