1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.
3 Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.
4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.
5 Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.
6 Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
7 In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.
8 Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.
9 In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
10 In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
13 Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
14 Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.
15 And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst therof.
22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel chapter 22, located within the Old Testament of the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible, is a vivid narrative that presents the prophet Ezekiel’s condemnation of Jerusalem. This chapter is a profound discourse on the moral and spiritual decay of Jerusalem and God's impending judgment. The chapter is characterized by a series of prophetic oracles that Ezekiel delivers, presenting a picture of a city deeply submerged in sin, corruption, and idolatry.
The chapter begins with God commanding Ezekiel to confront the city of Jerusalem over its iniquities. In verses 1-5, Ezekiel is called upon to judge the city, highlighting its bloodshed and idolatry. The city is portrayed as a metaphorical furnace, filled with dross (impurities), signifying the moral decay and spiritual impurity that have infiltrated the city. The city's leaders, priests, princes, and prophets are all indicted for their roles in the city's degradation, each group being accused of corruption, greed, and a disregard for God's laws.
In verses 6-12, Ezekiel delivers a more specific condemnation of the city's leaders. They are accused of being like wolves, ruthlessly preying on the people and using their positions for personal gain. The priests are accused of violating God's law and profaning His holy things. The princes are likened to roaring lions, tearing apart their prey, while the prophets are charged with whitewashing these deeds with false visions and divinations. This part of the chapter underscores the depth of corruption and moral decay within the city's leadership.
Verses 13-16 outline the consequences of the city's sins. God declares that He will react with fury and will not spare or have pity. The city will be scattered among the nations and dispersed in the countries. The implication here is that the sins of the city have so offended God that He will enact a severe punishment, leading to the city's destruction and the dispersion of its people. This is a clear warning of the dire consequences of forsaking God's laws and adopting practices of corruption and idolatry.
Verses 17-22 present a metaphor of God as a smelter and Jerusalem as a mixture of impure metals. God declares that He will gather all the inhabitants and blow upon them with the fire of His wrath, melting them down in His anger. This metaphor serves to illustrate the severity of God's judgment and His intent to purify the city from its impurities. The process of refining metal involves subjecting it to intense heat to remove impurities, a metaphor that aptly describes the divine judgment that Jerusalem is to face.
In verses 23-31, God laments the absence of a righteous man who could stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the land. The implication here is that the city's moral and spiritual decay is so profound that not a single person could be found who could intercede for the city. This is a powerful commentary on the total corruption of the city and the complete absence of righteousness.
Ezekiel 22 delivers a potent message about the dire consequences of sin, corruption, and idolatry. It underscores the severity of God's judgment and the need for repentance and righteousness. This chapter serves as a stern warning to all who would forsake God's laws and indulge in practices of corruption and idolatry. It also underscores the importance of righteous leadership and the role that leaders play in either leading people towards God or away from Him.
In a broader spiritual sense, Ezekiel 22 calls for self-examination and repentance. It prompts us to consider our own spiritual state and the state of our communities. Are we living in accordance with God's laws? Are we leading lives of righteousness, or are we contributing to moral and spiritual decay? Are we standing in the gap for our communities, or are we part of the problem?
On a societal level, this chapter challenges us to examine our leaders and the systems of power in place. Are they leading with integrity and righteousness, or are they contributing to corruption and injustice? Are they standing in the gap for the people, or are they preying on them for personal gain? These are critical questions that Ezekiel 22 prompts us to consider.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 22 is a powerful narrative that exposes the depth of Jerusalem's sin and corruption, and the impending divine judgment. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of forsaking God's laws and the importance of righteousness and integrity, particularly among leaders. It challenges us to self-examination, repentance, and a commitment to live in accordance with God's laws. Ultimately, it underscores the fundamental biblical truth that sin leads to destruction, but righteousness leads to life.
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