25 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

“No chapter in the Bible speaks more prominently and fully of the sword of the Lord than does this chapter (Ezekiel 21) which has been called the sword song or the prophecy of the sword.” (Charles Feinberg)

“You therefore, son of man, prophesy,

And strike your hands together.

The third time let the sword do double damage. (Ezekiel 21:14)

Notice the phrase, the third time let the sword do double damage: Nebuchadnezzar had already invaded and subjected Jerusalem twice. The next time – the third time – he would do far more damage.

“The sword has been doubled, and it shall come the third time. Nebuchadnezzar came against Judea Thrice .

1. Against Jehoiakim.

2. Against Jeconiah.

3. Against Zedekiah.

The sword had already been doubled; it is to come now the third time, i.e., against Zedekiah.”

For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver. (Ezekiel 21:21)

Ezekiel pictured Nebuchadnezzar at the parting of the road, using all the methods pagans used to get guidance from their gods.

He shakes the arrows

he consults the images

he looks at the liver

The Nineveh library texts name more than a dozen liver-related terms. The liver was considered the source of the blood and hence the basis of life itself. From this belief, the Babylonians thought they could discover the will of the gods by examining the livers of carefully selected sheep.

Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted. (Ezekiel 21:26)

This always has been the way that God deals with people.

Overthrown, overthrown,

I will make it overthrown!

It shall be no longer,

Until He comes whose right it is,

And I will give it to Him.” ’ (Ezekiel 21:27)

Until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him: Zedekiah was the last of a long line descended from David to reign in some sense of Jerusalem and Israel. He and his reign would be overthrown, and no descendant of David would sit on the throne until He comes whose right it is – that is, until God’s Messiah, the true Son of David comes. This was wonderfully and obviously fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and still waits for its ultimate fulfillment.

Chapter 21