Ezekiel 36

Ezekiel 36:1

The LORD Appears Again

The hand of God is on Ezekiel when he is in Tel-abib (Ezekiel 3:22). That God’s hand is on him means that God is seizing him and working with him. It also means that He protects and guides him. Then He instructs him to go out to the plain or the valley, where He will speak to him. A plain or valley is a low place. It suggests that we must be in a place of humility to hear the words of the Lord. In that place, before he begins his ministry, Ezekiel sees the glory of the LORD one more time (Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 1:28). It does not appear to him as in Ezekiel 1, but is already standing there. Again he falls on his face.

Again, the Spirit makes him stand on his feet (Ezekiel 3:24; Ezekiel 2:2). The Spirit gives the strength to see the glory of God and continue in the service. Ezekiel is to shut himself up in his house. That seems a strange command for someone who is to warn the people. But God determines for each of His servants individually how to deliver His message. Each prophet brings His message in a way that speaks to the people in a special way and suits their condition in a special way. People who want to hear God’s Word should come to Ezekiel.

The ropes spoken of here will be put on him, so that he cannot go out among the people (Ezekiel 3:25). The LORD Himself will bind him and thus isolate him even further (Ezekiel 4:8). His entire separation is compounded by the muteness that the LORD imposes on him (Ezekiel 3:26; cf. Job 29:10; Psalms 22:15; Psalms 137:6). Such a performance underscores the seriousness of Ezekiel’s message to a rebellious house.

His muteness will not be permanent (Ezekiel 3:27). Also, his muteness will be interrupted by periods when he can speak (Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 11:25). Ezekiel cannot leave his house during this speaking. After the destruction of Jerusalem, this changes at God’s command and he speaks again (Ezekiel 24:25-27; Ezekiel 33:21-22). In the same way, our service can change. It is important to let the Spirit lead us. When Ezekiel is to speak again, he is to say again: “Thus says the Lord GOD.” His listeners he addresses personally: “He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse”, while the people as a whole “are a rebellious house”.

Ezekiel 36:2

The LORD Appears Again

The hand of God is on Ezekiel when he is in Tel-abib (Ezekiel 3:22). That God’s hand is on him means that God is seizing him and working with him. It also means that He protects and guides him. Then He instructs him to go out to the plain or the valley, where He will speak to him. A plain or valley is a low place. It suggests that we must be in a place of humility to hear the words of the Lord. In that place, before he begins his ministry, Ezekiel sees the glory of the LORD one more time (Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 1:28). It does not appear to him as in Ezekiel 1, but is already standing there. Again he falls on his face.

Again, the Spirit makes him stand on his feet (Ezekiel 3:24; Ezekiel 2:2). The Spirit gives the strength to see the glory of God and continue in the service. Ezekiel is to shut himself up in his house. That seems a strange command for someone who is to warn the people. But God determines for each of His servants individually how to deliver His message. Each prophet brings His message in a way that speaks to the people in a special way and suits their condition in a special way. People who want to hear God’s Word should come to Ezekiel.

The ropes spoken of here will be put on him, so that he cannot go out among the people (Ezekiel 3:25). The LORD Himself will bind him and thus isolate him even further (Ezekiel 4:8). His entire separation is compounded by the muteness that the LORD imposes on him (Ezekiel 3:26; cf. Job 29:10; Psalms 22:15; Psalms 137:6). Such a performance underscores the seriousness of Ezekiel’s message to a rebellious house.

His muteness will not be permanent (Ezekiel 3:27). Also, his muteness will be interrupted by periods when he can speak (Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 11:25). Ezekiel cannot leave his house during this speaking. After the destruction of Jerusalem, this changes at God’s command and he speaks again (Ezekiel 24:25-27; Ezekiel 33:21-22). In the same way, our service can change. It is important to let the Spirit lead us. When Ezekiel is to speak again, he is to say again: “Thus says the Lord GOD.” His listeners he addresses personally: “He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse”, while the people as a whole “are a rebellious house”.

Ezekiel 36:3

The LORD Appears Again

The hand of God is on Ezekiel when he is in Tel-abib (Ezekiel 3:22). That God’s hand is on him means that God is seizing him and working with him. It also means that He protects and guides him. Then He instructs him to go out to the plain or the valley, where He will speak to him. A plain or valley is a low place. It suggests that we must be in a place of humility to hear the words of the Lord. In that place, before he begins his ministry, Ezekiel sees the glory of the LORD one more time (Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 1:28). It does not appear to him as in Ezekiel 1, but is already standing there. Again he falls on his face.

Again, the Spirit makes him stand on his feet (Ezekiel 3:24; Ezekiel 2:2). The Spirit gives the strength to see the glory of God and continue in the service. Ezekiel is to shut himself up in his house. That seems a strange command for someone who is to warn the people. But God determines for each of His servants individually how to deliver His message. Each prophet brings His message in a way that speaks to the people in a special way and suits their condition in a special way. People who want to hear God’s Word should come to Ezekiel.

The ropes spoken of here will be put on him, so that he cannot go out among the people (Ezekiel 3:25). The LORD Himself will bind him and thus isolate him even further (Ezekiel 4:8). His entire separation is compounded by the muteness that the LORD imposes on him (Ezekiel 3:26; cf. Job 29:10; Psalms 22:15; Psalms 137:6). Such a performance underscores the seriousness of Ezekiel’s message to a rebellious house.

