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Destruction Closes In

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Ezekiel 24:1 – 25:11

Chapter 24 moves ahead a few years to 588 B.C. Ezekiel has been in exile for nine years and the destruction of Jerusalem is only about two years away. God reveals him that the final siege of Jerusalem has already begun.

In chapter 11 the rebellious leaders remaining in Jerusalem bragged that Jerusalem was a great and protected pot in which they would rebuild and go on with life; after all, since the real sinners had been exiled with Ezekiel the threat was over! Now in chapter 24 God says that Jerusalem is indeed a pot, but one in which they will be destroyed. The pot, Jerusalem, corrupted with its own rust, cannot be saved. The blood shed in their attacks on the prophets and their treatment of the poor is everywhere. They have not even tried to conceal it.

Ezekiel's wife will die (vs.18), but God commands him not enter the customary period of loud and symbolic grieving. Instead, he will serve as a visible message to the other exiled leaders. They also will lose what they cherish most, the temple and their holy city. Their grief will be silenced by their realization at last that Ezekiel had always spoken the truth and that Jerusalem's destruction was the result of their own rebellion and arrogance.

Anyone with a sibling has probably thought at some time, "I can smack my brother when he needs it, but you leave him alone." That is an oversimplification of the prophecies against the nations surrounding Judah in chapter 25, but it helps us understand that it wasn't unjust for God to punish nations that rejoiced in Judah's fall. God's covenant with Abraham included the promise that those nations who cursed God's nation would be themselves cursed. God's people were still His people and anyone who doubted that was greatly mistaken.

In Moab's judgment (vs.8) note that God deals with nations differently than He deals with individuals. While Moab would fall for delighting in Judah's destruction, at least one Moabite, Ruth, was blessed by God and was an ancestor of Jesus.

Next time: More Prophecies

They Would Not Seek Grace

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Ezekiel 22:1 - 23:49

Chapter 22 describes in some detail the sins that God's people committed with supposed immunity from punishment. The descriptions are familiar enough to the modern world to make us grateful that what men might call the Age of Grace has come through Christ, but we also need to remember that the Age of Grace was also present in the Old Testament. Though the grace and mercy of God had not yet come in the incarnate God, the promise and the reality were there.

So how do we see the situation of Jerusalem in our own time? The key in the Jerusalem destruction of 586 B.C. was not the sin of the people; it was their stubborn rebellion and refusal to repent. Over and over, God pleaded with them to turn from sin and to His love, but they would have none of it. His forgiveness and His mercy were there and ready to infuse His people with faith and obedience, but His people responded to that great love with defiance and self-worship.

Today arrogance can still take control of our destiny if we let it. It is important that we take time every day to sit down and repent of our sin, remembering our lowliness and God's holiness. He will not greet our repentant hearts with condemnation and destruction. He sees us through His Son and is anxious to forgive us. He is able to help us mature, to become more and more like our Lord as the weeks and years go by. Repentance and renewal are not signs of weakness; they are the signs of a servant seeking to please his or her Master—the One who has freely given them life and salvation.

Chapter 23 tells the story of God and His two nations, Israel and Judah, in the form of a parable of two unfaithful sisters and their faithful, loving Husband.

Next time: Destruction Closes In

Sheep Obey Their Shepherd

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Ezekiel 20:1 - 21:32

The elders approach the prophet to "inquire of the Lord". For six years Ezekiel has been speaking to them on God's behalf.

Again God tells the exiled elders that they are not to come to Him for answers while they still bow to their false gods and the gods of Babylon (vs.3). Their ancestors who were rescued from Egypt had done the same (vs.4). They grew tired of serving God and formed a golden calf to worship at Mount Sinai.

The Lord explains to the elders that He did not show their ancestors mercy because of their goodness or faithfulness, but out of His own choice to not forsake His covenant with Abraham (vs. 9,14,17,22). Still they did not obey His law, but rather than turn to Him for salvation, the people rejected God and His law, and served false god's created in their own image and imbued with their own humanness; gods who would not challenge their demand for control.

It is out of His mercy that God will now at last send His people wrath and judgment, so that He can bring them back to Himself (vs.39-44). To "pass under the rod" (verse 37) implies a shepherd counting His sheep as they come into the safety of His shelter.

