This chapter lists the sins committed by Israel which brought God’s judgment upon them because they refused to acknowledge, repent and turn away from the same. As a result, God told Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on them.

But before doing so he had to make them aware of their sin, vs 1,2. These sins included murder and idolatry which led to impurity, vs 3,9, and which attracted eternal damnation and here on earth, the mocking and scorn of the Nations, vs 4,5!

The rulers themselves indulged in sins like murder, dishonouring parents, oppressing the foreigner and wronging the orphans and widows in their midst, vs 6,7, desecrating the Sabbath, eating pagan sacrifices and comitting sexual perversion, vs 8-11.

They took bribes, committed usury and extortion and charged interest, thus showing that they had forgotten the Lord by setting aside His laws and failing to obey His Word, vs 12. Therefore, God was now ready to strike them in judgment, vs 13.

Were they ready for the same, vs 14? For judgment was sure to come in the form of them being scattered among the Nations, so as to purge them from their sin, vs 15,16. Their continuous rebellion against God’s Word had made them worthless in God’s sight and therefore they needed to be disciplined so as to be purged from their iniquities, vs 17-22. In the day of God’s anger, they would receive no rain signifying the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, vs 23,24. Her rulers made women widows and murdered for the sake of sordid gain, vs 25.

Her priests abused God’s law by not teaching people the difference between the holy and the profane and they desecrated His holy things by not keeping the Sabbath, vs 26. Her officials murdered in order to receive dishonest profit, vs 27.

Her prophets lied to the people in God’s name, vs 28. Besides the people themselves followed in practicing similar sins, vs 29. Finding no one to intercede on their behalf, God was left with no alternative but to visit them with judgment, vs 30,31. We see similar things happening in our Nations today. Our only hope is to stand in the gap and intercede for ourselves, our families, Churches and Nations, by praying repentance prayers. For corruption is found everywhere!

Without first repenting of our own sins we can never be those intercessors who can intercede correctly and in a way that will bring the necessary changes, so as to turn away the wrath of God! Let us first begin with ourselves by setting things right, and thus go on to be the repairer of the breach in the wall for all Nations! Amen.

Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.