Ezekiel 35:11 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.
In this passage God is pronouncing judgment against the nation of Edom because of their hatred and mistreatment of the nation of Israel. Although Israel had sinned against God and was being judged by Him, Edom had no right to take advantage of this against Israel. Israel may have sinned, but they were still God’s people and their enemies would have done well to remember that instead of adding to Israel’s calamities. Edom was angry against Israel and envious of them. We are here told that this anger and envy proceeded out of their hatred against them. There was obviously something about Israel that made Edom feel threatened so that they were glad to have an advantage against them. Now this verse in Ezekiel is a tremendous commentary on the psychology of fallen man.
Anger and envy are the effects of hatred. Charity or love stands in sharp antithesis to hatred. We are told in 1 Corinthians 13 that “charity envieth not…is not puffed up…is not easily provoked.” When anger and envy are the controlling emotions, charity is definitely not being exercised. Rather, hatred is at work bringing forth its evil fruit of anger and envy.
Consider the definition of envy.
Envy - Malignant or hostile feeling; ill-will, malice, enmity; The feeling of mortification and ill-will occasioned by the contemplation of superior advantages possessed by another.
If you hate someone, you will feel ill-will at any advantage you perceive that person has over you, whether that advantage be strength, beauty, knowledge, wealth, position, goodness, or authority. Conversely, if you envy someone this will lead to hatred of them, which will in turn only cause more envy against them. And, of course, envy and hatred will breed anger.
Now the thing in our passage that arrested my attention is that God told Edom: “I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them.” In other words, God would deal with Edom as they dealt with Israel. Whenever you hate someone and are angry against them, ask yourself these questions: “How would I like it if God felt toward me like I am feeling toward that person?” “What if God treated me like I am treating that person?” Sound frightening? It should!
So if you are indulging anger, envy, and hatred against someone, you had better repent of these sins, fleeing to the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy and forgiveness, and seeking grace to overcome them. Whatever personal insecurities and fears you may have, they can be resolved in a submissive, obedient relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They cannot be resolved by anger, envy, and hatred. In her book Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives¸ Dr. Laura Schlessinger had the following interesting thing to say about anger:
“When you draw on your anger strength instead of your vulnerability strength you create your own minefield to dance through. First of all, anger isn’t really strength; its defensiveness, fear, uncertainty, immaturity, and hurt posing as something seemingly strong – and additionally, it’s only temporary. Criticism, yelling, and violence are ultimately poor, ugly, immoral, and illegal substitutes for inner strength. Vulnerability strength is the willingness to face personal shortcomings and fears (real or otherwise), and in so doing to gain the ability to get and be better.”
From a Christian perspective, we can overcome anger, envy, and hatred when we face our own personal sins and weaknesses through repentance and find forgiveness, healing, and strength in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let these verses admonish you regarding the danger of the sins of anger, envy, and hatred:
James 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Observe in these verses that anger, envy, and hatred are sinful, physically and psychologically destructive, spiritually blinding, and eternally damning. They are not to be trifled with. God forbid that He should deal with us according to our anger and according to our envy which we use out of our hatred against others. Repent and turn to the Lord for pardon so that it may be rather said of you:
Psalms 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
