QT 8/21/2023 Ezek 28:20-26, Pain should cause us to repent of our rebellion from God

Ezekiel 28:20–26 (ESV) —

20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her 22 and say, Thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,

and I will manifest my glory in your midst.

And they shall know that I am the Lord

when I execute judgments in her

and manifest my holiness in her;

23 for I will send pestilence into her,

and blood into her streets;

and the slain shall fall in her midst,

by the sword that is against her on every side.

Then they will know that I am the Lord.

24 “And for the house of Israel there shall be no more a brier to prick or a thorn to hurt them among all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

25 “Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

 

NOTE: Four times in God's judgment against Sidon (a sister Phoenician city to Tyre), God emphasizes one of the purposes of his harsh judgment -- "… they will know that I am the Lord …." Far from indicating God's lack of knowledge (omniscience) or his lack of power to change (omnipotent) or his justice, pain is to bring us back to God. People say they cannot believe in God because of the pain and suffering in the world, but if God made everything wonderful, even less would believe in him. Our sinful nature does not turn to God when all things are well. We forget God and we live for ourselves due to our sinful nature. But pain and judgment opens our eyes that we need God and we need him to rule. Our rebellion from him that started in the garden so that we could be our own gods has only brought misery upon us.

 

PONDER:

1. Does pain cause me to blame God or to turn to God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I do not want to learn through pain. I want to seek you at all times. I don't want to live for self such that I need to be awaken. Have mercy on me. Thank you for all that you have given to me. May I use those resources for the kingdom.