Scripture reading – Ezekiel 21-22
The warnings of God’s impending judgment against Jerusalem, and by implication Judah, continues in today’s Scripture reading (Ezekiel 21-22). Today’s devotional commentary will focus solely on chapter 21.
Remembering Ezekiel was God’s prophet to the people of the captivity in Babylon, the LORD comes to him and commanded him, “Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel” (21:2).
The warning of God’s judgment is powerful and graphic as the LORD warned the people that He had drawn His sword of judgment from its sheath indicating the wicked and the righteous would suffer judgment (21:3-5).
Ezekiel was commanded to “sigh…with bitterness sigh before [the] eyes” of the people (21:6). When the people asked, “Wherefore sighest thou?”, Ezekiel was to announce, “it cometh, and shall be brought to pass” (21:7).
What was coming? The sword of God’s judgment that had long been foretold. A sword that was sharpened, polished, and carried in the hand of “the king of Babylon” (21:8-21).
“It cometh,” and there would be no escape from Jerusalem for the LORD had “set the point of the sword against all their gates [and] it is wrapped up for the slaughter” (21:15).
While Nebuchadnezzar would be the vessel to wield the sword of God’s judgment, the LORD left no doubt that this was His doing saying, “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him” (21:27).
Who was this One that would succeed King Zedekiah when he was deposed from the throne of Judah and his crown removed? (21:25-26)
He is the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ. Only the Son of David would have the right and authority to claim the throne of Jerusalem (Matthew 1:1).
Nathanael confessed Jesus Christ was “the Son of God…the King of Israel” (John 1:49). The apostle Paul declared, “He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25) and then “every knee should bow…every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD” (Philippians 2:11).
True believers continue to look for and wait upon the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). When Christ returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom, He will come as both the King and High Priest of His people.
Hebrews 4:14-15 – “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 7:25-27 – “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”
Even so LORD, come quickly!
Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith
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