It Is Finished Audio
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Ezekiel Series: Chapter 8 (Written)
Ezekiel 8
Idolatry in the Lord’s Temple
“In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there” (Ezekiel 8:1).
This particular vision begins with a specific date, which, according to biblical scholars, would have been on or around September 18, 592 B.C., six years into the first round of Babylonian exiles’ captivity. This vision occurred a year after Ezekiel’s first vision at the Chebar River. The elders of Judah were gathered at Ezekiel’s home, possibly in wait for a favorable word from the Lord regarding their captivity. Unfortunately, if that were the case, they would be greatly disappointed, for there was to be no reprieve from their captivity, and it would be just as the Lord had deemed it. False prophets, such as Hananiah, were prophesying lies, giving the people false hopes regarding the briefness of their captivity and the imminent demise of the Babylonian kingdom. The Bible says: “ In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon’ ” (Jeremiah 28:1-4). Sadly, this was not a true word from the Lord. Hananiah was a false prophet, and only raised false hope, but failed to honor the Lord by telling the people of Judah to turn from their wicked ways. Nevertheless, the Lord had a Word for Ezekiel to give to those sitting in His home, which would not be a word they would want to hear.
The idolatry in Judah had not ceased despite seeing the Babylonians outside their walls. Unfortunately, the people did not want to hear a true Word from the Lord, but preferred being comforted in lies from the false prophets that Babylon would fall at that time. Although, this would be a true word for the future, this was not a right-now Word from the Lord. Judah rejected the message of genuine sorrow and returning to the Lord. They wanted to skip the judgment, the act of repentance, the call for humility, and the process of change. Therefore, the Lord was not about to give them a stay of execution when they had not shown that they had learned their lesson. There was indeed a lesson to be learned, which served as a reminder of their failure to keep covenant with Him. The Bible says: “They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes. You, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns; and the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 11:10-12). How foolish they had become in preferring man-made idols over the God of Heaven.
“I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal. He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood. And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain” (Ezekiel 8:2-4).
Ezekiel has another vision in which he sees a figure in the likeness of a man. Ezekiel describes the man as being like fire from the waist down and his upward appearance being as bright as metal. The Apostle John had a similar description in the vision the Lord had given to him. The Bible says: “…and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (Revelation 1:13-15). This description was important because the fire-like and metal analogies, or in some biblical translations, the color amber, symbolize the Lord’s judgment. Therefore, the Lord’s hand of judgment was against Judah and its inhabitants.
The Lord reached down, snatched Ezekiel by his hair, and took him between Heaven and earth. Now, one may possibly think of a child being scolded by their mother, thus being grabbed in such a manner. However, this was not a scolding for Ezekiel, but more so to get his attention and focus on what the Lord would show him. Ezekiel was taken in the vision to the inner north gate of Jerusalem where an abominable idol had been placed. The glory of the Lord was with Ezekiel as he watched what was bringing the jealousy and wrath of God upon the nation. The Lord’s glory had once been inside the temple, but had departed because of the idolatry and desecration that had been allowed to take place in the Lord’s house. There was no reverence for God nor His house. Judah dared to have a false god in place of Him, thus committing adultery against Him in His own house.
“Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy”
(Ezekiel 8:5).
The Lord directed Ezekiel to look towards the north, which was the direction of the abominable idol shown to him in his vision. The idol was possibly placed in the north to guard the city from its enemies, which would have been the direction enemy attacks would have come.[1] This idol may have been a Canaanite god, which was one of many they were known to worship. Nevertheless, none of their gods could protect them against the instruments of destruction the Lord had allowed to come their way. The only thing their gods were able to do was to bring about God’s jealousy and judgment. The Bible says: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). Therefore, since their gods were in the north, their enemies would trample their gods to nothing upon breaking through the walls, for the Lord will not share anything nor be second to any other gods. Yet, this was not all that the Lord had to show Ezekiel, for there were even more despicable things the people were doing.
“And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable” (Ezekiel 8:6).
