Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 8-12:20; Psalm 94
The story of Ezekiel’s life is both bizarre and interesting. It can be summarized in one simple statement: Ezekiel was willing to be whatever God called him to be. He was willing to be strange if that’s what God wanted him to be, if that’s what it took for God to get the attention of His people. He was willing to do whatever God asked him to do, no matter what those around him thought of his antics. Which is good because things were about to get even crazier for Ezekiel.
God took ahold of Ezekiel. In a split moment, Ezekiel went from entertaining the leaders of Judah in his home to facing what appeared to be a man who looked like gleaming ambers from the waist up and a burning fire from the waist down. In a vision God reached out with what seemed to be a hand and took Ezekiel by the hair, lifting him into the sky and transporting him back to Jerusalem.
God showed Ezekiel the detestable and wicked sins that were being committed in the Temple, sins committed in dark secret rooms but seen by God. Then Ezekiel watched as God’s wrath was poured out on the city – no mercy, no pity. The Temple courtyards filled with corpses. Then Ezekiel saw what appeared to be a throne above the heads of the cherubim.
“Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the door of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could be heard even in the inner courtyard…Then the cherubim rose upward…Then THE GLORY OF THE LORD MOVED OUT from the door of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim…” – Ezekiel 10:4-5,15a,18
EVERY SIN HAD BEEN SEEN BY GOD AND EVERY THOUGHT KNOWN BY GOD.
God knew those who remained in Jerusalem were bragging about their freedom and how they would now get all the land that was owned by those who had been taken into exile. Even in the horrible situation they were in, they continued to be greedy and prideful (11:5,15-16). They continued to have rebellious hearts, refusing to see and hear the God they believed was still in the Temple in Jerusalem (12:2).
So God called Ezekiel to be WEIRD once more. During the day, Ezekiel packed all of his belongings and moved them outside of his home – a scene that immediately caught the attention of God’s people. Then, as night fell, Ezekiel went back into his home and began digging a hole in the wall with his bare hands, just as a captive would need to do in order to escape imprisonment. He then crawled out of the hole and lifted his pack on his shoulder. His WEIRD antics had everyone’s attention now. He then gave them a message from the Lord, prophesying about the way in which King Zedekiah would soon be leaving Jerusalem. He would be captured and brought to Babylon to be a captive just as they would be. His army would be scattered and their last chance at being rescued by their king would vanish (Ezekiel 12).
“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.” – Ezekiel 12:12
EVERY SIN HAD BEEN SEEN BY GOD AND EVERY THOUGHT KNOWN BY GOD.
Even the appointed king would experience the consequences of his actions. When given the opportunity to humble himself and surrender to God’s plan, Zedekiah had cowered in fear and chose to do things his own way. There were no more chances; he had refused to obey God for the last time. His sins were laid out before the Lord and he showed no regret.
So what happens if God asks us to humble ourselves before him and repent? What will we do if God asks us to swallow our pride and surrender our authority? How will we respond if He asks us to do something out of the ordinary for Him? What happens if He asks us to do something that seems unreasonable, ridiculous, or just plain WEIRD? Are we willing to go there? Are we willing to put pride aside and do whatever God asks us to do? Are we willing to confess our sins and make restitution, taking every step the Lord requires of us?
“The Lord isn’t looking,” they say,
“and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
Think again, you fools!
When will you finally catch on?
Is he deaf—the one who made your ears?
Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you?
He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
The Lord knows people’s thoughts;
he knows they are worthless! – Psalm 94:7-11
Lord, help me to focus my eyes on you and you only. May my heart reflect the desires of your heart, giving me the willingness to daily respond in obedience to you. I want to be in the center of your will; I want to be open to anything you ask me to do for you, even if it’s far from what I expected and far from what others expect of me. Lord, send your Spirit to point out any sin in my life and guide me through the steps of restoration I need to take to make things right with other people. Melt away my pride so that I can bring you glory in my attitudes and actions today. Amen.