Ezekiel 15:1-8 – Walking and working in tandem with God.

Ezekiel 15 is a parable. It’s a parable concerning Judah and Jerusalem which were at the brink of being destroyed in God’s judgment. Since they were God’s chosen people, the people of Judah only wanted the privilege but not the responsibility of living for Him. Presuming on their relationship with God, they felt more important and superior to the people of the other nations. So self-absorbed were they that they were not able to see the looming dangers. This parable was aimed at helping them see how worthless they were to God due to their unfaithfulness.

The Bible has used vineyards and vines as symbols of Israel and her people. In this parable, like a vineyard in a forest of trees so was Judah (Israel) a nation among other nations. God asked two rhetorical questions in verses 2-3. “How is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel? These two questions were asked to debunk Judah’s false feeling of security. In verses 1-5, God was showing that Judah’s unfaithfulness to Him made her as useless as the other nations for His purpose. As a vine that is unfit as material for a peg to hold heavy utensils, Judah was not ready for God’s big task.

As it is, the stem of the vine could not be used to make into a peg much less could it be used when it had gone through the fire twice. Judah was like a vine that had gone through a fire twice, where both ends of the stem had been destroyed leaving the middle of the stem charred. Even when she did not go through the fire, she was already unusable how could the charred stem out of the fire be of any use? The answer to the question of course is no. The fire that had burnt off both ends of the vine was alluding to the two previous sieges of Jerusalem by Babylon. In the two sieges, the Babylonians had taken some captives with them. Like a charred vine, Judah would again be thrown into the fire and be destroyed in the coming judgment.    

Like Israel, we must not presume on our relationship with God.  The privilege given to us in Christ must make us more responsible not less. Just because we are saved does not mean we can now live a careless undisciplined life. If anything, our relationship with Christ should make us want to be more diligent in living for Him. We must never think that our relationship with Christ means we can do anything, and God will overlook and forgive. Don’t take God’s goodness to mean that the rule for right living no longer applies.  Let’s collaborate with God in godly living!       

Ezekiel 14:12-23 – We are individually accountable to God.

For the sin committed in Jerusalem, she would not be spared. This was what God wanted the people to know through the Prophet Ezekiel. We surmise that there were those who doubted that Jerusalem would end in such a fate because of the conflicting messages of the false prophets. Here in Ezekiel 14:12-20, God said in no uncertain terms concerning the certainty of the destruction of the city and the people.

Hypothetically God was saying Jerusalem had reached such a deplorable stage where even if three notable righteous characters, namely Noah, Daniel, and Job were present He would still not spare her.  However, only these three righteous ones would be spared. Noah was the one God kept alive from the judgment of the flood. Daniel was the prophet who refused to compromise. His godliness stood out in the exile in Babylon. Job according to God had no equal in righteousness. He was the most righteous man in the East.

In this passage, God detailed four ways by which Jerusalem and her people would be judged. Through famine, ravaging wild animals, war, and plagues, the city and her people would be destroyed. None would be spared. The point God wanted to underscore was this: the presence of a few righteous could not avert God’s judgment coming upon them.  

However, in verses 21-23, we see a surprising twist. God said there would be some who be brought out from the ruin. Notice the word is not saved from it but brought out from the catastrophe. He allowed this survival for a reason.  They were brought to assure those already in exile, to show them the horrible depravity of Jerusalem.  With their deplorable behavior on display among them, they would fully understand why the judgment on Jerusalem was justifiably needed. They would have nothing to say but to know that God had no other option but to act the way He did.

What is the takeaway? No one can be saved based on borrowed righteousness. Everyone is responsible and accountable for himself or herself. Our righteousness is the imputed righteousness of Christ. We have this imputed righteousness because we put our total trust in His atoning sacrifice at Calvary. Only with Him as our Savior, Lord, and Master that we become redeemed members of the New Covenant community. And as we walk in obedience, will we be able to experience the deep assurance of our blessed future in Him. It is by grace through faith that we are saved. It is a gift of God and therein have nothing in ourselves that we can use to boast.             

Ezekiel 14:6-11 – Having God’s guidance in life

Not only were the elders in the exile harboring an idolatrous heart, but the people were also equally guilty of the same propensity. God implied so in Ezekiel 14:6 even as he called them to repentance. Both they, the elders as well as the people, were equally contaminated with the sin as those who were left behind in Jerusalem.  So, He urged them saying, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.”  

God’s desire was to see everyone cleansed from their idolatry. Everyone from the native-born Israelites to the proselytes who separated themselves from their own nationalities and were simulated into the Jewish community. The outward appearance of orthodoxy never deceived God who could see the inner thoughts and intents of the hearts. These people should not expect a word of guidance from the Lord through the prophet when they had so obviously put the abominable stumbling block before them and God. Instead, God Himself would have His way of dealing with them. He would make them a public example to the people, to show them of what it would like to harbor a divided heart and allegiance. He would ensure that they would be ostracized from His people.