His muteness will not be permanent (Ezekiel 3:27). Also, his muteness will be interrupted by periods when he can speak (Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 11:25). Ezekiel cannot leave his house during this speaking. After the destruction of Jerusalem, this changes at God’s command and he speaks again (Ezekiel 24:25-27; Ezekiel 33:21-22). In the same way, our service can change. It is important to let the Spirit lead us. When Ezekiel is to speak again, he is to say again: “Thus says the Lord GOD.” His listeners he addresses personally: “He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse”, while the people as a whole “are a rebellious house”.

Ezekiel 36:5

Introduction

Ezekiel 4 is a continuation of a section that begins in Ezekiel 3:22. Ezekiel must remain in his house and his tongue will stick to the roof of his mouth. Thus, he cannot go around freely among the exiles and warn people. In his house he must perform various symbolic acts to present his message. In them he shows what will happen to Jerusalem. The LORD has several purposes in doing this:

1. He wants to cause the exiles to think through this, that they may come to repentance. 2. He wants to make it clear to the exiles through this that they will not be returning to Jerusalem anytime soon. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, will take Jerusalem. 3. The prophet is thereby identified with the people and feels what they feel when God’s discipline comes upon them. A servant of God who is suffering himself is much better able to understand and warn those who are undergoing the same suffering.

The Siege of Jerusalem Played Out

Ezekiel, again called “son of man”, must take a brick and inscribe Jerusalem on it (Ezekiel 4:1). He is not allowed to speak, but he can communicate with his hands. The brick he must use is a clay table, the ordinary writing material of the Babylonians. In order to inscribe on it properly, Ezekiel must place it before him, for he must concentrate well while inscribing.

Then he must indicate on the brick how Jerusalem will be besieged (Ezekiel 4:2). He is to lay siege against the city, that is, to besiege the city. The LORD gives him precise instructions on how to do this. He is to build “a siege wall”, that is, an assault tower, against it, raise up “a ramp”, pitch “camps”, and place “battering rams” against it all around the city. The people will have gathered around him and understood what he was portraying.

When Ezekiel is finished with the inscribing, he is to take “an iron plate”, which is a plate on which one bakes bread (Ezekiel 4:3; Leviticus 2:5). The plate is an ordinary utensil usually made of pottery. An iron plate is a unique object at that time. That iron plate he must set up between himself and the city he has just inscribed. The plate symbolizes “an iron wall” and represents the separation between God and His people that the people caused by their sins (Isaiah 59:2).

Then the LORD instructs Ezekiel to set his face toward the city. The face is a face full of threat. As Ezekiel looks at what he has inscribed, so the LORD looks at the city. All the prayers from the city do not penetrate to heaven. They are held back by the iron plate. The connection with God is cut off, He delivers Jerusalem to the enemy.

As Ezekiel inscribes, it is as if he himself is laying siege to the city. This is true in a sense. The enemy will do this to the city, but in reality it is God Himself Who, in and through the enemy, is laying siege to the city and thus bringing His anger upon it. By commissioning Ezekiel to inscribe this, He lets him experience what He will do to the city (cf. Luke 19:43). At the same time, his inscribing is “a sign to the house of Israel”.

A sign is needed when words are no longer heard. False prophets in Jerusalem proclaim that the exiles will return to Jerusalem in the near future (Jeremiah 28:1-4; 10-11). There are also prophets who prophesy that Jerusalem will not see a sword nor will be hungry (Jeremiah 14:13-16; Jeremiah 23:16-17). God has spoken otherwise. The exiles, if they are open to this sign, can see what will happen to Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 36:6

Introduction

Ezekiel 4 is a continuation of a section that begins in Ezekiel 3:22. Ezekiel must remain in his house and his tongue will stick to the roof of his mouth. Thus, he cannot go around freely among the exiles and warn people. In his house he must perform various symbolic acts to present his message. In them he shows what will happen to Jerusalem. The LORD has several purposes in doing this:

1. He wants to cause the exiles to think through this, that they may come to repentance. 2. He wants to make it clear to the exiles through this that they will not be returning to Jerusalem anytime soon. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, will take Jerusalem. 3. The prophet is thereby identified with the people and feels what they feel when God’s discipline comes upon them. A servant of God who is suffering himself is much better able to understand and warn those who are undergoing the same suffering.

The Siege of Jerusalem Played Out

Ezekiel, again called “son of man”, must take a brick and inscribe Jerusalem on it (Ezekiel 4:1). He is not allowed to speak, but he can communicate with his hands. The brick he must use is a clay table, the ordinary writing material of the Babylonians. In order to inscribe on it properly, Ezekiel must place it before him, for he must concentrate well while inscribing.

Then he must indicate on the brick how Jerusalem will be besieged (Ezekiel 4:2). He is to lay siege against the city, that is, to besiege the city. The LORD gives him precise instructions on how to do this. He is to build “a siege wall”, that is, an assault tower, against it, raise up “a ramp”, pitch “camps”, and place “battering rams” against it all around the city. The people will have gathered around him and understood what he was portraying.

When Ezekiel is finished with the inscribing, he is to take “an iron plate”, which is a plate on which one bakes bread (Ezekiel 4:3; Leviticus 2:5). The plate is an ordinary utensil usually made of pottery. An iron plate is a unique object at that time. That iron plate he must set up between himself and the city he has just inscribed. The plate symbolizes “an iron wall” and represents the separation between God and His people that the people caused by their sins (Isaiah 59:2).

Then the LORD instructs Ezekiel to set his face toward the city. The face is a face full of threat. As Ezekiel looks at what he has inscribed, so the LORD looks at the city. All the prayers from the city do not penetrate to heaven. They are held back by the iron plate. The connection with God is cut off, He delivers Jerusalem to the enemy.

