The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapters 25-26

Shifting Focus to Judgment on Surrounding Nations

As we come to Ezekiel 25, the context shifts toward judgments against surrounding nations. It's not just Jerusalem's sin under scrutiny, but specific sins in other nations worthy of judgment—even in extreme degrees. Examining these nations reveals life's greatest issues, all tied to a core concept: misplaced joy.

These nations, in some form, deny God as the ultimate source of joy and his people as unique. This strikes at the heart of salvation and Old Testament theology: God has a particular people who find their sole joy in him. Their joy denies God, his uniqueness, and perhaps even his existence. It boils down to misplaced joy, providing a stark example of how to find proper joy in God and avoid judgment.

Ammon's Malicious Joy (Ezekiel 25:1-7)

And the word of the Lord 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 the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God: “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 captivity...”’” (Ezekiel 25:1-3)

The key is that word "aha"—an expression of malicious joy seen earlier in Ezekiel. It's like gloating when something bad happens to someone else for your benefit. The Ammonites gleefully mock the profaning of God's sanctuary and Judah's exile, implying God is powerless or nonexistent. This twisted joy justifies their sin and rejection of God.

Yet the temple's destruction and exile prove God's power and seriousness about sin. They twist it to say, "No need to change—God can't save his own." Echoes of mockery at the cross: "He saved others; he cannot save himself."

Therefore behold, I am going to give you to the sons of the East for a possession... Thus you will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 25:4-5)

The repeated theme: "You will know that I am the Lord." This knowledge comes in two ways: through judgment (negative experience of God's power) or mercy (positive, salvific relationship). The Ammonites, joying in the wrong thing, face judgment. True joy fears God, magnifying his love and grace. God judges even his own people for holiness, showing no favoritism to sin.

Everyone experiences God—either in loving relationship or vengeful judgment. Proper joy in God would reverse their fate to mercy.

Moab's Denial of God's People (Ezekiel 25:8-11)

Thus says the Lord God: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Look! The house of Judah is like all the nations,’ therefore, behold, I will clear the flank of Moab of its cities...” Thus I will execute judgments on Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 25:8-11)

Moab rejoices: "Judah is like all nations—nothing special." This denies the sacred distinctiveness of God's people, justifying their sin (like Romans 1). It's joyful ignorance of sanctification.

God doesn't correct their view of Judah directly but judges to vindicate his name: "You will know that I am the Lord." Distinctiveness comes from knowing God (John 17: eternal life is knowing God and Christ).

Edom and Philistia's Vengeful Joy (Ezekiel 25:12-17)

Thus says the Lord God: “Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance... I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel... Thus they shall know My vengeance, says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 25:12-14)

Thus says the Lord God: “Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with flaring nostrils... I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 25:15-17)

Edom took sadistic pleasure killing Judah's refugees; Philistines acted with scornful enmity. Their misplaced joy in vengeance against God's people brings God's severe vengeance—stark wrath.

Tyre's Mercantile Joy (Ezekiel 26)

Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, “Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples. Now she is turned over to me...” (Ezekiel 26:2)

Tyre gloats ("aha!") as Jerusalem's fall opens trade routes, filling their ports with profit. This trade hub benefits materially from God's people's destruction.

They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her debris from her, and make her a bare rock. She will be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea... And they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 26:4-6)

God brings waves of nations: Nebuchadnezzar ravages the mainland; Alexander the Great uses its debris to build a causeway to the island fortress, laying it bare for fishing nets—fulfilled precisely, even today.

I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets; you shall never be rebuilt... I will bring terrors on you, and you shall be no more. (Ezekiel 26:14, 21)

Princes of the sea lament Tyre's fall, trembling at God's judgment.

The Lesson: Joy in God's Glory

These confirmed prophecies awe and terrify: God's judgment is certain (2 Peter 3). Ezekiel prophesies from exile for exiles and us—to show judgment's reality and call to repent (Ezekiel 18).

For believers, gratitude explodes for Christ, who bore this judgment. This Old Testament gospel reveals salvation's cost, served on Jesus. Joy must center on God's glory—not denial or idols, which he painfully removes.

All have sinned by failing to glorify God (Romans 3). We glorify him through Christ alone, living as those crucified with him (Galatians 2:20). Misplaced joy brings judgment; joy in the Lord endures.