QT 6/12/2023 Ezek 4:12-17; 5:1-17, The importance of following through on the calling

Ezekiel 4:12–17 (ESV) —

12 And you shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung.” 13 And the Lord said, “Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.” 14 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.” 15 Then he said to me, “See, I assign to you cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.” 16 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. 17 I will do this that they may lack bread and water, and look at one another in dismay, and rot away because of their punishment.

 

NOTE: I don't know if I have ever seen a situation where God changes a command due to a person's convictions (technically it was prohibited by law). Certainly God knew the prophet's conviction and so there was purpose. The original command was to cook over human dung because that is how God will judge Jerusalem. By stating it that way, the true prophecy would be communicated. God knew Ezekiel would object and God would allow cow dung instead. But if there was cow dung in Jerusalem, then there would be meat, water, and grain, so God had to phrase the prophecy as it would be. The point is that they will eat in anxiety and drink with dismay -- that is where will the next meal come from?

 

Ezekiel 5:5–12 (ESV) —

5 “Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. 6 And she has rebelled against my rules by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries all around her; for they have rejected my rules and have not walked in my statutes. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are all around you, and have not walked in my statutes or obeyed my rules, and have not even acted according to the rules of the nations that are all around you, 8 therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, even I, am against you. And I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. 9 And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. 10 Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers. And I will execute judgments on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to all the winds. 11 Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. 12 A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them.

 

NOTE: The passage in Chapter 5 describes the judgment upon Jerusalem using a number of pictures. I like this one because verse 5 says that God set Israel in the center of the nations. And that certainly was true back then. The major powers, Egypt, Greece, and Babylon/Assyria/Medes/Persians had Israel and the major trade routes separating them from each other. Egypt, Ethiopia, and other parts of Africa, were separated from Europe and Asia by Israel. Many wars were fought in Israel. God intended Israel to be in the midst of the nations, so that it would spread the message of one God to the nations. Instead, Israel only grew proud in its position. The responsibility was instead given to the church, a new group mixing Gentile and Jew, to carry out his command. During the 18th and 19th century, the church through England took the gospel via the oceans all across the world. In these last days, even newer technologies than large ocean-going vessels -- radio, satellites, internet, airplanes -- are still carrying the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.

 

PONDER:

1. What is my role or what am I doing to take the gospel to the ends of the earth?
2. Am I in danger of becoming prideful of my position and forget the command of God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the resources you have given to support missionary movements throughout the world. But now as I retire, I must seek other ways in which I can serve you by taking the gospel to the world. Lead me and guide me in these new paths.