The people made various types of idols, from gold, silver, wood, and stone. They placed these idols inside of God’s house and in His presence as if He would not see. In so doing, they caused the glory of the Lord to leave His temple where they would no longer experience His presence. The glory of the Lord will not reside where He is not welcome nor respected. The Bible says: “And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, ‘The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed. The has departed from Israel,’ she said, “for the ark of God has been captured” ( 1 Samuel 4:22). Once again, we can look at the story of Eli and his sons who did not honor the Lord and caused Israel to sin. Similarly, just as the Lord departed their presence during Eli’s day, He did it again with Judah.
One cannot expect the glory of the Lord to reign in a defiled house or temple. He will not share himself with anyone or anything. Many people have made their pastors, positions, money, fame, possessions, and more into gods. Even as the 2024 presidential election is nearing, there are those inside and outside the church looking for a candidate to save them. Well, there is only one Saviour, and His name is Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach. He is our High Priest, Rock, Redeemer, Lord God, and Prince of Israel, who is coming back as our King of kings and Lord of lords. There is no one like Him, for He is an original and not a copy, which is all that Satan can offer. The false gods were constant reminders of Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness to the Lord. Therefore, He no longer dwelt amongst them, as they had been given over to a reprobate mind, and the same happens today when man willfully rejects the Lord. The Bible says: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). There is only One with whom our worship belongs, and that is Jesus Christ, who displays the mighty love of the Father through which comes the Holy Spirit, enabling us to obey Him wholeheartedly.
“Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there” (Ezekiel 8:7-8).
Ezekiel was led to the temple court where those who were in the priesthood and their families lived. There was a secret passageway that Ezekiel was instructed to dig into the wall and observe. Though things were being done in secrecy, the Lord’s eyes were able to see everything. The Bible says: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). People often make the mistake of thinking they can hold on to “secret” sins because God is too busy to notice. Well, nothing could be further from the truth because He sees and knows all even the number of hairs on our head. The Bible says: “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30). Therefore, there is nothing that can slip past the Most High God unnoticed.
“And he said to me, ‘Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.’ So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and unclean animals and all the idols of Israel. In front of them stood seventy elders 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” (Ezekiel 8:9-11).
The Lord spoke to Ezekiel in the vision and gave him a private look into the homes of those who were supposed to minister to the people. There was defilement within their homes. Their private lives were far from the way they were supposed to live before the Lord. Their walls were full of idolatry, and they did abominable things before the Lord, thinking He and others would not see them. The leaders were supposed to set an example before Israel, but they were just as full of sin as the people. Instead of offering incense to the Lord and living holy and uprighteous lives, they offered incense to their foreign gods and partook in the same sins as the people. They were supposed to keep idolatry from the people, but they led the people into it. The Bible says: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:1-4).
Jaazaniah, whose name means God hears was the 70 elders’ leader and believed by some biblical scholars to be the son of Shaphan who read God’s law to King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8-11). Unfortunately, Jaazaniah did not hear the Lord, as his name would suggest. There is not much written about him, but the mere mention of his name and his being shown to Ezekiel meant that the Lord had taken notice of the sins he had committed before Him. If Shaphan, counselor to Josiah, was his father, then he failed to follow in his father’s footsteps by being faithful to the Lord.[2] The Bible says: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
“He said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen what the elders 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.’ Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable” (Ezekiel 8:12-13).
The 70 elders did not think the Lord cared about their private works. They felt He had forsaken the place, thus not caring what they did behind closed doors. However, God was still watching His people to see if they would continue in their idolatry. The Bible says: “He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him” (Daniel 2:22). Unfortunately, the leaders were worse than the people, for they knew right from wrong and what the Lord required of them. They should have remained faithful even if they thought the Lord had abandoned the land. They had forsaken the Lord, thus bringing wrath on the entire land when they should have interceded, prayed for the people, repented of their own sins, and taught the people to do the same. The Bible says: “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).
“Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz. He said to me, ‘Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this’ ” (Ezekiel 8:14-15).
