What lessons can we learn about God's justice from Ezekiel 35:9? Setting the Scene “ ‘I will make you desolate forever; your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” (Ezekiel 35:9) Why This Pronouncement Matters Mount Seir (Edom) had pursued Israel with unrelenting hostility (Ezekiel 35:5). God’s verdict in verse 9 answers that violence and contempt with a justice that is: • Personal—“I will make you desolate.” • Comprehensive—“desolate forever.” • Evident—“Then you will know that I am the LORD.” Key Lessons on God’s Justice • Justice is certain – God Himself delivers it: “I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” (Isaiah 45:19) – His promises are never idle (Numbers 23:19). • Justice is proportionate – Edom reaped exactly what it sowed (Galatians 6:7). – God pays back “tribulation to those who trouble you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6). • Justice is thorough and final – “Desolate forever” underscores the completeness (Malachi 1:3–4). – No partial settlements or negotiated peace when divine righteousness is at stake. • Justice vindicates God’s people – Edom’s downfall echoes God’s promise: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.” (Genesis 12:3) – Believers need not seek personal revenge (Romans 12:19). • Justice reveals God’s character – “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” His judgments teach the nations who He is (Psalm 9:16). – Holiness and justice are inseparable in God’s self-disclosure (Deuteronomy 32:4). Living the Lessons Today • Stand in awe of God’s holiness; He cannot overlook sin. • Find comfort in His promise to vindicate wrongs done to His people. • Leave vengeance to Him, responding with faith and obedience. • Remember that every act of judgment—past or future—confirms the unchanging identity of the Lord. |
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