Ezekiel 5

Message: Jerusalem will be destroyed. Ezekiel continues to prepare to give the message to Israel.

Time: Ezekiel is probably about 31 or 32 now and he is continuing to hear from the Lord of the judgment that awaits Jerusalem.

What the Lord is Saying: Ezekiel is to shave his beard, in a very exact manner, placing the clippings into three equal, weighed out parts. One third in the center of the map of Jerusalem and will burn in the fire for the days of the siege of the city. The Lord placed Israel in the center of all surrounding nations and yet the surrounding nations were more obedient. Israel rebelled. And so people will be punished more than anyone has been punished by God before. Parents will eat their children.

Then take another third and strike them with a sword around the map of the City. This is the third that be slaughtered by the enemy outside the city. Another third scattered to the wind.

What amazing pictures of the seriousness of people's sin and how we can see so clearly what God thinks of sin. All will see what the Lord thinks of His people that are rebellious and turn from Him.

Problem: You know the amazing thing here is there is a obviously a message in the Gospel that the Lord deals with sin. People will die in their sins. But, also, his people, whom He has called, are now responsible to live in a way that is worthy of their calling. And the Lord will not be kind to those who call on His name and yet rebel from Him at the same time. This is hypocrisy at its best.