Sunday, May 12, 2019

Year 9, Day 132: Ezekiel 6


Theological Commentary: Click Here



Ezekiel 6 brings out more evidence of judgment.  Today’s focus is their idolatry. This isn’t too different from yesterday.  Yesterday God challenged the people because they became like the nations instead of being a witness so the nations became more like them.  Why did that happen?  Idolatry.  The Hebrew people adopted the gods of the world rather than inviting the world to adopt God as their own God.



As with all the prophets, what is the point of the judgment?  Does God simply want them to be punished?  Is He a vengeful God who wants the people to pay for their sins?  Does God have a superiority complex and He needs to prove His dominion over the people?  Does God want to supplant the people and move in the Babylonians?



None of these are true.  The point God wants to make is to have the people recognize Him as God.  He wants relationship.  He wants them to take Him as their God.  He isn’t interested in vindictive judgment; He is interested in meaningful relationship.



This speaks to the nature of God.  Yes, God is powerful enough to wipe the planet clean.  Yes, God is powerful enough to take one group and remove them from power and give their land to someone else.  But  these aren’t the things that God wants.  God wants relationship with us.  He wants repentance.  He wants us to come to Him humbly, acknowledging our need for His ways.



We see this hope in one small sentence in this chapter.  God says that not all people will die.  God says that there will come a time when the people know Him.  That’s God’s plan.  He wants to be known by us.



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