In verses 9-11, God sent a warning to any prophet who would entertain these wayward people. This implied that among the exile there were also other prophets. The temptation of the people was then to go shopping for one who would provide them guidance. God guaranteed that in place of truth, they would receive deceiving words. Besides, He warned such prophets, who entertained these wicked inquirers that they themselves would receive the same treatment as their inquirers.    

Verse 11 provides us an insight into the heart of God. All He wanted was to have a faithful people, cleansed from their sins and transgression.  All he desired was for the house of Israel to no longer stray from Him and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. When that happened, God assured them that “…they will be My people, and I shall be their God.” In other words, they shall be truly His covenant people.

Through Christ, God’s desire is for us to have what He had asserted in verse 11 – a truly pure relationship. If like them, we are harboring “idols” that have become strongholds and stumbling blocks in our lives, He wants them to be broken. His desire is for us to have a pure and cleansed relationship with Him. He wants us to be able to hear from Him and have His clear guidance in life.     

 

 

Ezekiel 14:1-5 - Be loyal to God alone

The Prophet Ezekiel was among the earlier batch of people of Israel God sent into exile. Remember he was originally a priest. Since there was no temple in the exile, he redirected him into the Prophetic ministry. God was making available a means for those in exile who were willing to seek His direction. So, Ezekiel was among them whom they could go to seek God’s direction. Note that God will never leave us without guidance, He only expects our loyalty.  

Ezekiel 14:1 suggests that though the people of God were in exile they still had some form of leadership structure. They were in the form of the elders made up of the heads of families. These came to consult with Ezekiel to seek direction. While the prophet did not know their idolatrous hearts, their propensity did not escape the sight of God. No thought or intent of every human heart, especially that of His people ever escaped God’s notice (Hebrews 4:13).

 

So, in Ezekiel 14:2 God alerted Ezekiel and exposed their hearts’ “hidden secret.” He told the prophet saying, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? God was not allowing Ezekiel to be their go-between; He was going to deal with them directly. His answer to them would be seen in the decisive acts demonstrated in their judgment. He was bent on removing the tendency of His people’s hearts toward idolatry. What God truly is a people truly loyal to Him alone.  

Today, there is still the possibility for believers to outwardly declare allegiance to God while secretly living an idolatrous life. There is no way a person can please God when secretly one is harboring something or someone that is treasured and cherished above Him. While this may not be seen by others, it never escapes the notice of our all-seeing God. There must not be competing allegiance in us towards God. Jesus Himself had asserted that we should not serve two masters. When we do, it will cause us to have a split allegiance and cannot stay true to Him. This must be taken seriously more so when we are called into a leadership position. Be sure to be loyal to God alone and have no other gods before Him.  

Ezekiel 13:10-16 – Live responsibly

Continuing the discussion on false prophets, Ezekiel 13:10 said that they were falsely pronouncing peace when there was no peace. Their deceiving message was boosting false confidence. God had been saying that the wall of Jerusalem would crumble and fall. But the false prophets were saying otherwise, giving the people a mistaken hope. Their lies were like whitewash covering up the true condition of the wall, giving a sense that the situation was better than it seemed. Dutch-comfort!    

Weren’t prophets supposed to warn of impending dangers? But these were nurturing false hope instead of sounding out the lurking dangers. The misleading messages were driving the people further away from the Lord rather than drawing them closer to Him.  So, in verse 11, God sent an unmistakable message to the false prophets. He said, “…it (the wall) will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out.” God guaranteed the judgment. When it comes, the truth would become evident. The deceived people would be left wondering about the legitimacy of the false message.

Verses 13-16 emphasize what was coming. God’s wrath would be unleashed. Violent storms speak of God’s wrath and the tumultuous, horrendous, and unrelenting weather point to the devastation the Babylonians would wreck the city. The very foundation of the city would collapse, the city would be in total ruin and the false prophets would be buried in the rubble.   

No sin will go unnoticed by God. No offense will escape His dealing unless we repent.  So, God sternly warns us in Galatians 6:7-8^{, “}Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. This is true of the false prophets, and it shall also be true of us. 

Ezekiel 13:8-9 – Make time to nurture our walk with God

In today’s reflection, we return to continue where we have left off in Ezekiel 13:1-7. There God turned to deal with the false prophets. They were leading the people astray, corrupting their morals and eroding their trust in the Lord. Two things they did were highlighted in those verses: prophesying falsehood and misleading with a lying vision. For what they were doing they had not only incurred God’s pleasure but also His disfavour. So, God prescribed three consequences. Ezekiel 13: 8-9 describes the three outcomes God had stipulated for these false prophets.  

Firstly, would lose their council with the people. In other words, they no longer have any speaking rights. Secondly, they would lose their place in the record as God’s people, The Jews scrupulously kept a national record of their citizens. Names of these false prophets would not be found in the nation’s register. They would be cut off from the community of God’s people. Thirdly, they would be excluded from the land of Israel.  This meant they would die in exile and never enter the land of Israel again. The finality of their judgment would prove the truth about God. His words had never failed, not then, not now, and not forever.

