August 20 A READ EZEKIEL 24–28
Judgment East and West
OVERVIEW
Gloating over the fate of another is one sure way to share that fate. Judah’s neighbors, smug in their arrogance, stand next in line for Ezekiel’s declaration of judgment. Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre—none will escape God’s wrath according to Ezekiel’s vision of doom. Age-old adversaries and great commercial empires alike will topple to show the world that God’s justice cannot be thwarted.
MY DAILY WALK
Do you have a problem with pride?
If you answered no, are you proud of that fact?
Consider for a moment these insightful words on the subject of pride—a problem not limited to Ezekiel’s day:
Pride is a vice not limited to the emperors of far-flung realms. Almost anyone, by comparing himself or herself with those who have less talent, less success, or less popularity, can emerge with a feeling of satisfaction that is the very opposite of humility.
What is the remedy for pride? You’ll find the prescription in 1 Corinthians 4:7. It’s the daily realization that all you are and have is a gift from God. The king of Tyre got into “pride problems” by forgetting that fact. Ezekiel 28:12-19 shows numerous ways in which pride tripped up the king of Tyre. Are you in danger of being tripped up as well? Then spend a few minutes reviewing these potent proverbs about pride and its pitfalls: Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; 13:10; 14:3; 16:18; 29:23.
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S GRACE IN YOUR LIFE IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD TRUE HUMILITY.
INSIGHT
How the Mighty Have Fallen | Ezek. 26:14
Tyre, located sixty miles northwest of Nazareth, was actually a split city—half on an island and half on the mainland, with a channel in between. At the zenith of its power, Tyre controlled virtually all commerce on the Mediterranean and boasted colonies in Africa, Spain, and Britain. After the Babylonian siege, however, it never regained its former glory. Today, the once-proud city is nothing more than a bare rock where fishermen spread their nets—a remarkable fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy (26:4-5).
INSIGHT
“Stuck Up” = “Brought Down” | Ezek. 28:17
The king of Tyre had become proud (28:17). According to Proverbs 6:16-19, pride or “haughty eyes” is at the top of the list of things God hates. For other examples of the seriousness of a haughty heart, look up the biblical epitaphs of these four prideful people: Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23); Haman (Esther 3:5; 7:9); Herod (Acts 12:21-23); and, although he ultimately repented and had his honor restored, Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-33).
The Sign of the Cooking Pot
1On January 15,* during the ninth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 2“Son of man, write down today’s date, because on this very day the king of Babylon is beginning his attack against Jerusalem. 3Then give these rebels an illustration with this message from the Sovereign LORD:
“Put a pot on the fire,
and pour in some water.
4Fill it with choice pieces of meat—
the rump and the shoulder
and all the most tender cuts.
5Use only the best sheep from the flock,
and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil,
and cook the bones along with the meat.
6“Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
What sorrow awaits Jerusalem,
the city of murderers!
She is a cooking pot
whose corruption can’t be cleaned out.
Take the meat out in random order,
for no piece is better than another.
7For the blood of her murders
is splashed on the rocks.
It isn’t even spilled on the ground,
where the dust could cover it!
8So I will splash her blood on a rock
for all to see,
an expression of my anger
and vengeance against her.
9“This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
What sorrow awaits Jerusalem,
the city of murderers!
I myself will pile up the fuel beneath her.
10Yes, heap on the wood!
Let the fire roar to make the pot boil.
Cook the meat with many spices,
and afterward burn the bones.
11Now set the empty pot on the coals.
Heat it red hot!
Burn away the filth and corruption.
12But it’s hopeless;
the corruption can’t be cleaned out.
So throw it into the fire.
13Your impurity is your lewdness
and the corruption of your idolatry.
I tried to cleanse you,
but you refused.
So now you will remain in your filth
until my fury against you has been satisfied.
14“I, the LORD, have spoken! The time has come, and I won’t hold back. I will not change my mind, and I will have no pity on you. You will be judged on the basis of all your wicked actions, says the Sovereign LORD.”
The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife
15Then this message came to me from the LORD: 16“Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears. 17Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the usual rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends.”
18So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do. 19Then the people asked, “What does all this mean? What are you trying to tell us?”
20So I said to them, “A message came to me from the LORD, 21and I was told to give this message to the people of Israel. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will defile my Temple, the source of your security and pride, the place your heart delights in. Your sons and daughters whom you left behind in Judah will be slaughtered by the sword. 22Then you will do as Ezekiel has done. You will not mourn in public or console yourselves by eating the food brought by friends. 23Your heads will remain covered, and your sandals will not be taken off. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins. You will groan among yourselves for all the evil you have done. 24Ezekiel is an example for you; you will do just as he has done. And when that time comes, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”
25Then the LORD said to me, “Son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold—their joy and glory, their heart’s desire, their dearest treasure—I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26And on that day a survivor from Jerusalem will come to you in Babylon and tell you what has happened. 27And when he arrives, your voice will suddenly return so you can talk to him, and you will be a symbol for these people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”