Ezekiel's message was comprehended. The leaders were used to hearing the picturesque language of the prophets. However, not liking the message, they fell back on the excuse of not being able to understand his "parables" (vs.49).

In chapter 21 Ezekiel expresses the message of destruction almost as a song. He may have even acted out some of the sword's work in a kind of dance.

Still, God said, the elders would reject the truth that Jerusalem would fall. When they hear that Babylon's king has consulted his tools of divination, including marked arrows and animal livers (vs.21), for assurance that he should lay siege to Jerusalem, the Jewish leaders will still believe that he will fail. In reply to their bullheaded confidence and defiance, God says, "You will be fuel for the fire…" (vs.32).

Next Time: They Would Not Seek Grace

People Make up the Nation

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Ezekiel 18:1 - 19:14    

"It's not my fault!" originated in the Garden of Eden when Adam blamed God for giving him a woman who made him sin. Eve blamed the deceiving serpent. The old claim found new vigor in Judah during their time of judgment. Denying their own guilt, the people blamed their suffering on their ancestors. They were not sinful; their rebellion did not bring this trouble; it was all caused by someone else.

In chapter 18 God makes it clear through Ezekiel that He deals with individuals as well as nations. Each man and woman shall bear their own sin, not the sins of their parents or their children. The people of Jerusalem needed to understand that their guilt brought them disaster. For centuries God's prophets had warned each generation to turn to God for guidance and salvation, and the message was still being spoken, even as the people refused to admit their sin.

How does this message fit into our own time? Is God saying that our own attitudes and actions are not affected by the people who raise us and the cultures in which we live? Not really. Ezekiel's message does not deny the effect our surroundings have on us. Rather, it gives us the good news that none of us is bound by our circumstance.

Contrary to popular opinion, we can be freed from the influence of cruel and tormenting circumstances and backgrounds in our lives by trusting in God to be our Guide and our Savior. Likewise, if we choose to pursue the "tendencies" inspired by our circumstance, and deny God's influence over our lives, we are responsible for our actions. Sounds impossible to many, but God does have the power and love to enable us to overcome our past, and He gives us the faith that makes it possible to trust in Him for deliverance.

Chapter 19 is in the poetic form of a lamentation, but is not explained by Ezekiel. Commentators believe that the mother lion is Judah and the cubs are the last kings of Judah. The "east wind" in verse 12 is most likely Babylon.

Next time: Sheep Obey Their Shepherd

A Story of Jerusalem

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Ezekiel 16:1 - 17:24

Chapter 16 describes Israel's origins. Like the unloved infants of ancient times, thrown aside to die of exposure, Israel was nothing until God rescued her and made her His nation. The descriptions are graphic, but one commentator says that the Hebrew phrasing is even more so. Verse 8 describes a marriage. God took a people who were nothing and made them His nation and bride.

After God had adorned them with the trappings of a loved, successful, and wealthy wife, the nation became proud of her own beauty and power, rejecting the truth that her "Husband" had given her everything. She became a prostitute. Unlike prostitutes who demanded payment for their favors, God's nation was so eager to sin that she paid her consorts to come to her (verses 33-34).

A sad irony appears in verses 20-22. God's people had accepted the detestable practice of child sacrifice. He had described their beginnings as babies cast aside and dying in their own blood; now they cast their own children into the fires of Canaanite gods.

God's people worshiped false gods and pursued false friends. Rather than trust God for protection and guidance, Judah aligned herself to Assyria, Egypt, and others for protection. Their rebellion was both spiritual and political.

God begins verse 35, "Therefore, O harlot…". Israel's "lovers" will destroy her, and her Husband will not only allow it, but enable it (vs.37). He compares Jerusalem with her northern counterpart, Israel, already fallen to Assyria, and with Sodom (vs.46). Jerusalem outdid both in her rebellion against God (verse 52).

Beginning in verse 60, God promises that though they have broken the covenant, He will still remember it and keep them as His people.

Chapter 17 tells the story of Zedekiah, Jerusalem's puppet king. Though Babylon planted Judah in the great city of the same name (according to God's will), Zedekiah and his counsel cried to Egypt for help, but that action only resulted in further Babylonian attack. (Read the parable/riddle with care and observe your study Bible's footnotes to keep track of the story's references to "him" and "he".) Verses 22-24 are considered a messianic prophecy.