Knowing the outcome of false prophets should cause us to be careful not to become prey to their false teachings. Bear in mind that false prophets do not have a true love for God. They only use His name to lend credibility to their message.  Their primary drive is profit and not being a true prophet. They will spare no effort to peddle falsehood for personal gain. The presence of false teachers and their teachings underscores the importance of building our relationship with God.

Our goal in life is to be like Christ. And to attain that goal, we must commit to an intentional lifelong process of growth in the Word of God. To facilitate that, we cannot afford to only come to God in sporadic moments of our impulses. We need to have a consistent and regular time with God. We need to cultivate good spiritual disciplines such as prayer and personal Bible study. Start today!     

Ezekiel 13:17-23 – Don’t be lured by dark forces of evil

Among the false prophets described earlier, Ezekiel 13:17 said there were several prophetesses. Like their male counterpart, they were eroding the trust of the people in God and corrupting the morals of the nation. They were making things up and claimed them as from God. Ezekiel was specifically told to address them. The ultimate purpose that had been articulated before was, “And you shall know that I am the Lord.”

These “so-called” prophetesses were more akin to sorceresses. Like witches, they were introducing practices that God had prohibited. They introduced magic wristbands or amulets and veils for the heads of people of every stature. The people who came consulting them had to have their heads covered. Hence, they had different sizes of veils to cover client’s different physical stature. To say that they were “in hunt for their soul” suggests that spells were being cast over the people who came to consult them.

What were these sorceresses doing? Verse 19 says they were in it for personal gain. In an already depleted resource, they still had the gall to profane the Lord among people to exact “handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread” for their own survival. The people who really needed to be preserved were those who were manipulated by their lies.

Fundamentally, they had mistakenly put the Lord on par with other gods. The equated power derived from the amulet and veils was God’s. Hence God set out to deliver His ensnared people. So, in verses 20-21, He assertedly declared “Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 

The cardinal sins these false sorceresses had committed in their manipulation were two. Firstly, they were discouraging the godly with their lies and were encouraging the wicked to continue in their evil and not turn to be saved. In verse 23, when God said, they shall no longer see false visions nor practice divination, He was referring to their demise. In their death, the people would be delivered from the clutches of these false practices.  

The power of darkness is also very active today. In Ephesians 6:12, we are told that “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Therefore, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ represented by the full armor of God. So that “we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”   

 

 

Ezekiel 13:1-7 - Beware of false prophets!

The people's trust in God had been eroded by the false prophets. Those in Jerusalem as well as those in exile in Babylon. They all had been negatively influenced by false prophets. The prophecies they were listening to were contrary to what God was saying through genuine prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Those false prophets were menacing the people and were a present danger to them. In chapter 13 and verses 1-2, God directed Ezekiel to address them. For the false prophets were prophesying from their own impulses because they had no knowledge of what was on God’s mind.

Pronouncing woe on them, God was virtually condemning them. Instead of strengthening the people, their prophecies were weakening them.  Judah was already on the brink of collapse and ruin, and their counsel did not help to remedy the situation. Instead of helping to repair the nation, they were exploiting the folly of the people. As jackals or foxes that spoil the vines, they were digging needless holes in the spiritual wall of the people to facilitate the nation’s collapse.

Verse 5 says that they “…have not gone up into the breaches or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord.” Whether spiritually or morally they were not building the people preparing them for the impending outcome. They did not point out their flaws nor call them to repentance. The false prophets had done nothing to build true faith in the Almighty.  They had failed to call the people back to the path of obedience. What the people needed and what the false prophets failed to do was to help them build the spiritual wall. For no physical wall could protect them. Only faith and trust in God could. As it was for them, so also it is for us.

They used terms that genuine prophets of God would use but for very different purpose. What they prophesied had no divine authority but only “lying divination.” They had the audacity to falsely claim that God was their source when clearly, He was not. There would be no chance of their prophecies coming to pass.

False prophets can also be found in our day. They are also out there claiming to be speaking for God but are not. Jesus Himself said that false prophets will arise and deceive God’s people. One of the best ways to guard against false prophets and their deceptive teachings is to know the truth. We need to heed Paul’s advice in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”. We need to have a passion for God, a passion for excellence, and a passion for His Word.  

Ezekiel 12:21-28 – Being skeptical is denying God’s faithfulness.

There seems to be a growing skepticism among the exile concerning the impending destruction of Jerusalem. Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel had vehemently said it would happen. Although some were already taken into exile, yet they still chose not to see that judgment had already started with them. The saying that “there is none so blind as one who refuses to see” is true of people of all periods. It is true in our day, as it was true among the exile. Remember what the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9? “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

In Ezekiel 12:25-28 we see the utter failure of the exile to appreciate the grace and patience of God that led to their skepticism. Among them, there was a murmuring saying ‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing.’ Meaning prophecies concerning the imminent destruction of Jerusalem were way off the mark. They were insinuating that those prophecies were false. This was an affront to the Lord who set out to prove that every word of His was true. The false notion would no longer be repeated because God would bring them to an end. He would ensure the fulfillment of all that He had said He would do. His patience had run out and every vision would be fulfilled in their days.  

