Let's turn to chapter 35 of the book of Ezekiel this morning. Chapter 35, we'll read the entire chapter. It's only 15 verses. And Ezekiel chapter 35, verse 1. Moreover, the word of the Lord came, unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, and say unto it, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee. Sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate and cut off from it, him that passeth out and him that returneth. And I will fill his mountains with his slain men in thy hills and in thy valleys, and all thy rivers shall they fall that are slain with the sword. I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast said, these two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it, whereas the Lord was there. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy, which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them. And I will make myself known among them when I have judged thee. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord. and that I have heard all thy blasphemies, which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying they are led desolate, they are given us to consume. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me, I have heard them. Thus saith the Lord God, when the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. as thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee. Thou shalt be desolate, O Mount Seir, and all Edumea, even all of it, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Our three Psalms this morning has mentioned Edom, because Edom is Mount Seir here, This chapter seems like out of place because we're in the section, the last section of the book of Ezekiel, chapters 33 to 48, prophecies of hope and a better day. But chapters 25 to 32 were prophecies directed against surrounding nations who delighted in Jerusalem's fall and in Israel's fall. In chapter 25, four foes were judged, the Ammonites and the Moabites and the Edomites. In verses 12 to 14, the Lord said this, Thus saith the Lord God, because of what Edom did against the house of Judah, by taking vengeance, and is greatly offended by avenging itself on them. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, I will also stretch out my hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Timan. Didan shall fall by the sword." These place names were prominent places. in the land of Edom. I will lay my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to my anger and according to my fury. And they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord God." Just three verses devoted to Edom. But the Lord comes back to Edom. It's as if the Lord said, but I have something more to say to you. So in chapter 25, four foes are judged, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Edomites, the Philistines. Chapters 26 to 28, three chapters are devoted to Tyre, and also part of chapter 28, Sidon. And chapters 29 to 32, four chapters devoted to Egypt. But here the Lord returns where Edom is judged further. And I was just thinking about this chapter. Above this chapter could be the likes of Galatians chapter six and verse seven, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. And here we have an example in this chapter as we look closely at it. What Edom sowed, Edom would reap. First of all, we see the attitude of Edom in verse five, for example. Because you have had an ancient hatred or a perpetual hatred, against Israel. Now, this dates back, this ancient hatred, this old hatred dates back to Jacob and Esau, the two brothers. There's no love lost between them, it seems. And you know the story of Jacob and Esau, how Jacob tricked Esau into getting the birthright, the birthright, the biggest blessing that was reserved for the oldest But Jacob tricked Esau in getting that. And Genesis 27 and verse 41 says, so Esau hated Jacob. because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob. And then, of course, Jacob had to leave, and he didn't see his brother Esau for years. In fact, about 21 years passed before they were reconciled in chapter 33 and verse 4. Chapter 33 and verse 4, where there was that reconciliation. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. It seems that all the past was forgotten, John MacArthur says, after 21 years of troubling separation, old memories were wiped away and murderous threats belonged to the distant past. Hearts had been changed, brothers reconciled. And they seem to have met once more after this in the chapter 35 and verse 29 at the funeral of their father. So Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people being old and full of days and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. And there would have been the parting of the ways again and there doesn't seem to be any more reconciliation or any meeting between the two brothers, Jacob and Esau. But it seems to be in their ancestors where there was this ancient hatred. In fact, when you read chapter 36 of the book of Genesis, you read of the genealogy of Esau. So the two brothers never meet again after this. And John MacArthur says again, Jacob's and Esau's posterities of history, as history would go on to show, would not be in isolation from each other as originally intended. They were to become bitter enemies, engaged with each other in war. And when you read how many times throughout the Old Testament, Edom is mentioned, Mount Seir is mentioned. Mount Seir is Edom. Jacob is Edom. So we see this attitude of Edom. We see the actions of Edom. in verse 5, and because you have had an ancient hatred and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword, at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end. Now, when did that happen? Again, just bringing different scriptures together, piecing them together like a jigsaw to get the picture. Amos chapter 1. Verses 11 and 12 says this, thus says the Lord, for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away its punishment because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity. His anger tore perpetually and he kept his wrath forever. but I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah." And even the book of Obadiah, verse 14, says much the same thing. