76 God Will Bless Israel

While the Lord has finished the prophecy to Israel’s nearest enemy Edom, He now begins a lengthily contrast to Edom regarding the blessings He will bring upon the nation Israel. He begins by commanding Ezekiel to , prophesy unto the mountains of Israel. Just as He prophecied doom and judgment to Edom and represented them as Mount Seir so too does He prophecy to Israel in synecdoche fashion using the mountains to refer to the whole of the land and its people. Synecdoche is a figure of association where the whole can refer to the part or the part to the whole. However, to Israel in contrast to Edom, He brings a promise of spiritual and temporal blessings to them. In typical colorful poetical language the Lord is telling Ezekiel that he must say, “Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of Jehovah.”

He is letting them know exactly who it is that is speaking words of assurance. It is Jehovah God the Father speaking about future blessings that will come upon Israel. God first gives His reason for the prophecies of blessing that He will now bring in this chapter. He says that Israel’s enemies who hate them have said at least two things of offense to God:

1. The said Aha! Which is an expression of scornfulness or rejoicing over Israel’s suffering and their thoughts of dominance over them.
2. They own the ancient mountains. They boasted that they were in full control of the land of promise.