Ezekiel (Ch 5-6)
Chapter 5 is using Jerusalem as an example of the judgments which God were about to execute on its inhabitants with famine, pestilence, sword and dispersion, and what were the reasons of God’s judgements on that great city; and the nature, rise and end of them.
The secret is out when God revealed it to Ezekiel: “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off’ (Ezekiel 12:27). Or as the RSV has it: “The vision that he sees is for many days hence, and he prophesies of times far off.”
And this warning is to “all the house of Israel” (verse 4); all thirteen tribes or the house of Jacob.
Ezekiel 5
1 “And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor and cause it to pass over thine head and upon thy beard. Then take thee balances to weigh and divide the hair. — the Septuagint reads this in conjunction with the former, thus, “take thee a knife” or a “sword, sharper than a barber’s razor” — in another translation: “a sword sharper than a barber’s razor.”
— and cause it to pass upon thine head, and upon thy beard; the “head” was a symbol of the city of Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea; the “beard” of the cities, towns and villages about it; and the “hair” of both, of the common people; the cutting off the hair was a common mark of mourning (see Job 1:20; Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 7:29); and the shaving of them denotes their disgrace and destruction.
2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part and smite about it with a knife, and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
The first third “fire” would also include pestilence and famine: “Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.” Lementation 5:10; see also Ezekiel 5:12 below.
The Septuagint: 2A fourth part thou shalt burn in the fire in the midst of the city, at the fulfillment of the days of the siege: and thou shalt take a fourth part, and burn it up in the midst of it: and a fourth part thou shalt cut with a sword round about it: and a fourth part thou shalt scatter to the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
The rubble of the World Trade Centre in New York smoulders following a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 in New York. Russia and China were quick to express solidarity and willingness to work with the US to defeat terrorism.
3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts. — and bind them in thy skirts; in the pockets of them; signifying both a very small number of them, a small remnant and their preservation. These were to be carried captive to Babylon; lived there and were preserved.
4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel. — and this warning is to “all the house of Israel;” the northern house of Israel (for 190 years?) and the southern house of Judah (for 40 years?)
— and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. Anciently, this was fulfilled in Gedaliah and the Jews that were with him, over whom the king of Babylon had made him governor, who were slain by Ishmael.
5 “Thus saith the Lord God: This is Jerusalem. I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her. — it is the city of Jerusalem that is portrayed upon the tile; and the same is signified by the head of the prophet that was to be shaved; that being not only the chief city of Judea, but of the whole world.
6 And she hath changed My judgements into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for they have refused My judgements and My statutes. They have not walked in them.
— she hath changed my judgements into wickedness more than the nations; the word “changed” signifies to “rebel against” or to “transgress” and that, she, that is, Jerusalem, has “rebelled” against my judgements and “transgressed” them in a wicked manner, even to a greater degree than the nations of the world. The Targum interprets it changed as we do: — witness LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (questioning), intersex, asexual (agender));
— woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that count darkness as light, and light as darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20;
— and my statutes more than the countries that are around her. “Judgements” and “statutes” are the same laws and ordinances of worship, being just and righteous, and firm and unalterable; witness God’s judgement on Jerusalem in 70 AD;
— for they have refused my judgements and my statutes; they refused to comply with them, and to yield an obedience to them, and that with loathing, disdain and contempt as the word s signifies — no one seems to understanding the significance of the siege and inferno of Jerusalem from 66 AD to 70 AD;
7 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in My statutes, neither have kept My judgements, neither have done according to the judgements of the nations that are round about you, — these are more abominable than the heathens; one example is that LGBTQIA is more perversed in Israelitist naions;
— parallel Scripture in Hosea: “I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel; there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled” Hosea 6:10
8 therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgements in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. — God’s judgement in the sight of the nations; as notorious as thy sins, so shall thy punishment be. The heathens shall see my hand in it, and own my justice;
— these are serious stuff; for example, the world will see if Fort Detrick and/or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill the Source of Covid-19? And before the sight of the nations?
— the history of Fort Detrick; how they received the Unit 731 biolab transplant and how they nurtured those secrets from then on? Also, perhaps, the full extent of “We lied, we cheated, we stole… we had entire training courses” exposed for the world to see?
