20151118 Wednesday, November 18 2015
Ezekiel 25: The Fall Of The Muslim Empire

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"They have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred"

The Ottoman Empire, as it happened, a Muslim empire, was one of the most geographically-extensive empires in human history. Over the course of its expansion and contraction, were Turkey, large areas of Arabia (see Paul's Geography Lesson), Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, Jordan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania - and "Palestine." It was also one of the longest-lasting empires history. Centered on a ruling dynasty in Turkey, it existed from the late thirteenth century to the early twentieth century.

During the First World War (1914-1918), the Ottoman Empire sided with Germany, and so found itself facing British and British Empire forces in battle. Jerusalem was taken by British forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby after the Battle of Jerusalem in 1917. At the end of the war, with the fall and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations, at the Conference of Lausanne, established the internationally-recognized legal framework the British "Mandate for Palestine," that would result, by means of British management, in the birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948 (see A History Of Jerusalem: The British Mandate and Israel's Wars In The Twentieth Century).

The Israelites were created from the nations around them (see The Origin Of Israelites And Jews) because the coming Kingdom of God will be for all people (see The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq and What Gospel Did Jesus Preach?). It wasn't just "love your neighbor as yourself" - it was love your neighbor because he is yourself.

Those nations also contributed, not only the people through whom Israel would exist, but the land in which Israel would exist. The principle will be fulfilled when all of the countries of today will be the Kingdom of God - on the entire planet that the LORD created for that very purpose (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour).

When the nations around Israel and Judah gloated at the sight of the self-inflicted fall of Israel and Judah (which had no effect what so ever on the coming fulfillment), they were in fact mocking the LORD - and their own future salvation. It's for that reason that the LORD rebuked them too. It's a principle that applies, and is applied, as much in the present as it was in the past.

The land of Ammon was on the east side of the Jordan River, where Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh were given their national territory (see The Return Of The Eastern Tribes). Ammon is today within the Kingdom of Jordan, whose national capital city, Amman, is named after the territory of Ammon (it's the same word; the spellings are merely based on different pronunciations and accents).

"25:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

25:2 Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; 25:3 And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, 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; 25:4 Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk. 25:5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 25:6 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel; 25:7 Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 25:1-7 KJV)

Moab is also today in the Kingdom of Jordan (Moses is buried in Moab).

"25:8 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; 25:9 Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim, 25:10 Unto the men of the east with the Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. 25:11 And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 25:8-11 KJV)

The land of Edom is immediately to the south of the land of Israel.

"25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; 25:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. 25:14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 25:12-14 KJV)

The Philistines, from which the English-language word "Palestinian" originated, were the ancient inhabitants of Gaza.

"25:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; 25:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. 25:17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them." (Ezekiel 25:15-17 KJV)

Fact Finder: How did the Muslim religion originate?
See A History Of Jerusalem: Constantine and Muhammad and A Biography Of Abraham: Abrahamic Religions