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The land of Edom was just south of the Dead Sea. Located in Edom, we find Mount Seir. This would be the Edomites’ stronghold as they were the people of Esau. Historically, the Edomites and Israelites were at each others’ throats since Isaac’s blessing was stolen from Esau by Jacob. From that point on, they were as different as night and day. Their customs, religion, and manners grew apart as Edom routinely proved to be a thorn in the side of Israel. God saw their behavior as acting in revenge (Eze 25).
Interestingly, God does not just command Ezekiel to prophesy against the nation of Edom, but specifically Mount Seir. This is fascinating because it sets a specific geographical location to the judgment that is being spoken.
“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it
Ezekiel 35:2 NASB
I personally believe this command to prophesy goes all the way back to the source of Edom’s jealous rage. We get a small indicator of this when we dig into the context of Mount Seir and why God would choose to specifically target this mountainous region. The name Seir derives etymologically from a root meaning “hairy.” Consider also that the Hebrew word Edom means “red.” Now also consider the man who founded this specific nation…
Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau.
Genesis 25:25 NASB
So the readers of Ezekiel’s time would have most likely known the history surrounding the nation of Edom. They were the descendants of Esau who was hairy (Mt. Seir) and red (Edom) when he was born. It’s no coincidence that Esau sold his birthright for red soup as well (Gen 25).
Overall, this chapter illuminates the unbelievable details that God orchestrates from the beginning. He foretold that Israel would be stronger than Edom and even gave a prophecy to Rebekah that the older child (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). As you look through the history of Edom, they were continually dedicated to idol worship, harbored hatred toward Israel, and slowly disappeared from history just as God had predicted.
The moral here is that God sees all and is good on his Word. At the same time, He is a patient God who is more than fair in the grace that He offers. The people of Edom were disappointing on many levels in how they chose to live. God could have done away with them from the beginning, but He didn’t. He allowed them to feel consequences over and over until finally it was clear that their main goal was to rejoice over the downfall of Israel.
Our God is patient, but He is also just. He will love us and discipline us allowing our free will to decide the next move. He simply asks for a reasonable response to the sacrifice of His Son for our sin. The beauty of the New Covenant is that we are no longer a slave to the historical and geographical turmoil of our ancestors. Each person will be held responsible for how they respond in their own heart to the grace and love of our Savior Jesus Christ.