In Ezekiel 35-36, we read about the contrast between the destiny of Edom and Israel.
Edom is condemned for her lust for land. The land of Palestine is promised restoration. The people are promised restoration. During the siege, Ezekiel brought judgment against Judah’s oppressors, particularly for the glee with which they would welcome the fall of Jerusalem.
Using Edom to represent all the nations. Ezekiel again promises that destruction awaits them. He then consoles Israel with more assurances of the national restoration.
The whole chapter has one thought: the Edomites are to be judged for taking or at least desiring to take possession of God’s land. They were trespassing and would be removed.
Dyer, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Edom was the prototype of all Israel’s later foes. The destruction of Edom would signal the beginning of God’s judgment on the whole earth based on that nation’s treatment of Israel, Genesis 12:3.’
Ezekiel is now told to speak against Mount Seir, which is Edom, Ezekiel 35:1-2 / Ezekiel 25:12-14 / Genesis 32:3 / Genesis 36:8. God says He is opposed to Mount Seir, Ezekiel 35:3 / Ezekiel 36:9, and He is going to judge them, Ezekiel 6:14, and their towns will come to ruin, Ezekiel 36:10, and they will become a desolate, Ezekiel 35:4.
Then they would know that He is the LORD, Ezekiel 35:4. God gives us the reason for doing so, it is because they were continuous enemies of Israel, Ezekiel 35:5 / Ezekiel 25:12 / Genesis 12:3.
They didn’t help Israel in their time of calamity, Ezekiel 35:5 / 2 Chronicles 20:10 / Psalm 137:7 / Lamentations 4:21-22. Read the book of Obadiah for the problems between Israel and Edom and what God did about it, Obadiah 1-21.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The long hatred for Israel on the part of Edom led to their refusal of permission for Israel to pass through their land, Numbers 20:14-21; to their invasion of Judah, 2 Chronicles 20:10-11; to their aiding Nebuchadnezzar in the overthrow of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:13; and to the outrageous conduct of the Herods and their dynasty against the purposes of God during the days of Christ and the apostles. The Herods were Idumaeans (Edomites), Isaiah 34-43.’
God said He would turn them over to others who would kill them because this is what they did, Ezekiel 35:6. In other words, they are going to reap what they sowed, Galatians 6:7.
Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Psalm 137:7 and Lamentations 4:21-22 imply that Edom gladly aided the Babylonian invasion of Judah in 589-586 B.C. Obadiah 10-14 also denounces Edom for her betrayal of Israel in time of need.’
God is going to make Mount Seir a desolate waste and stop people from coming and going from it, Ezekiel 35:7. Wherever an Edomite lived, God would find them and kill them, Ezekiel 35:8 / Ezekiel 6:3 / Ezekiel 6:7. God is also going to make them desolate forever and their towns will be left empty, Ezekiel 35:9. Then they would know that He is the LORD, Ezekiel 35:9.
The Edomites wanted to take over the two nations and countries, that is, Israel and Judah, despite God being there, despite it being God’s land, Ezekiel 25:10 / Ezekiel 35:12 / Ezekiel 36:12 / Ezekiel 48:35. For God to promise the children of Israel their land again. He had to remove the trespassers, Edom.
Block, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Archaeological evidence for Edomite encroachment into Judean territory is available from several sources. Arad Letter 24 refers to the pressure of the Edomites at this southern military outpost even before the fall of Jerusalem. An Edomite seal, whose nationality is established by the name Qaus, discovered at Aroer, 12 miles southeast of Beer-sheba, suggests Edomite presence at this place a short time later.’
God now swears that He will deal with them in the same way they dealt with His people, Ezekiel 35:11 / Ezekiel 36:5-6 / Galatians 6:7. When God did does this, then they will know that He is judge, Ezekiel 35:11.
Notice God also says that they will know that He has heard all the contemptible things they said against the mountains of Israel, referring to the Israelites themselves, Ezekiel 35:12 / Ezekiel 35:2-3 / Ezekiel 35:7 / Ezekiel 35:15 / Ezekiel 36:1 / Ezekiel 36:4 / Ezekiel 36:8.
They thought that God’s people were easy pickings and took advantage of them, Ezekiel 35:12. There were no limits concerning their boasting against God, but God heard it all; He heard everything, Ezekiel 35:13 / Ezekiel 36:5 / Malachi 1:1-5.
The whole earth would rejoice at the downfall of Edom when they became desolate, just as they did with Israel, Ezekiel 35:14-15 / Ezekiel 36:5. They will become desolate, and then they will know that He is the LORD, Ezekiel 35:15 / Ezekiel 36:10.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The words that men speak have an importance far beyond what many suppose. Words are by no means unimportant or inconsequential. The Son of God Himself has warned us all that, ‘By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned’, Matthew 12:37.’
Before the birth of Jacob and Esau, God told Rebekah that there were two nations in her womb, Genesis 25:23. These two nations were the Edomites and the Israelites. Israel followed after God, but the Edomites followed after false gods, Obadiah 2.
They followed after the character of their father, who was a profane person, Hebrews 12:16. God would render to them that which they had done to others, Romans 12:19. The Edomite nation would be made desolate, but the Jews would be restored to their land, then they will know that He is the Lord, Ezekiel 35:10.
God will influence the events of history in order to bring Edom to a close. Being the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, the Edomites were continually the antagonists of Israel.
From the time the Israelites came out of Egyptian captivity to the time of their demise in the destruction of Jerusalem, the Edomites shed the blood of the Israelites, Numbers 20:18.
When Israel was coming to a close with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Edomites murdered many Israelites who escaped from the destruction of Jerusalem and fled toward Edom, Obadiah 1-21.
The Edomites rejoiced over the doom of Israel, Obadiah 12. Because they showed no mercy for God’s people, God would show no mercy toward them, James 2:13. Edom as a nation would be terminated from history. They lived by the sword, and by the sword, they would die, Matthew 26:52. They were a cruel race of people.
Herod the Great was an Edomite. Centuries after this prophecy of Ezekiel, Herod the Great and those who descended from Herod were designated by the Romans to reign over the Jews in Palestine immediately before the birth of Jesus. It was an effort by the Romans to humiliate the Jews who were living in Palestine at the time of the birth of Jesus.