What is the meaning of Ezekiel 5:5? This is what the Lord GOD says - The verse opens with the familiar prophetic formula, underscoring that every word that follows carries divine authority (cf. Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 1:2). - Because “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), we receive this statement not as opinion but as the Lord’s settled declaration. - The wording reminds us that any response to the message is ultimately a response to God Himself, not merely to Ezekiel. This is Jerusalem - God singles out the city by name, marking Jerusalem as the object of His special dealings (2 Chronicles 6:6; Psalm 48:1-2). - Jerusalem is more than a geographic label; it is the covenant capital where God chose to place His Name (1 Kings 11:36; Matthew 5:35). - By pointing to “this” Jerusalem—where Ezekiel’s hair-symbol sermon unfolds (Ezekiel 5:1-4)—the Lord makes the coming judgment intensely personal for the inhabitants. which I have set in the center of the nations - Literally and figuratively, God planted Jerusalem in a strategic middle position. The land bridge of Canaan connected Africa, Asia, and Europe, making Israel a crossroads of culture and trade (Genesis 12:1-3). - Spiritually, Israel was meant to showcase God’s law and character so surrounding peoples could see what life under the true King looks like (Deuteronomy 4:6-8; Psalm 147:19-20). - Ezekiel later echoes this idea when he speaks of people dwelling “at the center of the earth” (Ezekiel 38:12), again highlighting Israel’s appointed place of influence. - The central placement carries privilege and responsibility: privilege in receiving God’s revelation first, responsibility in reflecting it faithfully (Romans 3:1-2). with countries all around her - Nations encircled Jerusalem—Egypt to the southwest, Philistia along the coast, Moab and Ammon to the east, Aram to the north—forming a living audience for Israel’s witness and, if necessary, for her discipline (2 Kings 17:5-6). - Because those neighbors could easily observe Jerusalem’s conduct, Israel’s obedience or disobedience would magnify God’s glory or provoke His name to be blasphemed (Ezekiel 36:20-23; Amos 3:2). - The phrase hints at the looming judgment in the chapter: as the city sits at the center, so the Lord will mete out punishments “in the sight of the nations” (Ezekiel 5:8). - The surrounding countries also foreshadow future prophetic scenes where God’s dealings with Israel serve as a signpost for all peoples (Zechariah 8:23). summary Ezekiel 5:5 declares that the sovereign Lord purposely placed Jerusalem at the world’s crossroads so the city could display His character to every nation nearby. Her central position was a gift of privilege and a call to holy responsibility. Because Jerusalem failed that calling, the judgments described in the chapter will unfold publicly, teaching both Israel and her watching neighbors that the Lord alone is God. |
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