Eze 5 | MHM | STEP | The Representation of Jerusalem's Ruin In this passage, God uses Ezekiel as a living sign to show the people what will happen to Jerusalem. By acting out God’s message, Ezekiel shows that he cares deeply for his people and feels their pain, even as he warns them of coming destruction. The actions he takes are dramatic and meant to help the people understand that God’s judgment is serious and sure. v. 1 : God tells Ezekiel to shave off all the hair from his head and beard using a sharp sword. And take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard . This is a sign that God is completely rejecting the people of Jerusalem, as if cutting off something no longer wanted. It is a symbol of shame and total loss (Isaiah 1:24 ).

‏ Ezekiel 5

The Representation of Jerusalem's Ruin

In this passage, God uses Ezekiel as a living sign to show the people what will happen to Jerusalem. By acting out God’s message, Ezekiel shows that he cares deeply for his people and feels their pain, even as he warns them of coming destruction. The actions he takes are dramatic and meant to help the people understand that God’s judgment is serious and sure.

v. 1: God tells Ezekiel to shave off all the hair from his head and beard using a sharp sword. And take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard . This is a sign that God is completely rejecting the people of Jerusalem, as if cutting off something no longer wanted. It is a symbol of shame and total loss (Isaiah 1:24 ^a).

v. 2: Ezekiel must divide the hair into three equal parts. One third he must burn inside the city, one third he must cut with a sword, and one third he must scatter to the wind. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city... and a third part thou shalt smite about it with a knife, and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind . Each part represents a different kind of judgment: famine and pestilence, war, and exile. Even those who escape will not be safe, for God says, I will draw out a sword after them.

v. 3: From the third part scattered in the wind, Ezekiel must take a few hairs and bind them in his skirt. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts . This small group represents the few survivors or remnant that God will protect for a time.

v. 4: Even some of these few will be thrown into the fire and destroyed. Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire . In the end, almost everyone will face judgment, and trouble will spread even among the survivors. The message is clear: when people reject God’s mercy, even the remnant can face hardship.

The Guilt of Jerusalem

In these verses, God explains that the city He has set in the midst of the nations is Jerusalem. He accuses Jerusalem of changing His judgments into wickedness more than the surrounding nations, and of refusing to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments. Because of this, God says He will execute judgments in the midst of Jerusalem in the sight of the nations.

v. 5: God says that He has set Jerusalem in the midst of the nations and countries around her. Jerusalem was placed in a strategic location, in the center of the known world at that time, so that it could have a positive influence on the surrounding nations.

v. 6: However, instead of being a light to the nations, Jerusalem has changed God's judgments into wickedness, and refused to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments. They have been worse than the surrounding nations in their disobedience and idolatry.

v. 7: God says that because Jerusalem has multiplied its wickedness more than the surrounding nations, and has not walked in God's statutes or kept His judgments, He will execute judgments on them in the sight of the nations.

v. 8: God declares that He Himself is against Jerusalem and will execute judgments on them, showing the nations that He is the one doing it.

v. 9: God says He will do to Jerusalem what He has not done before and will not do again, because of all their abominations. The judgment will be unprecedented in its severity.

v. 10: As part of this judgment, the fathers shall eat their sons and the sons shall eat their fathers, demonstrating the breakdown of society and family relationships. God will also scatter the remnant of Jerusalem to all the winds.

v. 11: The reason for this judgment is that Jerusalem has defiled God's sanctuary with their detestable things and abominations. Therefore, God will diminish them, and His eye will not spare nor will He have any pity.