What is the meaning of Ezekiel 35:2? Son of man – God repeatedly addresses Ezekiel with this title (Ezekiel 2:1; 3:17), reminding both prophet and hearers that the message comes through a human vessel yet carries divine authority. – The phrase underscores Ezekiel’s solidarity with his people in exile (Ezekiel 11:25) while highlighting the contrast between frail humanity and the sovereign LORD who speaks (Psalm 8:4; Daniel 8:17). – By using “son of man,” the LORD signals that what follows is not Ezekiel’s opinion but God’s own word, echoing the prophetic pattern seen with Daniel and, ultimately, the Messiah who would bear the same title (Matthew 26:64). set your face – This idiom calls for deliberate, unwavering resolve (Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51). – In Ezekiel it introduces messages of judgment (Ezekiel 13:17; 21:2), showing that the prophet must show no hesitation. – The LORD directs Ezekiel’s attention away from the exiles’ immediate hardships toward a larger, unfolding plan that includes the fate of hostile nations (Jeremiah 21:10). – Setting one’s face conveys moral courage: the prophet must confront sin even when the target is powerful or deeply entrenched. against Mount Seir – Mount Seir is the mountainous region of Edom, settled by Esau’s descendants (Genesis 36:8–9). – Edom had a long history of hostility toward Israel, gloating over Jerusalem’s fall and aiding the Babylonians (Psalm 137:7; Obadiah 10–14). – Earlier, Ezekiel already condemned Edom for its “unrelenting enmity” (Ezekiel 25:12–14). Chapter 35 revisits that judgment, assuring Israel that God remembers every injustice (Malachi 1:4). – The phrase affirms God’s sovereignty over all nations, not just Israel; He will avenge covenant hatred wherever it surfaces (Isaiah 34:5–6). and prophesy against it – “Prophesy” means to speak forth God’s revealed word; here it is a sentence of doom, not merely prediction (Jeremiah 49:7–22; Amos 1:11–12). – The message will detail Edom’s desolation and perpetual ruin (Ezekiel 35:3–15), showing that divine justice is precise and proportionate. – By commanding Ezekiel to voice this oracle, the LORD reassures Israel that wrongs committed against His covenant people do not vanish into history (Deuteronomy 32:35). – The prophecy also serves a pastoral purpose: the exiles learn that God’s silence toward their enemies is only temporary; judgment is certain though it may be delayed (2 Peter 3:9). summary Ezekiel 35:2 shows the LORD commissioning His prophet to deliver a resolute, divine indictment of Edom. By calling Ezekiel “son of man,” commanding him to “set your face,” and directing the prophecy “against Mount Seir,” God affirms His intimate knowledge of human affairs, His unwavering commitment to justice, and His protection of His covenant people. Edom’s centuries-long hostility toward Israel will meet God’s righteous judgment, reminding believers that the LORD’s promises and warnings are both literal and sure. |
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