Journal Through the Bible: Week 82 Friday

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Ezekiel chapter 21

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Ezekiel to turn in the direction of Jerusalem and prophesy against it. He was to say that God had unsheathed His sword and would cut off from the city the righteous and the wicked from the south to the north.
• God told Ezekiel to sigh so that the people could see him do it and would ask why he sighed. God told Ezekiel what to say as an answer.
• God told Ezekiel to tell the people that a sword was sharpened, polished, and ready to be given into the hand of the slayer.
• God told Ezekiel to cry in despair, slap his thigh, and clap his hands in terror because of the vision of the sword.
• God told Ezekiel to plot two courses that the king of Babylon might take in his approach upon Jerusalem and to Rabbath of the Ammonites. (This seems to represent divination that Nebuchadnezzar used to choose his route to Jerusalem.)
• God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the Ammonites. God was going to judge them and their land. They would be remembered no more.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that His sword would be upon all the people including the princes of Judah. They would not be safe no matter which direction they ran.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• God said that the king's iniquity was remembered and his transgression was discovered so He called Zedekiah the "profane wicked prince of Israel." God said the diadem and crown would be removed. He that is lowly would be exalted and he that is abased should be high. There would be no more king until the rightful king should wear the crown. This is a reference to the end of the kingly line of David. It ended with Zedekiah and would not be restored until Jesus sits upon David's throne. It is Jesus who is lowly and abased who will be exalted and high.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• The Coronation Day of Jesus Christ is yet future. He now sits on the throne at His Father's right hand but one day He will assume the throne of David and wear the crown of Israel that has not been worn since it was removed from the head of Zedekiah. Is it the same literal crown? Who knows? But it will be the crown of Israel!