The Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

 

Ezekiel 4:1-3

October30, 2023

 

The Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

 “And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem.  And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.  And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the House of Israel.

President Ronald Regan emphasized, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”  In his farewell address, he said, “In my mind, it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity.” We also have another quote from our history, "For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses... ."—John Winthrop, aboard the Arbella, 1630.

 

As I write this paper, what happened to America, the USA, we are not a nation living in harmony, for we have dealt falsely with our God.  Just look at the ignorance of our history and the history of Israel, coming out of our Colleges.  

 

I am not a prophet not even close to having any understanding of the future, but we are a lot like the people of Ezekiel's time, and in this regard believe they were proof.  We like them have not prepared for God’s judgment, and like them, we do not believe it will come.  

God required Ezekiel to engrave on a brick the city of Jerusalem and to take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the House of Israel.  The iron griddle was like an impenetrable wall between Israel, Judah, and God.  Their cries for help would not be heard, and the Lord forbidding Ezekiel to intercede for them.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice