Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"You shall fall by the sword"
Text: Ezekiel 11:10
A WORD OF WARNING
Once again, a word of warning was given to Jerusalem and its leaders. The people had convinced themselves that Jerusalem would never fall. They could not be more wrong!
“And I will bring you out of its midst,
and deliver you into the hands of strangers,
and execute judgments on you.
You shall fall by the sword.
I will judge you at the border of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”
Ezekiel 11:9-10
1. Removed from Jerusalem.
a) This was the worst thing the people could imagine.
b) They refused to believe that this could ever happen.
c) The LORD warned the people that He would take them out of Jerusalem.
2. Delivered to strangers.
a) Jerusalem would fall to strangers (Babylonians).
b) They were already laying siege to the city of Jerusalem.
c) The fall of Jerusalem was imminent.
d) All in Jerusalem would be delivered to their captors.
3. Judgment would be meted out.
a) The leaders still believed they can worm their way out.
b) The LORD declared otherwise.
c) The leaders would be judged by their captors and be found guilty.
d) Their greatest fear would be realised.
4. The “sword” represents:
a) War
b) Judgment
c) Execution
d) The feared sword would fall upon Jerusalem.
5. God’s divine judgment.
a) The LORD Himself will judge the people and its rulers.
b) They may escape to the borders of the country.
c) But at the borders the LORD would mete out His Judgment on them.
d) They will not escape divine judgment (even if they can escape human judgment).
6. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD”
a) This was an oft-repeated phrase.
b) But Jerusalem refused to know the LORD.
c) The city had rejected God in favour of idols.
d) At the end, they would know who the true LORD is.
i) This knowledge would be painfully learned.
ii) For some it would have dire consequences!