Monday, April 25 2011
Ezekiel 22
Verse of the Week: V30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
1. The People (V1-22)
V2 “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.”
Prophet Ezekiel warned the people of Israel to repent of their grievous sins including murder and to live a holy life before a holy God. However, the people refused to repent and continued to make and worshipped idols and openly rebelled against God.
V3 “Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.”
2. The Leaders (V23-29)
V26 “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have thy shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”
Not only the people of Israel sinned against God, even the priests, the princes and the prophets of Israel, who were supposedly to be examples of holiness, also sinned against God. It was a shame for both the leaders and the people to commit sins including murder as they sought for fame and fortune instead of trusting and obeying God.
V27 “Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.”
3. The Man (V30-31)
V30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
God was looking for a man in Israel who could stand in the gap of holiness but He found none except for prophet Ezekiel. As a result, God severely judged the people of Israel because of their constant rebellion and wickedness.
V31 “Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be the man who stands in the gap of holiness.
