Ezek 6-7
Ch 6: 1-4 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face
toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, And say, Ye mountains
of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains,
and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword
upon you, and I will destroy your high places. And your altars shall be desolate, and
your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
At this stage in Israel’s history Judah was at the mercy of two big super-powers: Egypt to
the south-west and Babylon to the north-east. They were also regularly invaded by the
surrounding tribes of Ammon, Moab, the Philistines, Tyre and Sidon. God was able to
hold all these enemies off as He had done in the past, but He also warned them through
the law and the prophets that if they turned their back on Him, he would remove that
protection. The 10 northern tribes of Israel were already taken into captivity by Egypt 135
years before. The prophet Jeremiah was included in that captivity to Egypt. The
Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar first invaded Jerusalem in 605BC and the first
captivity included people like Daniel and other nobles. Ezekiel was deported with the
second captivity in 597BC, and now he was among the captives living in Babylon. From
there God was showing him that the city of Jerusalem will be destroyed, which happened
11 years later in 586BC. During this time false prophets in Israel were prophesying lies to
the people of “peace and safety”, saying the city will not fall, and the captives will return
shortly. Jeremiah on the other hand foretold that the captivity would last 70 years. This
chapter of Ezekiel deals with God’s judgment on the whole country of Israel, their cities
and their remaining inhabitants.
CH 6:5-7 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I
will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of
the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about
your altars. In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high
places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and
your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your
works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall
know that I am the LORD.
Judgement is pronounced on Israel’s mountains, hills, rivers, valleys, and their dwelling
places in their cities. Also their altars and their idols will be broken down and their slain
men shall fall before their idols. God is going to thoroughly purge the nation of their
idolatry, and when these judgements come to pass, He says to Israel “ye shall know that
I am the Lord.” We will see in the book of Ezekiel, that God firstly deals with His own
people and the retribution of Jerusalem in chapters 4-24, and the phrase “ye shall know
that I am the Lord” is frequently used. The next section of the book chapters 25-32 deals
with God’s revenge on the nations surrounding Judah, who was taking advantage of the
fact that Judah was now under Babylonian control and gloated over Israel’s demise. God
says He will judge Judah’s neighbours and then “they shall know that He is the Lord.”
The last section, chapters 33-39 is more hopeful and deals with the return from exile in
Babylon, and finally in chapters 40-48 the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem. When
these things come to pass God says “the nations will know that I am the Lord”. Then
the whole world will know that He is God, and He is in control and has all authority in
heaven and on earth.
Ch 6:8-10 Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the
sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And
they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be
carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath
departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and
they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their
abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in
vain that I would do this evil unto them.
God always preserves for Himself a believing remnant. Paul writes in Rom 11:1-5 about
this remnant:
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of
the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people
which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh
intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and
digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith
the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who
have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time
also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
The prophet Elijah thought he was the last true prophet remaining when he faced the 450
prophets of Baal who served Jezebel. But God reassured him that He had worked in the
hearts of 7000 men to remain faithful to Him. God is able to preserve a remnant. He was
going to do it during the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity, and He has done
it through all the history of man. This should be a comfort to our hearts also, on whom the
end of the ages has come. God is able to keep us, by the word of His power, through faith
for salvation on the day of Christ’s return. No sickness, no power in heaven or on earth or
under the earth can separate us from His love or pluck us from His hand.
Our text makes a remarkable statement about the heart of God over His chosen people.
He says, “I am broken with their whorish heart”. Judah’s idolatry broke God’s heart.
God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt long before with a mighty hand. He preserved
them 40 years in the wilderness. He brought them through Jordan into a good land that
He promised them. He drove out nations before them. He crowned them with glory which
peaked in the time of king David and his son Solomon. In spite of all His goodness, Israel
turned their backs on God, and this broke His heart. God takes no pleasure in the death
of the wicked and He wills all men to be saved. His heart is broken over our sin, and He
wants to lead us to repentance – to the place where we lothe ourselves for our idolatry
and lukewarmness.
Ezek 6:11-14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy
foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall
fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. He that is far off shall die of
the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and
is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. Then
shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols
round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and
under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer
sweet savour to all their idols. So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make
the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their
habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
The choices for the rebellious ones who stayed behind will be very grim. They can choose
to stay in Jerusalem and die of famine, or they can make a run for it and be killed by the
sword, or they can be carried into distant lands and God will strike them there with the
pestilence (diseases). It turns out if God is against you, no wealth or power on earth will
save you. But praise Him, if God is for you, none shall be able to stand against you.
Ezek 7:1-4 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Also, thou son of
man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon
the four corners of the land. Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine
anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense
upon thee all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I
have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall
be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Chapter 7 contains the second of two judgements proclaimed against the whole land of
Israel. At this stage Jerusalem was not yet destroyed, and the remaining inhabitants had
not heeded the warnings of God to turn from their idolatry. In Christianity today many
profess to know God, but in their works they deny Christ. People maintaining a form of
godliness attend churches and do charitable deeds, but they have no power of a bornagain
life. Just like these Jews, what makes their condemnation worse, is that they have
heard the word of God over and over, and have become dull of hearing and have not
repented.
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we
persuade men…
The judgment of Christ is not going to be about what we profess to believe (our doctrine),
but rather our works. If what we believe does not result in holy living, we will not see God.
