Eze 22:8 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter contains three separate words of the LORD, each beginning with the phrase: “The word of the LORD came to me” ( ). These words of the LORD have as their common theme the defilement of Israel. The messages can be given the following titles: 1. The bloody city ( ). 2. The melting furnace ( ). 3. The wicked land ( ). This chapter is one long list of sins. The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel ( ). Again addressed as “the son of man” he is commanded to judge the blood city, that is Jerusalem ( ). The title “son of man” reminds us of the Lord Jesus, Who, as the Son of Man, is given by the Father authority to execute judgment ( ). The city has become so depraved that God calls the city “blood city” ( ). Nineveh is given a similar name ( ). Jerusalem is given that name because of the blood that has flowed within its walls. Ezekiel has to cause the city to know all her abominations. ‘Abomination’ always has to do with idolatry. All injustice flows from it. God tells Ezekiel what to say to Jerusalem ( ). He does not use flattering words. Violence and idolatry are mentioned in the same breath. Violence and idolatry have made the city guilty and defiled ( ). As a result, the end of the city is also in sight. God will turn the city over to the nations. Instead of being a blessing to the surrounding nations – which is God’s purpose for Jerusalem – the nations reproach Jerusalem and mock her. This mockery comes both from the peoples near Jerusalem and from the peoples far from her ( ). Her guilt and defilement are so great that it is spoken of as far away as the nations. God tells her that is one “of ill repute, full of turmoil”. Defilement, sin, is the end of all togetherness. Chaos ensues. No one thinks of others anymore, for each is concerned only with and for himself. The rulers, those in charge, have abused their power ( ). They have ranted violently. In doing so, they relied on their power. In their position of power they have mocked the law. They have killed people for profit. They do not care about the law of God. The commandment to honor father and mother they trample on contemptuously ( ). They don’t care about their parents ( ; ; ; ). The stranger in their midst also has to suffer. This socially isolated group depends on the kindness of others to have an income. But the rulers see in this group only an opportunity to make money. They do not spare the socially weak as orphans and widows. Instead of supporting them in their tribulation they oppress them even more severely. Of course, God also is targeted ( ). They don’t give Him to what He is entitled. Not only that, they treat the gifts sanctified for Him with contempt – just as they do their parents. They don’t care about justice at all ( ). They welcome slanderers with open arms. They hire slanderers and send them out to get people out of the way (cf. 1 Kgs 21:4-13). Then they go with them to the mountains to sacrifice to the idols and on that occasion also eat from the idol sacrifices. The disgraceful behavior of these slanderers they allow to continue in their midst undisturbed. They also set aside all the commandments about marriage and sexuality that God has given ( ). Incest is committed in shameful and multiple ways. By “the father’s nakedness” is meant the father’s wife (cf. ; ; ). They don’t care about God’s prohibition against having intercourse with a woman who is unclean in her menstrual impurity ( ), but humble her. The same goes for intercourse with his neighbor’s wife ( ). The son’s wife is not safe either, but one takes her for one’s own satisfaction ( ). The same is true of the sister ( ; ; ). Nothing is sacred, nothing is safe, no one is spared. God’s commandments regarding marriage and sexuality are repugnantly violated. They are guilty of abominable incest. No uncleanness is too filthy for them. In their excesses, they act “like unreasoning animals” ( ), and not as creatures who have reason. As easily as they trample on laws related to marriage and family, they allow themselves to be bribed to convict and put to death innocent people ( ). They demand excessive interest and usury from those in their power. They extort their neighbor, the compatriot. They take advantage of the neighbor’s misery to benefit themselves. The root cause of all the sins mentioned in detail is stated at the end of : they have forgotten God. Those who live with God and ask His for will will not break His law. To them the law is completely irrelevant because they do not live with God and do not ask for His will. As a result, they know no brake on their disgusting behavior. The only limit they know for their abominable deeds is that of their possibilities. In great indignation about Jerusalem’s criminal behavior, the LORD smites His hand ( ). The greed for money of her inhabitants as a root of all evil has led them to murder. The blood of the victims is among them. When the LORD comes to deal with the inhabitants, their talk will be over. Their hearts will fail and their strength will disappear when He acts against them ( ). They need not doubt that it will happen, for it will happen because the LORD has spoken. His speaking is His acting. He will drive the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of the land and scatter them and disperse them among the nations in the lands around them ( ). In this way the LORD will cleanse Jerusalem of uncleanness. She has herself to blame for being thus profaned before the eyes of the nations ( ). Also, this is proof that the LORD has done it. Jerusalem will thereby know that He is the LORD.