Next time: People Make up the Nation

They Turn to Idols

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Ezekiel 14:1 - 15:8

Verse 3 of chapter 14 says, "Son of man, these men have…" They could come to the prophet appearing to sincerely seek God's guidance, and Ezekiel might have been convinced by their demeanor and words, but God sees into their hearts. He said to Ezekiel's visitors through the prophet's words not to seek Him while still worshiping their idols.

Though we are not in the habit of visibly worshiping our "idols", and we know that however grievous our sin, it is covered by the blood of Christ, it is a good idea to regularly sit down and seriously consider whether following God's will is truly the most important thing in our hearts. Is He more important in our hearts than the job, the boat, the car, the bank account, the retirement fund, even friends, spouse, and family?

In the second part of chapter 14, God speaks of the righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job delivering them from destruction in the midst of God's judgment, though none of these men was perfect. Even in the Old Testament faith in the promise of God made people righteous in His sight. In the New Testament we learn that even that faith was a gift from God through Jesus, so God is not saying that these men earned their salvation their behavior. He is saying that they were faithful to their Lord.

Verse 23 is an example of God's compassionate reassurance for Ezekiel, who must have sometimes wondered if his life made any difference at all, and felt frustration over the obstinate rejection of his words.

Chapter 15 is a message only of destruction. The people who heard the prophet would find no consolation. They may have survived Babylon's first incursion, but they still faced destruction because God found them totally useless, as well as faithless, in His effort to reach the pagan nations. While it is true that the vine picture is often used by God to describe His people, in this instance His anger has pictured the vine as being absolutely useless, even beyond the description of the unproductive vineyard with which we are more familiar.

Next time: A Story of Jerusalem

More Warnings to the Exiles

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Ezekiel 12:1 - 13:23

God continues to give Ezekiel instructions meant to convince those rebels already in exile of the foolishness of believing the false prophecies spreading the lie that the return to Jerusalem was near; the worst was over; those left in the city would rebuild it and bring back the exiles. False prophets in Jerusalem and Babylon ridiculed Ezekiel and other prophets of God, saying that their words were not from God since the total devastation supposedly promised by Him had not come. Other prophetic books tell us that they even taunted God, daring Him to do His worst.

In chapter 12 Ezekiel delivered God's word that the "prince" of Jerusalem (Zedekiah) would come into exile in Babylon, but would never see it. You may recall that he was the last king of Judah and saw his sons and followers executed just before his eyes were put out by the Babylonian conquerors.

Not only were there men who claimed to be prophets who were not, at least some women in Israel were involving themselves in the occult. It was a chaotic time and men and women alike were trying anything to assure victory—every way except God (13:17-18). Verse 3 of chapter 13 says, "…Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing."

Can we identify with those words in our own world? It seems that our nation is filled with those who have created their own "wisdom" and "prophecy" declaring what is right or wrong or is to come. Some promise our evolution into godhood; that there is no evil—only bad decisions; that any lifestyle is good; any choice is valid; there is no right or wrong. We and our children daily face society's pressure to deny what our God says is true.

The times and temptations that we face are part of the reason that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us. He gives us the strength and wisdom to see through the world's false prophets. He grants us the peace of Christ in the place of frustration and confusion.

Next time: They Turn to Idols

The Vision Continues

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Ezekiel 9:1 – 11:25

Chapter 8 cited the sin and chapter 9 announces the judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. If this vision occurred after the final assault on Jerusalem it would have been a lesson of what had come about, but this is still six years before the destruction of the city and temple. It is another last moment warning to return to God; to submit to their punishment willingly, without further rebellion.

The city had cried out that God had forsaken them, despite the detailed explanations of God's purpose and His love that had come from the prophets. So God lets the punishment rain down upon their unheeding heads, but sparing those who recognize the evil going on (vs.9-10; 4-6)

Chapter 10 tells of the departure of God's glory from His temple and His city (vs.18-19).

Chapter 11's part of the vision concerns the leaders and people still in Jerusalem six years before the end. They believed that they had been left by God and that the city was theirs to rebuild (vs.3); that they were chosen by God to prosper while the real sinners suffered in Babylon (vs.15). These leaders were caught up in self-deception and lies. It was they who had caused the death and destruction already seen in the city and their obstinate disobedience would bring more. Their self-conjured symbol of the pot of meat (some say symbolizing normalcy; some say symbolizing themselves as the choice presence in the now protected city) was a lie.

