Ezekiel 24:9
Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.
Therefore
This word serves as a conclusion or result of the preceding verses. In the context of Ezekiel 24, God is pronouncing judgment on Jerusalem. The Hebrew word used here is "לָכֵן" (lakhen), which often introduces a divine decree or judgment. It signifies a transition from the cause to the effect, emphasizing the certainty and inevitability of God's actions.

this is what the Lord GOD says
This phrase underscores the authority and sovereignty of God. The Hebrew term "אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה" (Adonai Yahweh) is used, highlighting both the lordship and the covenantal relationship God has with His people. It is a reminder that the message comes directly from God, carrying divine weight and authority.

Woe
The Hebrew word "הוֹי" (hoy) is an expression of lamentation and impending doom. It is often used by prophets to announce judgment. This word conveys a deep sense of sorrow and forewarning, indicating that the consequences of the city's actions are both severe and unavoidable.

to the city of bloodshed
This phrase refers to Jerusalem, which had become a place of violence and injustice. The Hebrew "עִיר הַדָּמִים" (ir haddamim) literally means "city of bloods," indicating rampant bloodshed and moral corruption. Historically, Jerusalem had turned away from God's laws, engaging in idolatry and violence, thus earning this grim epithet.

I Myself
The emphasis on "I Myself" (Hebrew: "אֲנִי") highlights God's personal involvement in the judgment. It is not an act delegated to others; God Himself will execute justice. This underscores His active role in the affairs of humanity and His commitment to righteousness.

will make the pile great
The imagery of a "pile" (Hebrew: "הַמַּדּוּרָה") refers to a heap of wood for burning, symbolizing the destruction and purification through fire. In the context of ancient Near Eastern practices, such imagery would resonate with the audience as a sign of complete and thorough judgment. The "great" nature of the pile indicates the extent and intensity of the coming judgment, reflecting the seriousness of the city's sins.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon. He is known for his vivid visions and symbolic acts.

2. The Lord GOD
The sovereign and holy God of Israel, who speaks through Ezekiel to pronounce judgment and call for repentance.

3. City of Bloodshed
Refers to Jerusalem, which is being condemned for its violence, idolatry, and injustice. The term underscores the city's moral and spiritual corruption.

4. Babylonian Exile
The historical context in which Ezekiel prophesied. The Israelites were in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry.

5. Judgment
The event of divine retribution that God declares upon Jerusalem for its sins, symbolized by the "pile" that will be made great.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Sin
God takes sin seriously, especially when it involves violence and injustice. We must examine our own lives and communities for areas where we may be complicit in such sins.

Divine Justice
God's justice is inevitable. While His patience is great, there comes a time when He must act against persistent sin. We should live in a way that honors His righteousness.

Call to Repentance
Like Jerusalem, we are called to repent and turn from our sinful ways. Repentance is not just feeling sorry but involves a complete change of heart and action.

God's Sovereignty
God is in control of history and uses even difficult circumstances to fulfill His purposes. Trust in His sovereignty, even when facing judgment or discipline.

Hope in Restoration
While judgment is severe, God's ultimate desire is for restoration and reconciliation. We should hold onto hope and work towards healing and renewal in our lives and communities.
Bible Study Questions
1. What specific sins led to Jerusalem being called a "city of bloodshed," and how can we identify similar issues in our own society today?

2. How does the concept of divine justice in Ezekiel 24:9 challenge or comfort you in your personal walk with God?

3. In what ways can we actively participate in repentance and seek justice in our communities, reflecting the call of the prophets?

4. How does understanding God's sovereignty help us navigate times of personal or communal judgment and discipline?

5. What parallels can you draw between the judgment of Jerusalem and the warnings given to the churches in Revelation, and how can these insights guide our faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah also speaks against the sins of Jerusalem, emphasizing the people's false sense of security in the temple and their need for genuine repentance.

Isaiah 1
Isaiah condemns the moral decay and injustice in Jerusalem, calling the city a "sinful nation" and urging the people to seek justice and righteousness.

Revelation 18
The fall of Babylon in Revelation echoes the judgment upon Jerusalem, symbolizing God's ultimate justice against sin and corruption.
The Boiling CauldronUrijah R. Thomas.Ezekiel 24:1-14
The Boiling CauldronA London MinisterEzekiel 24:1-14
The Consuming CauldronJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 24:1-14
The Interior Mechanism of WarJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 24:1-14
The Parable of the Cauldron; Or, the Judgment Upon JerusalemW. Jones Ezekiel 24:1-14
People
Ezekiel
Places
Babylon, Jerusalem, Samaria
Topics
Blood, Bloodshed, Bloody, Burning, Cause, Curse, Fire, Mass, Pile, Says, Sovereign, Thus, Town, Wo, Woe, Wood, Yea
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 24:1-13

     4478   meat

Ezekiel 24:3-13

     5438   parables

Ezekiel 24:9-11

     4318   coal

Library
Divine Sovereignty.
In this discussion I shall endeavor to show, I. What is not intended by the term "sovereignty" when applied to God. It is not intended, at least by me, that God, in any instance, wills or acts arbitrarily, or without good reasons; reasons so good and so weighty, that he could in no case act otherwise than he does, without violating the law of his own intelligence and conscience, and consequently without sin. Any view of divine sovereignty that implies arbitrariness on the part of the divine will,
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Jews Make all Ready for the War; and Simon, the Son of Gioras, Falls to Plundering.
1. And thus were the disturbances of Galilee quieted, when, upon their ceasing to prosecute their civil dissensions, they betook themselves to make preparations for the war with the Romans. Now in Jerusalem the high priest Artanus, and do as many of the men of power as were not in the interest of the Romans, both repaired the walls, and made a great many warlike instruments, insomuch that in all parts of the city darts and all sorts of armor were upon the anvil. Although the multitude of the young
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

That the Ruler Should not Set his Heart on Pleasing Men, and yet Should Give Heed to what Ought to Please Them.
Meanwhile it is also necessary for the ruler to keep wary watch, lest the lust of pleasing men assail him; lest, when he studiously penetrates the things that are within, and providently supplies the things that are without, he seek to be beloved of those that are under him more than truth; lest, while, supported by his good deeds, he seems not to belong to the world, self-love estrange him from his Maker. For he is the Redeemer's enemy who through the good works which he does covets being loved
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The End
'1. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4. And the city was broken up, and all the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

How those who Fear Scourges and those who Contemn them are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 14.) Differently to be admonished are those who fear scourges, and on that account live innocently, and those who have grown so hard in wickedness as not to be corrected even by scourges. For those who fear scourges are to be told by no means to desire temporal goods as being of great account, seeing that bad men also have them, and by no means to shun present evils as intolerable, seeing they are not ignorant how for the most part good men also are touched by them. They are to be admonished
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Exod 20: 14. God is a pure, holy spirit, and has an infinite antipathy against all uncleanness. In this commandment he has entered his caution against it; non moechaberis, Thou shalt not commit adultery.' The sum of this commandment is, The preservations of corporal purity. We must take heed of running on the rock of uncleanness, and so making shipwreck of our chastity. In this commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something expressly forbidden. 1. The
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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