“If you do that again, I will punish you,” a mother warns. The child laughs and repeats the offense. True to her word, the mother punishes the child. Only by following through with her warning will the mother help the child learn that discipline is a consequence of offense.
That’s what God was teaching the people of Judah during Ezekiel’s time. In 605 B.C., about 12 years before Ezekiel’s ministry began, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made Judah a vassal state, taking a number of choice people back to Babylon, including Daniel. The people of Judah assumed that Jerusalem could never be destroyed, but when King Jehoiakim of Judah rebelled a few years later, Nebuchadnezzar returned and sacked the city. He took several Judeans, including the young priest Ezekiel, back to Babylon.
Both those deported and those left behind continued to dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s defeat and the return of the deportees to Judah. They steadfastly refused to believe that Jerusalem would ever be destroyed.
In Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah warned of coming destruction. To those deported, Ezekiel gave the same warning. Both urged the people to repent and get right with God. Both promised destruction if the people continued to turn their backs on God. The people refused to listen to either prophet. It was as though they believed there would be no consequences for their evil actions.
But evil does have consequences. Refusing to obey God has consequences. Refusing to listen to God’s prophets has consequences. Too late, the people of Judah learned the severe consequences when Jerusalem fell and was utterly destroyed.
As you read Ezekiel, think of consequences – the inevitable consequences of good or evil. In the day in which we live, too often people fail to recognize that actions have consequences.
The people of Judah had become so desensitized to sin and to the discipline of God that only total destruction of everything dear to them would get their attention. Pray that this will not be the case in your personal life or the life of your nation. Begin now to resensitize all areas of life to God and to root out sin where it has gained a foothold. Then read the last chapters of Ezekiel (33-48) and look forward to the marvelous time when God will ultimately restore his people, when we will be made pure and holy, and when worship will become perfect fellowship with him. (Touch Point Bible)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Thank you for blessing us with another amazing book to study! Help us learn through Ezekiel that our sins have consequences, and punishment is inevitable if we refuse to turn from our misguided ways. Lord, give us the desire and strength to give all areas of our life to you, resensitizing each of our actions to “What Would Jesus Do”. Lord, you are amazing, and we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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