As Ezekiel inscribes, it is as if he himself is laying siege to the city. This is true in a sense. The enemy will do this to the city, but in reality it is God Himself Who, in and through the enemy, is laying siege to the city and thus bringing His anger upon it. By commissioning Ezekiel to inscribe this, He lets him experience what He will do to the city (cf. Luke 19:43). At the same time, his inscribing is “a sign to the house of Israel”.

A sign is needed when words are no longer heard. False prophets in Jerusalem proclaim that the exiles will return to Jerusalem in the near future (Jeremiah 28:1-4; 10-11). There are also prophets who prophesy that Jerusalem will not see a sword nor will be hungry (Jeremiah 14:13-16; Jeremiah 23:16-17). God has spoken otherwise. The exiles, if they are open to this sign, can see what will happen to Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 36:7

Introduction

Ezekiel 4 is a continuation of a section that begins in Ezekiel 3:22. Ezekiel must remain in his house and his tongue will stick to the roof of his mouth. Thus, he cannot go around freely among the exiles and warn people. In his house he must perform various symbolic acts to present his message. In them he shows what will happen to Jerusalem. The LORD has several purposes in doing this:

1. He wants to cause the exiles to think through this, that they may come to repentance. 2. He wants to make it clear to the exiles through this that they will not be returning to Jerusalem anytime soon. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, will take Jerusalem. 3. The prophet is thereby identified with the people and feels what they feel when God’s discipline comes upon them. A servant of God who is suffering himself is much better able to understand and warn those who are undergoing the same suffering.

The Siege of Jerusalem Played Out

Ezekiel, again called “son of man”, must take a brick and inscribe Jerusalem on it (Ezekiel 4:1). He is not allowed to speak, but he can communicate with his hands. The brick he must use is a clay table, the ordinary writing material of the Babylonians. In order to inscribe on it properly, Ezekiel must place it before him, for he must concentrate well while inscribing.

Then he must indicate on the brick how Jerusalem will be besieged (Ezekiel 4:2). He is to lay siege against the city, that is, to besiege the city. The LORD gives him precise instructions on how to do this. He is to build “a siege wall”, that is, an assault tower, against it, raise up “a ramp”, pitch “camps”, and place “battering rams” against it all around the city. The people will have gathered around him and understood what he was portraying.

When Ezekiel is finished with the inscribing, he is to take “an iron plate”, which is a plate on which one bakes bread (Ezekiel 4:3; Leviticus 2:5). The plate is an ordinary utensil usually made of pottery. An iron plate is a unique object at that time. That iron plate he must set up between himself and the city he has just inscribed. The plate symbolizes “an iron wall” and represents the separation between God and His people that the people caused by their sins (Isaiah 59:2).

Then the LORD instructs Ezekiel to set his face toward the city. The face is a face full of threat. As Ezekiel looks at what he has inscribed, so the LORD looks at the city. All the prayers from the city do not penetrate to heaven. They are held back by the iron plate. The connection with God is cut off, He delivers Jerusalem to the enemy.

As Ezekiel inscribes, it is as if he himself is laying siege to the city. This is true in a sense. The enemy will do this to the city, but in reality it is God Himself Who, in and through the enemy, is laying siege to the city and thus bringing His anger upon it. By commissioning Ezekiel to inscribe this, He lets him experience what He will do to the city (cf. Luke 19:43). At the same time, his inscribing is “a sign to the house of Israel”.

A sign is needed when words are no longer heard. False prophets in Jerusalem proclaim that the exiles will return to Jerusalem in the near future (Jeremiah 28:1-4; 10-11). There are also prophets who prophesy that Jerusalem will not see a sword nor will be hungry (Jeremiah 14:13-16; Jeremiah 23:16-17). God has spoken otherwise. The exiles, if they are open to this sign, can see what will happen to Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 36:8

The Years of Iniquity

In the symbolic act of Eze 4:1-3, Ezekiel has represented God in His dealings with Jerusalem. In the symbolic act he must now perform, he represents the people. In this, his personal involvement is great. He must feel firsthand what the people will experience. These are the two aspects of the service that every servant must know and experience. He must share in God’s feelings about evil and he must share in the sorrow of those over whom this evil comes, in the awareness of being part of this people and being no better than they are.

God tells Ezekiel what to do. Ezekiel is to lie down on his “left side” and “lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it” (Ezekiel 4:4). Of course, this is not a substitutionary bearing of the iniquity. Only the Lord Jesus can do that (Isaiah 53:6; 12). It is about suffering and experiencing the consequences of iniquity. The iniquity of the people is doing what is evil in the eyes of God and harming their neighbors, their fellow citizens, in all areas of life.

Ezekiel is to lay the iniquity on his left side, the side on which he lies. This implies at the same time that he is lying on the iniquity. Thereby Ezekiel is portraying that he is identifying with God’s people in their iniquity. It will be a touching sermon for the people.

The time he must lie like this is set by God at “three hundred and ninety days”, with Ezekiel having to suffer one day for each year (Ezekiel 4:5). To which time period in the history of Israel (the twelve tribes) the three hundred and ninety years refers is not clear. Several commentators assume that this period begins with the tearing of Israel into two and ten tribes and specifically Jeroboam’s introduction of idolatry into Israel by making the two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-30). In any case, it is about the iniquity, the sins, of all twelve tribes, that is, Israel as a whole. They constitute God’s people, no matter how much they have lived separately from one another.

When those days are completed, the prophet is to lie down on his “right side” (Ezekiel 4:6). On that side he is to lie “forty days” to bear “the iniquity of the house of Judah”. Again, a day represents a year. The period of forty days connects to that of three hundred and ninety days. God tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for a number of days and to do so when he has “completed” the days on his left side.

