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 ]