The women of Judah were engaged in worship to the false god Tummuz, husband and brother to Ishtar (goddess of fertility), who was believed to be the god of vegetation and fertility. The women longed for the days when they had plenty of food, and instead of crying out to God and repenting of their idolatry, they sank further into sin by weeping for a false heathen god that brought neither rain nor sunshine. They desired for things in Judah to be “great again,” thus believing in a false Messapotamian god rather than the true God of Israel. Therefore, the Lord was laying out the charges against Judah to Ezekiel so he could see for himself that the Lord’s judgments were fair and well-warranted.
“He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, 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” (Ezekiel 8:16).
The Lord brought Ezekiel to the Temple’s inner court, where at its entrance, 25 men were praying towards the east and bowing to the sun with their backs to the temple. This was in total defiance against the Lord as they were in His courts worshipping the sun, which He created, not for worship, but as a light for the world. One must make a choice, either for God or for Satan. The Bible says: “You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22).
“He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually arouse my anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose! Therefore I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them” (Ezekiel 8:17-18).
After the Lord laid out His indictments before Ezekiel, He questions Ezekiels understanding of what he had seen. Judah did not find it important to honor the Lord. Their land was full of violence by shedding innocent blood and not honoring the laws of God in not offering sacrifices to other gods. They put a branch to their nose, giving off a scent, which was sometimes a part of a ritual to show humility to certain gods. So, as it pertained to God, they were actually thumbing their noses at the Lord, thus showing utter contempt for Him, His decrees, and covenant. Therefore, they brought down the unempathetic wrath of the Lord, and He would not show any leniency regarding His judgments of them.
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Saturday, March 23, 2024
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Ezekiel Series Chapter 7 (Written Version)
Ezekiel 7
The End is Here
“The
word of the Lord came to me:
“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: ‘The end! The end has come upon
the four corners of the land!
The end is now upon you, and I will unleash my anger against
you. I will judge you according to your conduct
and
repay you for all your detestable practices’ ” (Ezekiel 7:1-3).
The term word in Hebrew is דָּבָר (davar). It means speech, discourse, saying, or sum of what has been spoken.[1] Ezekiel begins the seventh chapter with stating that the Word of the Lord had come to him. By this time, Ezekiel had become accustomed to the Lord’s voice and instructions pertaining to rebukes, enactments, and other messages for Judah. Therefore, the Lord continued his discourse with Ezekiel regarding the judgments that finally arrived upon Israel's entire land. His patience had worn out with Judah, and His judgments would no longer be withheld. The Lord’s mercy and grace had been ignored, and now, His judgments would be poured out over the entire land by allowing Nebuchadnezzar free reign to do as he pleased with the defeat of His people. The Lord’s hands had lifted from the nation, and Judah’s enemies had been given the green light to be God’s instrument of judgment against His people.
Remember, during Moses’ day, the Lord promised to be with them when they went to war. The Bible says: “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you” (Deuteronomy 20:1). However, this promise was conditional, and would not be in effect when the nation turned its back to the Lord. God was not obligated to protect them from their enemies when they strayed away from Him. On the contrary, the Lord would allow their enemies to overtake them as he did in times past with the Midianites, Philistines, and other nations, only this time, it would be much worse with total destruction. The Lord’s revenge was great and He had had enough of Judah’s blatant disregard and disrespect for who He was.
Similarly, America acts as if it does not know the Lord, so He is lifting His hands of protection from this nation. The United States thinks it can go to war with other nations and win without God, but one day, it will discover that it is nothing without the Lord, for this nation will collapse, as did Babylon, Medeo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and others before it. Many nations are seeing the weaknesses of the United States, and God will one day allow them to overthrow this once mighty nation as He did with Israel and Judah. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced the U.S. as a fading power, according to the New York Times, and he mocked what he labeled the nation’s belief of itself as “the messenger of the Lord on Earth.”[2] China recently accused the United States of bullying and using national security as a guse after it passed a bill in the House that could ban the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok.[3]
Nations are also banning together to avert the U.S. dollar where it will no longer be the dominant form of currency. Hypertext news reported that the BRICS economic alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa invited six new countries last year to an unprecedented expansion to include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, thus looking for unified trading currencies to move away from the US Dollar. This move is gaining more steam as the nations look away from the U.S. and align themselves with rising world powers such as China, which is happy to trade with them to avoid the adverse effects of U.S. sanctions. North Korea’s president, Kim Jong-un has reported test drove a new military tank in his preparations for war, according to CBS News.[4] Allies' trust in the United States is not what it used to be as they have watched the blunders of the U.S., such as the actions that led to 100 Afghanistan and 13 U.S. service members’ deaths due to an abrupt departure and lack of planning.[5] The U.S, is like the frog in a pot of water, not realizing that he is about to get cooked until the lid is on and the fire underneath is a full blaze.
