Judgment on the Land of Israel

Text: Ezekiel 7

I.         An end - Ezekiel 7:1-9

            A.        It would cover the entire land (four corners)

            B.        The judgment would be as earned

            C.        There would be no pity

            D.        The disaster coming would be unique - Ezekiel 7:5; 5:9

            E.        The repetition of phrases - troubled spirit, certainty of occurring

II.        The proper time has come - Ezekiel 7:10-11

            A.        The arrogance, violence, and wickedness have blossomed - Jeremiah 6:7

                        1.         God will use their wickedness against them - Proverbs 5:22

            B.        Don’t feel pity for them - Jeremiah 16:5-6; 25:33

            C.        Land will be sold cheaply - Ezekiel 7:12-13

                        1.         But the buyer should not rejoice, he won’t hold it long

                        2.         The seller shouldn’t mourn the low price, he doesn’t have long either

                        3.         Similar statement about Christian’s coming persecution - I Corinthians 7:28-31

                        4.         Returning refers to Leviticus 25:13, 25-28 where land isn’t really sold but leased until the next Jubilee year.

            D.        They will be attacked, but there will be too few left to defend - Ezekiel 7:14-16

                        1.         Sieged outside, famine inside the city, and those who escape will be living in the wilderness - Deuteronomy 32:23-25; Jeremiah 14:18

                        2.         Like doves fleeing to the mountains for safety - Psalm 11:1

                                    a.         Doves chosen for their sounds of mourning - Isaiah 59;11

                                    b.         The great mourning - Zechariah 12:10-12

            E.        Guilt and lack of hope saps their strength - Ezekiel 7:16-19

                        1.         Weakened by bad news - Isaiah 13:7-8; Jeremiah 6:24; Psalm 55:4-5

                        2.         Shame at their sins - Proverbs 5:11-14

                                    a.         Baldness a sin of grief - Isaiah 3:24; Jeremiah 48:37; Micah 1:16

                        3.         Wealth does not help - Zephaniah 1:18; Proverbs 11:4

                                    a.         As Christ asked - Matthew 16:26

                        4.         The Christian must not get to this state - Hebrews 12:12 (note after chastisement from the Lord)

III.       Punishment for profaning the temple - Ezekiel 7:20-22

            A.        The profaning of the temple - II Kings 21:4-5; II Chronicles 33:4-7; 36:14

            B.        God destroyed the beauty - Psalm 74:2-8; Isaiah 64:11; Lamentations 2:7; II Kings 24:13; 25:9, 13-16; II Chronicles 36:18-19; Jeremiah 52:13-23

            C.        God did not look - Jeremiah 18:17

            D.        Still true today - I Corinthians 3:17

            E.        The temple will not save them - Jeremiah 7:4, 12-15; Micah 3:11

IV.      Complete destruction - Ezekiel 7:23-27

            A.        Deserving for past sins - II Kings 21:16; 24:3-4; Isaiah 59:8-12; Hosea 4:2

            B.        Their sins bound them and now they will be bound in captivity - Nahum 3:10; Jeremiah 27:2; 40:1

            C.        They were handed over to the Gentiles - Psalm 106:41; Lamentations 5:2

            D.        No peace for the wicked - Isaiah 57:21

                        1.         They realized too late that they caused the problem. They sought a treaty with Babylon, but it was too late.

                        2.         Same warning for Christians - I Thessalonians 5:3

            E.        One disaster will follow another - Deuteronomy 32:23; Jeremiah 4:20

            F.        They will look for some hope from God - Jeremiah 37:17; 38:14; Proverbs 1:24-28

                        1.         Could not believe God would leave - Jeremiah 18:18

                        2.         The law and prophets removed - Lamentations 2:9

            G.        All would morn - Jeremiah 52:8-11

            H.        They received their just due - Isaiah 3:11

                        1.         We are warned of the same - Romans 2:5-10; James 2:13