That an additional number of days of bearing iniquity is added for Judah is because Judah sinned even more severely than Israel (Ezekiel 23:11-35). This is underscored by the following verses. In them it is about the siege of Jerusalem, where the Judeans are at that time.

God speaks to Ezekiel about the siege of Jerusalem. These total of four hundred and thirty days that Ezekiel lies on his side, he is to “set” his “face toward the siege of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 4:7; Ezekiel 4:3), which comes down to looking at what he has inscribed on the brick. He must do so with “bare arm”. Ezekiel’s bare arm symbolizes that God is ready to act in judgment (cf. Isaiah 52:10a). Ezekiel’s prophecy consists not of words, but of his attitude. Everything he portrays speaks to the conscience with great force.

God will restrain him in such a way – the ropes that He puts on Ezekiel speak of this – that he will be able to accomplish this difficult task until the end (Ezekiel 4:8). This also has a symbolic meaning. God says to him that he will be bound until he has completed the days of his siege. This means that bearing the iniquity is directly connected to the siege of Jerusalem by the armies of the king of Babylon.

By speaking of “your siege”, the siege of Jerusalem is presented as an act of Ezekiel, remembering immediately that here we symbolically see the action of God Himself with Jerusalem. The ropes also make it clear that the people cannot possibly evade this judgment of God. God is executing His judgment. He will give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and have the inhabitants taken away into exile.

Ezekiel 36:9

The Years of Iniquity

In the symbolic act of Eze 4:1-3, Ezekiel has represented God in His dealings with Jerusalem. In the symbolic act he must now perform, he represents the people. In this, his personal involvement is great. He must feel firsthand what the people will experience. These are the two aspects of the service that every servant must know and experience. He must share in God’s feelings about evil and he must share in the sorrow of those over whom this evil comes, in the awareness of being part of this people and being no better than they are.

God tells Ezekiel what to do. Ezekiel is to lie down on his “left side” and “lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it” (Ezekiel 4:4). Of course, this is not a substitutionary bearing of the iniquity. Only the Lord Jesus can do that (Isaiah 53:6; 12). It is about suffering and experiencing the consequences of iniquity. The iniquity of the people is doing what is evil in the eyes of God and harming their neighbors, their fellow citizens, in all areas of life.

Ezekiel is to lay the iniquity on his left side, the side on which he lies. This implies at the same time that he is lying on the iniquity. Thereby Ezekiel is portraying that he is identifying with God’s people in their iniquity. It will be a touching sermon for the people.

The time he must lie like this is set by God at “three hundred and ninety days”, with Ezekiel having to suffer one day for each year (Ezekiel 4:5). To which time period in the history of Israel (the twelve tribes) the three hundred and ninety years refers is not clear. Several commentators assume that this period begins with the tearing of Israel into two and ten tribes and specifically Jeroboam’s introduction of idolatry into Israel by making the two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-30). In any case, it is about the iniquity, the sins, of all twelve tribes, that is, Israel as a whole. They constitute God’s people, no matter how much they have lived separately from one another.

When those days are completed, the prophet is to lie down on his “right side” (Ezekiel 4:6). On that side he is to lie “forty days” to bear “the iniquity of the house of Judah”. Again, a day represents a year. The period of forty days connects to that of three hundred and ninety days. God tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for a number of days and to do so when he has “completed” the days on his left side.

That an additional number of days of bearing iniquity is added for Judah is because Judah sinned even more severely than Israel (Ezekiel 23:11-35). This is underscored by the following verses. In them it is about the siege of Jerusalem, where the Judeans are at that time.

God speaks to Ezekiel about the siege of Jerusalem. These total of four hundred and thirty days that Ezekiel lies on his side, he is to “set” his “face toward the siege of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 4:7; Ezekiel 4:3), which comes down to looking at what he has inscribed on the brick. He must do so with “bare arm”. Ezekiel’s bare arm symbolizes that God is ready to act in judgment (cf. Isaiah 52:10a). Ezekiel’s prophecy consists not of words, but of his attitude. Everything he portrays speaks to the conscience with great force.

God will restrain him in such a way – the ropes that He puts on Ezekiel speak of this – that he will be able to accomplish this difficult task until the end (Ezekiel 4:8). This also has a symbolic meaning. God says to him that he will be bound until he has completed the days of his siege. This means that bearing the iniquity is directly connected to the siege of Jerusalem by the armies of the king of Babylon.

By speaking of “your siege”, the siege of Jerusalem is presented as an act of Ezekiel, remembering immediately that here we symbolically see the action of God Himself with Jerusalem. The ropes also make it clear that the people cannot possibly evade this judgment of God. God is executing His judgment. He will give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and have the inhabitants taken away into exile.

Ezekiel 36:10

The Years of Iniquity

In the symbolic act of Eze 4:1-3, Ezekiel has represented God in His dealings with Jerusalem. In the symbolic act he must now perform, he represents the people. In this, his personal involvement is great. He must feel firsthand what the people will experience. These are the two aspects of the service that every servant must know and experience. He must share in God’s feelings about evil and he must share in the sorrow of those over whom this evil comes, in the awareness of being part of this people and being no better than they are.

God tells Ezekiel what to do. Ezekiel is to lie down on his “left side” and “lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it” (Ezekiel 4:4). Of course, this is not a substitutionary bearing of the iniquity. Only the Lord Jesus can do that (Isaiah 53:6; 12). It is about suffering and experiencing the consequences of iniquity. The iniquity of the people is doing what is evil in the eyes of God and harming their neighbors, their fellow citizens, in all areas of life.

