Commentary - Ezekiel 28:20-24

Bird's-eye view

This brief oracle against Sidon, nestled between the grander judgments on Tyre and Egypt, serves as a potent and concentrated declaration of God's absolute sovereignty over all nations. The prophet Ezekiel, acting as God's prosecuting attorney, is directed to "set his face" against this coastal city, a posture of determined opposition. The core of the prophecy is not simply about the destruction of a pagan city; it is about the purpose behind that destruction. God's judgments in history are never arbitrary. Here, the explicit goal is the magnification of God's own glory and holiness. Through pestilence and the sword, Yahweh intends to make Himself known, both to the pagan Sidonians and to His own covenant people, Israel. The judgment on Sidon is therefore a revelatory act. It is a demonstration that Yahweh is not a tribal deity but the Lord of all the earth. Furthermore, this specific judgment has a pastoral purpose for Israel: the removal of a "prickling brier," a source of pain and spiritual compromise. God's work in the world, whether in judgment or salvation, is always for the glory of His name and the good of His people.

The central refrain, "Then they will know that I am Yahweh," punctuates the passage, framing the entire event. This is not about acquiring intellectual data. This is the knowledge of experience, the kind of knowing that comes from a direct encounter with the living God in His righteous fury. For Sidon, it is the knowledge of the creature recognizing the Creator in terror. For Israel, it is the knowledge of the child recognizing the faithfulness of the Father, who disciplines their enemies. Ultimately, this passage is a microcosm of God's work throughout history: He tears down kingdoms and raises them up, all so that His name might be hallowed and His people might live securely in the land He has given them.

Outline

Context In Ezekiel

This prophecy against Sidon is part of a larger collection of oracles against foreign nations found in Ezekiel 25-32. This section is strategically placed after the prophecies concerning the fall of Jerusalem and before the prophecies of Israel's ultimate restoration. The logic is profound. Before God can detail the glorious future of His people, He must first demonstrate His absolute authority over the very nations that have oppressed, mocked, or seduced Israel. These are not random potshots at Israel's enemies; they are a systematic declaration that Yahweh is the King of kings, and the historical stage belongs to Him. The judgment on Tyre, which immediately precedes this section, is extensive and focuses on the sin of pride. Sidon, Tyre's sister city, receives a shorter but no less intense oracle. Its judgment serves to reinforce the message against Tyre and to broaden the scope of God's sovereign rule over the whole region. The conclusion of this oracle, which speaks of removing a "painful thorn" from Israel, provides a direct link to the restoration promises that will follow, showing that God's international judgments are integral to His plan for His covenant people.

Key Issues

God Against Us For Us

One of the most jarring phrases in Scripture is when the Lord of heaven and earth declares, "Behold, I am against you." This is not the declaration of a rival or a competitor. This is the declaration of the Creator against the creature, the potter against the clay. There is no contest. When God is against a person or a nation, their doom is sealed. And yet, the Bible is a story where God is frequently against people for the ultimate good of His people. He was against Pharaoh for the salvation of Israel. He was against the Canaanites for the establishment of Israel in the land. And here, He is against Sidon for the peace and purity of Israel.

This principle finds its ultimate expression at the cross. On Calvary, God the Father was truly and terrifyingly "against" His only Son. The judgment that fell on Sidon in blood and pestilence was but a shadow of the judgment that was poured out upon Christ. Why? So that God might no longer be against us who believe. He was against Christ so that He could be for us. In Christ, the declaration "I am against you" is silenced forever for the believer. And because of this, we can read passages like this one without flinching, understanding that the same God who judges His enemies with perfect justice is the God who has saved us with perfect grace. His opposition to Sidon is the flip side of His covenant love for Israel, and His opposition to His Son is the foundation of His covenant love for the Church.

