In our study of Ezekiel chapter seven, we will look at the pattern that God follows in judging the actions of His people. We will look at the example of God's judgment on Israel and apply it to the coming judgment of all mankind.
Now, if God speaks to you in this study, you can save your own personal notes on this page. Then, every time that you look at this study, your notes will automatically be added to the page. To add a note or to display your previous notes, click on the YOUR NOTES button.
The word of ADONAI came to me: "As for you, human being, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about the land of Isra'el: 'The end! The end is coming to the four corners of the land!
Although the prophet was sharing the fact that Israel was going to be led into the Babylonian captivity, we can learn from it today. We see that God always sends warning prior to His judgment. We have been given God's warning that He will judge all of the earth in the Book of Revelation.
Now the end is upon you! I will send my anger upon you, I will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your disgusting practices. My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your disgusting practices will be done among you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'
As we see here, the pattern for God's judgment begins with the conduct of mankind. God only judges man after they have rejected Him and His authority. We also see that it is universally applied to all who reject Him (nobody is able to pretend and get away with it). We also see that God's judgment is the venting of His anger and that might make us uncomfortable. Too often, we have only heard that "God is love" which is true but He is also a jealous God. He is provoked to anger when His created beings reject Him. The purpose of this and all judgment is so that people will acknowledge the fact that He is Lord of all the things He has created.
"Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Disaster, unique disaster - here it comes!
To the people of Ezekiel's day, being captured by the Babylonians was an unthinkable disaster. The judgment that is coming on all of the earth is so terrible that it could not even be adequately described by John in Revelation. We have heard about the great depths of God's love but the heights of His wrath upon those who reject Him is just as big.
The end is coming! The end is coming! It rouses itself against you - here it comes! Doom has come to you, you who live in the land! The time has come, the day is near, for tumult, not joyful shouts on the mountains.
The judgment is certain as this passage gives us the sense that it is unstoppable once it is decided upon.
Now, soon, I will pour out my fury on you, I will spend my anger on you; I will judge you according to your ways I will bring on you all your disgusting practices. My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity; but will bring upon you what your ways deserve; and your disgusting practices will be among you. Then you will know it is I, ADONAI, striking you.
We see that not even the mercy of God can stop the eventual judgment for turning their backs on Him. We often hear about God's mercy but seldom hear about His justice. As we see here, His mercy has a season but His wrath does as well. What is the purpose of God's judgment? It is so that the people will acknowledge Him for who He is and cause them to fear Him. This Godly fear has the power to produce repentance which is the first step to restoration.
"'Here is the day! Here it comes! Doom has gone out, the rod has blossomed, arrogance has budded. Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. Nothing is left of them, nothing of their crowds, nothing of their wealth - there is nothing of importance in them.
This verse calls to mind the budding of Aaron's staff that God used as a sign to the rebellious people (see Numbers 17). In that case, Aaron's rod produced almonds and throughout Scripture almonds are a reminder of God's watchfulness. In this case, the rod has produced arrogance which is at the heart of sin. The people did not believe that God would judge them because of the fact that they were the "chosen people". Here, the people are reminded that God sees the arrogance and that He has punished rebellion in the past. They are also reminded that the punishment is not based on one's standing in society as it will fall on the rich as well as the poor.
The time has come, the day has arrived; let neither buyer rejoice nor seller regret; for wrath is coming to all her many people.
This verse speaks of the poor selling their property and the rich buying it. In this time of judgment, the possessions will not matter anymore and material wealth will not protect anyone.
For the seller will not return to what he sold, even if he is still alive; for though the vision was brought to all her many people, nobody repented. Each kept living his own wicked life; they weren't strong enough [to repent].
This verse speaks about the timing of the judgment and the fact that it will be before the next year of jubilee. In Leviticus 25, instructions were given to Israel concerning the buying and selling of land. Every fifty years, the land would be returned to the family that had sold it.
The shofar has sounded, everything is ready, but no one goes out to the battle, for my wrath is coming to all her many people. "'Outside is the sword, inside plague and famine. Those in the country will die by the sword. And as for those in the city, plague and famine will eat them up.
The blowing of the trumpet refers to the instructions that Israel was given by God. When Israel was to fight enemies within their land that were oppressing them, the priests were to blow the silver trumpets and God would remember them (see Numbers 10). Here, we see that the blowing of the trumpets will not save them as the judgment is from God and no army or man can stand against it. Once again, we see the completeness of the judgment. Material wealth could not protect the people and now we see that location will not either. Although they would perish by different methods, the result was the same no matter where they were located. The same thing will be true in the last days as the judgment of God will touch all nations. It seems like there are some countries today that have been rather insulated from the problems of our world. In the last days, there will be such massive changes to the world that it will no longer be possible for a group of people to be insulated from its effects.
But if any of them manage to escape, they will head for the mountains like doves from the valleys, all of them moaning, each for his sin. All hands will droop, all knees turn to water. They will put on sackcloth; horror will cover them; every face will be ashamed, every head shaved bald.
This passage speaks of Mt Arbel which is located in lower Galilee near Tiberias. The Valley of Doves connects Nazareth and Capernaum and would have been a route that Jesus walked many times. The mountain has caves in it which were used to hide in and, here, we see that some of the people will flee to these caves out of fear. They will mourn like the call of doves when they realize the depths of their sin against God. We are reminded that the purpose of God's judgment is to bring His people to repentance.
They will throw their silver into the streets; their gold will be like something unclean. On the day of ADONAI's wrath their silver and gold won't be able to rescue them. These things won't satisfy their hunger, these things won't fill their stomachs, because these are what caused them to sin. From their beautiful jewellery, in which they took such pride, they made their abominable idols and their other detestable things; therefore, for them I have caused it to be like something unclean.
The people had been blessed with material possessions by God. They had used that gold and silver to make idols but, in the last day, the wealth will mean nothing. Ezekiel shares a quote from Isaiah 2 in describing how the people will discard the wealth. This also reminds us of the description of the last days that is contained in Revelation. There we see that wealth does not matter if you do not have the mark of the beast.
I will hand it over to foreigners as booty, to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will profane it. I will turn my face away from them; then [Bavel] will profane my secret place, robbers will enter and profane it.
This passage speaks of the final fall of Jerusalem as described in Zechariah 14. Jesus will hand the city over to the nations for a short time before He judges them and establishes His kingdom.
"'Forge a chain, for the land is full of capital crimes and the city full of violence. Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their homes; I will end the arrogance of the strong; and their holy places will be profaned.
This passage speaks of the fact that God was going to bring the Babylonians to capture Jerusalem and Judah. We see that the religious leaders and the temple are described as prideful while Babylon is described as the most wicked of nations.
When horror comes, they will seek peace; but there will be none. Calamity will follow calamity, rumor will follow rumor; they will seek a vision from the prophet, but Torah will perish from the cohen and advice from the leaders.
Once they see the approaching army, the leaders would start looking for a message from God. They were hoping to get a message saying that He had changed His mind but there was no message to be heard. The same type of thing will happen in the last days but, then, the antichrist will be there with the message they want to hear.
The king will go into mourning, the prince will be clothed with fright, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble in terror. I will treat them as their way of life deserves and judge them as they have judged others. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"
The leaders will not have any answers and the people will be filled with fear. God dealt with the idolatry of Judah and its purpose was so that they would know that God is in charge. In the last days, men will make themselves their own god and we can be sure that they will be judged as well. God's pattern of judgment will continue in those days and will be fulfilled in the end.
Read about what we do with the data we gather and the rules you agree to by using this website in our privacy policy.