The first result of God’s judgment upon the nations was that all the nations, as well as Israel, would come to know that He is the Lord Jehovah. “That they may know that I am Jehovah” (25:7, 11, 17; 26:6; 29:6). This expression is used many times in Ezekiel Again and again the Lord seemed to be saying, “I will destroy them that they may know that I am Jehovah. I will make them low that they may know that I am Jehovah. I will put them into the lower parts of the earth that they may know that I am Jehovah.” The second result of God’s judgment upon the nations was that His purpose was carried out and fulfilled.
When God scattered mankind, He set up the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel in order to make Israel the center of the inhabited earth. However, at the time of Ezekiel, the children of Israel became degraded and unsuitable for God’s purpose. God therefore exercised judgment upon them and temporarily gave up Israel as His center. He raised up Nebuchadnezzar and executed judgment upon His people Israel and the seven representative nations surrounding Israel through the empire of Babylon.
Ammon and Moab were brothers who were born of Lot by his daughters. Their origin was ugly and evil. The Ammonites offended God because they were happy when the sanctuary of God was desecrated, the Holy Land was made desolate, and the house of Judah was carried away into exile. The Moabites were happy that Jerusalem was no longer separated from the nations. Edom was very close to Israel but was full of hatred toward Israel, continually seeking vengeance. The Philistines were even closer to the Israelites than the Edomites. They lived very close to the good land and even mingled with the Israelites. A number of times the Philistines intervened in the Israelites’ worship to God and once even captured the Ark. The people of Tyre were occupied with business dealings, silver and gold, and enjoyment. They declared that Jerusalem would fall. The king of Tyre exalted himself to such an extent that he even made himself a god. Sidon was a pricking briar or a painful thorn to the house of Israel, and they damaged the life of God’s people. Egypt was a nation that depended on its own resources, not on God. Like Tyre, Egypt made use of its riches and resources to become a garden of Eden. The Egyptians cared only for earthly happiness and enjoyment and did not need God. Therefore, Ezekiel prophesied that God would execute judgment upon these nations and destroy them by making them desolate, bringing them low, and delivering them to the lower parts of the earth. God’s judgment upon the nations was for the nations, as well as Israel, to know that He is Jehovah and for His purpose to be carried out and fulfilled.