Jerusalem's
Sins
The
Word of the Lord came to me:
2
'Son of man, will you Judge her?
Will
you Judge this City of bloodshed?
Then
Confront her with all her Detestable Practices and say:
3
'THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
O
CITY THAT BRINGS ON HERSELF DOOM BY SHEDDING BLOOD
IN
HER MIDST AND DEFILES HERSELF BY MAKING IDOLS,
4
You have become Guilty because of the blood you have shed
And
have become Defiled by the Idols you have made.
YOU
HAVE BROUGHT YOUR DAY TO A CLOSE,
AND
THE END OF YOUR YEARS HAS COME.
Therefore
I will make you and Object of Scorn to the Nations
And
a Laughingstock to all the Countries.
5
Those who are near and those who are far away will Mock you,
O
INFAMOUS CITY, FULL OF TURMOIL.
6
'Se how each of the Princes of Israel who are in you
Uses
his Power to shed blood.
7
In you they have treated father and mother with Contempt;
In
you they have Oppressed the Alien
And
mistreated the fatherless and the widow
8
YOU HAVE DESPISED MY HOLY THINGS
AND
DESECRATED MY SABBATHS.
9
In you are Slanderous men bent on shedding blood;
In
you are those who eat at the Mountain Shrines
And
commit Lewd Acts.
10
In you are those who Dishonor their father's bed;
In
you are those who Violate women during their period
When
they are ceremonially unclean.
11
In you one man commits a Detestable Offense
With
his neighbor's wife,
another
Shamefully Defiles his daughter-in-law,
And
another Violates his sister, his own father's daughter.
12
In you men accept Bribes to shed blood;
You
take Usury and Excessive Interest
And
make Unjust Gain from your neighbors by Extortion.
AND
YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN ME, DECLARES THE SOVEREIGN LORD.
13
'I will surely strike My hands together
At
the Unjust Gain you have made
And
at the blood you have shed in your midst.
14
WILL YOUR COURAGE ENDURE OR YOUR HANDS BE STRONG
IN
THE DAY I DEAL WITH YOU?
I
THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN AND I WILL DO IT.
15
I WILL DISPERSE YOU AMONG THE NATIONS
AND
SCATTER YOU THROUGH THE COUNTRIES;
AND
I WILL PUT AN END TO YOUR UNCLEANNESS.
16
WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN DEFILED IN THE EYES OF THE NATIONS,
YOU
WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.'
17
Then the Word of the Lord came to Me:
'Son
of man, the House of Israel has become Dross to Me:
All
of them are copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a Furnace.
They
are bu the Dross of silver.
19
THEREFORE THIS IS WHAT THE THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
'Because
you have all become Dross,
I
will gather you into Jerusalem.
20
As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a Furnace
To
melt it with a Fiery Blast,
SO
I WILL GATHER YOU IN MY ANGER AND MY WRATH
AND
PUT YOU INSIDE THE CITY AND MELT YOU.
21
I WILL GATHER YOU
AND
I WILL BLOW ON YOU WITH MY FIERY WRATH,
AND
YOU WILL MELT INSIDE HER.
22
As silver is melted in a Furnace,
so
you will be Melted inside her,
AND
YOU WILL KNOW THAT I THE LORD
HAVE
POURED OUT MY WRATH UPON YOU.'
23
Again the Word of the Lord came to me:
24
'Son of man, say to the Land,
'You
are a Land that has had no rain or showers
IN
THE DAY OF WRATH.'
25
There is a Conspiracy of her Princes within her
Like
a roaring lion tearing its prey;
The
Devour people, take treasures and precious things
And
make many widow within her.
26
HER PRIESTS DO VIOLENCE TO MY LAW
AND
PROFANE MY HOLY THINGS;
THEY
DO NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE HOLY AND THE COMMON;
THEY
TEACH THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN;
AND
THEY SHUT THEIR EYES TO THE KEEPING OF MY SABBATHS,
SO
I AM PROFANED AMONG THEM.
27
Her Officials within her are like Wolves tearing their prey;
They
make Unjust Gain.
28
HER PROPHETS WHITEWASH THESE DEEDS FOR THEM
BY
FALSE VISIONS AND LYING DIVINATIONS.
They
say this is what the Sovereign Lord says'--
WHEN
THE LORD HAS NOT SPOKEN.
29
The people of the Land Practice Extortion and Commit Robbery;
They
Oppress the poor and needy and Mistreat the Alien,
DENYING
THEM JUSTICE.
30
'I LOOKED FOR A MAN AMONG THEM
WHO
WOULD BUILD UP THE WALL
AND
STAND BEFORE ME IN THE GAP
ON
BEHALF OF THE LAND
SO
I WOULD NOT HAVE TO DESTROY IT,
BUT
I FOUND NONE.
31
SO I WILL POUR OUR MY WRATH ON THEM
AND
CONSUME THEM WITH MY FIERY ANGER,
BRINGING
DOWN ON THEIR OWN HEADS
ALL
THEY HAVE DONE,
DECLARES
THE SOVEREIGN LORD.'
(Ezekiel
22)
Is
America more Righteous than Jerusalem in the day of Ezekiel?
Are
her Cities more Righteous than Jerusalem in the day of Ezekiel?
Are
America's “Priests” more Righteous
Than
the Priests in Israel in the day of Ezekiel?
Do
the Prophets in America Whitewash what America's Officials do?
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