What is the meaning of Ezekiel 22:29? The people of the land Israel’s own citizens—not foreigners, rulers only, or a fringe element—are in view. God lays responsibility at the feet of ordinary men and women who should have known His covenant standards (Deuteronomy 29:18-21; 2 Chronicles 7:14). When “the people” go astray, society’s foundations crumble (Jeremiah 5:31). • These words speak literally to Ezekiel’s generation, but they also spotlight any nation whose moral compass drifts from God’s Word (Psalm 33:12). • Everyone shares accountability; no one can say, “This is just the leaders’ fault” (Romans 2:1). have practiced extortion “Extortion” pictures squeezing others for gain—dishonest fees, bribes, predatory interest. Scripture insists, “Woe to those who enact unjust statutes… to deprive the poor of justice” (Isaiah 10:1-2). Micah 2:2 echoes the charge: “They covet fields and seize them.” • God sees economic abuse as spiritual rebellion (Proverbs 22:22-23). • Ill-gotten wealth never stands (Jeremiah 17:11). and committed robbery Robbery moves from manipulation to open theft. Hosea 4:2 laments, “There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery; they break all bounds.” In Malachi 3:8-9 God even says His people “rob” Him when withholding tithes. • Robbery violates the eighth commandment (Exodus 20:15). • It devalues the image of God in the victim (Genesis 1:27). They have oppressed the poor and needy Oppression is deliberate pressure on those least able to resist. Zechariah 7:10 warns, “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” Proverbs 14:31 reminds us, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker.” Practical outworkings: • Withholding wages (James 5:4). • Rigged courts or unequal penalties (Leviticus 19:15). • Indifference to genuine need (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). and have exploited the foreign resident God repeatedly commands fair treatment of sojourners: “You must not mistreat or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). Leviticus 19:34 adds, “Love him as yourself.” • Exploiting outsiders denies God’s redemptive heart for all nations (Genesis 12:3). • Jeremiah 22:3 ties national stability to protecting the alien: “Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner.” without justice The final phrase shows the underlying problem: justice has vanished. Amos 5:12 says, “You oppress the righteous, taking bribes and depriving the poor of justice in the gates.” Isaiah 5:23 condemns those “who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.” • When justice departs, judgment draws near (Micah 3:9-11). • God requires His people to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). summary Ezekiel 22:29 exposes a society where everyday people, through extortion, robbery, oppression of the vulnerable, and exploitation of foreigners, have abandoned justice. The verse stands as a literal, timeless warning: when God’s standards are ignored, corruption spreads at every level. The remedy is repentance, restored reverence for God’s law, and active pursuit of justice and mercy in every sphere of life. |
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