Monday, November 21, 2011

Book of Ezekiel 11-15 When will this end?

Ezekiel 11-15

God needs to change his tactics after the mass killings failed to convince the Israelites that he is a kind and loving god.

11:18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.

11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Perhaps he should have 'put a new spirit within them, take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them an heart of flesh' in the first place.  ;-)

Chapter 13 again brings up my favorite theme that turns up in all books of the prophets.  That the other prophets are false and that you should only believe me!


13:2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD
13:6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

Other than that, it's the same old shit.  Angry god, rebellious people, promises of wholesale slaughter.






Enhanced by Zemanta

3 comments:

  1. There are a few differences. Ezekiel's images tend to be a bit more vivid (sometimes dangerously so in the views of some, the first chapter in particular was not suppose to be studied by novices in Rabbinic tradition). Ezekiel is mostly writing in a time when there is no Judah or Israel; he is in exile with most of the elite in Babylon (and Ezekiel is very much of the elite as a priest of the family of Zadok which traditionally provided the high priest). The other prophets still had Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah like Ezekiel straddles the fall of Jerusalem but mostly writes before).

    For Ezekiel, the great sin is idolatry. For Isaiah, injustice to the poor, the orphan, the widow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Bruce. Perhaps its time to try the NT. I know its your show but your last sentence screams that you are ready to tackle the NT. Perhaps a vote? Let's get our Post-Jesus God in there before the year is up.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the info Erp.
    @Tom, sorry cuz, but we gotta read the whole damn thing from start to finish! I have to confess that I have been reading ahead to the New Testament in the hopes of clearing the evil god out of my head. This Jesus guy has a TOTALLY different take on the situation then his dad!
    Still, a few things have me scratching my head.

    ReplyDelete