在希伯來文中，廿一章是從廿章45節開始的（因主題相關）。上帝在應許之地所點燃的這場大火，要燒滅一切「青樹和枯樹」（20：47），也就是廿一章4節所說的「義人和惡人」都必剪除。你也許會問：「上帝為什麼連義人也要殺？」我們知道上帝有時會保護義人的（例如耶利米），但祂畢竟沒有拯救所有的義人。上帝允許他們死，使他們免於戰後邪惡的浩劫，並賜他們永遠的生命，可以繼續享受與上帝相交的平安（參賽57：1~2）。

        很多次在以色列歷史中，上帝常將已拔出要行毀滅的刀劍又推回鞘中（代上21：16、27）。但這次上帝決定不再收刀入鞘了，直到盡行毀滅（21：5）。上帝又要以西結去表演一些戲劇性的動作，例如「苦苦地嘆息」、「拍腿」、「拍手」，像個傷心至極的人所作的（21：7、12、14）。他在公眾面前表達，對將發生的事最沉痛的哀傷。而當猶太人在流亡途中聽見，這劍已拔出攻擊耶路撒冷了，他們就要如此哀傷。上帝用巴比倫王作祂的劍，所以上帝掌管尼布甲尼撒占卜的籤，使他在兩條的岔路口上猶豫時，可正確地走向上帝要他攻擊耶路撒冷的道路上去（21：21~22）。幾年後，尼布甲尼撒王就選了另一條路去攻打亞捫人的城拉巴（今日的約旦、葉門）。因為亞捫人譏笑耶路撒冷的陷落，所以上帝使他們遭受比以色列人更慘的下場（21：20、28~32）。

        以西結預言上帝的刀已預備好要去攻擊邪惡的西底家王（20：10下），西底家將是大衛後裔中最後一個戴王冠、坐王位的人，直等到那應得的人來到（21：27；參創49：9~10）。很明顯的，這是一段關於耶穌基督作王的彌賽亞預言。

        以色列子民，沒有照他們被選作上帝子民應負的責任、應盡的義務去生活。他們應作外邦人的光，使外邦人可以認識唯獨祂是上帝。但他們什麼都沒做到，卻因不順服上帝和拜偶像而不斷地褻瀆上帝，把上帝降格為眾神中的一位。因著他們故意忘記上帝，社會的道德完全腐敗，各階層人民的道德也徹底墮落（見22章）。例如：性的敗壞、冷酷相殘、殺害無辜、貪婪、欺壓。他們邪惡的臭名，竟惹來臨邦的譏誚（22：4~5）。

        幾百年來，上帝一直容忍，不降罰於祂的百姓，免得異邦說上帝不能搭救他們。但現在，上帝必須宣告祂的聖潔，好讓祂的名被尊崇。為此，上帝執行祂的公正，把忿怒之火傾在猶大百姓身上。其目的也是為祂自己，把清潔公義的餘民隔離出來。

        假如大衛王的繼承人，能作為激動人民靈命成長的領袖，這次的審判或許可免除。但除了極少數的王以外，全都是極端邪惡、悖逆上帝、引領百姓走錯路的。他們和猶大的眾首領，共造一個軟弱、衰敗的社會（22：28；參13：11~15），就如未泡灰的牆，到處是破洞。那時，上帝找不到一個強有力的領導者去賭破口、重修牆垣，以防止敵人攻擊。如果有，或許可救耶路撒冷免於這場災難。

        主啊！求您幫助我們，依您的話語和聖靈的引導而活。願我們可以幫助那些和我們接觸的人靈命成長。奉主耶穌基督的名，阿們！

English

        In the Hebrew, chapter 21 really begins with 20:45, since the topics are related. In the fire of war that the Lord would kindle against the Promised Land, there would be a general suffering, affecting both the "green tree" and the "dry tree" (20:47), which are explained in the corresponding verse of 21:4 as the "righteous" and the "wicked". Some may question, "Why would the Lord allow righteous people to be killed at the time when He used Babylon to be His instrument of war?" We know that He providentially spared the lives of some righteous ones, such as Jeremiah, but evidently He did not save all of them. In their deaths, however, the Lord spared them from the evil aftermath of the war and gave them eternal life in fellowship with Him and complete peace (cf. Isa. 57:1-2).

        Many times in Israel's history, the Lord had taken His sword from its sheath but had returned it before causing total destruction (e.g. 1 Chron. 21:16, 27). This time, however, the Lord would not put His sword away until the destruction was complete; there would be no relenting (21:5). The Lord told Ezekiel to perform the dramatic signs of sighing out loud, striking his thigh, and striking his hands together, just as one in mourning would do (21:7,12,14). This was to publicly exhibit his own personal sorrow at what he knew would take place and the sorrow that all the Jews in the exile would feel when they heard that the sword had come against Jerusalem. The Lord had purposed to use the king of Babylon to wield His sword, and God would overrule in Nebuchadnezzar's attempts at the pagan methods of divination in order to decide which direction to go at the fork in the road. God's will prevailed and the appointed road for His sword was the road to Jerusalem (21:21-22). The other road, the road to the Ammonite city of Rabbah (present day Amman, Jordon), was to be taken by Nebuchadnezzar a few years later. The Ammonites, who had mocked and laughed about Jerusalem's destruction, would suffer a worse doom than Israel, for as the Lord had purposed, the Ammonite nation was to become extinct (21:20, 28-32).

        With prophetic words directed at wicked Zedekiah, Ezekiel revealed that the Lord's sword had been prepared and was ready to strike Zedekiah and his scepter (21:10b). He would be the last descendant of David to wear the crown and sit upon the throne "until He comes whose right it is" (21:27; cf. Gen. 49:9-10). This is clearly a Messianic prophecy, for the right to the crown and throne of David belongs to the Lord Jesus alone.

        The children of Israel did not live up to their responsibilities and obligations as the privileged and chosen children of God. They were to be a light to the Gentiles, so that the pagans would come to know that He alone is God. But the children of Israel continually profaned Him by disobeying Him and worshiping idols, thus lowering Him as though He were just another God among many. Because they had forgotten God (22:12b), all areas of society were corrupted and all classes of people (the king, false prophets, priests, nobles, and common people) were morally decadent, as Ezekiel describes in chapter 22. They were sexually perverted, cruel, unscrupulous (shedding much innocent blood), disrespectful, greedy, and oppressive. Their excessive wickedness made them a reproach, even to the surrounding heathen nations! (22:4-5)

        For centuries, the Lord was longsuffering and spared His people from the judgment they deserved, lest the Gentiles say that He could not save them. Now, however, it was necessary for the Lord to vindicate His holiness so that His Name might be hallowed. To accomplish this, the Lord exercised His justice and poured out the fire of His wrath upon the people of Judah. As well as satisfying His justice, the Lord's purpose was to purge for Himself a pure and righteous remnant.

        If only King David's successors had been the type of leaders that would promote spiritual growth, this judgment could have been averted. But with the exception of few kings, they were all wicked, rebelled against God, and lead the people astray. They, along with the leadership of Judah, were building a weak and decaying society (the whitewashed wall held together by inferior mortar, 22:28; cf. 13:11-15) that had become full of holes. The Lord had no strong man in leadership to stand in the gap of the wall in order to fight the attacks of the enemy through intercession (cf. 13:5), repair the holes, and possibly spare Jerusalem from destruction.

        Oh God, help us to live by the teachings of Jour Holy Word and the direction of Your Holy Spirit. May we promote spiritual growth in those with whom we come into contact.