“A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.”
While some repetitions in Scripture burst with praise or plea, others strike like thunder. Repetitious prophecy is often God’s way of underscoring impending judgment. In Ezekiel 21:27, the Lord declares, “A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it.” The triple pronouncement is like the peal of a divine gavel—final, unavoidable, and just.
This is not poetic exaggeration. It is prophetic certainty. God’s judgment was coming to Jerusalem. The repetition was not for beauty—it was for weight. For warning. For absolute emphasis. And this time, it would not be reversed… until Messiah came.
The Setting of Ezekiel 21
Ezekiel 21 describes the coming judgment upon Jerusalem and the house of David. God speaks of His drawn sword—sharpened and ready—not to be returned to its sheath until justice is satisfied.
The triple “ruin” (or “overturn” in some translations) signals a total dismantling of the current corrupt leadership. God is declaring: I will not patch this system—I will dismantle it completely.
The throne of David, defiled by idolatry and injustice, would fall—and not be restored until the coming of “He to whom it rightly belongs.”
Application: God doesn’t deal lightly with sin, especially among His people. When He repeats His judgment, it’s because we haven’t taken Him seriously enough the first time.
“A Ruin, Ruin, Ruin” – Total Destruction
The threefold ruin speaks of:
- Political ruin – The fall of the king and the monarchy.
- Religious ruin – The desecration and destruction of the temple.
- National ruin – The exile and scattering of God’s people.
This repetition isn’t literary flair—it’s emphatic devastation.
It echoes the judgment language used in Jeremiah and other prophets, where the full weight of rebellion is matched with the full force of divine response.
“Until He Comes…” – Judgment Makes Room for the King
Even in wrath, God remembers mercy. He says the ruin will remain “until He comes, the one to whom judgment belongs.”
This is a messianic pointer—forward-looking to Christ. The line alludes to Genesis 49:10: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah… until Shiloh comes.”
Jesus is the One to whom the throne truly belongs. All human governments falter. All false kings fall. But He reigns in righteousness. God’s triple ruin clears the way for the eternal Redeemer-King.
How This Speaks to Us Today
We live in a world eager to rebuild without repenting. But sometimes, God must bring ruin before restoration. He will dismantle what man builds without Him. He will overturn what resists His lordship.
Questions for reflection:
- Are we ignoring repeated warnings from God?
- Do we confuse mercy with indifference?
- Are we trying to preserve what God is trying to purge?
Like Jerusalem of old, we can cling to our systems, our comforts, our religious identities—and miss the thunderous sound of God’s repeated warnings.
Lesson: God doesn’t stutter. When He says “ruin” three times, it’s because judgment is sure—and revival must follow humility.
The Gospel After the Ruin
The triple ruin sets the stage for the true King. Christ didn’t avoid judgment—He absorbed it. At the cross, Jesus took on the wrath of God so that we could be rebuilt on the foundation of grace.
Through His resurrection, Jesus became the rightful heir of David’s throne—not by military might, but by messianic mercy. He reigns forever, not in place of God’s judgment, but as the One who fulfilled it on our behalf.
Say It Again
“Ruin, ruin, ruin…” Those words may sound like devastation, but to the heart of faith, they sound like renovation. God clears what is corrupt so He can establish what is righteous. Don’t resist His judgment—respond to it. Don’t ignore the repetition—hear it as His mercy in motion.
Because the One to whom it all belongs… has come.
Next: Repetitious Plea – When God Repeats Himself to Get Our Attention