December 28, 2011
To be able to put all of this into context, and to understand what is happening and what God is saying, you need to understand that Ezekiel is already captive in Babylon. He was part of the first group that was carried to Babylon. (See II Kings 24:11-16) When Ezekiel left, Jerusalem had not yet fallen. God was giving him visions (where he was transported back to Jerusalem) so God could show him the "why." Why he and the others were currently captive; why God was so angry; and why Jerusalem was going to be destroyed. God was explaining the "why." And then Ezekiel was to tell the others in captivity what was happening; what God was doing; and the why behind it.
God has a reason for everything He does. I've said this before: God is not knee-jerk reactionary God. He has a plan and a purpose for everything. He doesn't have a fit of anger and make rash decisions. In Ezekiel 8 God shows Ezekiel the despicable things happening inside HIS Temple in Jerusalem. (God is showing him while he is in Babylon. Ezekiel sees through visions as opposed to Jeremiah who was physically present in Jerusalem when God spoke and revealed things to him.) God showed Ezekiel the idolatry that was set up in HIS Temple, even in the Holy of Holies. He showed him women worshiping other gods and giving those other gods the credit for the cycle of the nature that God created. He showed him a group of leaders with their backs to the Temple worshiping nature, rejecting the Creator and worshiping the created.
Ezekiel by his own knowledge did not know these things were going on. The people thought they were hidden, their actions were secret, and God didn't know. But God did know, and He was showing Ezekiel what was happening in the "inner sanctum." God said to Ezekiel, "Do you see what they are doing...? Do you see what they are doing...? You will see things even more hateful..."
In Ezekiel 9, God shows Ezekiel how those who have rejected Him would be held accountable. Destruction. The destruction was to begin in His Temple. He also showed Ezekiel how the God-fearing, God-following people were protected. Destruction was happening around them but they were not to be touched, and they weren't. But for those who were not protected by the mark of God, "I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done." (NIV - Ezekiel 10:9)
Ezekiel 10 - The Glory of the LORD departs from HIS Temple. The people defiling the Temple were so sure God would never leave His temple. They thought they were safe because of His Temple. They had been defiling His temple for years and nothing had happened. Why would something happen now? They thought God didn't either know or care, so they thought they were safe. But they were wrong. God did know. God did care. God hated the things they were doing. God warned them. They refused to listen and change their hearts, minds, or actions. And now God sent burning coals among them—and His Glory—left the Temple. Oh what a horrible reality, to have the Glory of God depart from you. I wrote about this earlier on (July 20, 2011) and (July 21, 2011). I can't imagine anything worse than that.
And now Ezekiel 11—Judgment. Ezekiel sees the group of 25 leaders who were making evil plans. Part of the Jews were already captive in Babylon, including Ezekiel. These 25 men instead of feeling empathy for their fellow men; instead of recognizing that everything Jeremiah was warning them about was happening; instead of using this time to draw near to God; they were instead plotting and scheming how they were going to be able to get rich quick and profit off of the hardship of others. They were thinking the time is almost ready, we are in the right place at the right time, we are going to be important, we will be in control, we can get rich quick.
And God says—I know what you are thinking. I know what you have done to become who you are. I know. And I'm going to force you out using the very thing you fear "so you will know that I am the LORD." Your schemes will not work. You will not get rich at the expense of others. Ezekiel 11:12 - "Then you will know that I am the LORD... You did not live by my rules or obey my laws." As Ezekiel prophesied one of the leaders died. Ezekiel's response was not one of joy. It was, "Oh no."
Ezekiel 11 includes both God's promise of wrath and God's promise of protection. The people still in Jerusalem spoke against their relatives that were already captive saying, "They are far from the LORD (Jerusalem). This land has been given to us as our property." What they didn't realize was the Glory of the LORD had left the Temple and God himself had become a Temple to those who were captive right where they were. God then says—there will come a day.
There will come a day when I gather them back together and I will give them back the land. Then they will get rid of all the idols and other hateful things. They will respect me. They will have a new way of thinking. Their stubborn heart of stone will be replaced with a heart of flesh. They will live by my rules and obey my laws and keep them. Ezekiel 11:20-21 - "They will be my people, and I will be their God. But those who want to serve their evil statues and hateful idols, I will pay back for their evil ways, says the LORD God."
Our choice: Surrender ourselves to God—OR—Serve ourselves.
God's choice: The consequences for what we choose.
No one can "take" what only God can give. There is so much freedom when you finally grasp (even in our simple finite minds) the TRUTH behind that statement.
