Meaning of Ezekiel 5:8

Question

... therefore thus says the Lord God: I, I myself, am coming against you; I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations (Ezekiel 5:8, NRSV).

What does this passage mean? What judgments was it referring to?

Answer 1

The Hebrew verb עָשָׂה (asah) is frequently used in conjunction with the direct object מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) in the Hebrew Tanakh. In the context of the laity, it typically means keeping the commandments of the Law of Moses as instructed (Lev. 18:2-4). In the context of judges, it typically means judging righteously according to the Law of Moses (Lev. 19:15). But, in the context of Yahveh Himself, it is the ominous declaration of His wrath upon a disobedient and rebellious people.

English Translation and Hebrew Text

In Eze. 5:5-9, the prophet Ezekiel admonishes the Israelites:

⁵ Thus said Lord Yahveh, "I have set this Jerusalem in the midst of the gentiles and countries surrounding her. ⁶ And she has rebelled against My judgments for wickedness more than the gentiles, and [she has rebelled against] My statutes more than the countries which surround her, for they have despised My judgments and have not walked in My statutes." ⁷ Therefore, thus said Lord Yahveh, "Because you raged⁽¹⁾ more than the gentiles who surround you, you have not walked in My statutes, you have not executed My judgments, nor have you executed the judgments of the gentiles who surround you. ⁸ Therefore, thus said Lord Yahveh, "Behold! I, even I, am against you, and I shall execute judgments in your midst, in the eyes of the gentiles, ⁹ and I shall execute among you that which I have not executed, and I shall not execute that which is like it anymore, because of all your abominations."

^ה כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יהוה זֹאת יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹיִם שַׂמְתִּיהָ וּסְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ אֲרָצוֹת ^ו וַתֶּמֶר אֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי לְרִשְׁעָה מִן הַגּוֹיִם וְאֶת חֻקּוֹתַי מִן הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ כִּי בְמִשְׁפָּטַי מָאָסוּ וְחֻקּוֹתַי לֹא הָלְכוּ בָהֶם ^ז לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יהוה יַעַן הֲמָנְכֶם מִן הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּחֻקּוֹתַי לֹא הֲלַכְתֶּם וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי לֹא עֲשִׂיתֶם וּכְמִשְׁפְּטֵי הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא עֲשִׂיתֶם ^ח לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יהוה הִנְנִי עָלַיִךְ גַּם אָנִי וְעָשִׂיתִי בְתוֹכֵךְ מִשְׁפָּטִים לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם ^ט וְעָשִׂיתִי בָךְ אֵת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָשִׂיתִי וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה כָמֹהוּ עוֹד יַעַן כָּל תּוֹעֲבֹתָיִךְ

Recapitulation

The house of Israel, the people of Jerusalem, did not:

• walk in Yahveh's statutes
• execute Yahveh's judgments
• execute the judgments of the surrounding gentiles

The house of Israel was more wicked than even the gentile nations which surrounded them. The prophet Ezekiel said, "And she has rebelled against My judgments for wickedness more than the gentiles, and [she has rebelled against] My statutes more than the countries which surround her."

Thus, to the house of Israel, Yahveh says, "Behold, I am against you" (הִנְנִי עָלַיִךְ), an ominous declaration of impending divine wrath (cp. Eze. 26:3, 28:22). It is noteworthy that Eze. 28:22 also mentions Yahveh executing judgments, i.e. "when I execute judgments among you" (בַּעֲשֹׂותִי בָהּ שְׁפָטִים). This execution (performance) of judgments is further elaborated: "I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets, and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side, and they shall know that I am Yahveh" (Eze. 28:23). Of course, that was Yahveh's judgment against Tzidon ("Zidon"; צִידוֹן).

In the case of the house of Israel, Yahveh's judgment would cause sons to eat fathers, fathers to eat sons, and the Israelites would be scattered into exile (Eze. 5:10). In His wrath, Yahveh would not spare or pity them (Eze. 5:11). Furthermore,

A third part of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you, and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. (Eze. 5:12)

At this point, you get the picture. Yahveh commanded the Israelites to keep and execute His judgments, laws, commandments, etc. In Lev. 18:26-27, it is written,

²⁶ Therefore, you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, and you shall not commit any of these abominations, neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger who sojourns among you. ²⁷ For all these abominations have the men of the land done, who were before you, and the land is defiled.

