CHAPTER 7. FURTHER DIATRIBES AGAINST ISRAEL.
We must remember that when we read Ezekiel it is like reading a book
of sermons. Sermons on the same theme may well be repetitive. But
repetitiveness is a feature of ancient writings. Although having said
all this we must remember that Ezekiel was not on... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Moreover the word of Yahweh came to me saying.'
Compare Ezekiel 6:1. These words introduce a new revelation from God.
Each revelation may be separated by days, weeks, or even months. We do
not know. But they are declaring that Yahweh has again given him words
to speak in the midst of his silence.... [ Continue Reading ]
“And you, son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh to the land of
Israel. ‘An end, the end has come on the four corners of the land.
Now is the end on you, and I will send my anger on you, and will judge
you according to your ways. And I will bring on you all your
abominations. And my eye will not spar... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “An evil, an only evil, behold it
comes. An end is come, the end is come, it awakes against you, behold
it comes. Your doom is come to you, O inhabitant of the land, the time
is come, the day is near, a day of tumult and not of joyful shouting
on the mountains. Now will I... [ Continue Reading ]
“Behold the day, behold it comes. Your doom is gone forth. The rod
has blossomed. Pride has budded. Violence is risen up into a rod of
wickedness, none of them will remain, nor of their abundance
(multitude of possessions), nor of their wealth. Neither will there be
eminency among them.”
Once again... [ Continue Reading ]
“The time is come, the day draws near. Let not the buyer rejoice,
nor the seller mourn. For wrath is on all their abundance (‘the
multitude' of their possessions).”
Again it is emphasised that God's time has now come. His day draws
near. Jerusalem may be at present a busy market place but trade
rel... [ Continue Reading ]
“For the seller will not return to what is sold, though their life
be yet among the living, for the vision is concerning the whole
multitude of them. None will return (turn back). Nor will any
strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.”
There is a play on words here. The word for multitude has... [ Continue Reading ]
“They have blown the trumpet, and have made all ready. But none goes
to battle. For my wrath is on all their multitude. The sword is
outside, and the pestilence and the famine inside. He who is in the
field will die with the sword, and he who is in the city famine and
pestilence will devour him.”
Th... [ Continue Reading ]
“But those of them who escape, will escape, and will be on the
mountains like doves of the valley, all of them mourning, every one in
his iniquity.”
Inevitably some will escape and flee to the mountains, but they will
be little better off. The mountains will no longer be a place of
rejoicing and exu... [ Continue Reading ]
“All hands will be feeble, and all knees will be as weak as water.
They will also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror will cover
them and shame will be on all their faces and baldness on all their
heads.”
For all, both those who escape and those caught in the city, it will
be a life of mourn... [ Continue Reading ]
“They will toss their silver in the streets, and their gold will be
as an unclean thing. Their silver and their gold will not be able to
deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yahweh. They will not satisfy
themselves nor fill their bowels, because it has been the
stumblingblock of their iniquity.”... [ Continue Reading ]
“As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty. But they
made the images of their abominations, and their detestable things in
it. Therefore have I made it to them as an unclean thing. And I will
give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked
of the earth for a spoil... [ Continue Reading ]
“Make the chain, for the land is full of the judgment of blood, and
the city is full of violence.”
The command comes to ‘make the chain (that which binds)'. This was
addressed to their captors who would use it. They would unknowingly be
doing Yahweh's will. This was probably referring to the chain... [ Continue Reading ]
“For this reason I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they
will possess their houses. And I will also make the pride of the
strong to cease, and their holy places will be profaned. Destruction
comes and they will seek peace, and there will be none.”
Because of the behaviour of Israel ‘the wors... [ Continue Reading ]
“Mischief will come upon mischief, and rumour will be upon rumour,
and they shall seek a vision of the prophet, and the law will perish
from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king will mourn and
the prince will be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the
people of the land will be tr... [ Continue Reading ]
“I will do to them after their way, and according to their deserts
will I judge them. And they will know that I am Yahweh.”
Here was the final reason for what was to come upon them. They have
deserved it because of the path that they have chosen, they have been
judged because of their behaviour. Th... [ Continue Reading ]