In verses 26-28, among the exile, there were those who were not as blatant in their skepticism. They accepted the prophecies but saw them as only coming to pass years later in the distant future. Here the Lord also debunked their noti0n saying in verse 28, “None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed….”     

The people of God here had short memory of God’s faithfulness and that led to their susceptibility to all kinds of excuses. The truth remains that In His patience, God is  time to understand His heart and return to being faithful to Him. Never allow our refusal to see make us blind to the truth of God thus making us cynical.  

Ezekiel 12:17-20 – Overcoming fear and anxiety

Panic and fear and two negative emotions that can be debilitating. For their wayward, careless lifestyle of living contrary to God’s stipulated standards, the house of Israel would be judged. God had the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem. Earlier in Ezekiel 4:9-17 God already instructed the prophet to show through a drama the scarcity of food supply and water, where rationing of food and water became a necessity. Now in Ezekiel 12:17-20, God told him to act out a message that demonstrates panic and fear,

Ezekiel was to eat food with trembling and drink water with signs of anxiety. He was to eat and drink as one who had been stricken with terror. He was to portray the feeling that they would be stricken when Jerusalem and Judah were filled with violence and chaos as they were being invaded. The city would be wasted, and the land made desolate. When all these happen the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah would be eating and drinking with a sense of great trepidation. The whole point was to make them come to realize who was their God and His true nature.

This was not something Israel was not warned earlier on in the book of Deuteronomy.  God said these curses would happen to them when they chose to disobey Him. Deuteronomy 28:67-67 says, “Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you shall say, ‘If only it were morning!’ because of the dread that your heart shall feel, and the sights that your eyes shall see.”

Fear can be a good thing when it keeps us from doing the wrong thing and going down the wrong path. It keeps us in check. But it becomes a bad thing when it paralyzes us and keeps living a panicky life full of anxiety and prevents us from living life without any foreboding. First John 4:18 assures us that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected love.”

 

The antidote to fear is faith in God. True faith in Him will inspire us to walk in obedience and be protected and guarded by the peace of God. Faith will help us turn to God in times of fear. This is God’s assurance in Philippians 4:6-7. Paul said, “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Ezekiel 12:8-16 – God wants our obedience.

In the first seven verses of chapter 12, the Prophet Ezekiel was told to prepare baggage like an exile leaving his country. He was to act out in the full sight of the people in the day. Then in the night, he was told to dig through the wall of his home with his hand to escape. He was further told to carry a bundle with him in the cover of darkness. Besides, he was to cover his face so that he could not be recognized. Ezekiel carried out the instructions precisely as instructed. All he was told was that it would be a sign to the people. The obvious reason for it was not fully known to him.

Interestingly, verse 8 implied that the people were asking Ezekiel what he was doing. They wanted to know the message of his skit. Yet it seemed that he did not have a complete answer for them. He probably knew the broad stroke of the message but not the exact details until the Lord’s explanation. The skit Ezekiel acted was to draw the attention of the people. God knew the skit would puzzle the people and stimulate them to ask questions.

So, in Ezekiel 12:9-16 God set out to provide the explanation and give the meaning for the drama that he had acted out. The intended message according to verse 10 had to do with the prince of Jerusalem and all the house of Israel. The prince in question was Zedekiah, the ruling king of Jerusalem at that point. He was referred to as the prince because the people still viewed King Jehoiachin, the previous king as the legitimate ruler. Zedekiah was made king by Nebuchadnezzar who took Jehoiachin into exile for the latter’s rebellion. The details are provided in 2 Kings 24.  

However, in 2 Kings 25, Zedekiah also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar later, by turning to Egypt for help. This caused the king of Babylon to carry out another siege. And Zedekiah together with his men and family then attempted to escape in the cover of darkness. He carried a simple baggage on his back, covered his face to conceal his identity, and dug a hole through the rubble to escape.  Second Kings 25:6 the king and his army were overtaken by the pursuing Chaldeans in the plain of Jericho. With his capture, his army scattered from him. He was brought to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be dealt with. Cruelly, Nebuchadnezzar slaughtered all of Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes. They also had his eyes gouged out as he was bonded with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.   Here’s the reason why Ezekiel 12:12 said “…he may not see the land with his eyes.” Ezekiel 12:15 then said that God would scatter the people but spare some. This would be His remnant who would be preserved to testify and attest to what had happened.  

Obedience is critical in God’s service. Ezekiel did not fully know the details when he was asked to perform the skit. Yet he did it obediently. It is true that in the service of God, many a time the reason why we are instructed to do a certain thing will only become clear when we act on it. God expects us to obey even when we may not fully comprehend His every move. True obedience requires that we adopt the attitude of the Light Brigade in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem. Like them, ours is to obey at all costs even when we don’t know the reason why!  

Ezekiel 12:1-7 – Living a life of self-denial.

