25:1-7
Following twenty four chapters of what was effectively a diatribe against Judah, we now get a number oracles against other nations. This pattern is followed in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos. Judgement begins with the house of God, but does not remain there. The first nation to merit mention is Ammon. Ammon had been an enemy of Israel on several occasions (Judges 10,11; 1 Sam 11; 2 Sam 10). They had taken advantage of the northern kingdom’s defeat, and also of Judah’s problems with Babylon. Jer 40:14 indicates that they stirred up trouble in what was left of Judah. In short, they delighted in Judah’s discomfort, seeing it as an opportunity. So God would hand them over to the “people of the East”. The nation would be destroyed. Gloating over the fall of others, especially God’s people, is rarely a sensible thing to do.
25:8-11
Next up is Moab. Moab rejoiced that Judah had become like the other nations. Now Judah had indeed sought to become like the world, but she still belonged to God. Likewise, the world may rejoice when parts of the church decide that becoming like the world is the way to go. They should not. For Israel belongs to God, and the church belongs to Christ. God will take steps to bring back His possession. Moab, like Ammon, would be punished.
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