CHAPTER 4
Ezekiel uses visual aids and sermons to describe the tragic spiritual decline among the people of Israel. There are seven illustations in these chapters. Four of them are in Chapter 4, one in Chapter 5 and two of them are in Chapter 6.
First Illustration: Ezekiel draws a picture of Jerusalem on a clay tablet. Then he places an iron plate next to it. The drawing was symbolic of the Babylonial army like an iron wall was surrounding Jerusalem
Second Illustation: Ezekiel is to lie on his left side for 390 days to represent the years of Israel's sin. Then he would lie on his right side for 40 days to represent the years of Judah's sin. Each of the days would be represent one year of punishment for Israel and Judah's sins.
Third Illustration: Ezekiel was to lie on his back with his arms tied to represent the helplessness of Jerusalm against the Babylonian attack.
Fourth Illustration: Ezekiel was to cook a meager meal over some dry cow dung. This was a warning to that the people would be forced to eat defiled food among the nations where God would drive them.
CHAPTER 5
Fifth Illustration: Ezekiel was to cut the hair from his head and from his beard and divide the hair into three equal parts. One part was to be burned. The second part was to be struck with his sword, and the third part was to be scattered in the wind. The meaning of this illustration was the prediction that a third of Jerusalem's people would soon die by fire, another third will die by the sword and the final third will go into captivity.
CHAPTER 6
Sixth Illustration: Ezekiel is to set his face against the mountains of Israel and is to prophesy against them. That meant that those living in the valley below would soon be destroyed by their enemies.
Seventh Illustration: Ezekiel was to clap his hands and stomp his feet. This was to be done in horror to predict the disease and death that awaited Israel.
CHAPTER 7
Ezekiel warn the people that the terrible day of God's judgment is at hand. The sins that caused the judgment were because of idolatry, greed, bloodshed and pride. God would neither spare them or have pity on them. There would be deathby plague inside the city, and death by the sword outside the city. The few people who did not die moaned for their sins. The judgment would be quite severe and no one would be there to guide them.
|
|