Coincidentally, it was "because of all your abominations" (יַעַן כָּל תּוֹעֲבֹתָיִךְ) that Yahveh executed His judgments upon and dispersed the house of Israel from Jerusalem (Eze. 5:9).

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Footnotes

⁽¹⁾ The meaning of הֲמָנְכֶם is debated. Some Hebrew lexicographers suggest it is derived from הָמוֹן, meaing "multitude," and others הָמָה, "to rage." It is probably the latter.

Answer 2

The Book of Ezekiel has been identified as one of the most difficult to study. The theme often changes dramatically from chapter to chapter, returning in a later chapter to a previous theme. The overall theme of the book is God's anger with Jerusalem because the people worship other gods, and he has chosen the priest Ezekiel to warn them, especially the leaders taken into exile in 597 BCE.

In chapters 4 and 5, God uses a clay model to remind Ezekiel of the sieges of Samaria in Israel and Jerusalem in Judah, and of the hardships that the defenders suffered. The Lord God tells him that this time, because the Jews have been so rebellious, not living by his statutes nor fulfilling his ordinances, but acting according to the ordinances of the surrounding nations, he will do to them what he has never done before, the like of which he will never do again.

In 5:8, God says he will come against the Jews, a military term of aggression and will execute judgements as other nations watch on. The judgement of which God warns is for the rebelliousness of the Jews. The outcome will be the Babylonian Exile.

The Book of Ezekiel ends with the promise of a new Israel, a new Jerusalem and a new temple. All the people from the ancient northern kingdom of Israel will return to their former home, as will the exiles from Judah. They will live peacefully together as one nation forever, under one king from the line of David. Even if the prophecy of reunited monarchy with the (northern) Israelites living under Jewish rule never came true, the prophecy offered some comfort to the Jews exiled in Babylon.

Answer 3

Judgment to the House of Israel that was to the North country for forming a new deity in Rome and stealing Yahusha's inheritance. You have to see everything as a whole across all the prophets to understand it.

When Yahusha was betrayed three betrayed Him not one.

Zechariah 11: 7-14 So I pastured the FLOCK DOOMED TO SLAUGHTER, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called FAVOR (GRACE) and the other I called UNION; so I pastured the flock. Then I ANNIHILATED THE THREE SHEPHERDS IN ONE MONTH, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was weary of me. Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be annihilated, let it be annihilated; and let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. SO IT WAS BROKEN ON THAT DAY, and thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of YHVH. I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then YHVH said to me, “THROW IT TO THE POTTER, THAT MAGNIFICENT PRICE AT WHICH I WAS VALUED BY THEM.” So I took the THIRTY SHEKELS OF SILVER AND THREW THEM TO THE POTTER IN THE HOUSE OF YHVH. Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Peter was one that denied him not only with an oath but also with curses

Matthew 26:69-75 Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And one servant-girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Yahusha the Galilean”. BUT THE ONE DENIED IT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, SAYING, “I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING”, “I do not know what you are saying”. And he having gone out to the gate, another saw him. And she says to the ones there, “This one was with Yahusha the Nazarene”. AND AGAIN HE DENIED IT WITH AN OATH THAT “I DO NOT KNOW THE MAN”. And having come to him after a little while, the ones standing there said to Peter, “Truly you also are one of them, for even your speaking makes you evident”. Then HE BEGAN TO CURSE, AND TO SWEAR-WITH-AN-OATH THAT “I DO NOT KNOW THE MAN.” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word Yahusha had spoken— that “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three-times”. AND HAVING GONE OUTSIDE, HE WEPT BITTERLY.

This was massively significant

Matthew 10:33 "Whoever DISOWNS ME before others, I WILL ALSO DENY BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.”

Isaiah gives us the prophecy of what happens with Peter

Peter went where he was not suppose to go. Isaiah 21 and 22 give you the foreshadow prophecy of what would happen.

