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Eze. 5:5-6

5 Thus saith [amar] the Lord [Adonay] GOD [Yahovih]; This is Jerusalem [Yaruwshalaim]: I have set [suwm] it in the midst [tavek] of the nations [gowy] and countries [erets] that are round about [cabiyb] her.
6 And she hath changed [marah] my judgments [mishpat] into wickedness [rish`ah] more than the nations [gowy], and my statutes [chuqqah] more than the countries [erets] that are round about [cabiyb] her: for they have refused [ma'ac] my judgments [mishpat] and my statutes [chuqqah], they have not walked [halak] in them. KJV-Interlinear

5 'Thus says the Lord GOD, 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her. 6 'But she has rebelled against My ordinances more wickedly than the nations and against My statutes more than the lands which surround her; for they have rejected My ordinances and have not walked in My statutes.' NASB

Now we finally have the subject of our signs. Although it is not the city that is in view here, but its residents who are the focus of the discipline and judgment God is about to bring against them.

The city of Jerusalem has a long history. From the time of Abraham when the King/Priest Melchizedek of Salem (Jerusalem) came to bless Abraham, the city has had a long history as the center of the world. The city of Salem had existed long before it was introduced in Genesis in Abraham's time. Abraham knew of and recognized Melchizedek.

Now well over a thousand years later in Ezekiel's time, the occupants of the city have disgraced its legacy and purpose, the city of peace, and have taken their own course in life in total disregard of Gods will.

Jerusalem is and was designed to be the center of history (figuratively). The nations and lands of all other kinds are round about her.

The city of peace represents Gods will for mans destiny. Peace comes only from advancing in the spiritual life to the point of spiritual maturity. The center (figurative) of the city is Gods mountain, Mt. Zion. Mt. Zion represents the vast mountain of doctrine which comes only from God.

Possessing this doctrine gives one understanding, wisdom, confidence, prosperity, security, happiness and therefore peace.

But to those who try to live within Gods environment (Jerusalem), but in fact are designing their own plan, then they not only become culpable with respect to their misapplication of truth, but they lead phony lives and boldly and bluntly insult God with their arrogant attitude.

Isa. 2:2
2 Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. NASB

God has set Jerusalem in the center of history. To it may go all who pursue their spiritual lives. From it may come all blessings beyond imagination. But as for those who try to take advantage of Gods design by applying their indifference, their belligerence, their ridicule, their antagonism, and their insults against God, who made all of the provisions for the city in the first place, then their sin becomes far greater than those (gentiles) who live outside of the city (outside of doctrine).

Rom. 2:12-16
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, NASB

Those who live outside of the city (gentiles), in foreign lands, can know and understand the laws of establishment, right from wrong, and so forth, and they don't even have the advantages that the Israelite residents of Jerusalem had. The Israelites had the scriptures, the priesthood, the prophets, direct contact with God, many miracles, and more, while the gentiles had none of this.

Unbelievers can have a great life, in this life, simply because they have common sense and an understanding of life as the world defines it. They can have successful marriages, businesses, social lives and so forth. Of course they will go to the Lake of Fire in the next life, but that does not prevent them from having a decent life now in this world.

Believers have so much more to look forward to, but unfortunately too many believers, once saved, drift away from God and begin to pursue the same patterns of living habits that unbelievers pursue. Believers can even become a bit more bizarre than their unbelieving counterparts.

And such is the case with Jerusalem in Ezekiel's day. Its residents had not only rejected God, but they had done so in a manner which was even worse than their foreign neighbors. It is one thing to not have Gods doctrine to guide you and still live a reasonably moral life, but it is a far worse thing to have Gods principles of life readily available to you, and to reject them and pursue the incredible immoralities of the world. That is blatant and outright rejection of authority to the point of gross insubordination.

This was the case of Jerusalem. This can be the case of people who live in our current day, if they ignore their spiritual responsibilities before God.

The unbelievers will still face their discipline and judgments. We have just seen yet another major earthquake (which looks like a really bad one) in northern Pakistan. There was lots of devastation and lots of death - perhaps 20-30,000 people have died.

A year ago the tsunami in Indonesia took about 200,000 lives and a year prior to that an earthquake in Iran took many thousands of lives.

Take these in contrast with the recent hurricane in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, where there was lots of devastation and over a much greater area, but relatively few deaths - just a little over 1200 deaths. And, in just three weeks following the hurricane, people are getting back into the region, cleaning up their properties and getting their lives back in order.

Those other areas will take years to get back to some normalcy, if ever.

God hammers unbelievers to bring them to salvation or to remove them as a further threat or deterrent from the world.

God hammers believers to test their faith and accelerate their advancement in their spiritual lives, to discipline them back into their spiritual lives, or to remove them from the world because their lives are an insult or a deterrent to others who need to advance in their spiritual lives.

Life revolves around Jerusalem, the city of peace, the place of spiritual maturity, the residence of Christ (the living word) resident (the written word) inside of the believer.

As goes your attitude toward Christ and doctrine, so goes your life.

Now is the time to post a prayer.

End Of Lesson

Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.

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