“ I will not look on you with pity; I will not spare you. I will surely repay you for your conduct and for the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that I am the Lord’ (Ezekiel 7:4).
The Lord is merciful, gracious, loving, and compassionate. Yet, the Lord is holy, righteous, just, and jealous. The Bible says: “ You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)” (Exodus 34:13-14). The Lord desires that we serve no one but Him, for He is jealous for us and not of us. Therefore, when Judah defied the Lord by not living according to His commands by worshiping other gods, they brought down the jealousy of the Lord, resulting in their demise. Where He once had mercy, He would allow their enemies to be ruthless. Where the Lord had shown grace, He would enable Judah’s enemies to throw obstacles in their path. Where the Lord had been loving, He would reward them with the same contempt they had shown Him. Where the Lord once had compassion, He would be indifferent to them as they wasted away through famine, plagues, and the sword. Only then would they know that only one God was above all other gods. Even with all of this, the Lord was fair and just, and nothing was arbitrary about His judgments, for Judah would reap what they had sewn.
Many believers think the Lord does not render judgments as He did in the Old Testament. However, they are sadly mistaken. For example, the New Testament tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5. Also, the book of Revelation speaks of various judgments resulting from God’s wrath upon mankind because of wickedness and rebellion. Revelation 16 details seven bowls of God’s wrath being poured out in the form of sores, the sea turning into blood and its creatures dying, other bodies of water turning into blood, people being sunburned, darkness, Euphrates River drying up, lightening, hail, and earthquakes manifesting on the earth. So, is God the same God as He was in the OT. Of course He is! God isn’t playing with mankind. The Bible says: “ I shall give great wonders in heaven, and in earth, blood, and fire, and the heat of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darknesses, and the moon into blood, before that the great day and horrible of the Lord come” (Joel 2:30-31).
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says:‘Disaster! Unheard-of
disaster! See, it comes! The end has come! The end has come! It has
roused itself against you. See, it comes! Doom has come upon you, upon
you who dwell in the land. The time has come! The day is near! There is panic,
not joy, on the mountains. I am about to pour out my wrath on you and
spend my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct
and
repay you for all your detestable practices. I will not look on you with
pity; I will not spare you. I will repay you for your conduct
and
for the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you” (Ezekiel 7:5-9).
The Lord warned that an unimaginable disaster was about to come upon Judah. It would be something they had never heard of or could possibly imagine. The Lord had repeatedly warned them, and now, the disaster was at hand and had already begun. The sound of war, as they had never heard before, was not coming, but it had arrived. This was a new day where everything they had known was about to change. What Judah had sewn in rebellion, the Lord would allow them to be repaid a hundred times over. There was nowhere to run or anywhere for them to hide, for the Lord would get the justice His righteousness required. No one would leave unscathed whose abominations required a righteous response.
“‘See, the day! See, it comes! Doom has burst forth, the
rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed! Violence has arisen, a rod to punish the wicked. None
of the people will be left,
none
of that crowd—none of their wealth,
nothing
of value. The time has come! The day has arrived! Let not the buyer
rejoice nor the seller grieve, for my wrath is on the whole crowd.
The seller will not recover the property that was sold—as long as both buyer and seller live.
For the vision concerning the whole crowd
will
not be reversed. Because of their sins, not one of them will preserve their
life” (Ezekiel 7:10-13).
