In Today's Email:
Ezekiel 20 Notes
In this chapter God condemns unfaithful Judah.
vs. 1-32 – The year is 591 B.C. God responds to the inquiry made by some Jewish elders. God reviews the history of Israel, showing that it was His power that elevated the nation. All was done for the glory of His name and no other. Despite the goodness of God, the children of Israel continually turned from Him to serve false gods. Bamah in vs. 29 means “high place”, meaning the places dedicated to idol worship. God asks why they would even bother inquiring of Him when they were so set in their idolatry.
vs. 33-44 – God compares the Captivity to the 40 years spent wandering in the wilderness. It is an apt comparison, as through both the people are purged of their idolatry. The day would come when they would repent and be restored.
vs. 45-49 – God tells the prophet to speak against “the south” and its forest. This refers to Judah, the Southern Kingdom after the dividing of the tribes under Rehoboam. The fire that rages is the furious judgment that was coming.
Ezekiel 21 Notes
In this chapter judgment is prophesied against Judah and Ammon.
vs. 1-7 – This is a natural continuation from Ezekiel 20:45-49. There Ezekiel was told to speak toward “the south”, now he is told to speak toward Jerusalem. Here the coming judgment is compared to a sword, which pictures Nebuchadnezzar. It would not be put back into the sheath until judgment was completed. There was not more room for mercy or repentance.
vs. 8-17 – Further poetic descriptions of the sword from the previous verses.
vs. 18-27 – Another object lesson acted out by Ezekiel. He acts out Nebuchadnezzar trying to decide if he would attack Judah or Ammon. The great king seeks signs from his gods through divination before moving toward Jerusalem. King Zedekiah is addressed personally in vs. 25-27. He was the last king of Judah. The next will be Christ the Messiah when He returns.
vs. 28-32 – A prophecy against Ammon. They may have initially been spared Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath, as pictured in the previous section, but they would not escape it forever. It fell in 582 B.C.
Closing Thoughts
One of my favorite details of these prophecies is how God worked through pagan divination to accomplish His will. Nebuchadnezzar is seen consulting the entrails of animals and then randomly picking an arrow in order to determine his next steps. I do not know of any record of this as an historical event, but I think it happened just as the prophet described. This type of superstition was woven into the fabric of the ancient world. The Babylonian king was trying to seek guidance from Marduk or one of the other deities he worshipped. But it was not one of these false idols that answered. It was the almighty God of the universe who providentially guided the armies of Babylon that His will may be accomplished. Even when those who deny Him are but pawns in His plans.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today is “How Gracious and How Wise” by Philip Doddridge. It is a wonderful description of God uses chastisement to bring His people to repentance.
How gracious and how wise
Is our chastising God!
And O! how rich the blessings are,
That blossom from his rod!
He lifts it up on high,
With pity in his heart;
That ev'ry stroke his children feel
May grace and peace impart.
Instruct thus, they bow
And own his sov'reign sway;
They turn their erring footsteps back
To his forsaken way.
His cov'nant love they seek,
And seek the happy bands
that closer still engage their hearts,
To honour his commands.
Submissive, Lord! we yield
To discipline divine,
And bless the pains that make us still
More uniformly thine.