Let’s do a brief recap before we go further. The first three chapters of the book of Ezekiel dealt with his calling. The rest of the book after that can be roughly categorized into three broad divisions. Chapters 4-24 are messages on the judgment of the house of Israel. Even though Israel had become two kingdoms, God still viewed them as one. Hence though Ezekiel was ministering to the people of Judah in the Babylonian captivity, he still addressed them as the house of Israel. In chapters 26-32, the messages are on the judgment of the surrounding nations. And finally, in chapters 33-48, the messages concern the restoration of Judah and the temple in Jerusalem.

In Ezekiel 12:1-7, though the people were already in exile, God told Ezekiel that they were still rebellious and unreceptive to His message. God’s exact words concerning them in verse 2 were that they “…have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.” They were still resisting God’s plan. His message to them was clear that they would be in exile for 70 years. Many were still cherishing an early return to Jerusalem. So, God directed Ezekiel to act out another message for them before their eyes.

Ezekiel was told to prepare a baggage. For a person going into exile, the baggage would be simple and quite bear. He was to prepare the baggage in the full view of the people. In the daytime, he would act as one going to another place to depict and simulate the scene of a person who was going into exile. In the evening, verse 5 said, he was to “dig through the wall and bring his baggage out through it” in the sight of the people. Furthermore, he was to “lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk.” Ezekiel was told to cover his face as one who didn't want to be recognized. All that he acted out was to be a sign to the people of the exile. Verse 7 Ezekiel said he did as he was instructed.

Though the people’s hearts were hardened toward Him, still God sought to get their attention. We cannot miss His graciousness. Despite the people being rebellious and unreceptive to His message, Ezekiel was directed to act out to make the message plain to them. It’s not difficult to imagine the shame Ezekiel had to bear and the pride he had to forgo. Put ourselves in Ezekiel’s shoes and reflect for a while. Are we willing to go to the same extent to amplify God’s message in our lives? Jesus said if any man would come after me, let Him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Will we? There are two takeaways for us. Firstly, don’t let our misplaced confidence cause us to harden our hearts toward God. Secondly, be prepared to live a life of self-denial.

Ezekiel 11:22-25 – The need for consecrated living

The description of the departure of the throne chariot ferrying the glory of God in Ezekiel 11:22-25 concluded the second series of the prophet’s visions. The lifting of the wings of the cherubim, the whirling of the wheels beside them, and the glory of God over them were all poised to depart Jerusalem. Verse 23 then said that the glory of the Lord departed from the east gate of the city and stood on the mountain on the left of the city. This mountain is understood to be Mount Olive. When that happened, in a vision Ezekiel saw himself lifted by the Spirit of God and he was back among the exile in Babylon and no longer in Jerusalem. At Babylon among the exile, he then narrated all that the Lord had shown him to them. Later in his final vision in Ezekiel 43, we will see the glory of God returning from the east gate.   

The departure of the glory of God from Jerusalem signals to us that God Cannot and will not co-exist with sin.  Where the presence of sin is, the presence of God will not be there. Just like we will feel uncomfortable in a dirty house, the Spirit of God will also not remain in a temple that is filthy and corrupted by sin. 

 

We must be mindful that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This was Paul's assertion in 1 Corinthians 6:19. He rhetorically asked, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? He also further asserted that we are not our own for Christ had paid an awesome price to make us God’s very own. The right thing to do then is “to glorify God in our body.”

We are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And we are God’s blood-bought children redeemed to live a sanctified life. Hence, we must no longer conform to this world, its patterns, and values. Instead, we must continually offer our lives to God as a living sacrifice and yield our hearts and minds to be progressively transformed.  Let us dedicate each day of our lives to Him and daily be His consecrated people throughout our earthly living!   

    

Ezekiel 11:14-21 – Living for God

Ezekiel's concern was that God’s harsh dealing with His people would leave the land of Israel without people. In response to his distress, God then assured him that He had His true people in place. God told the prophet that those taken into exile were his kinsmen and truly His people. Those, who remained in Jerusalem arrogantly considered themselves to be the chosen ones. They thought that they were secured in Jerusalem just because that was where the temple was located there. So, they sneered at those in exile and considered them as being forsaken by God and cast away in a foreign land.  But God thought otherwise. Although in exile and were denigrated by those who remained in Jerusalem, God was with them. He was their sanctuary in their exile.

God further assured Ezekiel in verses 16-18 that those in exile were His preserved remnant. Though they were now scattered from their homeland they would be gathered back and be given the land of Israel. When they returned, they also would be purged of their idolatrous practices and rebellion. Besides God would restore them and give them a new and tender heart in place of their cold, stony, and rebellious hearts. They would again walk with Him obeying His statutes and rules and be truly His people, acknowledging Him as their God. In contrast, those who had rebelled against Him would be judged for their wickedness.    

What we learn is that God will not walk away from those who have set their hearts on Him. While this is guaranteed, it must be noted that He will condone our sin and unfaithfulness. What He wants of us is a tender heart towards Him. He will continue to deal to straighten us and help us get rid of those hindrances to our relationship with Him. We can truly inherit His promise only as we are prepared to advance His cause according to His holy demands.   

Ezekiel 11:13 – Don’t take God’s love for granted.