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped, nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress." It seems to be the picture that we have to read between the lines of these, that as refugees, as escapees were leaving the siege of Jerusalem, to get away from the Babylonians. They were getting away from the fire of the Babylonians, but into the frying pan of the Edomites. And it wasn't the Babylonians who were killing them, it was the Edomites. 586 BC, Edomites slaughtered fleeing Hebrews from the siege of Jerusalem. William Greenhill says in his commentary, the commentary that was given to me here, and I'm making use of it, thank you very much indeed. He says, when the Babylonians entered Jerusalem, some Jews got away, but the Edomites watched for them at a crossway, and there cut them off, and others they delivered up to be cut off. So Edomites rejoiced in Jerusalem's downfall, in their calamity. And we'll be singing Psalm 137, and verse seven says, remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, who said, raise it, raise it to its very foundation. That word raise means to pull it down, raise it, pull it down. It's as if it was like almost a cheering group. They were loving this. Such was their hatred of Israel, of the people of God. Such was their lack of pity and concern for those in trouble. And it's interesting to note that at the birth of Christ, a descendant of Edom, Herod, is sitting upon the throne in Jerusalem. And look at the hatred he had. Wanting to know where this child is born, that he would go and worship him. And because the wise men did not return to tell him, then he slaughters those within Bethlehem and its vicinity, those who are little toddlers, two years old and younger, hoping that one of them is this child. that was prophesied. So that is the hatred of Herod, the Edomite. So we see the attitude of Edom and the actions of Edom. We see the assumption of Edom in verse 10. Because you have said these two nations and these two countries shall be mine. The two nations, the two countries being Israel and Judah, the divided kingdom. These two nations and these two countries shall be mine and we will possess them. That was the assumption of Edom. Edom thought that they could just march into Israel and Judah and just take it over. But we see very quickly the arrogance of Edom in verse 10 also. Because you have said these two nations and these two countries shall be mine and we will possess them. Although the Lord was there. This was the Lord's land. And this was the arrogance of Edom. They thought that we can just take this over. But this was the Lord's land. Another commentator on Ezekiel, Peter Naylor, says they had forgotten that Jacob and his family were tenants and that Yahweh, the Lord, had never surrendered freehold ownership. You see, in that chapter of Genesis, chapter 36, in verses six to eight, Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle, and all his animals, and all his goods, which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. Mount Seir is that mountainous region in southern Jordan nowadays. So Esau had the sense, there's no, this land is too small for the both of us. So they, he moved out. And MacArthur says again, it was fitting for God to work out the circumstances providentially of keeping Jacob's lineage in the land and moving Esau's lineage out. It is not revealed if Esau had understood and came to accept the promises of God to Jacob, although his descendants surely sought to deny Israel any right to their land or their life. A very simple illustration would be like this. God is the landlord of the land. Israel is the tenant. The tenant has been evicted for a while, because they haven't respected the landlord. And Edom thinks that they can just come and squat in the land once Israel has left. But God has said to them, I'm still the landlord here, this is my land. I will deal with my tenant. you just go off and mind your own business. So this was the arrogance of Edom, who thought that they could come in and live in the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey, that fertile land that God had given solely to his chosen people. The land of Israel isn't all that big. And yet Jesus said in Matthew 5 and verse 5 in one of the Beatitudes, blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And not just a small country, the meek shall inherit the earth. And of course, that will be fully realized after Jesus comes in the new heavens and the new earth. when the only people that will be on the new earth will be God's elect people. Everyone else will be gone from it to their eternal abode. Another commentator, Philip Eveson, says, the land promised to Abraham's descendants is a reminder of the paradise lost through sin and a type of the new earth to come. Peace involves security and well-being. There are many throughout history who have coveted land and succeeded in taking it by force. How privileged are God's people, for in the end, as our Lord indicates, the meek shall inherit the earth. So we have the attitude of Edom, and the actions of Edom, and the assumptions of Edom. We have the arrogance of Edom, but we also see the authority of God. God will make sure that the Edoms of this world and throughout history will reap what they have sown. Four times in this chapter, verse four, then you shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 9, then you shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 12, then you shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 15, then they shall know that I am the Lord. God stamps his authority on this whole situation, and