Next Entry: Ezekiel 12
To be able to put all of this into context, and to understand what is happening and what God is saying, you need to understand that Ezekiel is already captive in Babylon. He was part of the first group that was carried to Babylon. (See II Kings 24:11-16) When Ezekiel left, Jerusalem had not yet fallen. God was giving him visions (where he was transported back to Jerusalem) so God could show him the "why." Why he and the others were currently captive; why God was so angry; and why Jerusalem was going to be destroyed. God was explaining the "why." And then Ezekiel was to tell the others in captivity what was happening; what God was doing; and the why behind it.
God has a reason for everything He does. I've said this before: God is not knee-jerk reactionary God. He has a plan and a purpose for everything. He doesn't have a fit of anger and make rash decisions. In Ezekiel 8 God shows Ezekiel the despicable things happening inside HIS Temple in Jerusalem. (God is showing him while he is in Babylon. Ezekiel sees through visions as opposed to Jeremiah who was physically present in Jerusalem when God spoke and revealed things to him.) God showed Ezekiel the idolatry that was set up in HIS Temple, even in the Holy of Holies. He showed him women worshiping other gods and giving those other gods the credit for the cycle of the nature that God created. He showed him a group of leaders with their backs to the Temple worshiping nature, rejecting the Creator and worshiping the created.
Ezekiel by his own knowledge did not know these things were going on. The people thought they were hidden, their actions were secret, and God didn't know. But God did know, and He was showing Ezekiel what was happening in the "inner sanctum." God said to Ezekiel, "Do you see what they are doing...? Do you see what they are doing...? You will see things even more hateful..."
In Ezekiel 9, God shows Ezekiel how those who have rejected Him would be held accountable. Destruction. The destruction was to begin in His Temple. He also showed Ezekiel how the God-fearing, God-following people were protected. Destruction was happening around them but they were not to be touched, and they weren't. But for those who were not protected by the mark of God, "I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done." (NIV - Ezekiel 10:9)
Ezekiel 10 - The Glory of the LORD departs from HIS Temple. The people defiling the Temple were so sure God would never leave His temple. They thought they were safe because of His Temple. They had been defiling His temple for years and nothing had happened. Why would something happen now? They thought God didn't either know or care, so they thought they were safe. But they were wrong. God did know. God did care. God hated the things they were doing. God warned them. They refused to listen and change their hearts, minds, or actions. And now God sent burning coals among them—and His Glory—left the Temple. Oh what a horrible reality, to have the Glory of God depart from you. I wrote about this earlier on (July 20, 2011) and (July 21, 2011). I can't imagine anything worse than that.
And now Ezekiel 11—Judgment. Ezekiel sees the group of 25 leaders who were making evil plans. Part of the Jews were already captive in Babylon, including Ezekiel. These 25 men instead of feeling empathy for their fellow men; instead of recognizing that everything Jeremiah was warning them about was happening; instead of using this time to draw near to God; they were instead plotting and scheming how they were going to be able to get rich quick and profit off of the hardship of others. They were thinking the time is almost ready, we are in the right place at the right time, we are going to be important, we will be in control, we can get rich quick.
And God says—I know what you are thinking. I know what you have done to become who you are. I know. And I'm going to force you out using the very thing you fear "so you will know that I am the LORD." Your schemes will not work. You will not get rich at the expense of others. Ezekiel 11:12 - "Then you will know that I am the LORD... You did not live by my rules or obey my laws." As Ezekiel prophesied one of the leaders died. Ezekiel's response was not one of joy. It was, "Oh no."
Ezekiel 11 includes both God's promise of wrath and God's promise of protection. The people still in Jerusalem spoke against their relatives that were already captive saying, "They are far from the LORD (Jerusalem). This land has been given to us as our property." What they didn't realize was the Glory of the LORD had left the Temple and God himself had become a Temple to those who were captive right where they were. God then says—there will come a day.
There will come a day when I gather them back together and I will give them back the land. Then they will get rid of all the idols and other hateful things. They will respect me. They will have a new way of thinking. Their stubborn heart of stone will be replaced with a heart of flesh. They will live by my rules and obey my laws and keep them. Ezekiel 11:20-21 - "They will be my people, and I will be their God. But those who want to serve their evil statues and hateful idols, I will pay back for their evil ways, says the LORD God."
Our choice: Surrender ourselves to God—OR—Serve ourselves.
God's choice: The consequences for what we choose.
No one can "take" what only God can give. There is so much freedom when you finally grasp (even in our simple finite minds) the TRUTH behind that statement.
Next Entry: Ezekiel 12
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