The Siege of Jerusalem

 

 

Ezekiel 24:1-14

 

December 22, 2023

 

The Siege of Jerusalem

In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.  And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:

“Set on the pot set it on; pour in water also; put in it the pieces of meat, all the good pieces, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones.  Take the choicest one of the flock; pile the logs under it;
boil it well; seethe also its bones in it.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.  For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on the bare rock; she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust.  To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.  Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.  Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed.  She has wearied herself with toil; its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion!  On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you.  I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”

As I read this this thought came into my mind,  Recall Reuben and Gad settled in Gilead and not wanting to cross over the Jordan to live, for this area was perfect for livestock.  But they promised to go and fight with Israel till they had conquered the land.  Do you recall these words that Moses spoke to them?  Numbers 22:20-23, ^“So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven out his enemies from before him and the land is subdued before the Lord; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the Lord and to Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.  But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Israel had become much like my nation, all about self, forgetting what God had done for them.  As a follower of Christ, be careful to keep your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.  In a world of lies and fear look to Truth, Jesus is the Truth and the way.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice