September 4 - Ezekiel 22-24
Again Ezekiel reminds the people of God in exile of their sins, but the emphasis in chapter 22 is upon shedding blood. This is one sin that stirs up the anger of God in a special way. God created life, and He does not want anyone to destroy life. In God's eyes it is a sin to hate people, to be angry with others for the wrong reasons, and to carry out a bad attitude against someone to hurt them, especially to physically harm them or to kill them. This is exceptionally true for children because of their helplessness. God's people did not respect life. They were guilty of shedding blood in many ways, even offering their children to idols. This was one of the main reasons, along with their idolatry, that God was so angry with them. As I look at the USA today, we fall into the same category as we practice abortion, and there is so much violence and murder. We are being judged by God for our sins, too. We must repent now, before God pours out His full fury on us.
Chapter 23 is an extended metaphor in which Israel and Judah are called adulterous sisters. They were so drawn to the idols and paganism in Egypt that even when they came to the Promised Land, they could not cease their sin, so they pursued the pagans around them with vigor. God's judgment was coming on them as a result of this lewd behavior. His punishment was to give them over to the people they thought they loved, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Instead of finding love from them, they found death and destruction. This is God's way of punishing people even today. He gives us what we think we want. Then, we find out that it will only bring pain and suffering instead of pleasure. Just think of the results of pornography, gambling, sexual immorality, and the like.
Finally, God gives Ezekiel a graphic prophecy in chapter 24. He tells Judah both the leaders and the people that they are meat in a cooking pot filled with their own scum. He is boiling them in their impurities to clean them out. It is a disgusting picture, but true, just like the thoughts of the previous chapter. God does not sugar coat His hatred of sin, and He wants us to see how terrible it is, so we will stay away from it, and warn others, too.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 25-27.
Chapter 23 is an extended metaphor in which Israel and Judah are called adulterous sisters. They were so drawn to the idols and paganism in Egypt that even when they came to the Promised Land, they could not cease their sin, so they pursued the pagans around them with vigor. God's judgment was coming on them as a result of this lewd behavior. His punishment was to give them over to the people they thought they loved, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Instead of finding love from them, they found death and destruction. This is God's way of punishing people even today. He gives us what we think we want. Then, we find out that it will only bring pain and suffering instead of pleasure. Just think of the results of pornography, gambling, sexual immorality, and the like.
Finally, God gives Ezekiel a graphic prophecy in chapter 24. He tells Judah both the leaders and the people that they are meat in a cooking pot filled with their own scum. He is boiling them in their impurities to clean them out. It is a disgusting picture, but true, just like the thoughts of the previous chapter. God does not sugar coat His hatred of sin, and He wants us to see how terrible it is, so we will stay away from it, and warn others, too.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 25-27.