This week’s reading is filled with strange visions of destruction for Israel and the surrounding nations.
The first vision involves two eagles and a vine. Fortunately, God explains this story to Ezekiel; it is the story of the nation of Israel (the vine) and the nations that have taken them into captivity (the eagles). The vision ends with the constant promise--restoration.
Next God presents his thoughts on fathers, sons, and inherited punishment. His conclusion: each person should bear the punishment for his own sin, not the son for the father, not the father for the son. This verse is found in this passage: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?” (18:23). God says again, “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live” (18:32).
Ezekiel is using a name we have not heard in a long time: Lord GOD. God, on the other hand, calls Ezekiel “Son of Man.”
This week’s chapters also contain another retelling of the history of Israel. God seems to rehearse this history with every prophet, and the cycle is the same over hundreds of years. God delivers his people, they rebel. God delivers them again, they rebel again.
God keeps asking Ezekiel if he will judge the people. He usually asks twice: “Will you judge them, will you judge them son of man?” One thing is sure--judgment is coming.
The phrase “stand in the gap” appears in Ezekiel 22:30. God could find no one to stand in the gap for Israel. They have committed so many abominations, no one was there to intercede for them. So God pours out his wrath on His chosen.
God also declares judgment on the surrounding nations, which leads me to ask: Why? Why does God always talk to the surrounding nations? Israel is God’s chosen people, Israel was the only nation that was told to follow God, why are all the other nations going to suffer? Well, in the other books of history in the Bible we find that other nations who worshipped false gods were conquered by Israel because of their failure to follow the One True God. They still don’t follow God, and He still won’t allow this, so they will be destroyed. God says to Tyre: “Though you will be sought, you will never be found again,” declares the Lord GOD (26:21).
The king of Tyre was full of pride; he went so far as to declare himself a god. The passage detailing his fall (28:13-19) can also be seen as a description of Satan’s fall from heaven and Adam’s being turned out of the garden of Eden.
This ends our second look at The Weird Prophet--we will take one more look at his visions and writings.
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