True righteousness and holiness is something God imparts to the one who comes to
repentance and faith in Christ as saviour. In Him is no sin and we are warned to abide in
Him and continue in obedience to His word until He comes.
Ezek 7:5-9 saith the Lord GOD; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come. An end is
come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come. The morning is
come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of
trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains. Now will I shortly pour
out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee
according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And
mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to
thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know
that I am the LORD that smiteth.
This text is in sharp contrast to the false belief that God is love and therefore He will do no
harm to any sinner. We know it is the will of God that none should perish, and that all men
should come to repentance. But God has determined a day to judge the world by Jesus
Christ. In that day He will not spare or have pity, “and ye shall know that I am the LORD
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that smiteth.” It will be a day when everyone’s works will be judged by fire (1 Cor 3:13).
We know that judgement will begin at the house of God, the church (1 Pet 4:17). This is
true chronologically, since only believers will participate in the first resurrection. It is only
after the millennial reign of Christ on earth, that the second resurrection, or “resurrection
of the dead” will take place (Rev 20). They will appear before the great white throne, and
because their names are not found in the book of life, they are then cast in the lake of
fire and brimstone where the beast (antichrist), the false prophet and the devil are. This
will be their final and eternal destination, and will be a place of eternal torment. “Knowing
therefore the terror of the Lord” , we are also persuading men and women through the
gospel’s call to repentance.
Ezek 7:10-13 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod
hath blossomed, pride hath budded. Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness:
none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs: neither shall
there be wailing for them. The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer
rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. For the
seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the
vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall
any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
Their day of destruction will devastate both the buyer and the seller. Most often in our
case when the markets fall, the rich just get richer by way of being able to buy up what
the distressed seller is almost giving away. When the value of things crumble, there are
always some fortunate buyers rejoicing to get a bargain. In the destruction of the whole of
Israel the buyer and the seller will be destroyed. They will lose all, and they will not return
in their lifetime to their lands and possessions. It will do us well to be reminded that such
a day is again coming on all the earth, when God will judge the economic system of the
beast, called the city of Babylon in Rev 18. Nothing we collect on earth will be carried
over into the next life, except for the souls that were saved. This truly is the currency of
heaven.
Ezek 7:14-15 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth
to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. The sword is without,
and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the
sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
The judgement of God will be in the form of the sword, famine and pestilence. Neither the
field or the city will provide a refuge. Even if the trumpet would be blown to summons to
arms, none will make ready.
Ezek 7:16-19 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the
mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water. They shall also gird
themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon
all faces, and baldness upon all their heads. They shall cast their silver in the
streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able
to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their
souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
They will cast their silver and gold in the streets, as it will have no value. It will not be able
to deliver them from God’s wrath, and it will not satisfy their souls or satisfy them in the
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famine. In fact, it “is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.” This is probably a reference
to the idols that they worshipped which were often made of wood and overlaid with silver
or gold. The idols will not delivery them from wrath, or satisfy the longing of their souls, or
provide for their physical needs – all promises that only Jehovah could fulfil for His people.
Ezek 7:20-22 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made
the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore
have I set it far from them. And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a
prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it. My face will
I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall
enter into it, and defile it.
Here the Lord says they have taken “the beauty of his ornament” which “he set in
majesty” in the temple and its ornaments and vessels, and have turned it into a place for
their idols and abominations. All these valuable items will be stripped when the
Babylonians enter the city, to destroy it, and rob it. God’s temple will also be polluted and
destroyed. The Jews at that time were told by false prophets that the siege will not be
successful, and in spite of the first and second captivity, Jerusalem will not be destroyed,
for God will protect His city and HIs temple. Ezekiel’s message is in stark contrast to
these prophets, who were saying, “peace and safety”.
Ezek 7:23-27 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full
of violence. Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess
their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places
shall be defiled. Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be
none. Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then
shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and
counsel from the ancients. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed
with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do
unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they
shall know that I am the LORD.
I think the lukewarm church of our age is also at the place where “they seek a vision of
the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the
ancients.” They prefer to ask a “word” from a self-proclaimed prophet, than to study the
word of God and seek His face. Today people perish because they “don’t know the
scriptures or the power of God.” They are easily led astray by money-hungry preachers
who make merchandise of the flock. The charismatics are accused of not knowing the
scriptures, and the baptists of not knowing the power of God. But in all this, God is found
by them that diligently seek Him. He draws near to those who draw near unto Him. Israel
was not listening to the word of God, and rather seeking words of comfort from false
prophets. There are many false prophets today as we are warned in 2 Pet 2:1, and we are
told to test every spirit. Paul says in 1 Cor 14:29 that in the church meeting those who
prophecy should “speak two or three, and let the others judge.” In the old testament
“holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet1:21). How much
more in the new testament, those who are washed by the blood of the Lamb of God,
sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit, are moved to speak and declare the word of God,
with the purpose to edify, exhort and comfort (1 Cor 14:3). John 16:12-15 I have yet
many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you
things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it
unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take
of mine, and shall shew it unto you. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church
today. He still longs to glorify Jesus, and reveal to us the things of Christ, to make real our
Lord’s precious promises, to make real those spiritual blessings in heavenly places, to
show us things to come that will comfort and edify us. In no way adding or subtracting to
the written word of God, but rather confirming and revealing it.
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