How does Ezekiel 5:4 illustrate God's judgment on Jerusalem's disobedience? Setting the Scene “Again, take a few strands of hair and throw them into the fire and burn them, and from this fire a fire will spread to the whole house of Israel.” (Ezekiel 5:4) Hair, Fire, and City—What the Symbols Mean • Hair = the people of Jerusalem (cf. Ezekiel 5:1–3) • Fire = God’s wrath expressed through conquest, famine, plague, and exile (vv. 12, 17) • “Spread to the whole house of Israel” = judgment that begins in Jerusalem yet engulfs the entire covenant nation A Picture of Escalating Judgment 1. A few strands tossed in: the first sparks of Babylon’s attack. 2. The hair ignites: Jerusalem’s walls breached, temple burned (2 Kings 25:9; Jeremiah 52:13). 3. Fire spreads: exile, dispersion, and national ruin ripple across the land (Ezekiel 12:15; 20:23). Why Such Severe Discipline? • Persistent idolatry (Ezekiel 8:5–18) • Bloodshed and injustice (Ezekiel 22:2–4) • Rejection of covenant commands given in Deuteronomy 28:15–68, triggering the listed curses Faithfulness of God’s Word • God warned: “If you act with hostility toward Me, I will scatter you” (Leviticus 26:27–33). • God acted exactly as spoken: the hair touches flame, and the flame consumes—literal fulfillment. • Even in wrath, His purpose is redemptive: the remnant of hair tucked in Ezekiel’s robe (5:3) hints at future restoration (Jeremiah 29:11–14). Takeaways for Believers • Sin is never private; a “few strands” can ignite judgment that affects many. • God’s patience has limits; disobedience invites the very consequences He has long foretold. • The same God who judges also preserves a remnant, proving His covenant faithfulness and mercy. |
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