Judgment against Jerusalem

5:1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp sword; as a barber's razor shalt thou take it unto thee, and shalt cause it to pass upon thy head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair. 

In this fourth symbolic act, Ezekiel was to take a sharp sword and use it in two ways. First, he would use it as a barber’s razor, meaning that he was to shave off his hair and beard. In ancient Israel, shaving off the head and beard was done for mourning. A second reason was to display disgrace. These actions were forbidden to a Levite who was functioning as a priest. Ezekiel was in captivity and he was not functioning as a priest. Therefore, this act was not a violation of the Mosaic Law.

5:2 A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite with the sword round about it; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. 

Ezekiel was to burn a third part of his shaved hair. This symbol represented those who would be killed when Jerusalem was born.

A third part of his hair was to be smitten with the sword. This symbol represented one third of the citizens of Jerusalem would be killed by the sword.

A third part of his hair was to be scattered into the wind with a sword drawn after them. This symbol represented one third of the citizens of Jerusalem would be scattered into the land and chased with the sword. Ezekiel was not a seeker-friendly pastor.

5:3 And thou shalt take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

From the last third part of hair, Ezekiel was to take a few in number and bind them in the extremities of his skirt. This group symbolized not the believing remnant, but the surviving remnant. Most of the small, believing remnant had already moved voluntarily to Babylon.

5:4 And of these again shalt thou take, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for from them shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

Ezekiel would throw this remnant of hair into the fire. This act symbolized the fall of the surviving remnant from Jerusalem. They would also burn in the fire. 

5:5 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.

God has established Jerusalem as the navel of the earth (not geographically but theologically). Her purpose was to testify of the righteousness of God. 

5:6 And she hath rebelled against mine ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for they have rejected mine ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them. 

Instead of Israel becoming priests to the Gentiles, Israel became a prostitute wife and rebelled against God’s Mosaic Law. 

5:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because ye are turbulent more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept mine ordinances, neither have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you;

Israel was being judged, because not only did they disobey God’s Mosaic Law, but they also could not keep Gentile laws.  

5:8 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I, even I, am against thee; and I will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

God was emphatically against Israel and He would emphatically execute these judgments against her. Israel sinned in the sight of the nations. Israel would be judged in the sight of nations. Israel would later be restored in the sight of nations. 

5:9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

Israel had more light than any other nation on earth. Therefore, she would be judged more heavily by God.

5:10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments on thee; and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter unto all the winds.

During the siege of Jerusalem, the fathers would literally eat their children. The sons would literally eat their fathers. Liberalism is rejecting the laws of God. The end result of liberalism is cannibalism.

5:11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, and I also will have no pity.

Israel defiled the temple with false gods. He would give the details of this defilement in chapter 8.

Famine, Sword, and Dispersion

5:12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and a third part I will scatter unto all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.

The citizens who chose to disobey God and stay in Jerusalem would be killed by pestilence, famine, and sword. 

5:13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I shall be comforted; and they shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath upon them.

God was angry at Israel's idolatry, so He would pour His wrath on Jerusalem. God would be satisfied with the fall of Jerusalem. 

5:14 Moreover I will make thee a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

As a result of Israel’s disobedience, she would become a reproach to the surrounding bordering nations. These bordering nations observed Israel’s rise and fall. They hated that Israel called herself “the chosen people of God,” yet Israel was more evil than any of them.

5:15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments on thee in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes; (I, Jehovah, have spoken it;) 

The final result was that Israel would become a reproach, a taunt, a warning, and an astonishment to the surrounding Gentile nations. God would also execute judgment against these surrounding nations, because they taunted Israel. Taunting Israel was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant.

5:16 when I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread;  

The Mosaic Law promised famine for disobedience to the Mosaic Law. Since God is holy, then He must keep His promise. 

5:17 and I will send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee: I, Jehovah, have spoken it.

God will curse Israel with famine, wild beasts, disease, violence, and death by the sword in battle. Wild beasts will often feed upon men when there is a famine. All of these curses came upon Israel, because she rejected God and worshiped demonic idols.