Eze 5:7 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord GOD ( Adonai Yahweh ) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth ( ; ; cf. ). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations ( ; ). Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city ( ). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances. Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly ( ). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations. Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem ( ), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. ; ). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations. The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel ( ). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers ( ). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be ( ; ; ; ; ).

‏ Ezekiel 5:7

The Sins of Jerusalem

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) explains to Ezekiel the meaning of the symbolic acts, which he in turn is to communicate to God’s people. The acts concern Jerusalem which the LORD has set as the center of all nations, as the center [literally: navel] of the earth (Eze 5:5; Eze 38:12; cf. Deu 32:8). Globally, we can say that Israel is the geographical center of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Also, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world, where the throne of the LORD will stand and from where He will send forth His Word for instruction to all nations (Isa 2:2-4; Mic 4:1-3).

Then follows God’s “but” regarding the city (Eze 5:6). Jerusalem has sinned against Him in a horrible way. She has been disobedient to His statutes. Jerusalem’s sin is even greater than that of all the nations around her. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem have received the knowledge of God, they have rejected His statutes and not observed His ordinances. What a great insult this is to Him Who has so provided them with good statutes and ordinances.

Even by heathen standards, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have acted horribly (Eze 5:7). The nations remain faithful to their idols, even though they are not gods, but the inhabitants of Jerusalem have denied the true God and have begun to serve idols. This is a dramatic development. As a result, their turmoil is more than that of the idolatrous nations.

Therefore the LORD is against Jerusalem (Eze 5:8), that is, He will punish Jerusalem (cf. Nah 2:13 ; Nah 3:5; Jer 23:31). He says it with great emphasis: “I, even I” He will judge Jerusalem in the sight of the nations, in accordance with the unfaithfulness toward Him that Jerusalem also committed in the sight of the nations.

The judgment He will bring on Jerusalem will be without parallel (Eze 5:9). This is because of all her abominations. Jerusalem brought this on herself. The judgments will cause a terrible famine, so great that some will fall to cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem, with even fathers eating their own children and children eating their own fathers (Eze 5:10). A deeper fall of man’s moral awareness is not possible. So severe God’s judgments on Jerusalem will be (Lev 26:29; Deu 28:53; 2Kgs 6:28-29; Jer 19:9; Lam 2:20 ; Lam 4:10).