The day had come when the Lord’s rod of discipline was going to be rendered upon Judah. They had acted like spoiled, undisciplined children, and His punishment was their reward. The Bible says: “My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12). Judah’s arrogance and pride prevented them from reforming their ways and repenting. Despite having seen the Lord judge Israel, they were of a reprobate mind and had somehow convinced themselves that the Lord would not do the same to them. The Lord was taking away their economy, and everyone who thought they were well off was going to know what it was like to be without, and those who were not financially well off would deem themselves as having been rich compared to what was about to happen. The lenders would need to borrow, but no loans would be available. The borrowers would need financing, but there would be no one to lend. Judah’s whole financial system was coming to an extreme halt, from the king down to the peasant.
“They have blown the trumpet, they have made all
things ready, but no one will go into battle,
for
my wrath is on the whole crowd. Outside is the sword; inside are plague and
famine.
Those in the country will die by the sword;
those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. The
fugitives who escape will flee to the mountains. Like doves of the valleys, they
will all moan, each for their own sins. Every hand will go limp; every leg will
be wet with urine.
They will put on sackcloth and be clothed with terror. Every
face will be covered with shame,
and
every head will be shaved.” (Ezekiel 7:14-18).
There were special occasions when Israel was supposed to blow their horns. One of them was during times of worship. The Bible says: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation’ ” (Leviticus 23:24). Another occasion when Israel was to blow the trumpet was as a prelude to war. The Bible says: “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies” (Numbers 10:9). Israel was told to blow an alarm for war during Moses’ day, and God would help them defeat their enemies. However, this was a conditional promise based upon their obedience to Him. Unfortunately, in this text, despite their blowing of the trumpet, God would not be with them in battle. To blow the trumpet at this point was deemed pointless because the Commander of Heaven’s Armies would not be with them in battle.
The Babylonians were breaching the walls, and fighting was pointless. God had already given Judah into the hands of their enemies, for it was His judgment against them. Anyone who attempted to fight against God’s tools of judgment would die by the sword. Those who did not fight but were within the city walls would die from famine, pestilence, and disease. Anyone who escaped would not fare any better, for they would be left lost and destitute. The Bible says: “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Their worldly possessions and the relationships they had built would be a thing of the past. Their sins would finally be acknowledged, but it would be at a tremendous cost, for there would be nothing they could do to turn things around other than to repent from that point forward.
Nothing could be done to change their dire situation because the Lord had sent warnings through His prophets over the years, and Judah refused to repent and turn from its evil ways. Therefore, the fear they were about to experience was beyond anything horror they could have possibly imagined despite God’s many warnings sent through His prophets. Their fear would be such that they would become incontinent and unable to move. They had committed spiritual adultery against the Lord, thus the shaving of their heads embodied their unfaithfulness as a woman who had been unfaithful to her husband. Their attire would change to sackcloth, representing a time of mourning, but would they truly repent for what they had done to the Lord even at this point, or would it be just an outward display lacking true repentance? The Lord had turned His face against these people, which resulted in their physical, spiritual, and emotional state of despair brought about by their own doing. The Bible says: “Do not pray for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress” (Jeremiah 11:14).
“They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath. It will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has caused them to stumble into sin. They took pride in their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols. They made it into vile images; therefore I will make it a thing unclean for them. I will give their wealth as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth, who will defile it. I will turn my face away from the people, and robbers will desecrate the place I treasure. They will enter it and will defile it” (Ezekiel 7:19-22).
The gold and silver belonged to the Lord, but Judah thought that it was theirs and that there was no spiritual function or accountability to the Lord for it. Unfortunately, they found out they could not buy nor bargain their way out of God’s judgments. The Bible says: “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:8). Nothing belongs to man, but everything is the Lord’s, for the whole earth is His. He created the world in six days, and on the seventh, He rested from His work, not because He was tired, but as an example to all mankind that we were to honor and worship Him. Man is just the steward of what already belongs to the Lord. The Bible says: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters” (Psalm 24:1-2). Therefore, anyone claiming what is God’s is blinded by their own greed and pride, for nothing belongs to man in and of himself.
