Reading for December 26th

Ezekiel's oracles against the land of Israel. Chs. 6-7: Ezekiel does not distinguish between Israel and Judah, but addresses the entire land and people of Israel arrayed around the Temple (Num 2; Ezek 48). The most holy place serves as the sacred center of the Temple, the Jerusalem Temple as the sacred center of Israel, and Israel as sacred center of the world. Read Ezekiel 6.1-10. In 6.1-14: Oracles against the mountains of Israel. The mountains of Israel: the homeland of Israel in the hills of Samaria and Judah. In verses 1-7: Ezekiel identifies the cause of punishment in the various altars and high places where people worship which compromise the sanctity of the Land. As a Zadokie priest, Ezeliel holds that legitimate worship of God must take place only in Jerusalem Temple (Deut 12). The scattering of dead corpses around the altars renders the land impure (Num 19; see also Lev 21.10-12). The prophet employs the prophetic "proof saying," then you sahll know that I am the Lord, throughout the book to identify God as the source of the prophet's words (Ex 20.2; Lev 19.3-4; see also Ex 3.13-22; Deut 5.6). In verses 8-10: Ezekiel relies on Isaiah's concept of a remnant of Israel (Isa 4.2-6; 6.13; 10.20-23) to demonstrate God's power to destroy and punish. Comments or Questions..