Ezekiel 7

Ezekiel 7 is a prophecy of imminent judgment upon Israel due to their persistent disobedience and idolatry. This chapter warns of an unavoidable end to their way of life, with destruction coming to their land, wealth, and security. Ezekiel declares that God’s wrath will be poured out upon them, and there will be no escape. The chapter emphasizes the consequences of ignoring God’s commands and the certainty of His justice.

Ezekiel 7:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 "And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
3 Now the end has come upon you, And I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations.
4 My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the Lord!’
5 Thus says the Lord God: ‘A disaster, a singular disaster; Behold, it has come!
6 An end has come, The end has come; It has dawned for you; Behold, it has come!
7 Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; The time has come, A day of trouble is near, And not of rejoicing in the mountains.
8 Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury, And spend My anger upon you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations.
9 My eye will not spare, Nor will I have pity; I will repay you according to your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst. Then you shall know that I am the Lord who strikes.
10 Behold, the day! Behold, it has come! Doom has gone out; The rod has blossomed, Pride has budded.

In these verses, God pronounces the imminent destruction of Israel, emphasizing that their judgment is due to their sinful ways and abominations. The message is repeated with urgency, portraying the disaster as inevitable and final. God’s anger is directed toward the nation’s pride and rebellion, and He declares that He will neither spare nor show pity. This judgment is meant to awaken Israel to recognize God’s sovereignty and justice as He acts against their sin. Their suffering is a direct consequence of their actions, and they will ultimately realize the seriousness of His warning.

Ezekiel 7:11-18 (NKJV)
11 Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness; None of them shall remain, None of their multitude, None of them; Nor shall there be wailing for them.
12 The time has come, The day draws near. ‘Let not the buyer rejoice, Nor the seller mourn, For wrath is on their whole multitude.
13 For the seller shall not return to what has been sold, Though he may still be alive; For the vision concerns the whole multitude, And it shall not turn back; No one will strengthen himself Who lives in iniquity.
14 They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready, But no one goes to battle; For My wrath is on all their multitude.
15 The sword is outside, And the pestilence and famine within. Whoever is in the field Will die by the sword; And whoever is in the city, Famine and pestilence will devour him.
16 ‘Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity.
17 Every hand will be feeble, And every knee will be as weak as water.
18 They will also be girded with sackcloth; Horror will cover them; Shame will be on every face, Baldness on all their heads.

These verses illustrate the total devastation awaiting Israel, with the people stripped of their possessions and mourning over their sins. The usual social activities like buying and selling are rendered meaningless because of the all-encompassing disaster. No one can escape the fate of sword, famine, or pestilence, as both city dwellers and those in the fields are vulnerable. Survivors will scatter and mourn, weakened by fear and shame, symbolized by sackcloth and baldness, traditional signs of grief. The emotional and physical toll of God’s judgment underscores the seriousness of their iniquities.

Ezekiel 7:19-27 (NKJV)
19 They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the Lord; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.
20 ‘As for the beauty of his ornaments, He set it in majesty; But they made from it The images of their abominations—Their detestable things; Therefore I have made it Like refuse to them.
21 I will give it as plunder Into the hands of strangers, And to the wicked of the earth as spoil; And they shall defile it.
22 I will turn My face from them, And they will defile My secret place; For robbers shall enter it and defile it.
23 ‘Make a chain, For the land is filled with crimes of blood, And the city is full of violence.
24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles, And they will possess their houses; I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease, And their holy places shall be defiled.
25 Destruction comes; They will seek peace, but there shall be none.
26 Disaster will come upon disaster, And rumor will be upon rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet; But the law will perish from the priest, And counsel from the elders.
27 ‘The king will mourn, The prince will be clothed with desolation, And the hands of the common people will tremble. I will do to them according to their way, And according to what they deserve I will judge them; Then they shall know that I am the Lord!’”

These final verses focus on the worthlessness of wealth in the face of divine judgment. The people’s silver and gold, once valued, are now discarded as worthless, unable to save them from God’s wrath. The beauty and majesty of their possessions, once admired, have become repulsive due to idolatry. Foreign invaders will defile their land, and no one—neither king, priest, nor elder—will be able to provide peace or guidance. All classes of people will feel the consequences, with leaders and commoners alike in a state of fear and helplessness, realizing God’s judgment is a response to their accumulated sin. The message concludes with a somber acknowledgment of God’s justice, revealing His authority over all.