Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 14:12-23

 

Ezekiel 14:13-14

“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply^[a] of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, ¹⁴ even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.

(ESV)

 

Normal is not coming back Jesus is, a source of great comfort for those placing their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, a look at the teaching in many Churches does not support this belief instead of believing the normal of this world does not align with the word of God, they build their congregations on compromise with the world. We must be thankful God has mercy and Grace but as we will see in this text, God’s grace has an expiration date for those who abuse it by continuing to live in sin.

 

Ezekiel receives another word from the Lord. The word says that when a land sins against the Lord, acting faithlessly and the Lord stretches out His hand against it with famine, even Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver it (Ezekiel 14:12-14). If the land were ravaged by wild beasts so that no one may pass through, even Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver it (Ezekiel 14:15-16). Even if the Lord brings a sword on the land cutting off both man and beast from the land, Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver it (Ezekiel 14:17-18). Even if the Lord sends pestilence upon the land Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver son nor daughter (Ezekiel 14:19-20).

 

Thus says the Lord, how much more will God send sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence upon Jerusalem to cut the city off from man and beast (Ezekiel 14:21). However, there will be some survivors, sons and daughters who will come to Ezekiel, providing consolation for the disaster that has come upon the city (Ezekiel 14:22). The survivor’s consolation to Ezekiel is to show that God has not acted without cause.

 

The abominations of Israel have come to a point where judgment is inevitable. God has sent prophets like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 5:12) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14:12) who all foretold of sword, famine, and pestilence, as well as the warnings in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. God also told Joshua and Moses that rebellion by the people of God would occur (Deuteronomy 31:14-18). Therefore, one cannot accuse God of lacking mercy and grace for Israel and Judah have been warned by God through these prophets. The problem is not a lack of mercy and grace from God but a lack of obedience and worship of only God by the people of Israel, as commanded in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-3).

 

The Church, like Israel, must remain on its mission to be obedient to Jesus Christ and spread the good news of the Gospel, making disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). Unfortunately, false theology and teaching have infiltrated the Church as foretold by Jude and Paul

 

1)      Jude – Spoke of people who had crept into the Church unnoticed perverting the grace of God (Jude 1:4). Their perversion of God’s grace has become sensuality, denying the Lord Jesus Christ. Jude goes on by reminding us of how Jesus saved Israel out of Egypt but later destroyed that generation because of their disobedience, reminding the Church that it is not exempt from a similar judgment from God (Jude 1:6). Even the angels were not exempt from such judgment (Jude 1:7).

2)      Paul – Warned his protégé Timothy of a coming time when the people of God in the Church would seek teachers to suit their own needs instead of teachers teaching the truth of God’s word (2 Timothy 4:3). In many ways, we are in the time Paul spoke of today with much false theology spread over the internet teaching a prosperity Gospel portraying God as someone we can use to receive anything we want. Is this any different than the Church in Laodicea who believed they did not need anything, including God, making God sick (Revelation 3:14-22).

 

We are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9) but God’s grace is not permission to continue living a life of sin (Romans 6:1-2). The Church needs less preaching of cheap grace that uses God and more repentance and worship of the true God who came to us and died for our sins. I urge everyone reading this to turn to God in repentance and worship and diligently study the Bible, the word of God. If you are reading this and have never prayed for forgiveness from sin, I urge 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.