Ezekiel 22:1-16 The Bloody City

Part 35 in this series.

From last time we had a question about the Ammonites at the end of Ezekiel 21 in verse 32 that was unanswered.  So this session starts with an answer to that apparent contradiction.

Then, looking at this chapter, first we have an outline of the chapter divided by the phrase, "The word of the LORD" in verses 1, 17, and 23.  The sections are as follows:
    1-16    The causes of judgment
    17-22    The crucible of judgment
    23-31    The reason for the judgment

Ezekiel is to show the people all her abominations, to read out the charges as a prosecuting attorney.  It seems they needed to be shown, suggesting their consciences had become silenced and dead.  Shouldn't they know their guilt?  May we ever have a tender conscience so God does not have to spell out discipline like this to us.

Shedding blood is in connection with idolatry:  The most heinous form of adultery was the worship of Molech, which included child sacrifice.  The first-born was to be devoted to God, but they sacrificed the child to Molech.  Why has God not judged our societies?  We offer our children on the altar of financial success.  Countless children murdered in the name of Finances.

They lost respect for their parents.  The treated them lightly.  They needed to take care of strangers, yet they had abused them.  We might not agree with government policies on immigration, but we have to be careful to treat people as individuals.

Sometimes in our lives God allows circumstances to purge away the dross, so that we might be a pure people that can bring an offering to the Lord in righteousness.  We need to not despise that.  He will purify the sons of Levi; how much more the sons of God?