When I step back a few steps from Ezekiel and look at the book, it seems to be a picture of God making a great attempt to call his people back out of their sin to a holy relationship with him. When I step into the heart of Ezekiel in chapters 22-23, I begin to wrestle with what it means to step away from the heart of God and get bogged down in the world’s wisdom – or the lack thereof. I want to know where these people went wrong so I don’t go down the same path they took. I want to understand God’s holiness and his judgment on the nations.
God is using a picture of prostitution when speaking of Samaria and of Jerusalem. The people begin to look to the wealth and military protection of other nations to take care of them rather than looking to God to take care of them. Their trust was no longer in God. He became an empty religion to them. They went through the rituals, the celebrations, feasts, and sacrifices, but their hearts were not in it. Along with their sacrifices to God, they were making sacrifices to the gods of the other nations and one by one breaking all of the commandments – “See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood. In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; In you they have oppressed the alien and mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths… shedding blood…commit lewd acts…violate women… commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife… accept bribes… make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion… commit robbery… oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice…. Ezekiel 22:6-29
“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30 God’s heart seems to be weeping for his children who have chosen to walk away from him. He has so much to offer them, but they chose the cheap trinkets, dangled before them, seduced by the nations who would become their enemies.
Finally, God says, “Enough! I will no longer protect you, but turn you over to the consequences of your sins.” (Ezekiel 23:48-49 – my paraphrase) So often, God is accused of enacting violence on his people. But it is not God’s character or will to hurt his people. Rather, he withdrew his protection at their request and allowed them to suffer the consequences of their decisions to follow the wealth, power and wisdom of this world. God knew that it would turn on them and destroy them. He tried to talk them out of it many times. But they closed their ears to him and in their own selfish and stubborn ways, chose to follow after that which God had tried to protect them from.
So I wonder… Am I being seduced by the wealth and power in this world? Am I placing my trust in other people, nations, wealth, doctors, etc. rather than in God? When difficult things happen, do I look to the world to fix it or do I look to God to use it to his honor and glory?
I am grateful that we live in a different time. We do have someone to stand in the gap – Jesus Christ. I am grateful because I know that even when I try my hardest and am at my very best, when I stand next to a Holy God, I don’t look too good. Yet, Jesus was willing to stand in the gap, forgiving my sins and shortcomings, allowing me to come into the presence of God’s holiness, encouraging me to see him as my Father – my “Daddy” who loves me and cares for all of my needs and covers me with his protection and has a glorious eternity planned for us together.
And as I enjoy this special relationship, ‘hanging out’ with God, I begin to become more like him in character – loving others in ways I could not before, being concerned for the weak, the poor, those who suffer at the hands of injustice and desiring for others to come into his presence and understand they are loved by him as well. My personal pride, self-esteem, etc. becomes less important because it is no longer me, but “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Thank you Jesus! I choose your Truth over the consequences of my sin.
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