In the vision that Ezekiel saw at the east gate, chapter 11:1 says he saw 25 men at the entrance. They were civil leaders of Judah. Ezekiel 11:2-3 said they were those that devised iniquity and gave wicked counsel in the city of Jerusalem. They were contradicting the counsel of Jeremiah who had urged the people not to resist but to yield to God's plan and submit to the Babylonians. He was telling the people that it was God’s plan for them to be taken into captivity and stay there for a while.

But contradicting Jeremiah’s counsel, these wicked leaders were telling the people that Jerusalem like a cauldron would protect them from the fire outside of it. They were telling the people that the time for them to be building houses in a foreign land had not come yet. Meaning that they would not be taken into captivity for now despite the looming threat of Babylon. Those were wicked counsel as far as God was concerned. They did not just give false confidence to the people but were opposing God's plan and counsel. 

 

Among the 25 wicked leaders, whom Ezekiel saw in that vision were Jaazaniah and Pelatiah. The name Jaazaniah means God hears, and Pelatiah means God delivers. Here in the vision, Ezekiel 11:13 says the prophet saw Pelatiah die. However, from verses 7-8, we learned that those wayward leaders, including Pelatiah, would be driven from Jerusalem and executed outside the border of Israel. We can safely surmise that Ezekiel's vision of the death of Pelatiah was not an indication of the time of his death but judgment of his wicked counsel. He probably died in Babylon.

The vision of the death of Pelatiah, which means God delivers, caused Ezekiel to fall face down before the Lord.  Did he suppose from his death that hope for the deliverance of God is gone? So, the vision of Pelatiah’s death precipitated the prophet’s question. Distraughtly he asked, “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” He just simply couldn’t imagine a Jerusalem or Israel without people.

It is true that God’s love is warmer than the warmest sunshine and softer than a sigh. It certainly is deeper than the deepest ocean and wider than the sky. It is also brighter than the brightest star that shines every night above. And there is nothing in this world that can change His love. While these descriptions of His love are certainly true, yet we cannot afford to soft-pedal His just and holy nature. What Ezekeil saw in His vision and what happened to our Lord Jesus at Calvary remind us of the depth and breadth of God’s judgment. Let’s never spurn His love by living a compromising life for us.

 

  

 

 

 

Ezekiel 11:5-12 – Trust and obey!

There is no denying that the all-seeing and all-knowing God sees and knows everything.  In Ezekiel 11:4, even as the prophet was commanded to prophesy against the twenty-five men giving false hope to the people, verse 5 says the Spirit of God fell upon him and said to him. God set out in Ezekiel 11:5-12 to correct the false counsel of those leaders. He knew what was on their minds. Their counsel was ungodly and was giving false confidence to the people. Since they were promoting wickedness among the people and contradicting what God was saying (through the Prophet Jeremiah), more of them would die.

God told those leaders that their false counsel instead of protecting the lives of the people, would cause more to be slain. Many would die in the city resisting the assault of the Babylonians. Indeed, Jerusalem was the cauldron, and the slain would be the meat. And since those leaders feared the sword of Babylon, they would be exactly the instrument that G0d would use to deal with the wayward leaders. They would be driven out of the city into the hands of the Babylonians to be judged. Turning what those leaders had said earlier, God mockingly told them that Jerusalem would not be the cauldron that protects, nor would it be a safe place for the people. They would find themselves taken out of the land and crossing the border of Israel to be dealt with. He was telling them that they would be taken to Babylon to be dealt with. Jerusalem God assured them would not be a sanctuary for them, neither would Israel be their home.  

In verse 12, God asserted that all this would happen. And when they happened, His people would know His Lordship and sovereignty for certain. They would know that they had taken Him for granted, and had not walked in His statutes, nor obeyed His rules, but had acted according to the rules of the nations that were around them. There was no necessity for them to come to this conclusion through tragedy. From the start, they had provided sufficient opportunities for them to know His sovereignty but have chosen to ignore them.   

What lessons are there for us? We need to know that nothing escapes God’s sight. He knows our propensity and the right treatment we need. If we do not respond to His kind and loving overtures, He will have to use other means to help us correct and align with Him. We can avoid needless painful experiences when we choose to respond to Him willingly.  More importantly, we must learn to obey God unquestioningly. Our faith in Him is best demonstrated by our obedience to His word.       

 

Ezekiel 11:1-4 – Live and walk discerningly.

In Ezekiel 10:19, the prophet saw in his vision the throne chariot ferrying God’s glory about to leave the temple into the city. At the gate, they halted momentarily. Continuing from there, Ezekiel in 11:1 said that the prophet was shown another scene at the east gate. In that vision, Ezekiel saw a group of 25 men, leaders of the Judah. This group of men was different from those whom he saw earlier in his vision in chapter 8. They were secular leaders of the community whereas those in Ezekiel 8 were priests serving in the temple. It was not unusual to see men gathering at the city gate because this was the place business was transacted. Among them were “Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.” Jaazaniah means God hears and Pelatiah means God delivers. Though these were wicked men, their names paradoxically proved that God truly could hear and deliver.  

