Editorial October 17, 1994 Issue

City living without crime

Mary Metzner Trammell

"The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence"—that's how the young expatriate describes his homeland. Sound like a description of one of the countries or cities in the news today? Well, it's not. Actually, these words picture a city thousands of years ago—a city called Jerusalem. And the speaker? A one-of-a-kind prophet named Ezekiel (Ezek. 7:23).

At the time he spoke those words, Ezekiel was a political prisoner being held—along with thousands of other Jews—in Babylonia. But, unlike his fellow captives, Ezekiel had magnificent visions of what he called "the glory of the Lord"—of a whirlwind, a fiery cloud, massive celestial creatures, and wheels.

Ezekiel also heard God speak, telling him to give the children of Israel one important message: They must turn away from the false prophets they've been following. These lying prophets, the divine voice tells Ezekiel, have led the Jews into idolatry and crime and violence—into open rebellion against God (see Ezek. 14:3). All this can only lead to destruction for Jerusalem. The city will fall, and the Temple will burn.

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