This morning’s focus in on chapters 8 & 9
In chapter 8 while Ezekiel was sitting with the exiled elders in Babylon, he received another vision from the Lord. This vision was to show Ezekiel the extent of the idolatry Israel had shown towards God. We tend to have a picture in our heads of Idolatry being ritualistic bowing down towards a statue or other idol. The truth is idolatry is much more and less obvious.
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Idolatry is when we allow anything to come before God. It can be family, jobs or sport. It can be the place we give to our cars, musical instruments or gardens. Idolatry is when we hold something back from God because we want it for ourselves.
Idolatry can also be those secret sins. The things we do behind closed doors thinking no-one can see. The Lord, when showing Ezekiel, the sins of the temple, said, ‘Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness…’ (8:12) The problem with sinning in secret is we convince ourselves that not only can other people not see us, but that God cannot see us.
They say, “The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land…”
Ezekiel 8:12
The reality of chapter 9 is that the Lord does indeed see us. Ezekiel sees the vision of the man in linen who went through the land marking those who lamented over the sin of the people. When God’s judgement came, it was those with a mark who were spared.
Instead of continuing our sin, which is idolatry, we are called to lament over it. We lament by trusting in Christ and turning away from sin. The mark we bear is not given by a man in linen but is the righteousness of Christ.
What is more important to us, fleeting pleasures, riches or comforts or eternal peace and righteousness? To pursue the fleeting pleasure of sin is idolatry, to see the eternal pleasure of Christ us true worship.
Turn today from idolatry and seek Christ’s pleasure, receive his mark of righteousness because to be clear God does indeed see, there are no secret sins.
Prayer Father forgive my arrogance. Forgive me for believing that I can fool you, that you are blind to my sin. Lord create in me a new heart that I would be repulsed by sin and find contentment in Christ and his righteousness. Mark me with the blood of Christ. Amen.
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