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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 218

"This sword is sharpened"

Text: Ezekiel 21:11

A POLISHED SWORD

A sword is often used as a symbol of war. It is certainly the usual weapon wielded by soldiers in the battle field.

“‘And He has given it to be polished,
That it may be handled;
This sword is sharpened, and it is polished
To be given into the hand of the slayer.’
‘Cry and wail, son of man;
For it will be against My people,
Against all the princes of Israel.
Terrors including the sword will be against My people;
Therefore strike your thigh.
Because it is a testing,
And what if the sword despises even the scepter?
The scepter shall be no more,’
says the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 21:11-13

1. A polished sword.

a) All soldiers must ensure that their swords are well-polished.

b) They must also train very hard at wielding their swords well.

c) The sword must also be sharpened. The cutting edge cannot be blunt at any time.

d) The polished and sharpened sword becomes a deadly weapon in the hands of a well-trained solider.

e) Ezekiel knew how Babylonian soldiers were being trained and readied for war against Judah.

2. Fearing the worst for Judah.

a) Ezekiel knew that the army of Judah was not as well-trained.

b) They had been deceived and lulled into thinking that the Babylonian threat was not as deadly as Ezekiel had warned.

c) Ezekiel wept for his fellow-country men!

3. Highlighting the perils of war.

a) The Lord has given strong words of warning to Ezekiel.

b) Who would suffer in this war with the Babylonians?

i) The people.

ii) The princes.

iii) Terror would be felt deeply.

c) Striking of the thigh.

i) This was an expression of anger and frustration.

ii) It was also an expression of helplessness and grief.

4. Judah’s foolish over-confidence.

a) They believed in the sceptre of the king.

b) They trusted that the king would be able to overcome the sword of Babylon.

c) Judah could not be more wrong.

d) The sceptre of Judah would be no more after this war with Babylon.

e) Judah would be destroyed as a nation!