1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.
3 Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.
4 And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.
6 An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.
7 The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.
8 Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.
9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.
10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of their's: neither shall there be wailing for them.
12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
15 The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.
18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
21 And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.
23 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
24 Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.
25 Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Chapter 7 of the book of Ezekiel is a pivotal passage in the Old Testament of the KJV Bible. It presents Ezekiel's prophetic message concerning the impending doom of the nation of Israel. The chapter is characterized by a sense of urgency and imminent disaster, a theme that is prevalent throughout the book of Ezekiel. The main themes of this chapter include the judgment of God, the consequences of disobedience, and the inescapability of divine punishment.
The chapter begins with God commanding Ezekiel to proclaim to the land of Israel that the end is near. The end referred to here is not the end of the world but rather the end of Israel as a nation. This is a result of their continuous rebellion against God and their refusal to obey His commandments. The Israelites had chosen to live according to their own ways, worshipping idols and turning their backs on God. As a result, God's judgment was imminent.
This impending judgment is described in vivid and terrifying detail. Ezekiel uses imagery of destruction, desolation, and death to convey the severity of God's punishment. The people will be left with nothing: their wealth will be useless, their cities will be ruined, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. This is a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and rebellion against God.
However, despite the bleakness of this prophecy, there is a glimmer of hope. God declares that He will put an end to the pride of the mighty and their holy places will be defiled. This suggests that after the judgment, there will be a period of restoration and renewal. This theme of restoration is a recurrent theme in the book of Ezekiel and offers a glimmer of hope amidst the doom and gloom.
One of the most striking aspects of Chapter 7 is the inescapability of God's judgment. Ezekiel emphasizes that there will be no escape from the coming disaster. The Israelites will not be able to buy their way out of it, nor will they be able to hide from it. This is a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the inevitability of its consequences.
Ezekiel paints a picture of a nation in complete despair. The people will mourn, their hearts will be filled with despair, their hands will be limp, their spirits will be faint, and their knees will be as weak as water. This is the result of their disobedience and rebellion against God. Their actions have led to their own destruction.
However, despite the severity of this judgment, God's purpose is not to completely annihilate the Israelites. Rather, His goal is to bring them to a place of repentance and acknowledgement of their sin. He desires for them to recognize Him as the one true God and to turn away from their sinful ways. This is evident in verse 4, where God declares, "Then you will know that I am the Lord." This phrase is repeated several times throughout the chapter, emphasizing God's desire for His people to acknowledge Him.
Chapter 7 of Ezekiel also highlights the consequences of disobedience. The Israelites had been given the law and commandments by God, but they chose to ignore them and follow their own desires. They engaged in idolatry, injustice, and immorality, leading to their downfall. This chapter serves as a warning to all who choose to live in disobedience to God's commands.
Ezekiel's prophecy of the destruction of Israel serves as a stark reminder of the devastating effects of disobedience. The Israelites' wealth and possessions, which they had acquired through unjust means, would become worthless. Their cities, which they had filled with idols, would be left in ruins. Their sanctuaries, which they had defiled with their idolatry, would be desecrated.
In the midst of this judgment, however, God's justice shines through. Despite the Israelites' disobedience, God remains just. He does not delight in the destruction of His people, but in their repentance and restoration. This is evident in His promise to end the pride of the mighty and to defile their sanctuaries. God's ultimate goal is not destruction, but restoration.
Despite the gloomy picture painted by Ezekiel in Chapter 7, there is a glimmer of hope. This hope is found in the promise of restoration. After the judgment, God promises to restore the land and the people. The desolation will not last forever, and there will be a time of renewal and rebuilding.
This promise of restoration is not only for the Israelites but for all who turn away from their sin and seek God. It is a reminder that God is a God of second chances, always ready to forgive and restore those who come to Him in repentance. This is a message of hope that resonates throughout the book of Ezekiel, offering encouragement and comfort in the midst of judgment.
In conclusion, Chapter 7 of the book of Ezekiel is a powerful passage that reveals the consequences of disobedience and the hope of restoration. It serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the inescapability of divine judgment. However, it also offers a message of hope, promising restoration and renewal for those who turn away from their sin and seek God. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the importance of obedience to God and the devastating consequences of turning away from Him.
Share this page