MY SHORT REPORT EZEKIEL 16-33
The link that brought you to this page and the page title are a bit of a misnomer, because this short report is not long enough to cover so many chapters of the Bible. What the link and the title do, however, is track where we are in our plan to read through the entire Bible in 1 year. May each report pique your interest and help you to draw near to God. The Bible, James 4:8, tells us if we do so God will draw near to us. Works cited are at the end of the report. Internal links provide additional information.
BIBLE READING—WEEK 36—EZEKIEL 16-33: Last week’s report provided some general information about Lamentations and then compared and contrasted some verses from Lamentations with Deuteronomy 28:15-68—the curses for disobedience. This past week’s reading brought us through Ezekiel 33, and this week’s Short Report looks at many chapters and verses of Ezekiel, especially the chapters where doom (judgment) is brought against Israel and the nations that encompass Israel.
In his introduction to Ezekiel – People’s Bible Commentary Keith B. Kuschel says “Many of the symbols, actions, and pictures used by Ezekiel appear again in the New Testament book of Revelation.” On the same page he also tells his readers, “The book’s theme is summarized in a phrase used several times in Ezekiel (for example, 6:7); ‘You will know that I am the Lord.’ Through his powerful judgments and tender mercies, God makes himself known” (p. 5).
The vivid word pictures and symbolism Kuschel brings to our attention is found in the similar visions Ezekiel had to those of the Apostle John while John was on the Island of Patmos. For instance, the four living creatures of Ezekiel 1, where Ezekiel describes the glory of God, appear again in Ezekiel 10 where the glory of God is seen leaving the Temple. These four living creatures also appear in a vision John has in Revelation 4 where he describes the throne room of heaven in all of its glory.
Indeed, in Ezekiel, God continues to make Himself known, and Kuschel’s theme phrase, which appears in the English Standard Version (ESV) 27 times as, “you shall know that I am the LORD,” is one of many great sayings from the book of Ezekiel. However, to count another theme phrase, the words “Thus says the LORD God” is spoken 122 times. Another theme word is “vision,” which appears 23 times.
It is important to remember that at the time of his call Ezekiel was a captive in exile (Ezekiel 1:1). Halley says, “Daniel had been in Babylon 9 years when Ezekiel arrived: and had already attained great fame (14:14, 20). Daniel in the palace; Ezekiel in the country.” Halley suggests, “They may have met often” (Halley’s Bible Handbook, 323). He also says, “Ezekiel’s mission seems to have been to explain the action of God in causing or permitting Israel’s captivity” (p. 324).
Ezekiel’s visions and prophecies, especially in the first half of the book have a lot to do with doom (although “doom” is only spoken 4 times). A large part of that doom is judgement brought on Israel, which is viewed as the adulterous wife in chapter 16, and the adulterous sisters called Oholah and Oholibah in chapter 23. Oholah represents the capital city of Samaria and the whole Northern Kingdom, and Oholibah signifies the Southern Kingdom of Judah and its capital city of Jerusalem.
In chapter 24 the Parable of the Boiling Pot and the actual death of Ezekiel’s wife signify the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Kuschel explains the parable like this: “In Ezekiel’s parable of judgement, Jerusalem was the pot. The people were the meat and bones. The siege laid by Nebuchadnezzar and the war waged by him were the fire under the pot” (pp. 138-39).
God informs Ezekiel beforehand that his wife will die. God describes her as the “the delight of your eyes” and adds that he is not to mourn for her as the world mourns. When the people ask why, Ezekiel informs them that God is about to take the Temple, the delight of their eyes, away from them and they too should not mourn. Accordingly, Ezekiel was a sign to the people as Jerusalem and the Temple fell—and he told them for the Lord, “Then you will know that I am the LORD God” (24:15-23).
With Nebuchadnezzar’s army carrying out the third and final siege of Jerusalem Ezekiel, under God’s guidance, begins to prophesy against the nations neighboring Israel. In Chapter 25 Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are denounced, Tyre receives the same attention in chapters 26-28, and Egypt is condemned in chapters 29-32.
Ammon is admonished first. They were told, because you “rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel” God is against you and “will destroy you” (25:6-7). After that Moab and Seir receive their due. They were guilty of saying, “The house of Judah is like all the other nations.” As judgement, their land would fall in to the hands of the people from the East (vv. 8-11). The people of Seir are Edomites (descendants of Esau); Seir is the name of the “central mountain range of Edom” (Myers, 921). And, of course, the line of Judah is the line of Christ.