— without going into details, others could be (1) chemical weapons in various countries across the world, one example: orange agents during Vietnam war; (2) moon landing hoax; (3) 9/11 World Trade Centers killers; (4) Covid-19 origin; (5) the minds and hands behind Nord Stream I and II attacks;
9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and the like of which I will not do any more, because of all thine abominations. — “because of all thine abominations;” God shows the reason why He deals with the full house of Israel in greater severity than with the surrounding heathen nations;
— not comparable to any other nation, not even to Sodom and Gomorrah, when they were destroyed by fire from heaven; not in Egypt, when he inflicted his plagues on Pharaoh and his people. More than the Nazi concentration camp? More than the Armenian genocide in 1916? More than the Japanese Unit 731 germ experiment in Harbin? It is going to be very ugly!
10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgements in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.
— therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee; which was long ago threatened by the Lord, and prophesied of by Moses, Leviticus 26:27; and was fulfilled at several times in the people of Israel, as at the siege of Samaria, II Kings 6:28; at the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Lamentations 4:10;
— and at the siege of the same city by Titus Vespasian, as Josephus relates; for though these instances only show that mothers ate their children, yet no doubt the fathers took part with them; and if mothers, who are naturally more tender, could do this, it is much more reasonable to suppose that fathers did the same;
— the whole remnant of thee will I scatter: this was verified when they were fetched away who were left at the departure of the besiegers, and when the very small remnant fled into Egypt with Johanan; but this will be repeated in the future.
11 “Therefore as I live, saith the Lord God, surely because thou hast defiled My sanctuary with all thy detestable things and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall Mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
— as I live, the most solemn of oaths, pledging the self-existence of God: the calamities of the Babylonian were surpassed by the Roman siege, and these again were but a foreshadowing of still more terrible destruction at the last day.
12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
— a third part of them shall die with the pestilence and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; signified by the third part of the hair, smitten with a knife; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds; the greatest part of which were carried into captivity.
13 Thus shall Mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in My zeal when I have accomplished My fury upon them. — and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in My zeal; that is, they shall find by experience that what the Lord had spoken by His prophets, and had threatened to bring upon them, was said in earnest, and arose from a jealousy for His own glory; this will be a clear case, and out of question.
14 “Moreover I will make thee a waste and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by. — moreover God will make thee a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgements upon thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken it. — I the Lord have spoken it; the Targum says, “I the Lord have decreed in my word.”
16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you, and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread,
17 so will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee, and I will bring the sword upon thee. I, the Lord, have spoken it.” — evil beasts, literally lions, wolves, alligators, bears and bisons, etc;
— God the Almighty have spoken it: who is able to perform it, and did, both at the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and by Titus in AD 70; and perhaps a series of bigger ones in the future?
Ezekiel 6
— ye or they “shall know that I am the Lord” expressed 3 times in this chapter alone (v7, 13, 14) and in all, 51 times in the book of Ezekiel. In other chapters the phase could apply to some Gentile nations, but for this chapter it applies solely to the house of Israel.
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, — the message in this chapter is more to the house of Israel, and less to the house of Judah.
2 “Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them — Son of man, set thy face towards the mountains of Israel; or cities of Israel, the future inhabitants of them; not the ancient ten tribes, for they had been carried captive long before this time, even in the times of Hezekiah;
— but far more likely, into the far future (Ezekiel 12:27), unless it can be thought that this prophecy was designed to show the reason of their Assyrian captivity, which wasn’t.
3 and say: ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys: Behold I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. — this message to the “mountains of Israel;” these mountains refer to the United States, UK and France. . . .
— and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys; the hills: Ireland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Finland and Iceland; and the valleys, the low countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg;
— and to the rivers (or ravines), where during the nineteenth century, the British Navy were known to “Rule the Waves;” their colonies, their new territories; and the United States having been plowing up and down the five oceans with her Seven Fleets since the British Navy left the scene;
— behold I, even I, will bring a sword upon you; the Targum paraphrases it, “them that kill with the sword;” meaning your enemies will destroy your high places;
4 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. — your temples and altars, built on high places, and devoted to idolatrous worship, threatening them with utter destruction.
5 And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. — and God will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, which is repeated for emphasis.
6 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.
— in all your dwelling places your cities shall be laid waste; which indicates that the desolation should be widespread, wherever they had cities, towns and villages and places to dwell in;
— the idolatry being universal as is said in Jeremiah 2:28; but where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble; for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. Of course, this chapter is for modern Israel, not Judah.
7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
— flash forward in a parallel Scripture; and speaking of the house of Jacob today: “I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD” Ezekiel 35:4. This implies the house of Israel, even their numerous churches, doesn’t know God today!!!
