September, 5 - Daily Devotions
September scripture portion: Ezekiel 12 - Malachi (including the Books of Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi)
In chapter 24:1-14 the boiling caldron is symbolic of the destruction of Jerusalem. Verses 15-27 record the death of Ezekiel 's wife. She died the day the siege of Jerusalem began and God commanded Ezekiel not to mourn over her. As death dissolved the union between the prophet and his beloved wife, so the relationship between the Lord and Jerusalem was to be dissolved so that destruction would follow. This is an object lesson to the exiles (verses 19-24). The day the news of Jerusalem's destruction arrived, Ezekiel 's tongue would be loosed for a new message (verses 25-27).
Chapter 25 records prophecies against various nations. Ezekiel 25--32 corresponds with Isaiah 13--23 and Jeremiah 46--51. Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia were Judah 's closest neighbors, who rejoiced at Judah 's destruction by Babylon. Ezekiel predicts the same fate for them. Nebuchadnezzar did, in fact, subdue the Philistines when he took Judah , and four years later he invaded Ammon, Moab, and Edom.
Chapter 26 records the prophecy of Tyre's destruction. The judgment is announced in verses 1-6. Tyre was judged because of its refusal to help its ally, Jerusalem, and because of its pride as the chief Phoenican sea market. We have the record of the judgment being executed in verses 7-21. Tyre was defeated in 572 b.c., and chapter 27 records the lament over Tyre. The lament would be made by Tyre's commercial neighbors. This commercial empire of Tyre is fittingly described as a goodly merchant vessel (verse 3), "perfect in beauty." Destruction of the ship was carried out by "the east wind" (verse 26), who is Nebuchadnezzar.