Similar to the Ammonites, the Philistines “took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast” (vv. 15-16). The Cherethites are “a Philistine clan dwelling southeast of Philistia (1 Sam. 30:14, ‘the Negeb of the Cherethiets’)” (Myers, 203).
Following the Ammonites, in chapter 26, Ezekiel presents his prophecy against Tyre, which consisted of Nebuchadnezzar’s war machine, including horses, wagons, chariots, soldiers, axes, swords, siege walls, and battering rams (vv. 7-14). Tyre’s wickedness was to delight at Israel being “laid waste (v. 2). It simply is not wise to find joy at something that grieves the Lord. God’s plan was to make them “dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit” (v. 20). After proclaiming their impending doom the Lord has His prophet speak a lament over Tyre (chapter 27). “O Tyre,” Ezekiel says as he starts his dirge, “you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty. They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you” (vv. 3-4). But he completes the requiem by revealing their fate: “All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you, and the hair of their kings bristles with horror; their faces are convulsed. The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”
Chapter 28 contains both a prophecy and lament over the king of Tyre. Here, the Lord also has Ezekiel speak against Sidon, a sister city of Tyre. Like the other nations that were a neighbor to the people of Israel, Sidon “treated them with contempt” (v. 24). According to the word of the Lord, the city fell by the sword and to pestilence (v. 23). The chapter ends with another promise to gather the people of Israel from the nations she was scattered into (v. 25).
Chapters 29 through 32 follow the same pattern as the chapters against Tyre. First comes the prophecy against Egypt, then a lament follows, after that there is a prophecy against Pharaoh followed by a lament for him. And near the end of chapter 32 they are sent to the pit.
Egypt’s wickedness is explained in two parts. First, Ezekiel 2:6 says, “Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel." Reading this reminded me of the use of a staff of reed (Matthew 27:30) when the Roman soldiers beat Jesus before He was led to Calvary. It was a form of corporal punishment, like an Egyptian taskmaster might use on a Hebrew slave. In the second place we are told, “Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it’” (v. 9). In Egypt the Pharaoh was thought to be a god. Myers says, “From the earliest dynastic times the king was regarded as divine” (p. 312). As a result of their deeds, God’s plan for the Egyptians was to scatter them “among the nations and disperse them through the countries” for a period of “forty years” (vv. 12-13). To that end, Babylon would be God’s tool (30:20-26).
In closing, chapters 16-33 of Ezekiel focused on the doomed nations that fell under God’s judgement according to the words God gave to His prophet Ezekiel. There were seven nations in all, including Israel (Samaria and Jerusalem), Ammon, Moab, Edom (the people of Seir are Edomites), Philistia (Cherethites are a Philistine clan), Tyre (Sidon is a sister city), and Egypt; seven nations in all.
In his introduction to Ezekiel – People’s Bible Commentary Keith B. Kuschel says “Many of the symbols, actions, and pictures used by Ezekiel appear again in the New Testament book of Revelation.” On the same page he also tells his readers, “The book’s theme is summarized in a phrase used several times in Ezekiel (for example, 6:7); ‘You will know that I am the Lord.’ Through his powerful judgments and tender mercies, God makes himself known” (p. 5).
The vivid word pictures and symbolism Kuschel brings to our attention is found in the similar visions Ezekiel had to those of the Apostle John while John was on the Island of Patmos. For instance, the four living creatures of Ezekiel 1, where Ezekiel describes the glory of God, appear again in Ezekiel 10 where the glory of God is seen leaving the Temple. These four living creatures also appear in a vision John has in Revelation 4 where he describes the throne room of heaven in all of its glory.
Indeed, in Ezekiel, God continues to make Himself known, and Kuschel’s theme phrase, which appears in the English Standard Version (ESV) 27 times as, “you shall know that I am the LORD,” is one of many great sayings from the book of Ezekiel. However, to count another theme phrase, the words “Thus says the LORD God” is spoken 122 times. Another theme word is “vision,” which appears 23 times.
It is important to remember that at the time of his call Ezekiel was a captive in exile (Ezekiel 1:1). Halley says, “Daniel had been in Babylon 9 years when Ezekiel arrived: and had already attained great fame (14:14, 20). Daniel in the palace; Ezekiel in the country.” Halley suggests, “They may have met often” (Halley’s Bible Handbook, 323). He also says, “Ezekiel’s mission seems to have been to explain the action of God in causing or permitting Israel’s captivity” (p. 324).
