What role does "calamity upon calamity" play in God's judgment in Ezekiel 7:26? Setting the Scene “Disaster upon disaster will come, and rumor upon rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but instruction will perish from the priest and counsel from the elders.” Meaning of “calamity upon calamity” • A literal sequence of catastrophes—military invasion, famine, plague—striking one after another with no pause. • Signals that judgment is comprehensive and escalating, leaving no illusion that events are random. • Echoes God’s covenant warning: “If you walk contrary to Me… I will strike you sevenfold for your sins” (Leviticus 26:21, 24). • Shows the irreversible momentum of divine wrath once the long-offered opportunity to repent has been rejected (Ezekiel 7:9). Why God Stacks Calamities • To expose the futility of false security—idols, alliances, wealth (Ezekiel 7:19). • To silence every competing voice: “instruction will perish from the priest” so only God’s verdict remains. • To fulfill prophetic certainty—what He foretold through Ezekiel must unfold exactly (Isaiah 55:11). • To match the people’s layered sin with layered judgment (Jeremiah 4:20: “Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins,”). Impact on the People • Spiritual bewilderment: they “seek a vision” yet find none; revelation is withdrawn (Amos 8:11–12). • Social breakdown: priests and elders—pillars of stability—are rendered speechless, underscoring the emptiness of human wisdom (Lamentations 2:9). • Fear amplified by rumors: panic spreads faster than the actual blows, magnifying the terror (Leviticus 26:36). • Ultimate acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty: “Then they will know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 7:27). Lessons for Today • Persistent sin invites escalating consequences; repentance early spares compounded calamity (Proverbs 29:1). • Spiritual leadership can lose its voice when it compromises truth—calamity strips away empty words. • God’s warnings are merciful; He speaks before He strikes. Ignoring warning leads to piling disaster (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). • Hope remains only in the Lord: while human systems fail, His Word stands sure (Psalm 46:1). |
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