QT 8/2/2023 Ezek 23:35-49, Changing the narrative

Ezekiel 23:35–49 (ESV) —

35 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.”

36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. 38 Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths. 39 For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.

. . .

46 For thus says the Lord God: “Bring up a vast host against them, and make them an object of terror and a plunder. 47 And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses. 48 Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done. 49 And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.”

 

NOTE: The phrase "you shall know that I am the Lord God" occurs 41 times in Ezekiel and only 54 times in the entire bible. "I am the Lord God" occurs 274 times in the book Ezekiel. God ended most of the judgement passages with the phrase, "you shall know that I am the Lord God." That was the redemptive part of the judgment, that is, the good that came out of the bad. And It was very important for his people to know and learn this fact. What Israel had done was essentially to trade trust in God and worship of God, to trust in politics (treaties for protection) and worshipping the cultural practices of the times (the idols). Israel would sacrifice their children to the gods of the harvest in order to have a better harvest. In essence, it was greed -- a desire for a better life that led them to such despicable practices. And we today, in our greed, do the same thing. Most abortions are for the financial stability of the mother. We could present a laundry list of the cultural idols of our day which the church has accepted -- we are no different.

 

But how do we respond? As a friend challenged me the other day -- do we join the complaining or is there something we can say that is better than complaining? Maybe this is a good response:

 

"In Ezekiel's day, Israel had destroyed its' God's fearing culture and was going to experience judgment, and after each prophecy, God would end with "then they shall know that I am the Lord God. Sin and pain will ultimately highlight the holiness and worthiness of God."

 

I probably need to shorten it, like, " … as it worsens, the end will be that people will know that God is the Lord. At least, that is how it went in Ezekiel."

 

PONDER:

1. What are we doing to change the narrative?
2. What good is complaining about evil?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray for sensitivity to my role in conversations. How can you use me for good in the life of the person I am conversing? Give me ideas and boldness to share truth in a respectful and gentle manner.