QT 6/20/2023 Ezek 9:9-10:2, The call to holiness before it is too late

Ezekiel 9:9–10:2 (ESV) —

9 Then he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’ 10 As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; I will bring their deeds upon their heads.”

11 And behold, the man clothed in linen, with the writing case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me.”

1 Then I looked, and behold, on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire, in appearance like a throne. 2 And he said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.”

And he went in before my eyes.

 

NOTE: This is not the first time an angel has grabbed red-hot burning coals. They seem oblivious to the heat. Probably because the coals represent the holiness of God that burns away everything that is not holy and pure. The angels are holy and they can touch a coal and not be burned. The angel scatters them over the city. From the preceding chapters we see that the city is not holy, and the coals will burn away sin, and little will be left. When we build our lives on worldly things, in the end fire will reveal what we gave our lives to. If we give our lives to worthy things, those things will remain. But if we have given our lives to worthless things, those things will be burnt up. I wonder how much of Jerusalem remained.

 

But chapter 10 also shows the Shekinah Glory moving from the threshold of the Holy of Holies to the threshold of the house, probably the temple, since the court is filled with the brightness, and even the sound is heard in the outer courtyard. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Glory of God (and of Israel) is leaving because of the unholiness of the people.

 

This must have been an extremely frightening story for the exiles to hear (Ezekiel 11:25 (ESV) — And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me).

 

In one sense, it is too late now. When you don't listen to God, you don't get automatic mulligans. At some point, God executes justice not mercy. And we always wish for the one last time of mercy.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I serious about my relationship with God and the things that I am giving my life to?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to always be sensitive to your spirit. Protect me from my flesh. Give me courage to share my faith graciously and with respect. Use me for your glory.