August 28: Ezekiel 5-8

August 28, Ezekiel 5-8

Ezekiel continued…

Ezekiel 5 We learn that Jerusalem will be destroyed because of their shameful acts and desecration to what God has called them to. Again, God used physical examples to make His point through Ezekiel - and Ezekiel obeyed. Ezekiel was to shave his head & divide his hair into 3 parts. Before we move on - shaving the head or beard was both shameful and desecrating - this was God’s point in the analogy of Israel. 1/3 of his hair was to be burned, 1/3 was to be struck with a sword, and 1/3 was to be scattered… This is what was going to happen to God’s people by God. Since they have rebelled against God’s ways and chose evil, this was their lot. They were even more evil than other nations - because they knew the truth and chose to sin. They were not even doing the minimums that God had asked them to do. Because of their idolatry - God was done with them and He was about to unleash His fury and anger onto them. They were living abominable lives and God was going to execute Judgement on them - death, starvation, famine, pestilence - these things God would do. 

Ezekiel 6 It is basically because of their idolatry that God was bringing judgment onto them. He was going to destroy their high places on the mountains where the worshipped other gods. God will let some of them live, but the majority will not. They chose to whore after other gods and trust in things other than God. God will judge them and “They will know that I am the Lord.” He is Yahweh! 

Ezekiel 7 The end was coming for them. God was going to judge them and punish them  and He would have no pity on them. They have forgotten about Him - but not for long. Because of the greatness of their sins, there was no getting around what was coming for them. God’s wrath. Their gold and silver will be worth nothing. There will only be violence and starving - according to their judgements will they be judged. 

Ezekiel 8 God came upon Ezekiel as he was sitting in his house. He had another vision of what seemed to be the appearance of a man of greatness and brightness. God piked him up by the Spirit and lifted him between heaven and earth so that he could have and see what Jerusalem really looked like. The abominations were horrendous. Ezekiel saw inside one of the sanctuaries and saw all the idolatry and he saw 70 elders burning incense to false gods. They thought that God couldn't see them. There was even mention of some pictures that they had on the wall that they thought that God couldn't see - I am going to go out on a limb and guess that they may have been pornographic in nature. But they felt the Lord couldn't see it. God told Ezekiel that there were even greater abominations than what he just saw. They loved to worship false gods. Now wonder God was done with them.

To sum it all up: 

• For those of you who know the truth and still continue to sin, you will be judged more harshly. James 4 says that if anyone knows the good you are supposed to do and you do not do it - for them it is sin. Let’s not be like that! Do the good you are supposed to do…
• If you live like you don’t need God, He is not fooled…
• Porn. God will not be fooled! What you do in secret will be found out - whether here on earth or when you stand before the Lord. Be freed of the sin that separates you from our Holy God. A man or woman of Christ should have nothing to do with pornography. 
• Today’s reading is a fantastic reminder for us that we serve a Jealous God. If you love God, then live like it!