Ezekiel is now told to speak to the land of Israel concerning the upcoming judgment, Ezekiel 7:1.
Notice five times ‘the end’ is stressed but not just an end, but ‘THE END’, Ezekiel 7:2 / Ezekiel 7:3 / Ezekiel 7:6. The Hebrew word end, is ‘qes’, the Hebrew words, the end is ‘haqqes’, and it means awakened, ‘hewques’. This is not like a T.V. programme, which have an end of part one. No, this is the end of all parts.
The end which will reach the four corners of the earth, Ezekiel 7:2, signifying total punishment for the land and God’s people, Isaiah 11:12. Throughout the former prophets had been warnings about punishment soon to come. There had been warnings of destruction and judgement before, but they had always been partial and not total.
God will unleash His anger against them and judge them according to their conduct and repay them for all their detestable practices, Ezekiel 7:3. The time has come, which means complete, it’s final and end to all normality in the land.
There’s no reason to question why they are being punished because the text tells us over and over again, their punishment is due to ‘their conduct’, Ezekiel 7:3 / Ezekiel 7:4 / Ezekiel 7:8 / Ezekiel 7:9.
Plumptre, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The people will reap what they have sown, and their sins shall be recognized in their punishment.’
God will not take pity of them but will repay them for their conduct and afterwards they will know that ‘I am the LORD,’ Ezekiel 7:4 / Ezekiel 7:9 / Ezekiel 7:27. Complete disaster and doom is on its way, a disaster which is unheard of, Ezekiel 7:5-7.
It is coming and coming quickly. Notice how he repeats, the day is near, the time is coming, Ezekiel 7:7 / Ezekiel 7:10 / Ezekiel 7:12, etc. The message is clear.
Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Thus, the prophet told the exiles in Babylon, what Jeremiah was telling them in Jerusalem, that the opportunity for recovery was past, that the nation had overstepped the boundaries of the forbearance and waiting of God.’
Once again, we are told the reason for the disaster and doom, it is because of their own conduct, Ezekiel 7:8 / Ezekiel 7:3 / Ezekiel 7:4 / Ezekiel 7:9. It is their fault this is going to happen, Ezekiel 7:9. When the day arrives they will ‘know that it is I the LORD who strikes you,’ Ezekiel 7:9 / Ezekiel 7:4 / Ezekiel 7:27.
Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The message closed by stunning the exiles with a new name for God: ‘The Lord who strikes the blow’ (YHWH makkeh), the one who would now judge Judah.’
It’s for certain that God’s people thought this day of judgment would never happen, sadly they were mistaken, Ezekiel 7:10.
Smith, in his commentary, says the following about the rob budding, Ezekiel 7:10.
‘The day of Jerusalem’s judgment would begin with the blossoming of the arrogant superpower Babylon, God’s judgment ‘rod.’ The wickedness and violent deeds of the citizens of Judah created the need for this rod of correction.”
No one will be able to escape God’s punishment, there will be no wealth and what wealth there is left will have no value, Ezekiel 7:11. There will be no be reason to buy or sell because there will be nothing left to do so, Ezekiel 7:12. There’s no recovery from this judgment, Ezekiel 7:13.
No one will escape because the vision concerns the whole crowd and God won’t change His mind, Ezekiel 7:13. The reason given is because of their sins and no one will be able to survive, Ezekiel 7:13. The opportunity to repent has long gone.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Lord announced that the day of Israel’s doom was coming. Judgment was about to break forth as buds on a branch, Numbers 17:8 / Jeremiah 1:11-12. The people’s violence had grown from a small shoot into a stout branch of wickedness. Nebuchadnezzar would prove to be the rod of God’s judgment. No eminent individuals and nothing of much value would remain. The time of judgment was so near that both buyers and sellers should refrain from their usual pursuits.’
The trumpets have been blown, Ezekiel 7:14. Trumpets were blown for four reasons.