Then we learn that the departed glory of God has been carried by the chariots of the cherubim to a mountain east of the city (vs.23).

Ezekiel did not just "awaken" from his vision, but was transported to and from Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit. Back with the elders in exile, he reported what he had seen.

The last part of chapter 11 is the first message of hope in Ezekiel's ministry (vs.16-21). Both he and the elders were assured by a loving Father that restoration would come, but only after further disaster back in their homeland.

Next time: More Warnings to the Exiles

Ezekiel versus Isaiah

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Ezekiel 7:1 – 8:18

Isaiah was confusing to read because he constantly switched from promises of judgment to promises of restoration and then back again. So far, Ezekiel has been a prophet of judgment. He is speaking to people who have been exiled, but who still hope that Jerusalem will not fall; that God will restore them shortly and destroy their enemies. Historically, Jerusalem kept up their fight and rebellion against the inevitable in defiance of the word of the prophets of God. By doing so, they intensified the horror of Babylon's victory over the holy city. Perhaps Ezekiel's message was intended to convince his listeners that continuing to hope at this time would only bring greater destruction. All of chapter 7 continues the story of that destruction.

As chapter 8 begins, the prophet is sitting with the elders of Israel in exile with him in Babylon. In the midst of their visit, Ezekiel is transported to Jerusalem by God in a vision. The things that he sees were not necessarily happening at that moment. In a vision, God created the picture of reality. Sometimes the message of a vision was described in symbolic language, but in this case it appears that Ezekiel saw a realistic picture of events going on in God's city. According to the prophet's dating, it was 592 B.C., six years before the city's destruction.

The people had rejected God and were worshipping many false gods even in the temple (vs.10). Tammuz, for instance, was a Babylonian fertility god mentioned here for the first time. Many ancient religions demanded that adherents bow to the rising sun, requiring the men of Jerusalem to turn their backs on the temple of God. Even "putting the twig to their nose" (vs. 17) was a worship practice of paganism.

There was no justification in this turn to idols. Isaiah had not only promised that Babylon would conquer the city, but that God was not gone and that He would restore them after a time of punishment. Yet they rejected God's word (vs.12) and turned to gods made by man in hope of avoiding their Creator's judgment.

Next time: The Vision Continues

Painting the Siege

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Ezekiel 4:1 – 6:14 

After picking up a stylus and drawing Jerusalem on a damp clay brick, Ezekiel followed God's instructions to physically demonstrate the coming siege of the city and its cause. The courageous prophet was willing to endure inevitable ridicule in obedience to God and to try to make the people understand the coming siege in Jerusalem (these people were part of one of three exiles from Jerusalem).

American Christians can identify a little with being ridiculed. Even though we are not asked to be the extreme demonstration that Ezekiel became, the peer pressure that surrounds a Christian who is living out his or her faith can be painful and frustrating. At those times, like Ezekiel, Christians have the blessing of God's word and God's love, and that is a joy whether others are willing to believe or not.

Even though God continually strengthened the prophet, the destruction described in chapter 5 would have brought great sorrow to Ezekiel. The people whom he loved in Jerusalem would suffer absolute devastation and horror. Even though the people were to blame for it all, Ezekiel mourned with God at its coming.

Chapter six begins, "The word of the Lord came to me…" While serving God was always possible, because God provided his strength, Ezekiel must have dreaded what word might come next. The promised devastation was terrible, and it was Ezekiel's duty to tell the people the worst.

Chapter 6 details the destruction of the idols and places of false worship in all of Judah. The impotence of their idols will again be demonstrated. If there is one consistent sin of man over all of history it has been his insistence on creating his own gods; gods that fit his own character, yet with the power to be "on-call" when needed. Man does not seek, however, the God who rules over all. The man-created god must obey his creators' commands. Nor does man expect his god to be all-wise. Many books and movies, for instance, portray the true God as imperfect, one who must be either disregarded at times or trained by his children to understand them better. God's love and patience for us is truly supernatural.

Next time: Ezekiel versus Isaiah