Ezekiel 7:22

• Their once valuable objects became contaminated because they were used to make offensive idols and images.

• God would give his treasured land, the home of his sanctuary (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11), to harsh and ruthless pagans. Israel repeatedly failed to distinguish between true and false worship places, continued pagan worship at high places, and even brought idols into the temple (Ezekiel 8). Therefore, God would destroy the pagan worship centers in the land and even in the temple in Jerusalem.

  In the past, God defended Jerusalem against overwhelming odds (see 2 Kings 18:1–19:37), but now he would leave her to her deserved fate.

Comprehensive judgment is shown in two matching sections: Ezekiel 7:12–18 and 7:19–27.

Each section begins by showing that material gain (money and property) is useless in light of the coming judgment. Then the text describes the arrival of war and its terrible results. Finally, each section ends with a picture of fear, helplessness, and deep mourning among the people.

Ezekiel 7 contains three messages of doom (7:3–4, 5–9, 10–27). These messages reminded Judah that their coming destruction was not random. It was an act of the Lord's judgment.

These chapters discuss words and actions that warned of disaster for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4–5) and the land of Judah (Ezekiel 6–7).