EZEKIEL Chapter 22 - Jerusalem's Sins

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?