The Bible speaks about the lust and love of money, which has ensnared many people into the enemy’s trap. The Word of God says: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Judah’s silver and gold were useless and meant absolutely nothing when there was no food that could be bought or protection that could be paid to fortify them from their enemies. Furthermore, the Lord could not be purchased with a bribe or kickback with what was already His. Unfortunately, Judah’s wealth had become a stumbling block for them because they had not purified their hearts with the love of God.
Judah misused that which was the Lord’s, such as gold, silver, and precious jewelry, to make idols. Therefore, the Lord was about to allow the Babylonians to take all He had entrusted Judah with. Just as the Lord had permitted Israel to plunder various nations and receive land as their inheritance from the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Jebusites, and other nations (Joshua 12:6-8), similarly, the Lord would turn His face away from even His own temple and allow the heathens to ransack it, for their personal pleasure as a lesson to Judah. Foreigners were about to loot them for everything they had, and there would be nothing Judah could do about it. The Bible says: “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Proverbs 11:4).
During Solomon’s reign, the Lord instructed him to build His temple. Gold covered many of the items made, especially in the Holy of Holies. Silver and bronze were also used in the temple’s décor and furnishings. It was a beauty to behold, and no expense was withheld from its design. Unfortunately, the temple would be left dismal due to Judah’s sins, which were far from the beauty of Solomon’s days. Long were the days when the Lord had told Moses to instruct the people to plunder the Egyptians of silver, gold, and fine linen during their deliverance. The Bible says: “The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians “ Exodus 12:35-36). Israel had been given much, but they did not appreciate the Lord for His goodness. Therefore, the Lord would allow them to see the Babylonians take the riches from their land, including His temple, and defile it in a foreign land, just as they had done before the Lord. An important thing to notice is that when the Lord left the temple, even the Most Holy Place was not off limits to the Babylonians, as they were God’s tools for judgment.
“Prepare chains! For the land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of violence. I will bring the most wicked of nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. When terror comes, they will seek peace in vain” (Ezekiel 7:23-25).
The nation of Judah was about to go into captivity for their sins against the Most High. They had become a depraved nation full of violence and enjoyed shedding innocent blood. Therefore, the Lord’s hand of judgment was on them, and the Babylonians, who did not know nor honor God, would be His tool of execution to punish Judah. Everything they had known would be taken away or destroyed, and peace would be a byword because it would not be found. The Bible says: “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21). Judah had indeed become a wicked nation, for righteousness had fleeted the land.
“Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor.
They will go searching for a vision from the prophet, priestly instruction in
the law will cease, the counsel of the elders will come to an end. 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’ ”
(Ezekiel 7:26-27).
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong with Judah. Those who desired to hear a prophetic word from the prophets and priests would search in vain because no Word from the Lord would be found. Most of their prophets, priests, elders, and kings failed to honor the Lord, nor had they listened to His counsel from His true servants. Therefore, all warnings, messages, and words from the Lord were at an end, and everyone would be judged accordingly. Only then would they take the Lord seriously and know that He is the Lord.
[1] Strong's Editorial Staff, "Strong's Hebrew: 1697. דָּבָר (dabar) -- Speech, Word," Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages, last modified 2024, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1697.htm.
[2] Anton Troianovski and Adam Satariano, "Nytimes.com," The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos, last modified June 17, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/world/europe/putin-us-world-power.html.
[3] Mithil Aggarwal and Rae Wang, "China Accuses U.S. of 'bullying' After House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok," News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com, last modified March 14, 2024, https://www.aol.com/news/china-accuses-u-bullying-house-102958951.html.
[4] CBS News Editorial Staff, "North Korea Says Kim Jong Un Test Drove a New Tank, Urged Troops to Complete "preparations for War"," CBS News - Breaking News, 24/7 Live Streaming News & Top Stories, last modified March 14, 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-kim-jong-un-drives-tank-tells-troops-complete-preparations-for-war/.
[5] Asma Khalid, "How U.S. Allies View the Country a Year After Its Withdrawal from Afghanistan," NPR, last modified August 29, 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/08/29/1119973093/how-u-s-allies-view-the-country-a-year-after-its-withdraw-from-afghanistan.