Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 12:21-15:8

Israel: “Time passes and prophecies come to nothing.”

God: “I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.”

New proverb from God: “The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!”

God: “I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Israel: “He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.”

God: “No more delay! I will NOW do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 12:21-28

THEY HAD LOST THEIR FEAR OF GOD.

They were no longer taking Him seriously. There were even false prophets telling them what they wanted to hear; they were telling God’s people that peace would come to Jerusalem. If I say everything will be alright because I want to believe that everything will be alright, it doesn’t mean that everything will be alright.

Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign Lord. – Ezekiel 13:8

“By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live…You have discouraged the righteous with your lies, but I didn’t want them to be sad. You have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins. Because of all of this, you will no longer talk of seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you make predictions. For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 13:19, 22-23

No more lying. No more telling people what they want to hear. No more building popularity. It is time to obey God and say what He is telling you to say.

THEY HAD LOST THEIR PURPOSE FROM GOD.

God also expressed his frustration toward those who were setting up idols in their hearts by embracing things that were leading them into sin. They were pursuing the things of the world and then seeking God for advice or answers. God let them know that if they were going to reject him, He was going to reject them. They could not be apathetic towards God and still benefit from His blessings. Like a vine that bears no fruit, they had become useless.

And this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have thrown them on the fire to be burned. – Ezekiel 15:6

Lord, do a work in our hearts as we look to you alone for our salvation. May your words in Ezekiel encourage us to turn our attention to You and remove every trace of idols from our lives. May it never be said of us that we have become useless; may our hearts be tender and responsive towards God.

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. – Ezekiel 11:19-20