Ezekiel 5:1-17

content/bible_journal/ezekiel_5:1-17.md

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+title = "Ezekiel 5:1–17"
+date = "2023-03-12"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel5.1-17)
+
+Ezekiel has one last thing to do to prepare for his acting out the siege of
+Jerusalem. He must shave off his hair and beard, which would be a mark of great
+shame or mourning for Ezekiel. There is a law in Leviticus that Israelite men,
+and especially priests, are not to "mar the edges of the beard", but the Lord
+commands Ezekiel to do this anyway. I take that law to mean that they weren't
+to cut shapes into their beard, presumably like the neighboring nations did for
+their religions. Being fully clean-shaven might not have been prohibited, much
+like having hair go completely white was not a cause of ritual uncleanness, but
+culturally it would still be a mark of shame for him.
+
+With his shorn hair, Ezekiel was to divide it into three equal parts and
+perform more symbolic actinos with it, once he was done portraying the siege.
+With one third he is to burn it in the middle of the city, with another third
+go around the city and strike it with a sword, and with the last thrid to
+scatter it on the wind. But a few pieces of hair he is to tie up in his robe,
+though a few of those are to be burned up too.
+
+Naturally you might be asking, "What is this all about?" Wonderfully, the Bible
+often answers this question if we just keep reading. The Lord gives Ezekiel the
+interpretation by saying that the hair is the people of Jerusalem. A third will
+die from plague during the siege (burned), a third will killed by the invading
+soldiers, and a third will be scattered and flee in all directions. It is very
+interesting that there is no more mention of the remnant represented by the
+hair kept in Ezekiel's robe. However, we know from Jeremiah 40 that there were
+some survivors in Jerusalem, a remnant kept alive by the Lord.
+
+In addition to describing what will happen to the people of Jerusalem, the Lord
+explains _why_ He is bringing such severe judgment upon them. Despite having
+the Law of Moses and the prophets to explain what God requires of them, they
+have been even more wicked than the nations that surround them who did not have
+those words. They were so rebellious, they didn't even behave according to the
+laws of the neighboring nations. Because of their abominable and detestable
+practices, they are driven to do worse things as a punsihment, like
+cannibalism.
+
+God in His mercy uses this judgement as a warning to the whole world that He
+takes holiness seriously. Everyone who hears how Jerusalem has fallen will know
+that it is because the Lord has executed judgement on them for their wicked
+deeds, and the wise will take that warning to heart. The wicked may seem to
+prosper for a time, but the Lord's patience is long-suffering, not
+ever-suffering.
+
+* * *
+
+Teach us Your ways so that we may do them and live.