What is the meaning of Ezekiel 7:5? This is what the Lord GOD says - The verse opens by reminding us that the message originates with the covenant-keeping LORD, underscoring divine authority (see Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 1:4–5). - Because God is holy and truthful, every word He speaks stands firm (Numbers 23:19; John 17:17). - Ezekiel is not offering personal opinion; he serves as a spokesperson, echoing 2 Peter 1:21, where Scripture is said to come as men are “carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Disaster! - The stark announcement matches earlier prophetic warnings—“Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has done it?” (Amos 3:6). - God’s justice responds to Judah’s entrenched idolatry and violence (Ezekiel 6:12–14; Jeremiah 11:11). - Though the word can feel harsh, divine judgment is a sober expression of God’s righteousness (Nahum 1:3–6). An unprecedented disaster - The doubling highlights severity, much like Joel 2:2 and Daniel 12:1, where unparalleled calamity underscores humanity’s rebellion. - Jesus later echoes this language regarding the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21), showing continuity between Testaments. - Such phrasing does not exaggerate; it warns that the coming Babylonian invasion will be more devastating than anything Judah has faced (Lamentations 1:1–12). Behold, it is coming! - “Behold” calls for immediate attention, stressing certainty (Habakkuk 2:3; Revelation 22:7). - The judgment is no distant theory; it is “at the door” (James 5:8–9). - God’s patience has limits when repentance is rejected (2 Chronicles 36:15–16), so His word moves from warning to execution. summary Ezekiel 7:5 delivers a divinely authorized alert: the LORD Himself declares a singular, unparalleled judgment that is swiftly approaching. The verse reveals God’s unwavering commitment to holiness, His intolerance of unrepentant sin, and the absolute reliability of His prophetic word. |