An Atheist Explores the Bible Part 166: An early version of Hell, and yet more smiting (Ezekiel 31-35)

Ezekiel 31-35
An early version of Hell, and yet more smiting.

Welcome to another instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Bible version).

In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the King James Bible, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.

For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/2F8f9JT

For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP

And now:

Ezekiel 31

“Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.”

The gist of this chapter, as far as I can tell, is “don’t get too big for your boots”, and is directed at the Pharaoh of Egypt. “The Assyrian” is likened to a mighty cedar tree, taller than the other trees, home to many birds and beasts, envied by all the trees in Eden. This almost sounds like gushing fanboyism, until the middle of the chapter where “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.”

I can’t tell if the context for this is that this is what happened to the Assyrians, therefore watch yourself, or if the “him” referred to is the Pharaoh. I’m a little confused because I thought that the Assyrians were used interchangeably with the Babylonians in Biblical language, in which case they are still triumphant. If, however, this means Damascus and the likes, these have been conquered by the Babylonians, and the whole image works.

Nice tree metaphor, by the way.

Ezekiel 32

“And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.”

More threats against Egypt, that is likened to first a lion, then a whale, and this simile is run with for a few verses, threatening a good beaching so that birds and beasts eat the carcass. There will be an eclipse, or even a darkening of the entire sky, followed by an invasion of the Babylonians that will leave such destruction as to cause lamentations amongst all who remember Egypt.

What’s added in this chapter, which is otherwise more of the same, is the repeated threats of being sent down into “the pit”, or “hell”, to lie with “the uncircumcised”, i.e. all non-covenanters.

There is a list of other nations and city-states that have met, or will meet, the same fate, including Edom, Elam, Meshech and Tubal. I wonder if “hell” here is a later translation of what is originally just The Pit, or the “nether parts of the earth”, in other words the lands of death. In most of the mentions of those that have gone there, they are described as dead bones, sometimes lying with their swords, rather than souls in torment. As in earlier discussions on death, there doesn’t seem to be much implication of an afterlife.

Ezekiel 33

“Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.”

This chapter starts with what seems like an eminently practical suggestion from God to Ezekiel; that the people of Jerusalem should set a watchman to blow a trumpet at the approach of hostiles, and if anyone fails to heed, on their own head be it when they get killed.

Aha, says I, this sounds like another metaphor and sure enough it is; Ezekiel is to be the watchman and his prophecies are the trumpet. I’m pretty sure that the idea of the “trumpet”  can be extended to “word of God” generally, and I’m equally sure that it has been.

There’s then another discussion on the difference between doing right and wrong, and how all a person’s good deeds won’t balance out if they then go on to do wrong, but also conversely if a wrong-doer honestly repents then they should not be condemned for what they did before. Now that I look at that, from a game-playing point of view you may as well spend your life doing whatever you like and repent at the last minute, because otherwise if you spend all your time trying to do the right thing, one slip and you’ve had it. It’s probably not meant to be interpreted that way.

There’s then a third section to this chapter, where “one that had escaped out of Jerusalem” comes to Ezekiel and asks if God will deliver them like He delivered Abraham. No, is the answer in brief, because “Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood” – no salvation for covenant breakers. Perhaps we can assume that based on the middle part of this chapter, if the people turn away from their apostacy then they will be saved.

Ezekiel 34

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”

The first thought here is “Hey, lay off the shepherds!”, but of course we are in the realm of metaphor once again, and the “shepherds” and “sheep” are not actual shepherds and sheep, but leaders and the people that they are supposed to protect. So this whole chapter is, initially, having a go at venal rulers who enrich themselves at the expense of the people and fail to protect those that they are meant to protect. And here I can only give a hearty cheer of agreement.

And also here, finally, we get some sense of building and healing from God. He promises to gather up the “lost sheep” and return them to the “high mountains of Israel”. “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick”, some much more agreeable sentiments to all this smiting. There is talk of a new covenant, and also “I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd”, which has very messianic overtones.

Ezekiel 35

“And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.”

And just when it was starting to look brighter, here we are back with the smiting. This time it is Mount Seir, for the crime of kicking the Israelites when they were down. For which, “And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword”. All of which is getting rather dull by now. This is the deific equivalent of the old schoolyard threat that “I’m going to get you”, whatever getting entailed (usually a bit of coat pulling at most).