What other scriptures highlight God's judgment against nations opposing His people? Key Verse: Ezekiel 35:11 “Therefore as surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I will deal with you according to the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred against them. Then I will make Myself known among them when I judge you.’” Judgment on Mount Seir—A Template for All Nations Ezekiel 35 targets Edom (Mount Seir) for gloating over Israel’s distress. The verse sets a pattern: when nations vent hatred on God’s covenant people, God personally intervenes—decisively and publicly. Foundational Promise of Protection • Genesis 12:3 —“I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” • Numbers 24:9 —Balaam repeats the same principle. These verses establish an unchanging standard: hostility toward Israel draws divine curse. Historic Snapshots of National Judgment • Egypt – Exodus 14:4 & 30: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart… Then I will be honored… Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.” • Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Tyre, Sidon – Ezekiel 25–28 details individual verdicts. • Assyria – Isaiah 10:12: “When the Lord has finished all His work against Mount Zion… ‘I will punish the king of Assyria.’” • Babylon – Jeremiah 50:17-18: “‘I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria.’” • Nineveh – Nahum 1:2: “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance on His foes.” • Edom again – Obadiah 15: “As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.” Psalmic and Prophetic Declarations • Psalm 2:1-5—“Why do the nations rage…? He who sits in the heavens laughs.” • Psalm 83:2-4, 17—Plots to wipe out Israel end with shame and destruction. • Isaiah 13 (Babylon), 34 (Edom), 47 (Babylon), each chapter a courtroom scene announcing sentences. • Zephaniah 2:8-10—Moab and Ammon judged for taunts and insults. • Joel 3:2—God gathers the nations “and will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people Israel.” Future-Oriented Prophecies • Zechariah 2:8-9—“Whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye… I will surely raise My hand against them.” • Zechariah 12:2-3—Jerusalem becomes “a cup of staggering” and “an immovable rock; all who try to lift it will injure themselves.” • Revelation 16:19 & 18:6—End-time “Babylon” receives “double according to her deeds.” New-Testament Echoes of the Same Principle • Matthew 25:31-46—Nations are separated as sheep or goats by their treatment of Christ’s “brothers.” • Acts 9:4—Persecuting believers equals persecuting Christ Himself: “Why do you persecute Me?” • Revelation 11:5 & 19:11-21—Hostile powers fall before the conquering Messiah. Takeaways for Today • God’s covenant faithfulness includes active defense of His people. • National or collective hostility toward God’s covenant purposes never goes unnoticed. • The pattern reaches from Genesis to Revelation: blessing follows blessing; cursing follows cursing. |
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