Ezekiel 8-9: Judgement Begins in the House of God

In another vision, God shows Ezekiel grievous things, not just in the city, but in the temple as well.  Through a hole in the wall, he looked into the temple where he saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and detestable animals and all the idols of the house of Israel. In front of them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising.  He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.' - Eze 8:10-12 NIV

And even worse, when Ezekiel looked into the inner court of the house of the Lord there were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east. - Eze. 8:16 NIV

God could see what was going on in the hearts of the elders and the priests.  While they may have been painting one picture for the public, God saw what they were like in private and it was detestable to him.  So he sent the man clothed in linen to "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it. 

As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. " - Eze 9:6 NIV

Just as with the Passover in Egypt, those with the mark would be spared, while even the priest and elders, those who called themselves God's servants, would receive no compassion.  As God told Ezekiel, "The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.' So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done."  - Eze 9:9-10 NIV

Ezekiel 4-7: The End Has Come

It is surmised that Ezekiel was among the first group of exiles from Jerusalem.  As such, he must have heard news of what was still going on in Jerusalem.  The people still there had not changed any of their routines.  The Babylonians were at the gates, but they were still trusting in other gods and other nations to save them rather than the Lord God. 

God gave Ezekiel prophecies to act out for all to see.  Visual images of what was going on back in Jerusalem and the result.  God has Ezekiel create a miniature representation of Jerusalem using a clay jar and lay siege to it.  Then God has Ezekiel lay on his side one day for each of the years that Israel (340 days) and Judah (40 days) sinned against him. 

God's next warning involved Ezekiel cutting his hair and destroying it in three ways: burning, cutting with a sword and throwing to the wind, to demonstrate the three ways that the people of Jerusalem would be destroyed.  These were not warnings from God for the people to change their ways.  These were prophecies of what was already set in motion.  And when God told Ezekiel to tell the land of Israel that the end was near, it was not a threat, it was not a warning to change their ways.  It was not a mother warning their children 'if you run out in the street and get run over, I'm going to kill you.'  This was the roar of a mighty lion as he runs down his prey.

I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders. The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the LORD." - Eze. 7:24-27 NIV

This was the end. 

Ezekiel 1-3: The Lord Speaks

Even in exile, the word of the Lord comes to those who will see and hear.  For Ezekiel, he was with the exiles by the Kedar River in Babylon, when the heavens opened up and he saw things that are impossible for us to imagine.  But he knew it was the Lord and he listened when the Lord spoke to him.  He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. - Eze. 2:1 NIV

Then the Lord told Ezekiel to become his mouthpiece, to speak for the Lord to the exiles.  And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.  Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen."  - Eze. 3:10-11 NIV

Ezekiel's response, to hearing from the Lord, was to sit in the midst of the exiles for seven days completely overwhelmed, an appropriate response after seeing and hearing the voice of  God.  So when God spoke to him again and told him to go to the plain to so he could speak with him once more, Ezekiel went.  This time, however, the word of the Lord told Ezekiel the price he would pay for being the prophet of God.  And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. - Eze. 3:25-27 NIV

God's word comes to those who will listen, who do not have rebellious hearts, but God's words to us are not always what we want to hear.  Like Ezekiel, when the Lord speaks, we cannot choose the words we want to hear, but we can choose to listen.

Lamentations 3-5: It is Good to Wait Quietly

We sing that old hymn, 'Great is Thy Faithfulness', but do we really know what affliction is?  Affliction like that which fell on Israel?  Starving children, bodies of young and old alike lying in the streets, anything of value is worthless.  The wealthy have become beggars, mothers so desperate they eat their own children, and priests and prophets alike have become untouchables.  Yet that is not the only thing the writer of Lamentations saw.  He looked around at the destruction surrounding him and he saw hope.

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD. - Lam 3:`19-26 NIV

When the entire world, all we have ever known is crumbling, it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 1-2: All is Taken Away

What once was, is no more.  All of the plans that people made, all the treasures collected, all the influence garnered, all the relationships forged are no more.  Jerusalem lies desolate!

All who pass your way
clap their hands at you;
they scoff and shake their heads
at the Daughter of Jerusalem:
"Is this the city that was called
the perfection of beauty,
the joy of the whole earth?" - Lam 2:13 NIV

But when all is taken away, all is taken away, and possessions and anything else no longer matter.  Suddenly, it becomes a matter of the heart.  The heart, where man truly dies, and for the writer of Lamentations, where torment has overtaken him as he finally becomes aware of the rebellion he has harbored all along.  That separation from God is the more painful than all of the desolation surrounding him.

"See, O LORD, how distressed I am!
I am in torment within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,
for I have been most rebellious.
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, there is only death. - Lam. 1:20 NIV

Jeremiah 50-52: Babylon Will Fall

Babylon looms on the horizon, but they will not be the big bully forever.  Jeremiah has seen his prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem fulfilled and now he sees the destruction of Babylon as well.  Israel and their surrounding neigbors are not lost. God has not forgotten his people.  The remnant will return.

They will ask the way to Zion
and turn their faces toward it.
They will come and bind themselves to the LORD
in an everlasting covenant
that will not be forgotten.
"My people have been lost sheep;
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
Whoever found them devoured them;
their enemies said, 'We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture,
the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'  Jer. 50:5-7 NIV

God chooses captivity for his people over utter destruction, knowing that exile will turn their hearts back to Him.  And those who have taken advantage of God's people, because they thought they were weak or abandoned, will meet their destruction in the end.

"Babylon must fall because of Israel's slain,
just as the slain in all the earth
have fallen because of Babylon. - Jer. 51:49 NIV

Jeremiah 45-49: You Multiply Remedies in Vain

"Go up to Gilead and get balm,
O Virgin Daughter of Egypt.
But you multiply remedies in vain;
there is no healing for you.
The nations will hear of your shame;
your cries will fill the earth.
One warrior will stumble over another;
both will fall down together."  - Jer. 46:11-12 NIV

These word of Jeremiah were spoken about Egypt, but they could have been said of any of the countries and kingdoms mentioned in the following chapters as well:  The Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam.  They would all experience destruction at the hand of the Lord because of their pride and conceit and because of the gods they chose to worship.  The size of their armies or the wealth in their coffers could not stave off the destruction promised by the Lord.  None of their remedies would save them.