Ezekiel 35:1-9: a reflection

1Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3and tell it, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you. I will make you a desolation and an astonishment. 4I will lay your cities waste, and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 5“‘“Because you have had a perpetual hostility, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end, 6therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood will pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, therefore blood will pursue you. 7Thus I will make Mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation. I will cut off from it him who passes through and him who returns. 8I will fill its mountains with its slain. The slain with the sword will fall in your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses. 9I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

God pronounces judgment on Edom (Mount Seir), and the reason is telling: because you cherished perpetual hostility, and gave over the children of Israel to the sword in the time of their calamity. Edom had nursed a long, perpetual enmity against Israel, and had gloated over their misfortune, even helping their enemies in their time of calamity. God takes note of this nursed hostility and gloating over another's downfall, and judges it.

Notice what God judges in Edom: perpetual hostility, and gloating over another's calamity. Edom had not let go of its enmity, but cherished it, nursed it perpetually; and when Israel fell into calamity, Edom gloated, even aided their downfall. God takes such nursed hostility seriously; the long-harbored grudge, the gloating over another's misfortune, does not escape his notice, but is judged. To cherish perpetual hostility, and to gloat over another's calamity, is displeasing to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can nurse long-harbored hostility and gloat over others' misfortunes. We can cherish a grudge, holding onto enmity perpetually rather than letting it go; and we can, secretly or openly, take satisfaction in the calamity of those we resent, gloating over their downfall. But God takes note of nursed hostility and gloating over another's misfortune, and judges it. Do not cherish a perpetual hostility, nursing a grudge you will not let go; and do not gloat over the calamity of others, taking satisfaction in their downfall. God judged Edom for its long-harbored enmity and its gloating; guard your own heart against nursing perpetual hostility and gloating over others' misfortunes. Let go of the grudges you cherish, and do not delight in others' calamity; the perpetual hostility and gloating that God judged in Edom are not to mark your heart. Release your enmities to God, and refuse to gloat over the misfortunes of others, rather than nursing a perpetual hostility that God takes note of and judges.

Lord, you pronounced judgment on Edom, and the reason was telling: because you cherished perpetual hostility, and gave over the children of Israel to the sword in the time of their calamity. Edom had nursed a long enmity against Israel, and gloated over their misfortune. Show me what you judge in Edom: perpetual hostility, and gloating over another's calamity. Edom had not let go of its enmity, but cherished it, nursed it perpetually; and when Israel fell, Edom gloated. You take such nursed hostility seriously; the long-harbored grudge, the gloating over another's misfortune, does not escape your notice, but is judged. Take that to my heart, for I can nurse long-harbored hostility and gloat over others' misfortunes. I can cherish a grudge, holding onto enmity perpetually rather than letting it go; and I can take satisfaction in the calamity of those I resent, gloating over their downfall. But you take note of nursed hostility and gloating, and judge it. Keep me from cherishing a perpetual hostility, nursing a grudge I will not let go; and keep me from gloating over the calamity of others. You judged Edom for its long-harbored enmity and its gloating; guard my own heart against these. Help me let go of the grudges I cherish, Lord, and refuse to delight in others' calamity, releasing my enmities to you rather than nursing a perpetual hostility that you judge.