These two chapters of Ezekiel beat a familiar drum: Jerusalem is doomed (21) because of her unrelenting wickedness and apostasy (22). Chapter 21 consists of four oracles “clarifying” for hard-of-hearing Israelites what fate awaited them as Nebuchadnezzar moved toward Jerusalem. Chapter 22 is comprised of three separate sermonettes targeting the evils of the city’s politicians, prophets, priests, and population. The city is cast as worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, as God charges he cannot find a single person (Ezek 22:30) in the city who will put himself on the line to oppose its evil.
The episode is now live.
In this intense episode, Dr. Michael Heiser takes listeners through Ezekiel 21, one of the prophet’s most emotionally charged and visually dramatic chapters. Yahweh commands Ezekiel to wail, sigh, and perform symbolic actions to warn the people of the coming destruction—a judgment represented as a flashing, sharpened sword in God’s hand.
The sword isn’t random—it is directed at Jerusalem and its corrupt leadership, especially King Zedekiah. Dr. Heiser unpacks the multi-layered symbolism, including Babylon’s use of divination to decide which city to attack (a decision Yahweh sovereignly uses for His own purposes). Even though divination is condemned in Israel’s law, the chapter shows how God can use even pagan methods to accomplish His ends.
A pivotal moment comes in verse 27: “Overthrown, overthrown, overthrown I will make it… until he comes to whom judgment belongs.” Heiser discusses how this cryptic line anticipates the Messianic king, hinting that God’s ultimate plan is restoration through the true Davidic heir.
Listeners will learn:
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Why Ezekiel’s public behavior in this chapter is not “bizarre,” but strategic and prophetic.
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How the sword metaphor operates as a visual theology of judgment.
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What Babylon’s divination methods tell us about ancient geopolitics and divine sovereignty.
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How Ezekiel 21 fits into the unfolding messianic storyline of the Old Testament.
This episode connects judgment and hope, emphasizing that even in the darkest oracles, God signals a future restoration—but only after sin is fully confronted.
Could you please explain Ezekiel 22:30 (“…but I found none.”) concerning that in that time Jeremiah (and Baruch) were in Jerusalem?
tnx
The point is that God was looking for a man among the guilty to do what was right. Jeremiah and Baruch weren’t part of the multitude that needed to repent. “among THEM” = the people God was describing.