OUTLINE:
1-3
INTRODUCTION
4-6
CONVICTION
7-10
CONSEQUENCE
11
CONCILIATION
Ezekiel 14:1-2
Now some of the elders of Israel came to me
and sat before me. 2 And the word of
the Lord came to me, saying,
Don’t miss this
picture perfect pattern established by the Lord.
Like we go to the
Church house, the elders went to Ezekiel’s house, and the Word of the Lord
came...
God goes where His people gather
Matthew 18:20. Whenever you gather in My
name, I’ll be there.
Hebrews 10:25. Forsake not gathering
together.
Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they
said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Acts 2:1-2
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in
one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there
appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each
of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And cowards became courageous
The birthday of the Church
Whenever, wherever,
we show up in His name—He shows up.
That’s the way God
is. He loves being with His people. He’s been that way since the beginning with
the first couple in the garden. He showed up to walk with them and talk with
them. Even when they turned from Him, He came to them with conviction, consequence
and a plan for conciliation.
Which is what He does
here.
3 “Son of
man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put
before them that which causes them to stumble into
iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
God loves it when we
get together and having Church is important, however, the location of
the heart is much more important than the location of the hiney.
The elders showed up,
sat in the front row, said “amen” at just the right moment.
Yet God saw through
it all. They honored Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from
Him. Isaiah 29:13, Matt. 15:8.
They were there for
reputation, or obligation, or to appease religious conscience, or perhaps they
wanted the prophet to give them an ear tickling blessing.
But God saw their
hearts and knew if they had their druthers, they’d be drinking beer and
watching football, or whatever other idol suits your fancy. Sleeping in, eating
out, garage sale-ing, fishing, golfing, health, news... you name it. Whatever
takes your eyes off the Lord and on the world.
Bottom line, they put things before God, and anything
put before God is an idol that leads to iniquity.
For that the
Lord asks Ezekiel, “Why should I let them ask Me anything?”
CONVICTION
4 “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus
says the Lord God: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his
idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into
iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will
answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, 5 that I
may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because
they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’
6 “Therefore
say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Repent, turn
away from your idols, and turn your
faces away from all your abominations.
Turn,
turn, that’s the same word as in Ezekiel 33:11: “As
surely as I live says the Lord, I do not take pleasure in the death of the
wicked but that they turn from their wicked ways and live, turn, turn,
from your evil ways...”
God is serious about
how much He desires repentance and how much He despises idols.
Idols: We’ve already see that word five times in our
text. It’s used over thirty-five times in Ezekiel. It’s definition means,
detestable; round thing, like a log. Some commentaries claim it implies the
idols are detestable round things likened unto dung. The Student Life
Application Bible comes right out and says the idols are like “poop”.
God is so concerned about
the detestable condition of hearts that He speaks directly, individually, personally, to people, according to the multitude of their
idols.
The Lord
answers according to what we need to hear, not what we want
to hear.
To the rich young
ruler Jesus said, “Go sell all you have, give to the poor, and come follow
Me.” Matt. 19:21.
But to the man who
had been demon possessed and wanted to follow Him, He said: “Go home and
tell what great things the Lord has done...” Mark 5:19.
As the Word of the Lord
is delivered, He speaks directly, individually, to seize, to convict of idols that have caused separation from Him.
His Word goes out,
His Seed is planted, He is asking, He is calling, only you can answer.
The Lord speaks
directly to you and waits to hear directly from you.
No one can repent for
you.
No one can remove
your idols for you.
You must turn from your abominations.
It’s up to you
to remove everything between you and Him.
Only you can
decide to reject or comply to His command:
Mark 12:30-31
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like
it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other
commandment greater than these.”
It’s a
matter of the heart.
Conviction is like warning signs of a heart attack, seizing
the heart to seize the moment of repentance.
Before, the only
thing left is...
CONSEQUENCE
7 For anyone of
the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me
and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes
him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire
of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself.
8 I will set My
face against that
man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
9 “And if the
prophet is induced to speak anything, I the Lord have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him
and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 And
they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall
be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,
Judgement is coming.
Justice is rising.
Justice is blind.
There is no
partiality with the Lord.
All who separate
themselves from God, by setting up idols where He is supposed to be, will find
the Lord against them. No matter who it is. Whether from the house of Israel,
or the stranger, or the people inquiring of the prophet, or the prophet who
puts pleasing people above God, or any of us.
God is just. Thus,
His Divine Eternal Justice must be served.
Anything put before
God, separating us from God, is an idol that leads to iniquity.
Iniquity is sin.
The wages of sin is
death. Romans 6:23.
Death is eternal
separation from Life.
Jesus says: “I AM
the Way, the Truth, the Life, no man comes unto the Father but by
Me.” John 14:6.
Those who pass the point
of conviction without turning, without repenting, their hearts are seared numb by
burning idols. They will be forever cut off from the family of God, the joy of
His Presence, the gladness of going to the House of the Lord, the Power
and fulness of His Holy Spirit.
None of which gives the Lord pleasure. Ezekiel 33:11.
All of which is against His will. 2 Peter 3:9.
Thus, all of this has
been done and recorded for His Divine Hope of...
CONCILIATION
11 that the house of Israel may no longer stray from
Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, but that
they may be My people and I may be their God,” says the Lord God.’ ”
Conviction,
Consequence,
Conciliation,
Congratulations! In life, very few make it to this
third step.
We all pass through conviction. We all sin. God
hates sin. But loves us. So, He sends conviction. His warning signs that
consequence is ahead. The bridge is out, turn, turn (repent), or it’s hell
to pay.
Few do. Most don’t.
Matthew
7:13-14
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads
to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and
there are few who find it.
The bridge was burned a long time ago, in the Garden
of Eden.
But God is Love. Love doesn’t quit. So, He made
another Way.
The Way is narrow, and difficult, and follows the winding
blood stained, tear-filled footprints of One who built another bridge—out of an
old rugged cross.
This is what Jesus meant when He took the bread and the wine and said, this is My body broken for you, and My blood, shed for you. Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20.
Jesus who needed no conviction, who deserved no
consequence, took it upon Himself, so we, through Him, could be reconciled
with Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.
He became the Bridge from conviction to conciliation.
We still pay natural consequences of sin in
this life, but the eternal consequence of hell, for the few, who repent
and surrender completely to Christ, has been paid in full. That’s why Jesus
cried from the cross: Tetelestai! Which means, Paid in Full!
Let’s pray.
Thank You Lord Jesus for willingly
becoming the Bridge, The Passover Lamb, the Way, for us to pass over the
eternal consequence of our sin, to Eternal Conciliation with You.
Where we will love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer
Requests:
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14:1-11
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Ezekiel 14:1-11
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you
to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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