Isaiah 22: 20 And it shall be in that day, that I shall call My servant Elyaqim son of Ḥilqiyahu. 21 And I shall put your robe on him, and strengthen him with your girdle, and give your authority into his hand. And HE SHALL BE A FATHER to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and to the house of Yehuḏah. 22 And I shall place the key of the house of Dawiḏ on his shoulder. And he shall open, and no one shuts; and shall shut, and no one opens. 23 AND I SHALL FASTEN HIM LIKE A PEG IN A STEADFAST PLACE, and he shall become a throne of esteem to his father’s house. 24 And they shall hang on him all the weight of his father’s house, the offspring and the offshoots, all vessels of small quantity, from the cups to all the jars.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. FOR I BECAME YOUR FATHER in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Philemon 1:10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose FATHER I BECAME in my imprisonment.

#1 John 21:18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

Compare

Isaiah 22: 21 And I shall put your robe on him, and strengthen him with your girdle, and give your authority into his hand.

#2

John 21:18-19  “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall gird you and bring you where you do not wish.” Now this He said, signifying by what death he would esteem Elohim. And having said this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 

Compare

Isaiah 22: 17 See, יהוה is hurling you away, O man, and is firmly grasping you, 18 rolling you up tightly like a ball, into a wide land. There you are to die, and there your esteemed chariots are to be the shame of your master’s house. 19 And I shall drive you from your office, and you shall be ousted from your position.

YHVH removes Peter from his position and puts Paul in it

Isaiah 22:25 In that day,’ declares יהוה of hosts, ‘THE PEG that is fastened in the steadfast place shall be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it shall be cut off. For יהוה has spoken.’ ”

Ezekiel is about what happens in Rome. The Vatican is the Temple in Ezekiel

How do I know this because it matches exactly. Everything Ezekiel tells us was to show us that it was Rome. Some will say how can this be because it is a part of Jerusalem. You have to understand the New Jerusalem will be a little less in size than the USA. So it is huge not tiny.

Unfortunately you can not take just one snipet from Ezekiel and understand anything. You have to be able to see all the prophets as a whole and the entire message for the end times.

Here is a prime example of how I know it is the Vatican

Ezekiel 13:18 And say, Thus saith YHVH ELOHIM; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

The pillows are scapulars that the Catholics make. and the kerchiefs are the purple cloths thrown over the idols on lent. Towards the end of Lent you may notice purple cloths draped over the crucifixes, statues, and saint images at your parish. In some churches, these items may be removed from the sanctuary altogether.

The first scapulars were actually work clothes, worn by monks and later refined into a religious habit. St. Benedict adopted a simple apron of the sort worn by farmers and laborers; he initially used the garment for work, thus calling it scapulare propter opera (a covering "on account of work"). It later developed into the Benedictine habit we know today. Similar garments came to be used in other religious communities.

Eventually, members of third orders (groups of laymen formally aligned with Religious through prayer and specific promises) and confraternities (Church-approved lay associations, guided by Church authority) were accorded the honor of burial in the scapular of their "adopted" order. Generous financial and spiritual benefactors of religious orders also received the privilege.

Over time, the practice shifted to what we see today: A small woolen scapular is available to anyone who wishes to wear it.

The claim was made that the Virgin herself had handed a scapular to St. Simon (the Carmelites in Europe) and promised that "whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

Unfortunately YHVH has had this sealed until now so that we could not see it. For over 2000 years YHVH has been pouring out his wraith on the world and like in the days of Noah no one knew it was happening. The Sword is not one like on a battle field but rather the Word of YHVH and His laws and ordinances.

Isaiah 22:1-3 22 The oracle concerning the valley of vision.

What do you mean that you have gone up, all of you, to the housetops, 2 you who are full of shoutings, tumultuous city, exultant town? Your slain are not slain with the sword or dead in battle. 3 All your leaders have fled together; without the bow they were captured. All of you who were found were captured, though they had fled far away.