Ezekiel is to lay the iniquity on his left side, the side on which he lies. This implies at the same time that he is lying on the iniquity. Thereby Ezekiel is portraying that he is identifying with God’s people in their iniquity. It will be a touching sermon for the people.

The time he must lie like this is set by God at “three hundred and ninety days”, with Ezekiel having to suffer one day for each year (Ezekiel 4:5). To which time period in the history of Israel (the twelve tribes) the three hundred and ninety years refers is not clear. Several commentators assume that this period begins with the tearing of Israel into two and ten tribes and specifically Jeroboam’s introduction of idolatry into Israel by making the two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-30). In any case, it is about the iniquity, the sins, of all twelve tribes, that is, Israel as a whole. They constitute God’s people, no matter how much they have lived separately from one another.

When those days are completed, the prophet is to lie down on his “right side” (Ezekiel 4:6). On that side he is to lie “forty days” to bear “the iniquity of the house of Judah”. Again, a day represents a year. The period of forty days connects to that of three hundred and ninety days. God tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for a number of days and to do so when he has “completed” the days on his left side.

That an additional number of days of bearing iniquity is added for Judah is because Judah sinned even more severely than Israel (Ezekiel 23:11-35). This is underscored by the following verses. In them it is about the siege of Jerusalem, where the Judeans are at that time.

God speaks to Ezekiel about the siege of Jerusalem. These total of four hundred and thirty days that Ezekiel lies on his side, he is to “set” his “face toward the siege of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 4:7; Ezekiel 4:3), which comes down to looking at what he has inscribed on the brick. He must do so with “bare arm”. Ezekiel’s bare arm symbolizes that God is ready to act in judgment (cf. Isaiah 52:10a). Ezekiel’s prophecy consists not of words, but of his attitude. Everything he portrays speaks to the conscience with great force.

God will restrain him in such a way – the ropes that He puts on Ezekiel speak of this – that he will be able to accomplish this difficult task until the end (Ezekiel 4:8). This also has a symbolic meaning. God says to him that he will be bound until he has completed the days of his siege. This means that bearing the iniquity is directly connected to the siege of Jerusalem by the armies of the king of Babylon.

By speaking of “your siege”, the siege of Jerusalem is presented as an act of Ezekiel, remembering immediately that here we symbolically see the action of God Himself with Jerusalem. The ropes also make it clear that the people cannot possibly evade this judgment of God. God is executing His judgment. He will give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and have the inhabitants taken away into exile.

Ezekiel 36:11

The Years of Iniquity

In the symbolic act of Eze 4:1-3, Ezekiel has represented God in His dealings with Jerusalem. In the symbolic act he must now perform, he represents the people. In this, his personal involvement is great. He must feel firsthand what the people will experience. These are the two aspects of the service that every servant must know and experience. He must share in God’s feelings about evil and he must share in the sorrow of those over whom this evil comes, in the awareness of being part of this people and being no better than they are.

God tells Ezekiel what to do. Ezekiel is to lie down on his “left side” and “lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it” (Ezekiel 4:4). Of course, this is not a substitutionary bearing of the iniquity. Only the Lord Jesus can do that (Isaiah 53:6; 12). It is about suffering and experiencing the consequences of iniquity. The iniquity of the people is doing what is evil in the eyes of God and harming their neighbors, their fellow citizens, in all areas of life.

Ezekiel is to lay the iniquity on his left side, the side on which he lies. This implies at the same time that he is lying on the iniquity. Thereby Ezekiel is portraying that he is identifying with God’s people in their iniquity. It will be a touching sermon for the people.

The time he must lie like this is set by God at “three hundred and ninety days”, with Ezekiel having to suffer one day for each year (Ezekiel 4:5). To which time period in the history of Israel (the twelve tribes) the three hundred and ninety years refers is not clear. Several commentators assume that this period begins with the tearing of Israel into two and ten tribes and specifically Jeroboam’s introduction of idolatry into Israel by making the two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-30). In any case, it is about the iniquity, the sins, of all twelve tribes, that is, Israel as a whole. They constitute God’s people, no matter how much they have lived separately from one another.

When those days are completed, the prophet is to lie down on his “right side” (Ezekiel 4:6). On that side he is to lie “forty days” to bear “the iniquity of the house of Judah”. Again, a day represents a year. The period of forty days connects to that of three hundred and ninety days. God tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for a number of days and to do so when he has “completed” the days on his left side.

That an additional number of days of bearing iniquity is added for Judah is because Judah sinned even more severely than Israel (Ezekiel 23:11-35). This is underscored by the following verses. In them it is about the siege of Jerusalem, where the Judeans are at that time.

God speaks to Ezekiel about the siege of Jerusalem. These total of four hundred and thirty days that Ezekiel lies on his side, he is to “set” his “face toward the siege of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 4:7; Ezekiel 4:3), which comes down to looking at what he has inscribed on the brick. He must do so with “bare arm”. Ezekiel’s bare arm symbolizes that God is ready to act in judgment (cf. Isaiah 52:10a). Ezekiel’s prophecy consists not of words, but of his attitude. Everything he portrays speaks to the conscience with great force.

God will restrain him in such a way – the ropes that He puts on Ezekiel speak of this – that he will be able to accomplish this difficult task until the end (Ezekiel 4:8). This also has a symbolic meaning. God says to him that he will be bound until he has completed the days of his siege. This means that bearing the iniquity is directly connected to the siege of Jerusalem by the armies of the king of Babylon.

By speaking of “your siege”, the siege of Jerusalem is presented as an act of Ezekiel, remembering immediately that here we symbolically see the action of God Himself with Jerusalem. The ropes also make it clear that the people cannot possibly evade this judgment of God. God is executing His judgment. He will give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and have the inhabitants taken away into exile.

