Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness
June 26, 2019
Commentary
Noah, Daniel and Job were great men in Israel’s history who were known for their wisdom and relationships with God (v. 14). However, even these great men of God could not have saved the people of Judah because He had already passed judgement on the nation’s pervasive evil. The three men mentioned here, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were righteous, not by virtue of their own deeds, but by virtue of the imputed righteousness of God (vv. 16-20). The remnant mentioned were not righteous individuals, but characterized the gross idolatry that prevailed in Jerusalem (v. 22). When these are brought to Babylon, the exiles already there realized the justice of God in bringing His fourfold judgment upon Jerusalem (v. 21).
The four judgements are specified as follows:
War – “Or if I bring a sword on that land” (v.17). God often chastises sinful nations by bringing a sword upon them, the sword of a foreign enemy. It is bad enough if the sword do but enter into the borders of a land, but much worse when it goes through the land.Famine – “I will cut off its supply of bread” (v. 13). He cuts off man and beast by cutting off the provisions which nature makes for both. God cuts off its supply of bread, when, though we have bread, yet we are not been nourished and strengthened by it (Hag. 1:6).Wild Beasts – “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they empty it” (v. 15). It seems that these beasts, either ravenous or poisonous, were not only preying upon their flocks and herds, but devouring men, women, and children.Pestilence – “Or if I send a pestilence” (v. 21). A dreadful disease, which has sometimes depopulated cities; kills as effectually as if the blood were shed by the sword.
Application
From this passage of Scripture we can see how God has many ways of fighting sin. I am glad that my sin has been judged once for all, and I do not have to fall into the hands of an angry and just God.
Ezekiel 14:12– 23 (NET)
12 The Lord’s message came to me: 13 “Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, cut off its bread supply, cause famine to come on it, and kill both people and animals. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “Suppose I were to send wild animals through the land and kill its children, leaving it desolate, without travelers due to the wild animals. 16 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters; they would save only their own lives, and the land would become desolate.
17 “Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land,’ and I were to kill both people and animals. 18 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters—they would save only their own lives.
19 “Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. 20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.
21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments—sword, famine, wild animals, and plague—to Jerusalem to kill both people and animals! 22 Yet some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their behavior and their deeds, you will be consoled about the catastrophe I have brought on Jerusalem—for everything I brought on it. 23 They will console you when you see their behavior and their deeds, because you will know that it was not without reason that I have done everything that I have done in it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Illustration: WC Fields Looking for Loopholes in the Bible
Just before the death of actor W. C. Fields, a friend visited Fields’ hospital room and was surprised to find him thumbing through a Bible. Asked what he was doing with a Bible, Fields replied, “I’m looking for loopholes.” (Source Unknown).