8 “‘Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations when ye shall be scattered through the countries. — situations are getting very serious, and ultimately Ezekiel asks: “Ah, Lord God! Wilt Thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” Ezekiel 11:13.
9 And they that escape from among you shall remember Me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from Me, and with their eyes which go a whoring after their idols. And they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. — they that escape of you shall remember God (or, as the Targum says, learn the fear of me);
— those that escape the sword, the pestilence, and the famine, and shall be led into captivity, shall plainly see that it is God who has done this, and shall humble themselves on account of their abominations, leave their idolatry, and worship God alone;
— and this the house of Judah have experienced from the Babylonian captivity many times, again and again, down to the present day; but the house of Israel will be dealt with in the last days, perhaps the last 190 years according to Ezekiel 4 (Septuagint version).
10 And they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them. — the emphasis of the words is, “When the slain shall fall in the midst of you, then at last ye shall know that I am the Lord.” Again, this implies in numerous times that the house of Israel doesn’t know God today!!!
11 “‘Thus saith the Lord God: Smite with thine hand and stamp with thy foot, and say: “Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel!” For they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. — smite with thine hand and stamp with thy foot; all expression of anguish and sorrow: the word “alas” or “woe” as in the Targum is an interjection of mourning and lamentation;
— for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; which are repeated from Ezekiel 5:12; and the persons on whom they should be separately executed are mentioned in Ezekiel 6:12. Again the term “the house of Israel” is used here.
12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence, and he that is near shall fall by the sword, and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine; thus will I accomplish My fury upon them. — central theme of falling by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence are repeated for emphasis. And sometimes in different order indicates they are all mixed and mingled together.
13 Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they offered sweet savor to all their idols.
— modern day idolatries are alive and well; in all corners, caves and hideout of the house of Israel, people will be caught in a snare; anything that they love, treasure, prioritize, identify with or look to for need fulfillment outside of God, can be acting as an idol in our heart and life: Wealth, Prosperity, Career Success, Image, Safety & Security.
14 So will I stretch out My hand upon them and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations; and they shall know that I am the Lord.’”
— again, the ending of this chapter “and they shall know that I am the Lord” implies that the house of Israel doesn’t know God today!!!
— by now we have established that 70 AD is one of God’s judgement on Judah and Jerusalem, but it’s a microcosm for the wider Israelites at the endtime. So what were God’s judgement in 70 AD? And which sects managed to escape fire and death? History recorded only two sects that escaped the inferno of 70 AD:
(1) The Christians, known as Nazarenes in Acts 24:5. They escaped to a northern town called Pella, east of the Jordan River.
(2) Some Pharisees, those of the House of Hillel. They were headed by a Pharisaic rabbi, Johanan ben Zakkai, the head of the Sanhedrin, who was smuggled out of besieged Jerusalem in a coffin. They escaped to Yavne and, later, his followers re-emerged as Rabbinic Jews, who established the Hillel Calendar, which was revealed by Hillel II in about 359 AD concerning the rules of the calendar.
All other sects died and “disappeared” in the 70 AD inferno: (a) All Sadducees, Herodians, Boethusians; (b) Essenes, together with (c) the House of Shammai Pharisees and (d) the Zealots. They all “disappeared” by receiving their sword and fire. Were these sects facing their judgement as warned by Ezekiel?
If the 70 AD inferno was only a microcosm, how could those who deviate from the God ordained Calendar, who have similar deceptive beliefs as the original Essenes, escape Ezekiel’s and John’s warning during the Last Days? Wouldn’t there be another Sodom and Gomorrah? And wouldn’t they also share its fate? It’s an unpleasant ending, but that’s what the Scriptures indicate.
When Jerusalem went through a fire inferno in 70 AD and all Sadducees disappeared from history. “Disappeared from history” seems like a whitewashed phrase. They were in fact burnt off like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3:6. Their predictions of death were proven true, that the Sadducees were sharing the same fate with king Zedekiah, described as “the wicked ones … whose reign over Israel will be brought down … his wives, his children, and his infant will go into captivity.”
Like the Samaritans, the Sadducees rejected not only the Oral Torah and the Rabbinic understanding of the Torah, but instead accepted the Samaritan interpretation of their Passover and Pentecost celebration. By doing so, they rejected the Prophets (like Ezekiel) and their Writings. God included His holy city of Jerusalem in this judgement in 70 AD as a microcosm for us to be forewarned, so take heed.
Joel Huan
The Mystery of Ephraim 
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