Ezekiel 36:12

The Years of Iniquity

In the symbolic act of Eze 4:1-3, Ezekiel has represented God in His dealings with Jerusalem. In the symbolic act he must now perform, he represents the people. In this, his personal involvement is great. He must feel firsthand what the people will experience. These are the two aspects of the service that every servant must know and experience. He must share in God’s feelings about evil and he must share in the sorrow of those over whom this evil comes, in the awareness of being part of this people and being no better than they are.

God tells Ezekiel what to do. Ezekiel is to lie down on his “left side” and “lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it” (Ezekiel 4:4). Of course, this is not a substitutionary bearing of the iniquity. Only the Lord Jesus can do that (Isaiah 53:6; 12). It is about suffering and experiencing the consequences of iniquity. The iniquity of the people is doing what is evil in the eyes of God and harming their neighbors, their fellow citizens, in all areas of life.

Ezekiel is to lay the iniquity on his left side, the side on which he lies. This implies at the same time that he is lying on the iniquity. Thereby Ezekiel is portraying that he is identifying with God’s people in their iniquity. It will be a touching sermon for the people.

The time he must lie like this is set by God at “three hundred and ninety days”, with Ezekiel having to suffer one day for each year (Ezekiel 4:5). To which time period in the history of Israel (the twelve tribes) the three hundred and ninety years refers is not clear. Several commentators assume that this period begins with the tearing of Israel into two and ten tribes and specifically Jeroboam’s introduction of idolatry into Israel by making the two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-30). In any case, it is about the iniquity, the sins, of all twelve tribes, that is, Israel as a whole. They constitute God’s people, no matter how much they have lived separately from one another.

When those days are completed, the prophet is to lie down on his “right side” (Ezekiel 4:6). On that side he is to lie “forty days” to bear “the iniquity of the house of Judah”. Again, a day represents a year. The period of forty days connects to that of three hundred and ninety days. God tells Ezekiel to lie on his right side for a number of days and to do so when he has “completed” the days on his left side.

That an additional number of days of bearing iniquity is added for Judah is because Judah sinned even more severely than Israel (Ezekiel 23:11-35). This is underscored by the following verses. In them it is about the siege of Jerusalem, where the Judeans are at that time.

God speaks to Ezekiel about the siege of Jerusalem. These total of four hundred and thirty days that Ezekiel lies on his side, he is to “set” his “face toward the siege of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 4:7; Ezekiel 4:3), which comes down to looking at what he has inscribed on the brick. He must do so with “bare arm”. Ezekiel’s bare arm symbolizes that God is ready to act in judgment (cf. Isaiah 52:10a). Ezekiel’s prophecy consists not of words, but of his attitude. Everything he portrays speaks to the conscience with great force.

God will restrain him in such a way – the ropes that He puts on Ezekiel speak of this – that he will be able to accomplish this difficult task until the end (Ezekiel 4:8). This also has a symbolic meaning. God says to him that he will be bound until he has completed the days of his siege. This means that bearing the iniquity is directly connected to the siege of Jerusalem by the armies of the king of Babylon.

By speaking of “your siege”, the siege of Jerusalem is presented as an act of Ezekiel, remembering immediately that here we symbolically see the action of God Himself with Jerusalem. The ropes also make it clear that the people cannot possibly evade this judgment of God. God is executing His judgment. He will give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and have the inhabitants taken away into exile.

Ezekiel 36:13

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:14

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:15

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:16

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:17

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:18

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:19

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:20

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:21

Eating and Drinking of Ezekiel

The next act Ezekiel is to perform is also related to the siege of Jerusalem inscribed above as a result of their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:4-8). He is to portray food scarcity (Ezekiel 4:9). This indicates that famine will strike the city as a result of the siege. He is to take various cereals and legumes to make bread from them.

“Wheat” is used to make the best bread. However, if wheat is scarce, it should be mixed with other grains of lesser quality, such as “barley … millet and spelt”. “Beans” and “lentils” are not grains, but they are common foods (cf. 2 Samuel 17:27-29). However, when they must be taken together to make bread, it does indicate the scarcity of these foods. Then it is a kind of “war bread”, which is eaten in times of food scarcity. Ezekiel is to put all the ingredients “in one vessel” and mix them together and make bread. That bread he must eat during the days that he lies on his side, for three hundred and ninety days.

The ration is “twenty shekels a day by weight”, which is two hundred to three hundred grams (Ezekiel 4:10). This ration he must eat at set times, that is, he must divide it among several meals and not eat it all at once. Water is also rationed (Ezekiel 4:11). He gets “the sixth part of a hin” per day, which is about a liter. For a hot country, that is very little. He also has to divide the water throughout the day.

He is also commanded to eat “a barley cake”, which he is to bake in the sight of the exiles “over human dung” (Ezekiel 4:12). This is indicative of the state of emergency in which Jerusalem will find itself. He points to that emergency by doing this “in their sight”. The LORD explains the act He is prescribing to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:13). It is symbolic of the time when the Jews will be scattered, both in Babylon and in the time after the year 70. They will be among the nations and often forced to eat food that is unclean according to the law (Hosea 9:3-4).

As a faithful Jew, Ezekiel shrinks from preparing and eating his bread in this way and makes his objection to the LORD about it (Ezekiel 4:14; cf. Acts 10:14). The use of human dung as fuel for cooking is nowhere expressly forbidden. Yet the disgust shown by Ezekiel is understandable when we know what God said about how to deal with excrement (Deuteronomy 23:13-15). We must also remember that God Himself has just attached to this symbolic act the statement that the Israelites “eat their bread unclean” among the nations.

