What actions characterize the "ravenous lions" mentioned in Ezekiel 22:25? Snapshot of Ezekiel 22:25 “There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour people, seize treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.” Core Actions of the “Ravenous Lions” • Conspiring together – a calculated, collective plot to oppress • Tearing prey – violent intimidation and brutality • Devouring people – destroying lives, sacrificing the innocent to satisfy their own desires • Seizing treasures and precious things – greed-driven plunder of wealth and property • Multiplying widows – causing deaths that leave families defenseless and bereft Why These Actions Matter • Devouring people echoes Proverbs 1:11–13; Micah 3:1–3—leaders exploiting those they should protect. • Plundering treasures violates Exodus 20:15 and Proverbs 22:22–23. • Creating widows brings God’s wrath (Exodus 22:22–24; Deuteronomy 27:19). Related Passages Highlighting the Same Sinful Pattern • Zephaniah 3:3 – “Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves.” • Jeremiah 5:26–28 – wicked men “grow fat and sleek… they do not defend the cause of the fatherless.” • Ezekiel 19:2–8 – Judah’s princes pictured as young lions learning to tear prey. Takeaway for Today When those entrusted with authority behave like ravenous lions—plotting, brutalizing, exploiting, and leaving devastation behind—God sees, records, and judges. His people are called to the opposite spirit: protection of life, stewardship of possessions, and care for the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:17; James 1:27). |
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