Verse by Verse Commentary

20-21 And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, prophesy against her

The oracle begins with the standard prophetic formula, establishing that what follows is not Ezekiel's personal opinion but a direct communication from God. The command for Ezekiel to "set his face toward" Sidon is significant. It is a posture of fixed, unyielding intent. This is not a casual glance; it is a determined gaze of judgment. God is directing His covenant lawyer to turn his full attention to this defendant and to deliver the indictment. The prophet is to be the mouthpiece of the divine court, and the verdict has already been determined by the Judge.

22 and say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, And I will be glorified in your midst. Then they will know that I am Yahweh when I execute judgments in her, And I will manifest My holiness in her.

Here is the heart of the message. The sovereign Lord Yahweh declares His personal opposition to Sidon. The reason given is not, in the first instance, Sidon's specific sins, but rather God's own intention to glorify Himself. This is a bedrock theological principle: the universe exists for the glory of God. History unfolds according to His script, and every event, whether a quiet conversion or a bloody judgment, has as its ultimate purpose the display of God's character. He will be glorified, and He will manifest His holiness, His "otherness," His sheer God-ness, right in the middle of this pagan city. How? Through the execution of judgments. God's justice is a reflection of His holy character. When He punishes sin, He is showing the world who He is. The result of this display will be knowledge: "Then they will know that I am Yahweh." This is recognition forced by an undeniable display of power and righteousness.

23 For I will send pestilence to her And blood to her streets, And the wounded will fall in her midst By the sword upon her on every side; Then they will know that I am Yahweh.

The means of this judgment are now specified, and they are grim. Pestilence and blood. Internal disease and external violence. The picture is one of total collapse and carnage. The sword will come from "every side," indicating a comprehensive, inescapable military defeat. The wounded will not be on the outskirts; they will "fall in her midst," at the very heart of the city. This is not a partial or corrective judgment; it is a devastating blow. And again, the purpose clause is repeated like a drumbeat: "Then they will know that I am Yahweh." When their idols are silent, their armies are broken, and their streets are filled with the dead, the Sidonians will have a sudden and terrifying theological education. They will know that the God of Israel is the only God.

24 And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am Lord Yahweh.”

Now the lens shifts from Sidon to Israel. The judgment on the foreign nation has a direct, pastoral benefit for the covenant people. The surrounding nations, who had scorned Israel, are described as a "prickling brier" and a "painful thorn." This is covenantal language, echoing God's warnings in Numbers 33:55. These nations were not just political annoyances; they were spiritual irritants, constantly tempting Israel toward idolatry and mocking their covenant with Yahweh. God's judgment on Sidon is an act of divine horticulture. He is weeding His garden, removing the thorns that choke and injure His chosen vine. This act of faithfulness will also lead to knowledge, but of a different sort. When Israel sees God defend them and purify their borders, "then they will know that I am Lord Yahweh." They will know Him not as a terrifying judge, but as their faithful, covenant-keeping God who is zealous for their good.

Application

We live in a sentimental age that is allergic to the idea of divine judgment, especially on a national scale. We prefer a God who is affirming and inclusive, not one who sends pestilence and blood. But the God of Ezekiel is the God of the New Testament, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And He has not changed. This passage forces us to reckon with the reality that God is glorified in His justice just as much as He is in His mercy. History is not a random series of events; it is the unfolding of God's plan to make His name known. Nations that defy Him, that build their economies on wickedness, and that scorn His people will eventually face His opposition. We should not be surprised when we see empires crumble.

For the church, the application is twofold. First, we must have a robust confidence in the sovereignty of God. The nations are but a drop in the bucket to Him. Our security does not rest in political alliances or military strength, but in the faithfulness of our covenant God. Second, we must recognize that God is committed to removing the "prickling briers" from our lives. This refers not just to external opposition, but also to the internal compromises and worldly entanglements that wound us and hinder our fellowship with Him. The same God who judged Sidon for Israel's sake is working all things, including the hard and painful providences, for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. The goal for us, as it was for Israel, is that through it all, we would come to know our Lord Yahweh more deeply, more truly, and more gratefully.