What does "an end is coming" reveal about God's patience and justice? Setting the scene: Ezekiel 7:6 “An end has come; the end has come! It has awakened against you. Indeed, it has come!” This blunt declaration closes centuries of prophetic pleading. God’s words to Judah are literal: judgment is arriving, and nothing will delay it any longer. Tracing God’s patience • Repeated warnings – From Moses onward (Deuteronomy 28), covenant curses were spelled out. – Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel urged repentance for hundreds of years. • Withheld judgment – 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow … but is patient with you.” – Psalm 103:8: “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.” • Calls to repentance – Jeremiah 25:4–5 records God sending “all His servants the prophets” to say, “Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways.” – Romans 2:4 reminds that His kindness is meant “to lead you to repentance.” Every delay in judgment was a fresh opportunity for surrender. God’s patience is not weakness; it is mercy extended as long as possible. Unveiling divine justice • Justice is certain – Nahum 1:3: “The LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” • Justice is proportionate – Ezekiel 7:8 affirms God repays “according to your ways.” • Justice is timely – “An end is coming” marks the moment when patience has accomplished its purpose and righteousness must act. • Justice is final – Revelation 20:12–13 pictures a future judgment where “each one was judged according to his deeds.” God’s justice is not impulsive; it is the inevitable conclusion when grace is consistently resisted. The balance of patience and justice • Patience delays judgment; justice executes it. • Patience reveals God’s heart; justice upholds God’s holiness. • Patience invites sinners home; justice protects the moral order. • When God finally says, “An end is coming,” both attributes meet—mercy has been offered, and holiness now insists on accountability. What this means for us today • History proves God’s patience has limits. We cannot presume upon endless delay. • The same Lord who judged Jerusalem has set a day for the whole world (Acts 17:31). • Mercy remains available now (Isaiah 55:6–7). • For believers, the cross has absorbed judgment (Romans 8:1). For the unrepentant, Ezekiel’s warning still stands. Key takeaways • “An end is coming” shows patience exhausted and justice activated. • God never judges without prior, ample warning. • Divine justice is perfect, personal, and unavoidable. • Responding to God’s patience with repentance is the only safe path before the end arrives. |
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