Also, thou Son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and
say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith
the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the
ancient high places are ours in possession: Therefore prophesy and
say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate,
and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession
unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of
talkers, and are an infamy of the people: Therefore, ye mountains of
Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God; to
the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys,
to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which
became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are
round about; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire
of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and
against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their
possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to
cast it out for a prey. Prophesy therefore concerning the land of
Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers,
and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken
in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of
the heathen: Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up
mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear
their shame (verses 1-7.)
The enemy had spoken blasphemies against the mountains of Israel; the
Lord had heard the arrogant language of Edom (xxxv:12-13), and now the
prophet is commanded to address the personified mountains of Israel in
words of consolation and assurance. Previously he had as God's prophet
uttered denunciations against the mountains and high places of Israel
(vi:1-7), but now after the time of Israel's chastisement is passed and
the dawn of their restoration breaks, the Lord turns against the enemies
of His people. The enemy had said against them with a shout of
exultation: "Aha! even the ancient high places are ours in possession."
Edom and other nations knew that the Lord had promised to Israel the
land for their possession. They claimed with a proud taunt Israel's
mountains and high places as their possession, and thereby ignored God
and His covenant with His people. And so it is that the nations have
forgotten what God has promised to Israel. Their land and city has been
trodden down by the Gentiles. Gentiles have stretched out their hands to
possess the mountains of Israel and occupied the land which by covenant
belongs to the seed of Abraham. When the times of the Gentiles come to a
close nations will once more attempt to take possession of Israel's land
and make an invasion. Then the Lord will arise against these nations. Of
this Ezekiel speaks, "Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken
against the residue of nations, and against all Edom, which have
appointed my land unto themselves for a possession with the joy of all
their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey; therefore
prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and
to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Thus saith the
Lord God; Behold I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye
have borne the shame of the nations. Therefore thus saith the Lord God:
I have lifted up mine hand, saying, Surely the nations that are round
about you, they shall bear their shame."
Jehovah speaks of Israel's land as "my land," and in holy indignation
and jealous for His people and their land, He arises now to put judgment
and shame upon the nations which reproached Him. He lifts His hand in
token of an oath, that He will do this now. His time has come to be
merciful to His people and His land, and that will mean judgment for
their enemies (See Zech. i:13-19). And that time is not far distant now
when God will turn to His ancient people in mercy and put judgment upon
the nations which have forgotten God and ignored His infallible word and
revealed purposes.