These men were supposed to give godly counsel, but instead, they were dispensing wicked and evil advice to the people. They were one of the reasons why God was set on bringing Jerusalem to ruin. To understand the wicked counsel that they were giving to the people we need to refer to the prophecy in Jeremiah 21:8-10. The prophet Jeremiah was telling the people to submit to God’s will and yield to the Babylonians and not resist. But the leaders were saying the opposite. 

In telling the people that “the time is not near to build houses,” was an encouragement to resist the Babylonians. What they were saying was that their exile was not near, and it was not time for them to be building houses in a foreign land.  In the phrase, “This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat” they were falsely telling the people that they would be safe in Jerusalem. Like meat in the cauldron, they in Jerusalem would be protected and not be touched by the fire outside of it.  In other words, they in Jerusalem would not be harmed. What they said was the opposite of what Jeremiah was telling them to do.  Ezekiel was then told in verse 4 to prophesy against the false counsel that was given.  

The people of Jerusalem were gullible. It is important that we discern what we see and hear. Comfortable words can be deceiving and diametrically opposite to what God wants us to do. It is safer to stick to the words of godly and proven people with character than smooth talkers who give comforting words but lead us nearer to the brink of God’s judgment. Be discerning and watchful and don’t be gullible and take in words purported to be from God without discerning.  

 

 

Ezekiel 10:9-22 - Don’t be accustomed and acclimatized to sin

In Ezekiel 10:9-17, the prophet’s description of the throne-chariot of God was almost identical to that described in Ezekiel 1. This indicates to us how enthralled he was with the vision of the cherubim and the wheels that ferry the throne of the Lord. In these verses, he literally describes again what he had already described in Ezekiel 1:15-28.

In the second vision Ezekiel had, this was the third time he talked about the throne-chariot of God. The first time was just in passing in Ezekiel 9:3. The second time in chapter 10:1-8, the throne-chariot was described in conjunction with the assignment of the man dressed in linen. This third time in this second vision that he talks about the throne-chariot was setting the backdrop for the Lord’s withdrawal from the temple. The whole emphasis of the throne-chariot was to demonstrate that the glory of God which previously occupied the temple in Jerusalem was now along His people exile in Babylon.  

The description of the four living creatures here in verse 14 has a slight variation from that in Ezekiel 1:10. Instead of the face of an ox, here that face was replaced by the face of a cherub. Then in verse 18, we are told that the glory of the Lord changed position. The glory of the Lord was said to leave the threshold of the temple and stand over the cherubim.  Before the eye of Ezekiel, the cherubim lifted their wings in preparation for the throne-chariot with the glory of the Lord to leave the temple. However, the whole process of leaving came to a halt momentarily at the temple gate. The additional notes about the cherubim in verses 20-22, Ezekiel said were exactly as those he first saw at the River of Chebar. He was asserting the point that the same God had departed from Jerusalem and now residing among them in captivity.   

We have said that sins always drive the presence of God away. Be it a nation or an individual, this fact is true. God’s presence can never co-exist with our sinfulness. God’s ultimate departure from Jerusalem underscores this truth. The pause at the gate of the temple tells us that the departure of the presence of God also takes place gradually. Ever notice that God’s absence from our life takes place gradually. As we are more comfortable with sin, we become more acclimatized to the absence of God.  Let us never be like the Shulamite maiden in the Song of Solomon, who sought intimacy with the lover of her soul only to wake up and find Him gone (Songs 3:1).           

 

 

Ezekiel 10:1-8 – Sin will drive away God’s presence

In chapter 9, Ezekiel’s vision concerns the judgment of Jerusalem and the wayward people who practiced abomination.  A man dressed in linen with writing material was instructed to go among the people and told to mark out the faithful who opposed abominable practices. This implies that our all-seeing God knows all our actions in life, whether they are done openly or covertly.  In Jesus, we are God’s marked-out people, a people of His own acquisition. Are we living up to our lives as God marked our people? Yes, we are called not to be conformed to worldly values but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.     

We were told in Ezekiel 8 that the fiery chariot-throne was in the court of the temple. Then in Ezekiel 9:3, we are told that the glory of the Lord arose from the throne and rested at the threshold of the temple. In the last verse 0f chapter 9, the focus is on the man dressed in linen sent to mark out the faithful. He apparently had returned to report that he had completed his assignment. This verse is better seen with the events of chapter 10.

In Ezekiel 10:1-2, the scene changes. Ezekiel looked and saw the same heavenly expanse that he saw in chapter 1. This sapphire expanse held the throne of God. Underneath the expanse and upholding the glory of God were the cherubim, the four living creatures described in Chapter 1.  God then instructed the men assigned to mark out the faithful to go beneath the wheels of the cherubim filled his hand with burning coals and scatter them over the city.  

Before Ezekiel's eye, the man dressed in linen went in as instructed. Though he was referred to as a man, he could possibly be an angelic being to be afforded the right to go so close to the space reserved for God.  The presence of God had been pictured as fire as well as cloud. Remember when the children of Israel came out of Egypt and were journeying through the wilderness, God's presence was there in the cloud by day and the pillars fire by night.  