1. To gather the people, Leviticus 23:24 / Joel 2:15-16.
2. To get the people on the march, Joshua 6:20.
3. To announce rejoicing, Psalms 150:3.
4. To warn of imminent danger, Numbers 10:5-7 / Joel 2:1.
When the Babylonians came, God’s people will not fight them because they will be powerless because God’s wrath is against His own people, Ezekiel 7:14.
Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Its first manifestation would be the paralysis of the people, so that when the trumpet was blown for the battle, and all was ready, none would move forward, being overcome by terror and grief.’
There’s no escaping the upcoming Babylonian army, outside is the sword and inside is plague and famine, Ezekiel 7:15. Anyone living in the country or the city will not be spared, Ezekiel 7:15. Even those who manage to flee to the mountains will moan because of their sin, Ezekiel 7:16.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Ezekiel 7:16.
‘As doves moan lamentably when driven through fear from their nesting places, so shall the remnant of Israel who escape death moan in the land of their exile.’
Because of fear, they won’t have the strength to lift their hands, Isaiah 13:7 / Jeremiah 6:24, and they will literally urinate themselves, Ezekiel 7:17.
Block, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Ezekiel 7:17.
‘However, the LXX translators have captured its sense: ‘and all their knees will run with urine.’ The prophet is hereby referring to the loss of bladder control that occurs in a moment of extreme crisis.’
In a state of sorrow and mourning, they will put on sackcloth and shave their heads, they will be terrified and covered in shame, Ezekiel 7:18, but no one will feel sorry for them. They won’t be able to pay their way out of this punishment with their gold and silver, Ezekiel 7:19, their money is powerless.
Whether the gold and silver, Ezekiel 7:19, refer to their riches or their idols is up for grabs. If it speaks of their idols, as Ezekiel 7:20, mentions, then their idols are also powerless.
God will give Israel’s wealth away to wicked foreigners, Ezekiel 7:21. Notice that God says that robbers would ransack His temple, but not only the temple but the place He treasures, Ezekiel 7:22. This is clearly a refence to the Holy of Holies which was going to be defiled, Daniel 5:3-4.
The land will be filled with bloodshed and the city will be filed with violence and so, God’s people were going to be treated as prisoners of war, Ezekiel 7:23 / Jeremiah 27:2 / Nahum 3:10.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following, concerning ‘the chains’, Ezekiel 7:23.
‘It means get the chains ready, the surviving citizens of Judah are to be deported to Babylon!’
Because of their pride, God is sending the most wicked of nations against them and when they come, Israel will lose their homes and their worship places will be desecrated, Ezekiel 7:24 / Leviticus 26:31-32 / Deuteronomy 28:49-57.
Allen, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This is a frightening chapter. It consists of a group of poetic oracles intended to convince Ezekiel’s fellow hostages in the Babylonian heartland that their hopes of returning soon to their homes and families in far-off Judah would not materialize.’
It’s no wonder that God’s people would look for some kind of peace treaty, sadly, this isn’t going to happen, Ezekiel 7:25. If they wanted peace, they should have turned to God. The calamity would be so bad, it would leave them confused about rumours they were hearing, and so, in a last desperate attempt, they would seek a vision from the prophet, Ezekiel 7:26.
There will be no instruction in the law from the priests and no counsel from the elders, Ezekiel 7:26 / Jeremiah 18:18. Their 11th hour turning to God will be powerless. Why? Because God is not merciful? No. Does God not accept repentance? Yes, but by this time it is too late.
Wiersbe, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the king mentioned in Ezekiel 7:27.
‘In the eyes of Ezekiel, the king was Jehoiachin, Ezekiel 1:2, and the prince was Zedekiah. Though Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, the prophet didn’t recognize his reign but considered him only a prince, Ezekiel 12:10 / Ezekiel 12:12.’
God once again reminds them that He will deal and judge His people according to how they have dealt with others, Ezekiel 7:27 / Galatians 6:7-8. Because of the punishment they will know that ‘I am the LORD,’ Ezekiel 7:27 / Ezekiel 7:4 / Ezekiel 7:9.