I remember as a child scoffing as my parents said that the swat I was about to receive on my bottom was harder for them than it was for me. “Harder for you?!” I would think. How could that be true? But as a parent about to dole out discipline to my own children years later, I understood. My discipline was not meant to bring retribution but was instead aimed at true discipline, or teaching. Of course, my children didn’t always understand this, even when I explained it to them. The sting of discipline can sometimes get in the way of the communication process.

Right now our world awakes to the daily reality of multiple wars raging all over the world. For those in the war zones, the painful reality is both shockingly real and surreal. It is easy for us in the peaceful parts of the world to make judgment calls on who is right and wrong in these upheavals, like a person sitting in their living room watching a sports match and choosing sides. But in war, is there a winner?

In my Bible reading this morning through the Old Testament prophet of Ezekiel, I was struck by the words of the Lord through this man of God. His words were of judgment, but not toward His own people Israel. Earlier in the book, the Lord has doled out his discipline on His wayward people, and it has been harsh. The events that took place against God’s people were brutal, even barbaric. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t well deserved. God had sent wave after wave of His servants, the prophets, to bring God’s warning of impending judgment, only to be met with laughter, disgust, and further open wickedness. When the bowl of the wrath of God was full, He acted just as He had promised.

In bringing punishment to His people, the Lord used the enemies of Israel, some of whom they had treaties with, others who rejoiced in its fall and took advantage of their weakened state. Having completed the punishment against His people, the Lord turned to those who struck out against His people. Remember, God didn’t implant jealousy and hatred into the hearts of these people. They already hated Israel. He simply allowed the hatred, greed, and jealousy to have its result–the plundering of Israel.

In Ezekiel 25, the Lord turns His attention to the nations that took advantage of Israel in her weakness. Although God was angry with His people, like a father who loves His children even while he is disciplining them, so too our God loves His people Israel, even as He brings judgment on them for their open rebellion. He never forsook them, and His wrath cannot be interpreted as a separation from them as His own. In case there was any doubt about that, this chapter (and the next several) describes God’s judgment not on Israel, but upon the people that attacked God’s precious people Israel. In chapter 25, God speaks His judgment against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia.

In God’s words of judgment to these nations, there is an important lesson to consider, especially in light of the war in Israel going on right now between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is this: Israel may be disobedient, rebellious, and hard-hearted in its attitude toward God and righteousness, and God will punish. But He will never forsake His people. And for those that point and laugh, and say that Israel is no different than any other nation, and that her punishment is proof of God’s rejection of Israel, I say you need to read your Bible, and specifically the way God dealt with those in Ezekiel 25. 

First, look at what God says to Ammon, “And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the sons of Ammon and prophesy against them and say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of Lord Yahweh! Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile,” (Ezekiel 25:1–3, LSB)

God took offense against Ammon for its mockery when His holy temple was profaned. “Aha!” is an interjection, and the Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible connects this word to the Greek word euge, which means, “Good!” We can picture the rejoicing and dancing in the streets of many Muslims in the Middle East when the planes struck the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

For their hatred of God’s people, the Lord promised to give over their land to nomads and to turn their capital into a pasture for their camels. The Lord further elaborated on their joy over Israel’s demise: “‘For thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and were glad with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you, and I will give you for plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I am Yahweh.”” (Ezekiel 25:6–7, LSB)

Instead of coming to Israel’s aid, the Ammonites celebrated. Instead of mourning, they rejoiced. And for their hard hearts and wicked scorn, God would destroy them.

The next nation that the Lord addressed was the people of Moab. Both the Ammonites and the Moabites were distant relatives of the Jewish people. They traced their lineage back to Abraham’s nephew Lot, who bore children by his daughters, and these children were named Ben-Ammi and Moab (Gen 19:30-38). This means that their mockery and scorn were doubly offensive since they were distantly related. But the animosity they showed had no compassion or love mixed with it.

To the Moabites, the Lord said, “‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’ therefore, behold, I am going to open the flank of Moab by its cities, by its cities which are on its frontiers, the glory of the land, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim, and I will give it for a possession along with the sons of Ammon to the sons of the east, so that the sons of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.” (Ezekiel 25:8–10, LSB)

Where the Ammonites rejoiced in the defilement of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Moabites declared that the House of Judah (and this the lineage of David) where nothing special, like everyone else. I have heard some Christians denounce Israel, saying they aren’t anything special to God anymore. They say that many Jews are rebellious, and wicked, and they hate Christians. Much of this is true for many Jewish people. And it is no worse than what they were being punished for in Ezekiel’s day. And yet, God still stands by them in covenant love, even though He was unwilling to overlook their sins against Him. 

Do we really want to be on the side of these rebellious nations that sided against God’s people? Do we really want to equate Israel with all the other nations of the world as if it is not exceptional and special in God’s eyes still? I don’t need to justify or excuse Israel’s sins to stand by them as God’s people. As a matter of fact, God’s prophets spoke hard and true words to them, and so should we. We should not compromise to call the Jewish people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. But we must not follow in the footsteps of the pagan nations and point at Israel as rejected both by God and men. 

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6, LSB)