Ezekiel’s visions and prophecies, especially in the first half of the book have a lot to do with doom (although “doom” is only spoken 4 times). A large part of that doom is judgement brought on Israel, which is viewed as the adulterous wife in chapter 16, and the adulterous sisters called Oholah and Oholibah in chapter 23. Oholah represents the capital city of Samaria and the whole Northern Kingdom, and Oholibah signifies the Southern Kingdom of Judah and its capital city of Jerusalem.
In chapter 24 the Parable of the Boiling Pot and the actual death of Ezekiel’s wife signify the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Kuschel explains the parable like this: “In Ezekiel’s parable of judgement, Jerusalem was the pot. The people were the meat and bones. The siege laid by Nebuchadnezzar and the war waged by him were the fire under the pot” (pp. 138-39).
God informs Ezekiel beforehand that his wife will die. God describes her as the “the delight of your eyes” and adds that he is not to mourn for her as the world mourns. When the people ask why, Ezekiel informs them that God is about to take the Temple, the delight of their eyes, away from them and they too should not mourn. Accordingly, Ezekiel was a sign to the people as Jerusalem and the Temple fell—and he told them for the Lord, “Then you will know that I am the LORD God” (24:15-23).
With Nebuchadnezzar’s army carrying out the third and final siege of Jerusalem Ezekiel, under God’s guidance, begins to prophesy against the nations neighboring Israel. In Chapter 25 Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are denounced, Tyre receives the same attention in chapters 26-28, and Egypt is condemned in chapters 29-32.
Ammon is admonished first. They were told, because you “rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel” God is against you and “will destroy you” (25:6-7). After that Moab and Seir receive their due. They were guilty of saying, “The house of Judah is like all the other nations.” As judgement, their land would fall in to the hands of the people from the East (vv. 8-11). The people of Seir are Edomites (descendants of Esau); Seir is the name of the “central mountain range of Edom” (Myers, 921). And, of course, the line of Judah is the line of Christ.
Similar to the Ammonites, the Philistines “took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast” (vv. 15-16). The Cherethites are “a Philistine clan dwelling southeast of Philistia (1 Sam. 30:14, ‘the Negeb of the Cherethiets’)” (Myers, 203).
Following the Ammonites, in chapter 26, Ezekiel presents his prophecy against Tyre, which consisted of Nebuchadnezzar’s war machine, including horses, wagons, chariots, soldiers, axes, swords, siege walls, and battering rams (vv. 7-14). Tyre’s wickedness was to delight at Israel being “laid waste (v. 2). It simply is not wise to find joy at something that grieves the Lord. God’s plan was to make them “dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit” (v. 20). After proclaiming their impending doom the Lord has His prophet speak a lament over Tyre (chapter 27). “O Tyre,” Ezekiel says as he starts his dirge, “you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty. They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you” (vv. 3-4). But he completes the requiem by revealing their fate: “All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you, and the hair of their kings bristles with horror; their faces are convulsed. The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”
Chapter 28 contains both a prophecy and lament over the king of Tyre. Here, the Lord also has Ezekiel speak against Sidon, a sister city of Tyre. Like the other nations that were a neighbor to the people of Israel, Sidon “treated them with contempt” (v. 24). According to the word of the Lord, the city fell by the sword and to pestilence (v. 23). The chapter ends with another promise to gather the people of Israel from the nations she was scattered into (v. 25).
Chapters 29 through 32 follow the same pattern as the chapters against Tyre. First comes the prophecy against Egypt, then a lament follows, after that there is a prophecy against Pharaoh followed by a lament for him. And near the end of chapter 32 they are sent to the pit.
Egypt’s wickedness is explained in two parts. First, Ezekiel 2:6 says, “Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel." Reading this reminded me of the use of a staff of reed (Matthew 27:30) when the Roman soldiers beat Jesus before He was led to Calvary. It was a form of corporal punishment, like an Egyptian taskmaster might use on a Hebrew slave. In the second place we are told, “Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it’” (v. 9). In Egypt the Pharaoh was thought to be a god. Myers says, “From the earliest dynastic times the king was regarded as divine” (p. 312). As a result of their deeds, God’s plan for the Egyptians was to scatter them “among the nations and disperse them through the countries” for a period of “forty years” (vv. 12-13). To that end, Babylon would be God’s tool (30:20-26).
In closing, chapters 16-33 of Ezekiel focused on the doomed nations that fell under God’s judgement according to the words God gave to His prophet Ezekiel. There were seven nations in all, including Israel (Samaria and Jerusalem), Ammon, Moab, Edom (the people of Seir are Edomites), Philistia (Cherethites are a Philistine clan), Tyre (Sidon is a sister city), and Egypt; seven nations in all.