Translations
Original
Notes
The Lord would not show his holiness only by judging nations for their pride, arrogance, and hostility toward his chosen people. He would also bring his people back to Israel. There, they would live safely, build homes, and plant vineyards. These were common signs of covenant blessings in the Old Testament (see Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10).
After God punished the neighboring nations and restored his people, they would find peace. The nations would recognize God as the Sovereign Lord through his powerful judgments, and Israel would know him as the Lord their God. This title reflects God's covenant relationship of worship and fellowship with them.
This section contains a series of messages of judgment against nearby nations. There are six shorter messages against Judah's immediate neighbors, arranged in a clockwise order, followed by a final message against Egypt (Ezekiel 30–32). Through experiencing God's judgment, the nations would recognize God's control over everything. The nations might be used to carry out God's judgment on his people, but they would not avoid judgment themselves.
One of the main purposes of these messages was to show that the negative part of God's promise to Abraham ("I will … curse those who curse you," Genesis 12:3) was still active. No one can harm God's people and avoid consequences, even when God's people are under his judgment.
Events
- Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC
Parallels
Glossary
Topics
Contempt: Towards the Church: Often Punished Houses: (Building of) of Great Prosperity