In chapter 5, Ezekiel receives the call to another prophetic enactment. He is instructed to shave off his hair and beard and meticulously divide the hairs into three equal piles. One grouping goes into the fire, another is beaten with a sword, and the third is scattered to the wind (vs. 1 and 2).
Why? God explains that what happens to Ezekiel's hairs is what will happen to the people of Jerusalem in the siege by Babylon: "One third of you shall die of pestilence or be consumed by famine among you; one third shall fall by the sword around you; and one third I will scatter to every wind and will unsheathe the sword after them" (vs. 12). The Lord is demonstrating to His people through Ezekiel that judgment is coming, and it will be fierce and severe.
In fact, the punishment is to be so extreme because Israel has not lived up to her calling to be God's people, choosing instead to practice the sins of the nations around her. "And because of all your abominations, I will do to you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again" (vs. 9). Even cannibalism is on the menu to drive home the point that God's wrath is going to be poured out without pity (vs. 10 and 11).
There is no good outcome for Judah here.
No comments:
Post a Comment