21:1-2 Again the Lord told His prophet to speak a message of judgment against Jerusalem, the pagan sanctuaries, and the whole land of Israel (i.e., Judah). This would be a clarification of the figures used in the previous parable.
21:3-5 Ezekiel was to announce that Yahweh stood opposed to His people (cf. Luke 9:51; 19:41; 21:20-24). Instead of being their divine defender (cf. Deut. 32:41; Josh. 5:13-15; Isa. 31:8; 34:5-8; 66:16; Jer. 25:31; 50:35-37; Zeph. 2:12), He was going to turn against them and put them to death with a sword (cf. fire, 20:47-48), both the righteous (the green tree) and the wicked (the dry tree) throughout the whole land.293Everyone would know that He had been responsible for the judgment, and He would not sheath His sword (quench the fire, 20:48).294
21:6-7 The Lord told Ezekiel to let the Jewish exiles among whom he lived witness his groaning, grief, and heartbreak as he delivered this message. When the people asked the prophet why he was so sad, he was to tell them that it was because of the coming judgment.
"God would have Ezekiel experience something of what was in His own heart toward the rebellious nation."295
Ezekiel's grief would mark the people to whom he spoke this prophecy when they heard the news that the sword was coming. And the Lord guaranteed that the judgment would indeed come.
