Welcome back. Today, we will read a sobering section of our study in Ezekiel, chapters 5–9. At this time, historians estimate there were around 150,000 people in Judah (1). Ezekiel was living in Babylon, as we already know, along with approximately 15,000 of his countrymen. What God tells him—to take a sword and shave off his beard and all the hair on his head (v 5:1)—is not just symbolic. It’s a sign of mourning and sorrow (2), but also a declaration that God is turning His back on His people, just as He warns in Romans 1:24: “Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity” (3). Prophets had warned them for decades. Now, they’re getting what they deserve.
We can imagine Ezekiel had many friends and family members who he now knows he will lose. Perhaps they will bring another 10,000 to Babylon, but sword, famine, or plague will cause the death of as many as 75,000. He has plenty of reasons to mourn.
The Reality of Fear
This brings to mind the question: how do we deal with adversity? What would you do if at least half the people you know were about to die? We all faced that scare during COVID-19. I certainly don’t want to be fear-mongering like the mainstream press. But this is a legitimate question we must confront.
Many Christians, myself included, look forward to the rapture. The progressive defilement and pollution of things with sin in this world saddens us. So we ask: when will God say “Enough!” He did it to Sodom and Gomorrah. He did it to Jerusalem here in Ezekiel. And He has done it before—through events like the Bubonic plague in the mid-fourteenth century, which killed about 25–50 million people (4), or the Spanish Flu pandemic between 1918 and 1920, which took at least that many lives, possibly double (5).
These are not campfire stories meant to scare. They are historical realities. And if God has clearly spelled out how we should live, given us many examples of His power, and warned us against persisting in sin—why do we continue to push that line?
When Nations Fall
Nations fall. Religions fall. Throughout history, tribes and species have experienced annihilation. What makes us so arrogant to think we can flaunt our sins in God’s face, shake our fists at Him, push Him from all areas of society—and not face His wrath? Wouldn’t it be the greatest injustice of all if He punished His own people and not us?
Yes, we live in the age of grace. But grace gives us freedom to follow Jesus, not a license to sin (Gal 5:13). The Catholic Church was under grace, yet split because of its sins, leading to the Reformation. God preserved it, just as He preserved a fragment of Israel. But think about this: Ezekiel, I believe, is in heaven today. Though not technically a Christian, he had faith that God would deliver him. Just as with Abraham, “his faith was counted as righteousness” (Gen 15:6) (6). Still, most of the people he cared about died in a devastating way.
As Christians, we can feel secure about our salvation. But how many of us will need to shave our heads and faces when the day comes that most of the people we care about have perished?
We must live lives that draw others to Christ while they still have time to repent. That means learning from the mistakes of Israel and repenting. It also means becoming bolder in our witness—to share the Gospel with everyone we encounter.
Tomorrow, we will read Ezekiel 10-13.
Citations
Finkelstein, I., & Silberman, N.A. (2001). The Bible Unearthed.
Ellicott, C.J. (1878). Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers.
Romans 1:24, NIV.
Benedictow, O.J. (2004). The Black Death 1346–1353: The Complete History.
Taubenberger, J.K., & Morens, D.M. (2006). “1918 Influenza: The Mother of All Pandemics.” Emerging Infectious Diseases, 12(1), 15–22.
Genesis 15:6, ESV.