Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"Set your face against the Ammonites"
Text: Ezekiel 25:2
THE SURROUNDING NATIONS OF JUDAH
There were a few neighbouring nations of Judah. The Lord’s judgment against these nations were recorded in the next few chapters (Ezekiel 25-32).
“The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites,
and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites,
‘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 desolate,
and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity.”'”
Ezekiel 25:1-3
1. The sons of Lot.
a) Moab and Ammon were offspring of Lot (Genesis 19:30-38).
b) Lot was the nephew of Abraham.
c) These two nations were thus related to Israel.
d) But they remained hostile to each other.
2. Ezekiel was to set his face against the Ammonites.
a) He was to preach against them.
b) The prophecy against Ammon forewarned the chastisement of the Lord.
3. What was Ammon’s sin?
a) Ammon rejoiced greatly when Judah was conquered by the Babylonians.
b) Ammon was a small rival kingdom.
c) It showed no sympathy at all.
4. Three aspects highlighted:
a) When the sanctuary of God was profaned,
Ammon smirked and said “Aha”.
b) When the land of Israel became desolate,
Ammon did not commiserate but said “Aha”.
c) When the house of Judah went into captivity,
Ammon had no pity at all but said “Aha”.
5. God was offended:
a) By Amon’s indifference.
b) By the nation’s disdain.
c) By the nation’s hardened spirit to those who were suffering.