The Lord spoke to Ezekiel and pronounced His judgments upon the false prophets of that nation, Israel, and the vain women and their seductive practices, (chapter 13). In chapter 14, the message is to the elders of the people for leading the people into idolatry. Then He describes the judgments that are coming upon the wicked nation, Israel, and its capital city, Jerusalem:
Ezekiel 14:12-21: “The Word of the Lord came again to me, saying,
“Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it.
“Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.
“If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
“Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
“Or, if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land so that I cut off man and beast from it:
“Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast;
“Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
“For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?”
This happened upon Judah in 605 BC.
But even in such a time as this, God had a faithful remnant who would save themselves by faithful obedience, Ezekiel 14:22. This principle held true in the Old Testament destruction of both Israel and Judah. Daniel also had prophesied that a faithful remnant would return from the Babylonian captivity after seventy years, and the nation would be allowed another seventy weeks of years to repent and turn to their God, after which, God’s final judgments would fall upon the wicked.
That time came in the New Testament era.
We find that there was indeed again a faithful remnant, Romans 11:5. But the wicked nation was to be destroyed, Matthew 23-24. The four sore judgments were poured out upon the apostate nation and City, as recorded in Revelation chapters 17 and 18, and historically in 70 AD as recorded by Josephus and other secular historians.
Again, the faithful remnant in Christ, the Church, His Body, the Bride, the New Jerusalem, became the restored nation, the elect, Revelation 19:1-9. The four sore judgments were poured out upon the wicked, 19:11-20:15.
In Revelation 21 and 22, God Himself is dwelling in the midst of His purified people. This is the reason that sin must be destroyed. The Holy God desires to dwell with His people. But cannot dwell with sinful people for His holiness will destroy sin and the people who refuse to accept His cleansing salvation.
Will our nation turn from its wicked ways? Will we be the faithful remnant?
Let this nation and every nation of the earth be warned by the Biblical examples of God’s decreed judgments.
“Unto Him be glory in the Church throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”