Ezekiel 7:5
This is what the Lord GOD says: 'Disaster! An unprecedented disaster--behold, it is coming!
This is what the Lord GOD says
This phrase establishes the authority and divine origin of the message. The Hebrew term for "Lord GOD" is "Adonai Yahweh," emphasizing both the sovereignty and the covenantal relationship God has with His people. In the context of Ezekiel, a prophet during the Babylonian exile, this introduction underscores the seriousness and authenticity of the prophecy. It is a reminder that the words to follow are not merely human opinions but divine declarations that demand attention and reverence.

Disaster!
The Hebrew word used here is "ra'ah," which can mean evil, calamity, or disaster. In the context of Ezekiel, it refers to the impending judgment and destruction that God is about to bring upon the land of Israel due to their persistent idolatry and rebellion. This word serves as a stark warning, highlighting the severity of the consequences of turning away from God. It is a call to repentance and a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God.

A unique disaster
The phrase "unique disaster" suggests an unprecedented calamity. The Hebrew word "yachid" implies something singular or one-of-a-kind. This indicates that the judgment coming upon Israel is unlike anything they have experienced before. Historically, this points to the Babylonian conquest and the destruction of Jerusalem, which was a pivotal and devastating event in Jewish history. It serves as a prophetic foreshadowing of the seriousness of God's judgment when His people persist in sin.

behold, it is coming!
The word "behold" is a call to attention, urging the listeners to take notice of what is about to happen. The Hebrew "hinneh" is often used to draw focus to something significant or imminent. "It is coming" emphasizes the certainty and imminence of the prophesied disaster. This phrase serves as a final warning, urging the people to prepare for the inevitable consequences of their actions. It is a call to awareness and readiness, underscoring the urgency of the prophetic message.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel was called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites.

2. The Lord GOD
The sovereign and holy God of Israel, who communicates His will and judgments through His prophets.

3. Israel
The nation chosen by God, which is facing impending judgment due to its persistent disobedience and idolatry.

4. Babylonian Exile
The period during which the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, serving as a backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecies.

5. Judgment
The central theme of this passage, highlighting God's impending punishment for Israel's sins.
Teaching Points
The Certainty of God's Judgment
God's pronouncement of disaster is not a mere possibility but a certainty. His words through Ezekiel remind us that divine judgment is inevitable for unrepentant sin.

The Unprecedented Nature of God's Judgment
The phrase "an unprecedented disaster" underscores the severity and uniqueness of the coming judgment. It serves as a warning to take God's words seriously and to live in obedience.

The Call to Repentance
While the message is one of impending disaster, it implicitly calls for repentance. Understanding the gravity of God's judgment should lead us to examine our lives and turn back to Him.

God's Sovereignty and Justice
This passage highlights God's sovereignty and justice. He is in control and will execute justice according to His perfect will. Believers are called to trust in His righteous judgment.

Hope Beyond Judgment
Although the immediate message is one of disaster, the broader context of Ezekiel includes promises of restoration and hope. God's ultimate plan is to bring His people back to Himself.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of the Babylonian exile enhance our comprehension of Ezekiel 7:5?

2. In what ways does the certainty of God's judgment in Ezekiel 7:5 challenge us to live differently today?

3. How can we reconcile the message of impending disaster with the hope and restoration promised later in Ezekiel?

4. What parallels can we draw between the warnings in Ezekiel and the warnings found in the New Testament, such as in Revelation?

5. How does the concept of God's sovereignty and justice in Ezekiel 7:5 influence our trust in His plans for our lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 4:6
This verse also speaks of disaster coming from the north, emphasizing the certainty and imminence of God's judgment.

Amos 5:18-20
Amos warns of the "day of the LORD," a time of darkness and judgment, similar to Ezekiel's message.

Revelation 6:17
The New Testament speaks of the great day of God's wrath, connecting the theme of divine judgment across both Testaments.
The Hand of the Dock on the Hour of DoomJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 7:1-15
Aspects of the Execution of the Divine JudgmentsW. Jones Ezekiel 7:5-11
People
Ezekiel
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Behold, Disaster, Evil, Says, Single, Singular, Thus, Unheard, Unique
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 7:2-6

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Library
Motives to Holy Mourning
Let me exhort Christians to holy mourning. I now persuade to such a mourning as will prepare the soul for blessedness. Oh that our hearts were spiritual limbecs, distilling the water of holy tears! Christ's doves weep. They that escape shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity' (Ezekiel 7:16). There are several divine motives to holy mourning: 1 Tears cannot be put to a better use. If you weep for outward losses, you lose your tears. It is like a shower
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Healing a Demoniac in a Synagogue.
(at Capernaum.) ^B Mark I. 21-28; ^C Luke . IV. 31-37. ^b 21 And they [Jesus and the four fishermen whom he called] go into { ^c he came down to} Capernaum, a city of Galilee. [Luke has just spoken of Nazareth, and he uses the expression "down to Capernaum" because the latter was on the lake shore while Nazareth was up in the mountains.] And ^b straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. { ^c was teaching them} ^b 22 And they were astonished at his teaching: for he taught
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Blessed are they that Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn. Matthew 5:4 Here are eight steps leading to true blessedness. They may be compared to Jacob's Ladder, the top whereof reached to heaven. We have already gone over one step, and now let us proceed to the second: Blessed are they that mourn'. We must go through the valley of tears to paradise. Mourning were a sad and unpleasant subject to treat on, were it not that it has blessedness going before, and comfort coming after. Mourning is put here for repentance. It implies
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

"Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on Thee, Because He Trusteth in Thee. "
Isaiah xxvi. 3.--"Thou shall keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." All men love to have privileges above others. Every one is upon the design and search after some well-being, since Adam lost that which was true happiness. We all agree upon the general notion of it, but presently men divide in the following of particulars. Here all men are united in seeking after some good; something to satisfy their souls, and satiate their desires. Nay, but they
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

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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