there's not one part of the land of Edom shall be untouched from his judgment." Verses 8 and 9, and I will fill its mountains with the slain. On your hills and in your valleys and all your ravines, those who are slain by the sword shall fall. I will make you perpetually desolate. and your cities shall be uninhabited, then you shall know that I am the Lord. Verse 15, as you rejoiced because the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so I will do to you. You shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all of Edom, all of it. So not one part of the land of Edom shall be untouched. And in verses 8 and 9, God sees every action. He sees every action. In verse 5, because you've had an ancient hatred and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, God has seen that. God has seen every action. God has heard every word. Verses 12 and 13. Therefore as I live, says the Lord God, I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them. And I will make myself known among them when I judge you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have heard all your blasphemies, which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying they are desolate. They are giving to us to consume." God has seen every action. God has heard every word. And today, God hasn't changed. God sees every action. God sees every secret action that's planned. God hears every word spoken in secret. God hears it all, God sees it all. But let's not forget, you know, between Jacob and Esau, between the two peoples, there's something deeper here. God made a distinction between Jacob and Esau. Anybody reading their Bible for the first time, if they were to come to Malachi chapter one, and the first couple of verses, the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, says the Lord, yet you say, in what way have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, says the Lord? Yet Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. and let waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness." Does God look upon people in the exact same way? I remember years ago, over 30 years ago, one Sunday night, and I announced it the Sunday before, I'm going to preach a sermon next Sunday night, Does God Love Everybody? And even before I had preached it, that had provoked a response. What do you mean, of course he loves everybody? And I preached from Psalm 5, verse 5, where it says that God hates all workers of iniquity. Now, in Northern Ireland, we have a saying here, oh, no, no, he hates the sin but loves the sinner. But then the verse would have to read that he hates all the iniquity of the workers. But it doesn't say that. It says God hates all workers of iniquity. Psalm 11 verse five, but the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates. So what do we do with verses like this? These are the Jacob and the Esau's. You hate all workers of iniquity, but the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates. What do we do with verses like this? Jacob, I have loved. Esau, I have hated. Quoted again in Romans chapter 9. And as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. Some take that to mean loved less. To love less. He loved Jacob more than he loved Esau. But can we say to an unsaved person, God loves you, but he loves me more than you. Now that doesn't make sense. Is it right to say to a non-godly person, God loves you and he has a wonderful plan for your life? I think that's a very dangerous thing to say, a very misleading thing to say. Rather, we have to say to that person, God is angry with you every day. You need to turn away from your sin. You need to repent from your sin. God hates all workers of iniquity. And by coming to him, then you will know his love for you. Because if God loves everybody, and that person dies without Christ, goes to hell forever, what good is God's love in hell? They're not going to know God's love in hell. All they know in hell is his justice and his wrath. There's no mercy, there's no goodness, there's no love. It's God's people, in the words of Jeremiah 31 verse three, who are loved with an everlasting love. That is said to God's people of the Old Testament, how much more to his people in the New Testament when Christ has died upon the cross. And I have pointed out at Christmas time, especially Matthew chapter one, you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Again, remember preaching that one Sunday. It doesn't say, you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save people from their sins. He shall save his people. That's specific, isn't it? And as a Christian, when you know the love of God in your heart, that you've been loved with an everlasting love, that you're not of Esau's line, but you're of Jacob's. I tell you, that does something to your heart. Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. And that's the Israel and Edom thing that we have here. So I trust that the Lord will have blessed his word this morning to us from this chapter. And just to see how it all started with two brothers. The two brothers that became two peoples, two nations. And one nation hated the other because one was loved by God one was chosen by God. And as a Christian, the Lord has loved you, he has chosen you, he has set you apart from the world, and the world will hate you. The world will hate you. But it's a price worth paying, isn't it? To think of where we shall be in eternity. in heaven with him who loved us and gave himself for us. Let's sing number 137, Psalm 137, verses one to nine, to the tune Dunlap's Creek. By Babel's streams we sat and wept, when Sion we thought on, In midst the rough we hanged our harps, the willow trees upon. And verse seven says, remember Edom's children, Lord, who in Jerusalem's day, even unto its foundation, raise it, raise it quite, did say. So verses one to nine, it's the entire psalm. Psalm 137 to the tune Dunlap's Creek. Thank you.