The Sword, the Swordsman, and the Coming King

I. Introduction

Ezekiel 21. (Esp vs 27).

A set of oracles from Ezek 20-23 happen in July of 593 BC, when the elders of Israel come to inquire of the Lord before Ezekiel (Ezek 20:1).

Very graphic in nature.

Ch 20:

Israel’s exodus under Moses re-narrated as a series of disciplinary events in which God nearly exterminates his people, except for his Name’s sake among the gentiles.

The future restoration of Israel is seen as a recapitulation of the Exodus.

God declares his intent to be the King of Israel. Ezekiel 20:33 ““As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.”

He will accomplish this through a second “wilderness season.”

Difficult to draw complete parallels with the events of Ezra & Nehemiah.

This could be looking to the restoration in the modern age after the dispersion in the 1st c. Nazi persecution in view?

This could be looking at a future restoration after the great tribulation.

It is clear that the restoration in view here (vs 33-44) will finally result in a people that live in the covenant promises and are in fellowship with God.

Millennial Kingdom.

Why sacrifices? Ezek 41ff.

Ezek 20:44 begins the new section in the MT and represents a turning to the examination of disciplinary efforts toward the goal of a restored Israel.

20:44-49 talks about a fire. Jerusalem was burned to the ground by Nebuchadnezzer.

Ezek 21 God is a swordsman drawing his sword (Babylon) to execute judgement.

This judgment is due Israel because of their idolatry but is uniquely focused on King Zedekiah and the High Priest Seriah.

Chapter 22 focuses on the sins that Israel has committed in pursuit of her idolatry, most notably the shedding of innocent blood.

Chapter 23 paints a very graphic picture of Israel’s idolatry as an uncomfortably detailed account of adultery.

This section sets up the reader for the fall of Jerusalem, which happens in Ch. 24 (next time).

II. Body

21:1-5: God’s challenge to a duel. I draw my sword.

Ezekiel 21:1–5 “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am against you and will draw my sword from its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked. Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. And all flesh shall know that I am the Lord. I have drawn my sword from its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.”

Prophecies against the temple and the sanctuary, like our last time together. Judgement begins here.

Unlike last time, the judgement will affect the righteous and unrighteous.

“I am against you.” OR “I challenge you to a duel.”

The sword to be drawn. Later, it will be described as Babylon.

“It shall not be sheathed again.” Similar message as Jeremiah’s. This cannot be undone.

21:6-7: Ezekiel commanded to groan at the coming destruction.

21:8-13: The “song of the sword” against the leadership of Israel.

Ezekiel 21:9–10 ““Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord, say: “A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished, sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! (Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.)”

There was a Babylonian pagan legend of a king being consumed by a flaming sword made of lightning that was a manifestation of their divinity.

Ezekiel modifies this culturally known motif to make the sword a tool of the Lord, not the god itself.

Maybe by doing so he intends to set Yahweh as higher than the divinities of Babylon? Yahweh can use these divinities to His ends?

Vs 10 is very hard to translate:

ESV: it makes the reason for God’s judgment a king who has refused other forms of discipline in the past.

NIV: “ ‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.

NASB: Or shall we rejoice, the rod of My son despising every tree?

NLT: Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power!

NET: “ ‘Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree!

NKJV: Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My son, As it does all wood.

LEB: Or will we rejoice? A rod, my son, is despising every tree.

LSB: Or shall we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every tree.

The Message: ‘My child, you’ve despised the scepter of Judah by worshiping every tree-idol.

The overall idea from many of these attempts to translate is that the current Davidic kingdom has no reason for confidence in the face of the oncoming judgement. They have rejected prior attempts of God to bring reform or discipline, so the judgement by sword awaits.

21:14-17: Clap-Clap God directs the sword’s movements.

21:18-23: The divination of the King of Babylon. Where to go first? God will direct the results.

21:24-27: Rebuke of Zedekiah and other leaders. The removal of the Davidic dynasty until the Millennial kingdom.

21:28-32: God will judge Ammon and the Babylon and sheath his sword.

Where We See Jesus

III. Conclusion/Application