Ezekiel chapter 7

vs 10

Did he just use the word 'doom' again? You'll note (or I'll note) that the TNIV has put a lot of this stuff into poetic form, which sounds right to me. It's already shocking that Ezekiel is talking about doom doom doom. It's got to be a poem.

Rod budding I assume refers to Aaron's rod budding, which was a sign that the Lord had chosen Aaron to help Moses, and to stop the Israelites grumbling. It was a continual sign, and that staff was actually put into the Ark. What does that mean? Only that the time is come, I'm assuming. That God is acting on his decision. This time arrogance is the blossom of the rod - perhaps this is the rod that God is going to beat his people with?

vs 11

Well, hey, look, the rod is going to be used to beat them. It's going to be more than just a beating too, it's going to be a mass extermination of people and their wealth and valuables. This is Jerusalem after all, we assume the richies live there.

vs 12

Buy or sell, both get punished. It's hard not to read these passages, with all their exclamation marks, and think that it's exciting. What it is really is admonishing. Got to keep that in mind.

vs 13

Why the buyers or the sellers? Why make that division? I wonder if it's because so often we can make that division about who is righteous between what people do with their money. But God is not drawing those lines. All have been wicked, all will get punished.

vs 14

God's wrath isn't something you can fight. The people of Jerusalem see an enemy at the gate, an army on the march, and they think that's their problem. So they get some warriors together, stick their armour on, and march out to meet them. But the problem for Jerusalem isn't the army. It's that God is against them, and you can't march an army against God. All you can do is lose.

vs 15

God in this way punishes them all. And the very, very lucky ones in the city who don't get immediately killed by the sword, who somehow sidestep the plague and who live through the famine by eating their children? Lucky isn't really the right word, is it?

vs 16

But even then, they will still be exiled. They will flee to the mountains. And then, I guess once they turn around and see their city burning, they will begin to moan and weep about their sins, and what has happened to them because of sin.

vs 17

Ezekiel doesn't pull punches. The language of this book is the language of God not pulling punches. Well, actually, the TNIV won't pull punches. All the others say that 'their knees will be as weak as water.' The TNIV says, 'They will piss themselves with fear.' I leave you to decide what Ezekiel really wrote.

vs 18

They will begin to mourn their sin, and realise their shame, and be filled with terror at the reality of the punishment of their sin. Probably wondering if those that were killed by the sword weren't lucky.