Ezekiel: For His GlorySample

After outlining God’s judgment against Jerusalem and its inhabitants (Ezek. 5), in this chapter, Ezekiel widens his attention to the rest of the land (vv. 1–3). It seems strange that the prophet would prophesy against the mountains, objects that can’t hear or respond. But the prophecy is really for the sake of the Israelite hearers, who have used the mountains for their idolatrous worship. Again, the way God’s judgment against the false worship is described echoes the threats of punishment for covenant disobedience (vv. 4–7; cf. Lev. 26:30). The amount of disdain that God has for Israel’s graven images is reflected in the word for idols: literally ‘dung pellets’. It would have been shocking for God’s people to hear their objects of worship be described like this, but imagine how offensive it was for God that they would crave after them in the first place. 

So Ezekiel is commanded to clap his hands and stomp his feet, to grab the attention of his hearers and to accentuate God’s anger towards them (vv. 11–14). A triad of divine judgments is threatened again, with no one to be spared (v. 12). God will stretch out His hand against His people, bringing comprehensive judgment against Israel’s idolatrous worship (vv. 13–14). 

Nonetheless, God’s grace breaks through in the middle of this chapter (vv. 8–10). A remnant will be spared, who, in exile, will realize the effect their idolatrous whoring has on God. They will detest themselves because of their evil ways, and they will repent. 

In this chapter, we gain a telling insight into God’s anguish over Israel’s unfaithfulness. In His holiness and justice, He must devastate the land and its inhabitants. But we also see that God is crushed and heartbroken because of His people’s idolatrous hearts. He’s not just a cold-hearted, impassible God.

Reflection

As Christians God disciplines and rebukes us because we are His beloved children (e.g. Heb. 12:5– 11; Rev. 3:19). Will we respond by remembering God’s grace and realize the pain we’re causing God? Will we be corrected by God and repent?