EZEKIEL 14:1-23
Monday, 05 February 2024
“…and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it.” says the Lord GOD. –Ezekiel 14:23
God uses Ezekiel to strongly speak to His people about their situation, to highlight their depraved condition and His reason for His judgment over them. They had sinned and miserably fallen from following the Lord. As we read, the Lord’s purpose of judgment is to purify His wayward people so that they turn from their sin to Him. God had repeatedly spoken to them, but they couldn’t hear Him because of the hardness of their hearts, hence God’s extreme step of bringing severe judgment.
What were the things that deeply angered God? Their heart of idolatry and their persistent unfaithfulness.
God’s answer to these vile sins is very direct—punishment. Even today God hasn’t changed his stance. He is a God of grace, yet He is an all-consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). It’s just a matter of time before He returns to mete out judgment on everyone living in sin. But He will reserve a remnant for Himself just as it is written in V. 22.
What are we to do to be a part of the remnant even as we await our LORD’s return?
Turn away from hypocrisy – The dictionary defines hypocrisy as “the practice of claiming to have higher standard or more noble beliefs than is the case.” The Scripture mentions the heart condition and practice of a hypocrite:
insincere worship – people who have no intimate knowledge of God or genuine love for Him-Jer.7:11
inconsistency seen in external act of religion and purity of heart – offering all the right sacrifices but living in secret sin -Acts 5:1-11
fails to discern spiritual truths – able to understand the ever-changing world but unable to pledge allegiance to the word of God. –Luke 12: 54-56
All these characteristics match with the elders who came to see Ezekiel in V.1- hypocrites! With their disloyal hearts, they had the audacity to seek the counsel of God. Jesus confronted the Pharisees for the very same thing. How often is this our heart’s condition when we come to worship God? You stop all your pretensions—God sees and hates them!
Walk in righteousness – The second detestable sin of Israel towards God was their unfaithfulness. God has often portrayed Himself as a husband and Israel as His bride. In the Old Testament punishment for unfaithfulness to a husband was death. We see the same here, God proclaimed death penalty against the land through famine, sword, wild beats and pestilence by which the entire land is wiped out of all its sin.
Amidst God’s proclamation of judgement against the land, He also mentions 3 righteous men- Noah, Daniel, Job- who lived exemplary lives in their generations. They were tested and proven that they were faithful and in their times of testing God rescued them.
What is the lesson here for us?
Judgement will not be withdrawn even if you are walking with spiritual giants in your churches. If the church as a unit is walking in sin, she will not be forgiven because of the few good men who are a part of her.Ø Each man will be judged for his deeds. Each one will have to give account of his/her own actions (Rom14:12)
No number of intercessors can save you unless you repent. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) yet he could not stop judgment on the unrepentant people.
God is righteous in all He does. Yet God in His mercy and love hasn’t struck us down in His anger. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that He is longsuffering towards us so that we repent and not perish. If there are idols in your heart, remove them and return to God with all your heart. He desires only this.
Let us align our lives to Him and walk in righteousness that we may be a part of the remnant at His coming. Do not delay!
To Act on: “….Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor.6:2)
Listen: 'Forgive me'