Schadenfreude Over His Chosen People - Ezekiel 25-27

This is Episode #250 and today we’ll read Ezekiel chapters 25-27 together.   Aha!  God would not stand for schadenfreude over His chosen people, Israel.

Show Notes

·       Ezekiel's Vision
         Awesome Video of Solomon’s Temple
·       These will help!  Overview videos of all books of the Bible

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Transcript

Joy: You’re listening to Season 2 of the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  This is Episode #250 and today we’ll read Ezekiel chapters 25-27 together.   Aha!  God would not stand for schadenfreude over His chosen people, Israel.

Welcome

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Season 2!  I'm your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me - from the beginning - simply reading God's word together.  We built some spiritual muscles in 2020 with just the New Testament.  But this year we’re going all out, cover-to-cover, Old Testament and New.  So, whether with your first cup in the morning, your commute to work, or as the last thing on your mind before sleep, God’s Word will equip you for every good work.  I’m really glad you’re here!

Ezekiel Chapter 25:

Judgment against Ammon

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, face the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, “Aha!” about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

“‘For this is what the Lord God says: Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt, therefore I am about to stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

Judgment against Moab

“‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.” Therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank beginning with its frontier cities, the splendor of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.

Judgment against Edom

“‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them, therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off both people and animals from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan. I will take my vengeance on Edom through my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and wrath. So they will know my vengeance. This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Judgment against Philistia

“‘This is what the Lord God says: Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt, destroying because of their perpetual hatred, therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples. I will execute severe vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am the Lord when I take my vengeance on them.’”

Ezekiel Chapter 26:

The Downfall of Tyre

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gateway to the peoples is shattered. She has been turned over to me. I will be filled now that she lies in ruins,’ therefore this is what the Lord God says: See, I am against you, Tyre! I will raise up many nations against you, just as the sea raises its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and turn her into a bare rock. She will become a place in the sea to spread nets, for I have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “She will become plunder for the nations, and her villages on the mainland will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

For this is what the Lord God says: “See, I am about to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a huge assembly of troops. He will slaughter your villages on the mainland with the sword. He will set up siege works, build a ramp, and raise a wall of shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his iron tools. His horses will be so numerous that their dust will cover you. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots. He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses. He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will take your wealth as spoil and plunder your merchandise. They will also demolish your walls and tear down your beautiful homes. Then they will throw your stones, timber, and soil into the water. I will put an end to the noise of your songs, and the sound of your lyres will no longer be heard. I will turn you into a bare rock, and you will be a place to spread nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the Lord, have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: “Won’t the coasts and islands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan and slaughter occurs within you? All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble continually, and be appalled at you. Then they will lament for you and say of you,

‘How you have perished, city of renown,

you who were populated from the seas!

She who was powerful on the sea,

she and all of her inhabitants

inflicted their terror.

Now the coastlands tremble

on the day of your downfall;

the islands in the sea

are alarmed by your demise.’”

For this is what the Lord God says: “When I make you a ruined city like other deserted cities, when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you, then I will bring you down to be with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the underworld like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or display your splendor in the land of the living. I will make you an object of horror, and you will no longer exist. You will be sought but will never be found again.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Ezekiel Chapter 27:

The Sinking of Tyre

The word of the Lord came to me: “Now, son of man, lament for Tyre. Say to Tyre, who is situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coasts and islands, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Tyre, you declared,

“I am perfect in beauty.”

Your realm was in the heart of the sea;

your builders perfected your beauty.

They constructed all your planking

with pine trees from Senir.

They took a cedar from Lebanon

to make a mast for you.

They made your oars of oaks from Bashan.

They made your deck of cypress wood

from the coasts of Cyprus,

inlaid with ivory.

Your sail was made of

fine embroidered linen from Egypt,

and served as your banner.

Your awning was of blue and purple fabric

from the coasts of Elishah.

The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad

were your rowers.

Your wise men were within you, Tyre;

they were your captains.

The elders of Gebal and its wise men

were within you, repairing your leaks.

“‘All the ships of the sea and their sailors

came to you to barter for your goods.

Men of Persia, Lud, and Put

were in your army, serving as your warriors.

They hung shields and helmets in you;

they gave you splendor.

Men of Arvad and Helech

were stationed on your walls all around,

and Gammadites were in your towers.

They hung their shields all around your walls;

they perfected your beauty.

“‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your goods. Those from Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise. Men of Dedan were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks and ebony as your payment. Aram was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise. Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm, for your goods. Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your abundant wealth of every kind, trading in wine from Helbon and white wool. Vedan and Javan from Uzal dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods. Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats. The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. For your merchandise they exchanged the best of all spices and all kinds of precious stones as well as gold. Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets, which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace. Ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your goods.

“‘So you became full and heavily loaded

in the heart of the sea.

Your rowers have brought you

onto the high seas,

but the east wind has wrecked you

in the heart of the sea.

Your wealth, merchandise, and goods,

your sailors and captains,

those who repair your leaks,

those who barter for your goods,

and all the warriors on board,

with all the other people within you,

sink into the heart of the sea

on the day of your downfall.

“‘The countryside shakes

at the sound of your sailors’ cries.

All the oarsmen

disembark from their ships.

The sailors and all the captains of the sea

stand on the shore.

Because of you, they raise their voices

and cry out bitterly.

They throw dust on their heads;

they roll in ashes.

They shave their heads because of you

and wrap themselves in sackcloth.

They weep over you

with deep anguish and bitter mourning.

“‘In their wailing they lament for you,

mourning over you:

“Who was like Tyre,

silenced in the middle of the sea?

When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples.

You enriched the kings of the earth

with your abundant wealth and goods.

Now you are wrecked by the sea

in the depths of the waters;

your goods and the people within you

have gone down.

All the inhabitants of the coasts and islands

are appalled at you.

Their kings shudder with fear;

their faces are contorted.

Those who trade among the peoples

scoff at you;

you have become an object of horror

and will never exist again.”’”

Close

Just like in the final chapters of Jeremiah, God tells Ezekiel to speak of the downfalls of the nations surrounding Israel.   Ezekiel however – at least in these chapters – focused on Ammon and Tyre.  Much of the judgement against Tyre centered on their trade.  Tyre was a coastal city and virtually all nations did business with them regularly.  But God showed no pity for them because of how they treated His favored Israel.  

Ammon was warned by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but for a different reason this time.  Many times we have read – and will read again – the use of the word aha!  It has several meanings and uses, but in this case, the Bible dictionary at Bible Study Tools.com says, in part, that it “expresses malicious joy over the reverses of an enemy…”  This is just straight forward schadenfreude over Israel’s misfortunes and God was having none of it.

Lastly, are you finding Ezekiel to be a little depressing?  It’s not that I don’t believe, or, quite frankly, that the Israelites didn’t deserve God’s wrath.  But on the tail-end of the other major prophets – and knowing we still have the minors to go - it starts to weigh on me a little bit.  Need me a little Jesus, I think.  And I guess there’s purpose in this too.  What a gift we have in being New Testament Christians.  God hasn’t changed…He still finds sin as despicable as He did in the times of the Prophets.  But Jesus stepped in to take our place; to take on Himself all of God’s hatred for the despicable acts committed by human beings from the beginning of time to the end of it.  What a gift we have in Jesus.  I hope you feel that way too.  Let me know at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray that by spending time in His Word every day, you will be changed.  Visit me at Lifting Her Voice.com with your comments and questions.  And don’t forget to visit the Blog page while you’re there.  If you like the podcast, it would be great if you’d give it a five-star review and share it with everyone you know.  Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you tomorrow!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.