Ezekiel points out to God how he has always kept the law, ever since he was a child. Never did he eat anything that was forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:39; Exodus 22:31). He never ate unclean meat. As befits a priest, he has always strictly observed the food laws. It is his fervent desire to continue to do so even in the land of exile (cf. Daniel 1:8).

God takes into account the conscience of His servant. He allows him to use “cow’s dung” instead of human dung to prepare his bread over it (Ezekiel 4:15). He does not override His command, but makes it easier for Ezekiel to obey Him.

God knows that we need time to adjust our view to His view. This Divine sensitivity is an example for us in our dealings with fellow believers who sometimes have difficulty with things in which we are free before the Lord (Romans 14:1-4; Romans 15:1-4).

God explains the actions Ezekiel must perform (Ezekiel 4:16-17). He addresses him again as “son of man”. What Ezekiel is to portray is the lack of sufficient bread in Jerusalem during the siege. Water will also be scarce. Meals that are otherwise joyous affairs will become sad and grievous. Dismay will reign because the meals will be dominated by hardship and lack. They will “waste away in their iniquity”, meaning that they have brought their hardship and lack and dismay upon themselves by their own behavior and finally they will die of hunger.

Ezekiel 36:23

Shaving and Dividing Hair

Ezekiel is even more personally involved in the judgments he is to announce. He must shave off his head hair and beard with a sharp sword (Ezekiel 5:1). This is a great reproach to him (cf. 2 Samuel 10:4; 1 Chronicles 19:4; Nehemiah 13:25) and is even forbidden to a priest (Leviticus 21:5; Ezekiel 44:20). That he must use a sharp sword as a razor shows that this is an act that symbolically represents the judgment of God (Deuteronomy 32:41; Isaiah 7:20).

Then he must take a scale and divide the hair. This indicates a very precise weighing, for hair is so light that it can hardly be weighed. That precise weighing means that each one gets the punishment he deserves, no more and no less. God punishes perfectly justly (Revelation 20:12-13).

He is to divide the hair into three heaps (Ezekiel 5:2). With each of those heaps he is to do something: 1. One-third of the hair he is to lay “at the center of the city” – that is in the center of the inscribing he made on the brick (Ezekiel 4:1) – and burn it with fire. The LORD adds that he is to do this “when the days of the siege are completed”. 2. The next third of hair he is to take and “strike [it] with the sword all around the city”. 3. The last third he must “scatter to the wind”. Those hairs are carried everywhere.

Judgment does not come on all the hair (Ezekiel 5:3). Ezekiel is to take a few hairs, “a few in number”, and bind them in the edges of his robes. There are also hairs that Ezekiel is to throw directly into the fire to burn them in the fire (Ezekiel 5:4). These are not burned only after the days of the siege. From this part “a fire will spread to all the house of Israel”, that is, it will burn all that is left.

Ezekiel 36:24

Shaving and Dividing Hair

Ezekiel is even more personally involved in the judgments he is to announce. He must shave off his head hair and beard with a sharp sword (Ezekiel 5:1). This is a great reproach to him (cf. 2 Samuel 10:4; 1 Chronicles 19:4; Nehemiah 13:25) and is even forbidden to a priest (Leviticus 21:5; Ezekiel 44:20). That he must use a sharp sword as a razor shows that this is an act that symbolically represents the judgment of God (Deuteronomy 32:41; Isaiah 7:20).

Then he must take a scale and divide the hair. This indicates a very precise weighing, for hair is so light that it can hardly be weighed. That precise weighing means that each one gets the punishment he deserves, no more and no less. God punishes perfectly justly (Revelation 20:12-13).

He is to divide the hair into three heaps (Ezekiel 5:2). With each of those heaps he is to do something: 1. One-third of the hair he is to lay “at the center of the city” – that is in the center of the inscribing he made on the brick (Ezekiel 4:1) – and burn it with fire. The LORD adds that he is to do this “when the days of the siege are completed”. 2. The next third of hair he is to take and “strike [it] with the sword all around the city”. 3. The last third he must “scatter to the wind”. Those hairs are carried everywhere.

Judgment does not come on all the hair (Ezekiel 5:3). Ezekiel is to take a few hairs, “a few in number”, and bind them in the edges of his robes. There are also hairs that Ezekiel is to throw directly into the fire to burn them in the fire (Ezekiel 5:4). These are not burned only after the days of the siege. From this part “a fire will spread to all the house of Israel”, that is, it will burn all that is left.

Ezekiel 36:25

Shaving and Dividing Hair

Ezekiel is even more personally involved in the judgments he is to announce. He must shave off his head hair and beard with a sharp sword (Ezekiel 5:1). This is a great reproach to him (cf. 2 Samuel 10:4; 1 Chronicles 19:4; Nehemiah 13:25) and is even forbidden to a priest (Leviticus 21:5; Ezekiel 44:20). That he must use a sharp sword as a razor shows that this is an act that symbolically represents the judgment of God (Deuteronomy 32:41; Isaiah 7:20).

Then he must take a scale and divide the hair. This indicates a very precise weighing, for hair is so light that it can hardly be weighed. That precise weighing means that each one gets the punishment he deserves, no more and no less. God punishes perfectly justly (Revelation 20:12-13).

He is to divide the hair into three heaps (Ezekiel 5:2). With each of those heaps he is to do something: 1. One-third of the hair he is to lay “at the center of the city” – that is in the center of the inscribing he made on the brick (Ezekiel 4:1) – and burn it with fire. The LORD adds that he is to do this “when the days of the siege are completed”. 2. The next third of hair he is to take and “strike [it] with the sword all around the city”. 3. The last third he must “scatter to the wind”. Those hairs are carried everywhere.

