Eze 6:5 | KingComments | STEP | The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel ( ). He, “son of man”, is to “set” his “face toward the mountains of Israel” (cf. ) and prophesy against them ( ). The phrase “mountains of Israel” occurs only in Ezekiel ( ). The mountains of Israel is a mountain range that lies in the heart of Israel and extends for about 250 km from the plain of Jezreel, just north of Nablus or Shechem, to the southern end of the Dead Sea. Those mountains include Jerusalem, Bethel, Ai, Shechem, Bethany and Hebron. There Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, Jacob, Joshua, Joseph and David were buried. They made up most of what is now called the West Bank. It is toward that area that Ezekiel must set his face because the Israelites erected their idolatrous altars there to serve their idols. In addressing the mountains, everything and everyone involved in this idolatry is addressed. This idolatry is often accompanied by sacred prostitution and all kinds of other debauchery. Ezekiel is to preach against these mountains, and also the lower “hills”, the word of the Lord GOD in judgment ( ). The LORD will bring the sword on them, on the idolaters and the idolatrous heights and all that is in the immediate vicinity of them, such as the ravines or water streams and the valleys. Ravines or water streams and valleys may refer to the refreshments and fertile ground they attribute as a blessing to their idols. We can learn much from Ezekiel’s obedience. God not only gives him the words to speak, but also determines to whom they are to be spoken. And Ezekiel obeys. He does not ask if it makes sense to prophesy against Jerusalem which is hundreds of miles away ( ). Nor does he ask if the mountains and hills of Israel will hear the sound of his voice. He simply does what is asked of him. The places of worship of the idols will be broken smashed ( ). The idolaters will lie down before their idols mortally wounded (cf. ). It is the epitome of the madness of their idolatry. With the utmost contempt, God calls their idols “stink gods” [the word for idols here is a word of utmost contempt, which is best rendered with ‘stink gods’, and is used 38 times in Ezekiel]. Under the ‘watchful’ eye of these stink gods, He will make their slain fall. Then it will be clear that these stink gods will not lift a finger to ward off the calamity. The dead bodies lie there, in front of the stink gods ( ). Someone who worships such gods has truly lost his mind. What folly it is to worship dead matter and expect salvation from it! These gods do not spread a pleasant odor, but stench, the stench of the slain who lie in front of them. God carries the defamation to a climax by scattering the bones of the dead around their altars. This punishment has a double effect. The offenders are denied the honor of a burial – a burial is highly valued – and at the same time the places they consider holy are defiled. The judgment of God will destroy everything that has come under the influence of the stink gods ( ). In all habitations He will destroy the cities through the enemy. The heights on which they have committed their idolatry will become a wilderness. The judgment will be thorough and will leave nothing of the altars, the stink gods, the incense altars and the works of the idolaters. The Holy Spirit uses a multitude of words to describe the devastation in the most impressive way possible: “waste”, “desolate”, “waste and desolate”, “broken and brought to an end”, “cut down”, “blotted out”. In the midst of all this rubble lie the slain ( ). The whole area is an open mass grave full of corpses and destroyed habitations. Then they will finally know that He is the LORD. The acknowledgment of this will not mean life for them. They have passed up the opportunity every time the LORD has called them to repentance. The phrase “and you will know that I am the LORD” or an almost identical expression, occurs frequently in this book. However, this expression is remarkably absent in Ezekiel 40-48. At the same time, this is understandable because that part of the book is about the realm of peace and there they will all know the LORD and know that He is the LORD ( ).

‏ Ezekiel 6:5

Judgment on the Mountains of Israel

The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel (Eze 6:1). He, “son of man”, is to “set” his “face toward the mountains of Israel” (cf. Eze 4:3) and prophesy against them (Eze 6:2). The phrase “mountains of Israel” occurs only in Ezekiel (Eze 6:2 ; 3 ; Eze 19:9 ; Eze 33:28 ; Eze 34:13 ; 14 ; Eze 35:12 ; Eze 36:1 ; 4 ; 8 ; Eze 37:22 ; Eze 38:8 ; Eze 39:2 ; 4 ; 17). The mountains of Israel is a mountain range that lies in the heart of Israel and extends for about 250 km from the plain of Jezreel, just north of Nablus or Shechem, to the southern end of the Dead Sea. Those mountains include Jerusalem, Bethel, Ai, Shechem, Bethany and Hebron. There Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, Jacob, Joshua, Joseph and David were buried. They made up most of what is now called the West Bank.

It is toward that area that Ezekiel must set his face because the Israelites erected their idolatrous altars there to serve their idols. In addressing the mountains, everything and everyone involved in this idolatry is addressed. This idolatry is often accompanied by sacred prostitution and all kinds of other debauchery.

Ezekiel is to preach against these mountains, and also the lower “hills”, the word of the Lord GOD in judgment (Eze 6:3). The LORD will bring the sword on them, on the idolaters and the idolatrous heights and all that is in the immediate vicinity of them, such as the ravines or water streams and the valleys. Ravines or water streams and valleys may refer to the refreshments and fertile ground they attribute as a blessing to their idols.

We can learn much from Ezekiel’s obedience. God not only gives him the words to speak, but also determines to whom they are to be spoken. And Ezekiel obeys. He does not ask if it makes sense to prophesy against Jerusalem which is hundreds of miles away (Eze 4:3 ; 7). Nor does he ask if the mountains and hills of Israel will hear the sound of his voice. He simply does what is asked of him.

The places of worship of the idols will be broken smashed (Eze 6:4). The idolaters will lie down before their idols mortally wounded (cf. Lev 26:30). It is the epitome of the madness of their idolatry. With the utmost contempt, God calls their idols “stink gods” [the word for idols here is a word of utmost contempt, which is best rendered with ‘stink gods’, and is used 38 times in Ezekiel]. Under the ‘watchful’ eye of these stink gods, He will make their slain fall. Then it will be clear that these stink gods will not lift a finger to ward off the calamity. The dead bodies lie there, in front of the stink gods (Eze 6:5). Someone who worships such gods has truly lost his mind. What folly it is to worship dead matter and expect salvation from it!

These gods do not spread a pleasant odor, but stench, the stench of the slain who lie in front of them. God carries the defamation to a climax by scattering the bones of the dead around their altars. This punishment has a double effect. The offenders are denied the honor of a burial – a burial is highly valued – and at the same time the places they consider holy are defiled.

The judgment of God will destroy everything that has come under the influence of the stink gods (Eze 6:6). In all habitations He will destroy the cities through the enemy. The heights on which they have committed their idolatry will become a wilderness. The judgment will be thorough and will leave nothing of the altars, the stink gods, the incense altars and the works of the idolaters. The Holy Spirit uses a multitude of words to describe the devastation in the most impressive way possible: “waste”, “desolate”, “waste and desolate”, “broken and brought to an end”, “cut down”, “blotted out”.

In the midst of all this rubble lie the slain (Eze 6:7). The whole area is an open mass grave full of corpses and destroyed habitations. Then they will finally know that He is the LORD. The acknowledgment of this will not mean life for them. They have passed up the opportunity every time the LORD has called them to repentance.

The phrase “and you will know that I am the LORD” or an almost identical expression, occurs frequently in this book. However, this expression is remarkably absent in Ezekiel 40-48. At the same time, this is understandable because that part of the book is about the realm of peace and there they will all know the LORD and know that He is the LORD (Jer 31:34).