Ezekiel part 4 Signs of Judgement chapters 4 & 5
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
The first sign of judgement is: a model of destruction, 4:1,2. “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.
In other words, it doesn't matter what the false prophets teach, or what the mood of the day is, God must and God will judge sin! That's God's message through this first sign: it is inevitable!
The second sign is: the pan of separation. 4:3, Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.
God is saying here: 'You have been separated from Me. And with their separation it is inevitable that they will be judged.
As we look at this second sign, we need to ask ourselves in the light of this sign: do we, as believers, see God behind the movements in our world?
Amos 3:6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?
Thirdly there is the bed of iniquity v4-8, and at this point the sign changes because Ezekiel ceases to be the God who is judging the people, and he becomes now the victim. It wasn't effective in removing sin, it was just to show them the awfulness of their sin! That is what the Old Testament sacrifices were about. They did not take away sin.
Hebrews 10:3-4 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Fourthly a diet of famine, 4:9-17. “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.” The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.” Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.” “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.” He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin.
Fifthly, a sword of wrath. The fifth and final in chapter 5 verses 1 to 17.
The first principle when we communicate the Gospel, is this: we must seek in our methods, and in our communication, that we use that which is ordained of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21 'For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe'.
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