LOOK AT THE END ...WHY IS YHVH ANGRY ? Isaiah Chapter 24 Septuagint

BEHOLD, YHVH is ABOUT TO LAY WASTE THE WORLD, and will MAKE IT DESOLATE , and will lay bare the surface of it, and scatter them that dwell therein. And the people shall be as the priest, and the servant as the master, and the maid as the mistress; the buyer shall be as the seller, the lender as the borrower, and the debtor as his creditor. The earth shall be completely laid waste, and the earth shall be utterly spoiled: for the mouth of YHVH has spoken these things. The earth mourns, and the world is ruined, the lofty ones of the earth are mourning. And SHE HAS SINNED by reason of her inhabitants; because THEY HAVE TRANSGRESSED THE LAW, and CHANGED THE ORDINANCES, even the EVERLASTING COVENANT. 6 THEREFORE a CURSE shall CONSUME THE EARTH, because the inhabitants thereof HAVE SINNED: therefore the dwellers in the earth shall be poor, and few men shall be left. The wine shall mourn, the vine shall mourn, all the merry-hearted shall sigh. The mirth of timbrels has ceased, the sound of the harp has ceased. They are ashamed, they have not drunk wine; strong drink has become bitter to them that drink [it]. All the city has become desolate: one shall shut his house so that none shall enter. There is a howling for the wine everywhere; all the mirth of the land has ceased, all the mirth of the land has departed. And cities shall be left desolate, and houses being left shall fall to ruin. All this shall be in the land in the midst of the nations, as if one should strip an olive tree, so shall they strip them; but when the vintage is done, these shall cry aloud; and they that are left on the land shall rejoice together in the glory of YHVH: the water of the sea shall be troubled. Therefore shall the glory of YHVH be in the isles of the sea; the name of YHVH shall be glorious. O YHVH Elohim of Israel, from the ends of the earth we have heard wonderful things, [and there is] hope to the godly: but they shall say, WOE TO THE DESPISERS , THAT DESPISE THE LAW. Fear, and a pit, and a snare, are upon you that dwell on the earth. And it shall come to pass, [that] he that flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that comes up out of the pit shall be caught by the snare: for windows have been opened in heaven, and the foundations of the earth shall be shaken, the earth shall be utterly confounded, and the earth shall be completely perplexed. It reels as a drunkard and one oppressed with wine, and the earth shall be shaken as a storehouse of fruits; for iniquity has prevailed upon it, and it shall fall, and shall not be able to rise. And Elohim shall bring [his] hand upon the host of heaven, and upon the kings of the earth. And they shall gather the multitude thereof into prisons, and they shall shut them into a strong hold: after many generations they shall be visited. And the brick shall decay, and the wall shall fall; for YHVH shall reign from out of Sion, and out of Jerusalem, and shall be glorified before [his] elders.

YHVH is so angry at all of us for not following His rules. Everything we are experiencing right now is a part of that wraith. This is the bottom line to the judgments and no one realizes it. The entire Tribulation was over in 73 AD and we are in the 3 days of Wraith now.

“AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US” We read in Hosea 5:15-6:3, “I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek My face: in their affliction they will seek Me early. (They shall say) Come, and let us return unto YHVH; for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will HE REVIVE US.; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight…..”.

After two thousand years of Paul’s false doctrines we will be revived.

A key phrase in this passage that will help us in our search for the truth of ELOHIM’s Word. Note for example, “I will go and return to My place“. This tells us that this prophecy will be fulfilled

YHVH never intended His Laws be removed as the apostles did. Acts 15:10 -11 Now, therefore, why are you putting Elohim to the test BY PLACING A YOKE ON THE NECK OF THE DISCIPLES THAT NEITHER OUR FATHERS NOR WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BEAR? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Master Yahusha, just as they will.”

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put not one greater BURDEN on you than these necessary things

Compare

Jeremiah 23: 33-40 “Now when these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you will respond to them: What is the burden? I will throw you away”—this is YHVH’s declaration. “AS FOR THE PROPHET, PRIEST, OR PEOPLE WHO SAY, ‘THE BURDEN OF YHVH,’ I WILL PUNISH THAT MAN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD. This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother, ‘What has YHVH answered?’ or ‘What has YHVH spoken?’ But no longer refer to the burden of the YHVH, for each man’s word becomes his burden and you pervert the words of the living Elohim, YHVH of Hosts, our Elohim. You must say to the prophet: What has YHVH answered you? and What has YHVH spoken? But if you say, ‘The burden of YHVH,’ then this is what YHVH says: Because you have said, ‘The burden of YHVH,’ and I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY, ‘THE BURDEN OF YHVH.’ (This is someone who Yahusha had specifically given instructions) I will surely forget you and throw away from My presence both you and the city that I gave you and your fathers. I will bring on you everlasting shame and humiliation that will never be forgotten.”

Sorry there is no short answer for this. If you want to see my research of many years please contact me.