Verse 3 said that the cherubim were at the south side of the temple when the men in linen went into the cloud-filled inner court. Verses 4-5 described the movement of the cherubim, the mighty sound made from the shifting of their wings all in anticipation of God’s departure from the temple. Verse 6-8 tells us that the man in linen obeyed and approached the wheels of the cherubim and stood beside a wheel. Verse 7 tells us that “… a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man…, who took it and went out.” Ezekiel added a note to say that the cherubim appeared to have hands like human beings.  

What Ezekiel saw was God’s judgment on Jerusalem before His departure.  We need to know that God could not and so He will also not co-exist with sin. Holiness and sinfulness are at opposing extremes. Where sin is, God’s presence will not be there.  The coal from God’s altar in Isaiah’s vision cleansed him for divine service. The burning coal of God’s judgment in Ezekiel’s vision was for the purging and cleansing of God’s community. God wants a holy people for Himself. Where a community is not cleansed, His presence will not be felt. As it is for Israel as a community, it will be also for us the church, the community of God’s people. And as it is for a community, it will also be for us as individuals. Don’t let our personal sins drive God’s presence in our lives.      

Ezekiel 9:5-11 – Be truly God’s set apart people.

Still in the vision, when the scribe began marking those who had opposed the practice of the wicked abomination, Ezekiel 9:5-6 said the six executioners were told to go into action.  The instruction to them was, “Pass through the city after him and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children, and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark….”    

As God had stated in the previous chapter, He was not going to show any mercy. He was not going to hear their cry. So, the order was to show no pity. Old men, young men maidens, little children, and women, every unmarked person would not be spared. The order was for the slaughter to begin with the sanctuary. The massacre would start from the temple with religious leaders and elders who had led the people astray. So, the temple was defiled and full of the bodies of the slain.

Next, the executioners were ordered to go out to the city, out of the temple precinct to execute the judgment on the people.  At this point, Ezekiel probably could not stomach the massacre and was moved to intercede. His opening words, “Ah, Lord God” showed how emotional he must have been at what he saw.  Aware that the Lord had said He would show no pity, Ezekiel petitioned rhetorically. He asked, “Will you destroy all the remnants of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?” He was essentially pleading with God to spare Jerusalem.

Responding to the prophet’s petition God explained to him what provoked His wrath and made the execution necessary. In verse 9 He said, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city is full of injustice. For they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.” Besides, what they had grossly mistaken was their mistaken notion that “The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.”

What they were doing was denying that God could see what they were doing and blaming the Lord for ditching them. Thus, God had made up His mind to deal with them harshly. He was determined to see through the judgment without showing any mercy or pity. Verse 11 indicates that the scribe had completed his mission of marking those who opposed the abomination of the people. It was a signal that judgment was about to start. Notice that God did not directly answer Ezekiel's question because the answer was self-evident. If he would not preserve the remnant, Ezekiel would not be standing there.

A people called and set apart by God to honor Him had chosen to dishonor Him. What was terrible was that they even dishonored Him in the temple and in Jerusalem, the city that He had marked out for Himself. Hence it would be there that the judgment would begin. In judgment, God will show no favoritism young and old, male and female, all who have chosen to walk in opposition to His goodwill have to face His wrath. Remember Judgment will begin in the household of God. It must be because He wants a truly consecrated people.    

 

 

 

 

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Ezekiel 9:1-4 – God values faithfulnes.

In the previous chapter, God had already made known that he would have no pity on the people of Jerusalem and their cry for mercy would not be entertained.  So here in Ezekiel 9, the prophet saw the execution of the judgment in his vision. He heard a loud voice in his sear that said, “Bring near the executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.” He then saw six brutal executioners enter through the northern gate of the city. These six men represent the ruthless Babylonian army coming from the north. Among the six executioners was a scribe dressed in linen and with a writing case at his waist. These seven people came to stand at the bronze altar.

Verse 3 tells us that Ezekiel saw the glory of God left the cherub in the Holy of holies and stood at “the threshold of the temple.” Verse 4 says that from where He was, He first instructed the man in the linen with his writing material to go around and mark some of those people in the city. Those who were to be marked were people who opposed the abominations and wickedness that were being committed in the city. These would be preserved from the bloodshed that was coming upon the city.

God always has people who are committed to His cause. He knows that these would respond to His call to remain faithful. What separated these people from the rest would be the mark God would place upon them. In redemption history, we have seen how God marked out those to be preserved. In the Passover in Egypt, those homes that were marked by the blood of an unblemished lamb were preserved. In Joshua, Rahab’s household was marked by the red ribbon and preserved. We Christians are marked by the blood of Jesus, the precious lamb of God, and are destined for preservation in the judgment.

We are reminded that this judgment of Ezekiel’s vision was on His covenant people. But only those God had marked were preserved. Why? It was because these remained faithful to the Lord. Here we can see that God treasures faithfulness. Many may be called but few are chosen. And in Revelation 17:14 we are told that those who are with “the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are the called and chosen and faithful.” All of us are called, and many of us are chosen. The crux is: will we remain faithful to the end?