How is it we come before the LORD? Do we take the time to get right before Him? I think of the communion Scriptures that admonish us to examine our hearts before we take communion.
The elders of Israel came to Ezekiel the prophet to seek the Lord. Because at that time that was how it was done. The problem was that “these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put sinful stumbling blocks before their faces” (v. 2). Should the Lord listen to them then with such wickedness in their hearts?
They wanted the best of both worlds. They wanted the counsel of God and their idols as well. People that want their sin and a secure place in heaven. Yet the two are incompatible.
God asks Ezekiel, “Should I be consulted by them at all?” (v. 2).
God then tells Ezekiel he will answer them appropriately. God will turn against them and make them a sign and proverb. A meme. A slogan.
But if the prophet spoke things that are not of God as if they were of God, then God would deal with the prophet as well. God would hold anyone accountable who sinned, including the prophet.
The truth is that there was going to be terrible judgment. That judgment would come by 4 things—“sword, famine, dangerous animals and plague” (v. 21). These kind of all go together anyway. Where there is war there is famine and death. Death invites the dangerous animals and dead bodies also spread disease. It has happened throughout history and will happen again.
Their sin has become so vile and so prolonged before the Lord that he is going to hand them to the Babylonians. They will bring the war and destruction.
It’s so bad that the LORD says that even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in Jerusalem, they alone would be spared because of their righteousness, but not even their own children. The sin of Israel was that bad.
Why Noah, Daniel and Job mentioned? Because in Scripture they are the epitome of righteousness. In great duress these men did not sin against God. Were the perfect? No. Noah got drunk, Job complained, and I’m sure Daniel had issues. But even in this these men were pillars of righteousness in a wicked world.
The LORD says he would save these 3 men based on their righteousness, but that was it. If they were there, even their own families would die as the sin was so vile.
Now interesting the LORD says that some sons and daughters of Israel would be saved. And Ezekiel would see them and be consoled. Not consoled in the fact that God was saving a remnant. Although that was a consolation. But that Ezekiel was going to see first hand how evil their behavior was and realize that God’s judgment was just. He was right in bringing such terrible destruction on the land.
—
There are a couple of things that stand out to me here.
- You can’t have your sin and God too. Right now that is common. People think they can sin all they want and it doesn’t really matter. That is not the case.
- It’s not good to come before the LORD in seeking him in prayer if we have sin in our hearts. We will always sin, but it is good to take the time to repent, turn from our sin and come to God with clean hearts.
- I’m inspired by the life of Noah, Job and Daniel. These 3 were surrounded by such evil and hardship yet they did not curse God. Instead they stayed faithful under terrible circumstances. They carried a righteousness worth meditating on.
- God is just in His judgment. Whenever God brings judgment, people cry out that he isn’t being loving. And where is God? And does God exist if he isn’t doing something? Not all hardship and terrible times are God’s judgment. In fact, I think people are too quick to read judgment into everything. But at the same time, we have no right to be angry with God’s judgment as a means of justice. Things like hell are God’s righteous justice.
