The Active, Living Sword of the Lord

Last week we read about God’s purposes in judgment, which also show us more of His character. In the second part of chapter 21, God described His sword of judgment and its role in disciplining His children.

Read Ezekiel 21:8-12.

• God told Ezekiel, “Son of man,” to prophesy regarding Israel.
• He sharpened and polished His sword.

Hundreds of years later, the author of a letter to Hebrew Christians described the Lord’s sword:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

• The sharp sword of the Lord would flash like lightning and slaughter evil.
• This isn’t the same word used to describe slaughtering an animal for sacrifice, but it has the same meaning.
• God’s rhetorical question in verse 10 emphasizes seriousness of His judgment.
• How can Israel seek and rejoice in an earthly king when they “refuse to heed God or accept His authority”?¹
• Israel despised God’s disciplining rod that He would use on a son and ignored His advice.
• Solomon wrote a proverb long before Ezekiel’s prophecy of God’s judgment leading to captivity:

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in (Proverbs 3:11-12).

• In contrast to God’s lament that His “son” has despised His advice, the Psalmist (Spurgeon and Matthew Henry agree most likely David) described an opposite action,

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word (Psalm 119:9, NKJV).

• The sword was polished and ready for the slayer.
• God repeated His instruction to Ezekiel to weep and mourn for Israel, with more words describing mourning.
• Ezekiel would mourn deeply, in sorrow and distress, for Israel.
• The prophet was to “strike [his] hand on [his] thigh as a sign of grief or shame.”²
• God would use his sword against “the people and princes of Israel who were being thrown to the sword because they stubbornly refused to heed God’s discipline.”³ (emphasis added)
• No one would be spared.

*What do we learn about the sword of the Lord?

*Why did Ezekiel weep and mourn for Israel?

*How might we experience God’s discipline today?

 Read Ezekiel 21:13.

• Why did Israel despise the correcting rod?
• Why did they ignore testing from God?

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1) wrote,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3).

*In practical terms, how does testing strengthen our faith?

Read Ezekiel 21:14-17.

• The sword would strike not two, but three times with intent to pierce and mortally wound as in warfare.
• Its purpose was to melt hearts in fear, to dishearten those who stand in false righteousness.
• With the word “melt” in verse 15, we see God’s fiery judgment still burning brightly.
• God would grasp the sword for slaughter, a word which may be used to refer to sacrifice or divine judgment.⁴
• God’s judgment and requirement of sacrifice to atone for sin are intertwined.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).

• God’s sword would accomplish great slaughter on every side.
• Its purpose was to melt hearts and cause many to fall under its judgment.
• No gate would be safe for escape.
• There would be no way to escape the sword’s reach.
• Once the Lord had struck with His mighty hand, His wrath woul settle down and rest.
• He has spoken, and He will surely accomplish these things.

Perhaps even in the midst of trials, the righteous sang this psalm to the Lord,

• For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love (Psalm 33:4-5).

*What is the relationship between sacrifice, judgment, and cleansing for sin under the new covenant?

*How does God’s sword “melt” hearts today?

*How does God’s faithfulness and justice lead us to praise? 

 

1. Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003) 562
2. Ibid., 787
3. Ibid., 569
4. Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Old Testament. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/21-15.htm