Judgment does not come on all the hair (Ezekiel 5:3). Ezekiel is to take a few hairs, “a few in number”, and bind them in the edges of his robes. There are also hairs that Ezekiel is to throw directly into the fire to burn them in the fire (Ezekiel 5:4). These are not burned only after the days of the siege. From this part “a fire will spread to all the house of Israel”, that is, it will burn all that is left.

Ezekiel 36:26

Shaving and Dividing Hair

Ezekiel is even more personally involved in the judgments he is to announce. He must shave off his head hair and beard with a sharp sword (Ezekiel 5:1). This is a great reproach to him (cf. 2 Samuel 10:4; 1 Chronicles 19:4; Nehemiah 13:25) and is even forbidden to a priest (Leviticus 21:5; Ezekiel 44:20). That he must use a sharp sword as a razor shows that this is an act that symbolically represents the judgment of God (Deuteronomy 32:41; Isaiah 7:20).

Then he must take a scale and divide the hair. This indicates a very precise weighing, for hair is so light that it can hardly be weighed. That precise weighing means that each one gets the punishment he deserves, no more and no less. God punishes perfectly justly (Revelation 20:12-13).

He is to divide the hair into three heaps (Ezekiel 5:2). With each of those heaps he is to do something: 1. One-third of the hair he is to lay “at the center of the city” – that is in the center of the inscribing he made on the brick (Ezekiel 4:1) – and burn it with fire. The LORD adds that he is to do this “when the days of the siege are completed”. 2. The next third of hair he is to take and “strike [it] with the sword all around the city”. 3. The last third he must “scatter to the wind”. Those hairs are carried everywhere.

Judgment does not come on all the hair (Ezekiel 5:3). Ezekiel is to take a few hairs, “a few in number”, and bind them in the edges of his robes. There are also hairs that Ezekiel is to throw directly into the fire to burn them in the fire (Ezekiel 5:4). These are not burned only after the days of the siege. From this part “a fire will spread to all the house of Israel”, that is, it will burn all that is left.

Ezekiel 36:27

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:28

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:29

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:30

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:31

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:32

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Ezekiel 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Ezekiel 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nahum 2:13; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Ezekiel 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Ezekiel 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10).

Ezekiel 36:33

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.

Ezekiel 36:34

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.

Ezekiel 36:35

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.

Ezekiel 36:36

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.

Ezekiel 36:37

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.

Ezekiel 36:38

Meaning of Dividing the Hair

The words “’so as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely’”, are an oath swearing from the LORD (Ezekiel 5:11). He expresses Himself in this way several times in this book (Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16; 18; 20; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 17:16; Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 20:31; 33; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 34:8; Ezekiel 35:6; 11). He swears by His own life. That means His decision is absolute. That applies always to everything He says, but He wants to impress Jerusalem with the gravity of His decision. He is also extremely wroth at her sins. These, indeed, are no small matter. Jerusalem has defiled His sanctuary with her detestable idols, and with her abominations, which are her idolatries, the things that the inhabitants of Jerusalem do for their idols.

Therefore, the LORD will “withdraw”, which means He will take from Jerusalem all honor and ornament. He will not spare her and He will do it without pity. He will no longer show mercy, as He has so often, time and again, in the past. That He has no compassion for Jerusalem does not show an unmerciful God, but a stubborn city that will not break with its iniquities. Therefore, He must judge Jerusalem and there is no escape for the city (cf. Psalms 130:3).

Because of the siege of the city, one-third will perish because of plague and famine (Ezekiel 5:12). Plague and famine belong together. Plague is a consequence of famine. Those who think they can escape God’s discipline by fleeing will be killed by the sword of the enemy. Those who are taken captive and scattered everywhere will equally fall by the sword.

When God brings this severe judgment upon Jerusalem and His anger rests upon her inhabitants, He will be appeased (Ezekiel 5:13). After all that He has had to endure on the part of Jerusalem, all that she has done to Him to offend Him, He will feel free of her when He has made Himself known to her in this way. He will not allow Himself to be mocked endlessly. He is a zealous God and will execute His wrath against the city because Jerusalem has forced Him to do so. He makes a desolation of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:14). The nations around the city will hear of the reproach inflicted on Jerusalem. The city’s ignominious demise will be seen by every person who passes by it.

The judgments that God in His wrath executes on the city express His anger and wrath (Ezekiel 5:15). They are punishments of anger and wrath. God makes His deep indignation heard through these words. What He has done to Jerusalem in His judgments provides the nations around them with material for reproach and scorn. But not only that. It also supplies education and cause for dismay.

There is also a warning message to the nations. Jerusalem and the nations must realize that He, the LORD, has spoken. They are not words without meaning, they are not threats from impotent wrath that lacks the power to assert itself. What God says, He does.

He has announced famine that will come into the city (Ezekiel 5:16). This is no idle threat, but He will cause famine to come into the city as “deadly arrows” that He Himself shoots. Those arrows will lead to destruction and bring them to ruin. The hunger will truly increase and the bread to satisfy the hunger will be lacking. No matter how desperately they will search, it will not be there.

The famine will be sent by the LORD, and in its immediate aftermath, the wild animals will also come (Ezekiel 5:17). Both plagues will rob them of their children. In addition to these two plagues, there are also plague and bloodshed. These will roam among them and make their victims. The combination of these four judgments will result in complete destruction and extermination. There is no doubt that this is how it will go, for “I [emphatically], the LORD, have spoken”.