Know That I am Lord of All.

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 6

 

Ezekiel 6:13-14

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing aroma to all their idols. ¹⁴ And I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land desolate and waste, in all their dwelling places, from the wilderness to Riblah.^[b] Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

(ESV)

 

An idol in someone’s life is anything they place above God in importance. The idols of Israel were actual stone statues of gods they worshiped as well as alters built in the high places of the mountains of Israel. While many people reading this post may not worship at an altar to a stone statue like the Israelites, we can have idols or things in our lives we value more than God. Jesus said that our treasure is where our heart is (Matthew 6:21) and why believers in Christ need to do a check-up of our hearts regularly to ensure we do not have any idols in our lives.

 

Ezekiel receives another word from the Lord, instructing him to look towards the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them (Ezekiel 6:1-2). The word Ezekiel brings to the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys is that God is bringing a sword to destroy Israel’s high places (Ezekiel 6:3). The alters, and incense alters in the high places will be broken down with those worshipping at these alters slain before their idols, with the bones of the dead scattered around the alters (Ezekiel 6:4-5). In addition, the cities where the people of Israel live will be laid waste with their high places ruined, the altars laid waste and ruined, with the idols broken down and destroyed, and the incense altars cut down (Ezekiel 6:6). The slain shall fall among the people so they will know the Lord is the Lord of all (Ezekiel 6:7).

 

However, despite this devastating destruction, some of the people of Israel will survive and live among the nations escaping the sword, scattered throughout the countries (Ezekiel 6:8). The survivors who escape will remember the Lord among the nations to which they are captive. They will remember how the Lord was broken over their whoring hearts that worshipped idols instead of the Lord, causing them to become loathsome in their own sight for the abominations they committed (Ezekiel 6:9). Then the people shall know the Lord is the Lord of all, knowing that His saying the evil that would come to them was not in vain (Ezekiel 6:10).

 

The Lord tells Ezekiel to clap his hands and stamp his foot saying Israel will fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence for the evil abominations they have committed (Ezekiel 6:11). Those far off will die of pestilence, those near by the sword, and those left and preserved by famine, the means by which the Lord will send His fury upon the people of Israel (Ezekiel 6:12). The people of Israel will know the Lord is Lord of all when seeing their slain among their idols and around their alters wherever they made offerings to these idols (Ezekiel 6:13). The Lord will stretch out His hand against the land, making it desolate to remind the people of Israel the Lord is Lord of all (Ezekiel 6:14).

 

Once again, the Lord gives Ezekiel an unusual instruction, to look at the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them (1 Corinthians 6:1-2). Living in Phoenix Arizona, a city in a valley surrounded by mountains, the residents of the city would think someone has lost their mind if they were to begin speaking to the mountains. However, it is not the mountains Ezekiel is speaking to but the high places of worship, alters, and idols of other gods on these mountains. A prophet speaking to mountains would get everyone’s attention so they would hear Ezekiel speak of the destruction of the high places of pagan worship, alters, and idols there. If that did not get everyone’s attention, the dead bodies that are lying in front of their idols should. The nation of Israel is about to suffer destruction with the people going into exile, the consequence of disobedience to the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). This warning to Israel is not a word coming only from Ezekiel (Ezekiel 6:12) but also from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14:12) and Amos (Amos 4:10). These numerous warnings are an example of the love and mercy of God towards His people, but the warnings also indicate there is an end to God’s mercy if they fail to repent of their sins.

 

Let the Church not become complacent in this dispensation of grace, believing people are exempt from suffering for their sins because Jesus died on the cross to save humanity from sin. If only Ananias and Sapphira could come back from the dead to tell anyone believing that Grace and forgiveness cover all, even if one continues to sin, is using God’s grace to continue in sin (Acts 5:1-11). Unlike Israel, we do not have any prior history on Ananias and Sapphira, but this may not have been their first offense, with God reaching the end of his mercy and grace extended to them.

 

In Revelation 3:14-22 we find the letter to the Church in Laodicea, a Church worshipping the idol of their wealth and prosperity, believing they need nothing, including anything from God. Unlike the Church in Philadelphia which had an open door to the Lord (Revelation 3:7), the Lord stands outside the door the Laodiceans have shut, knocking (Revelation 3:20). While the Church functions under God’s grace, this is not an excuse to continue in sin (Romans 6:1-4). Instead, I pray the Church would give up the worship of its idols of wealth, fame, and conformity with the world to draw people into the Church and instead draw people to the Church by lifting up Christ (John 12:32).

 

If you are reading this and never opened the door to your heart to let Jesus in, I encourage you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.