Idolatrous Elders Condemned

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 14:1-11

 

Ezekiel 14:6

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

(ESV)

 

The title of this post indicates the word of the Lord from Ezekiel speaks to elders in Israel worshipping idols of wood and stone with no application to us because we do not bow down and worship pagan idols. However, anything in our hearts that diverts our worship from the worship of the one true God is an idol. Jesus reminded us that whatever we treasure is where our hearts will be (Matthew 6:21). If that treasure is something other than the Lord Jesus, it constitutes an idol that may not necessarily be something made of wood or stone.

 

Some of the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel and when they did, a word of the Lord came to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 14:1-2). The Lord tells Ezekiel that these elders have taken their idols into their hearts and set their iniquities before their faces as a stumbling block, asking Ezekiel if He should allow Himself to be consulted by them (Ezekiel 14:3). Ezekiel is to speak to these them, telling them that anyone of the house of Israel that takes his or her idols to heart and sets his or her iniquity before their face coming to the prophet will receive an answer (Ezekiel 14:4). The Lord’s purpose for this is to lay hold of the hearts of those in Israel who have become estranged from the Lord due to the worship of their idols (Ezekiel 14:5).

 

Ezekiel is then instructed by the Lord to tell the house of Israel to repent and turn away from their idols and their abominations (Ezekiel 14:6). The people of the house of Israel or anyone who sojourns in Israel who worships idols in his or her heart and comes to consult a prophet will receive an answer from the Lord (Ezekiel 14:7). However the answer is not a good answer for the Lord will set his face against them and make an example of him, cutting him off from the people so they will know the Lord is the Lord (Ezekiel 14:8). The Lord also cautions any prophet who is deceived and speaks a word, the Lord will destroy that prophet (Ezekiel 14:9). Both the idolatrous inquirer and deceived prophet will suffer the same fate (Ezekiel 14:10). The purpose of all this is because the Lord wants Israel not to go astray or defile themselves but to be His people and for Him to be their God (Ezekiel 14:11).

 

A group of idolatrous elders have approached Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. These elders have allowed their idols to become the object of worship in their hearts, openly committing iniquity. They inquire of the Lord, possibly believing they may receive a word forgiving and condoning their iniquities while holding on to the worship of their idols in their hearts. The Lord’s answer to them is to repent and turn from their idols and abominable worship of these idols (Ezekiel 14:6). Failure to repent will result in the prophet’s separation from the people of Israel (Ezekiel 14:8). The same punishment applies to a deceived prophet consulted by these idolatrous elders (Ezekiel 14:9-10).

 

It is not common today for one to worship a statue or image as an idol, but we may have many idols in our lives. The deception of these idols is they may not be evil, such as idolizing one’s family, children, career, or sports team. The problem with idolizing these people and things is they will fail us. Family and children will do and say things that hurt us. Careers may change or become outdated due to changes in the economy or technology. And sports teams do not always win. The Lord, however, will never fail us (Psalm 37:28, 94:14).

 

In these troubling times bringing temptation for the Church to turn from the Word of God and adopt the wokeness of the evil culture, the church must rid itself of anything it idolizes more than God. This is not a call to abandon family, careers, or support of one’s favorite sports team, but a word of caution not to allow these people and things to take the place of worshipping God in our hearts. When a conflict arises between these people and things and one’s worship of God, one must choose the worship of God.

 

I encourage everyone reading this to repent of any idols in their hearts that may be separating them from the true worship of God. If you are reading this and have never prayed for the forgiveness of sin and to make Jesus and God the object of worship in your heart, I invite you to pray with me now,

 

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.