Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.”
Rebellion is an interesting thing. Most people, who are in rebellion, don’t see themselves as rebels, but have justification for their behavior. Children do it with their parents, adults do it with their superiors, and all of us do it with God. I think it might be helpful to note that Ezekiel gives us a Biblical definition of rebellion, so we can recognize whether or not we are currently rebelling against God. He says, a rebel is one who has eyes but does not see and ears but does not hear. In other words, if we know what we are doing is unacceptable to God and we are doing it anyway, then we are in rebellion against God.
Often, we complain that God is silent. We want to hear from Him about a decision we are trying to make, but He does not seem to answer us. This may be because He has been speaking to us, about something we are doing (or not doing), and we have refused to listen. We are rebelling, yet hoping to get marching orders. This happened to King Saul. For years God had been telling Him to give up the throne and pass it on to David. Instead of obeying, he rebelled and did everything he could to silence the voice of God. Then when the Philistine army was approaching, he sought God for instructions on how to defend Israel. His seeking was met with silence. God refused to give marching orders to a rebel.
God’s word gives clear parameters for relationships. If you are violating these parameters, no matter how often you attend church or read your Bible, you are still a rebel. It is time to stop doing what He forbids, and start putting yourself under His authority.
Pastor Jim
The children of Israel were facing the darkest time in their history. They had endured great hardships in the past when enslaved in Egypt or wandering in the wilderness, but nothing compared to the darkness of being taken captive by Babylon, and knowing the city and Temple would soon be burned to the ground. If anything ever seemed to point to the end of relationship with God, that did. I am once again amazed at the mercy and grace of God, as He promises through Ezekiel, that in their darkest hour, He will be a little sanctuary to them.
he day Solomon’s Temple was built was one of the most glorious days in the history of Israel. It marked the completion of many of the promises God had given to His people down through the centuries. From a single man with a barren wife, a mighty nation had been formed, that now occupied the land that was promised to them. Their enemies had been defeated and held at bay, the people were experiencing a prosperity they had never dreamt would be possible, and the Tabernacle that spoke of mobility, was now replaced with a glorious, permanent Temple. On the day the Temple was dedicated, something quite remarkable took place. We are told, “the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” God’s presence was so “thick” the priests had to stop their ministry. It seems all they could do was fall down before the glory of God. Ezekiel lived about 300 years later and he too saw the Temple and the glory of God. This time, however, the glory was not filling the Temple, but rather was departing from it. He watched as the same glory that once filled the Temple, began to rise from it and slowly depart.
There are many things that fill us with joy. Some of them are quite simple, like seeing a rainbow, or when our team wins. Others are much deeper, like our wedding day, or the birth of a child. John lived a long life and, no doubt, had his share of experiences that produced joy, making his statement here all the more valuable. He states, of all the things that have brought a smile to his face, nothing can compare to knowing his children are walking with the Lord.
We find a reoccurring theme in Scripture, those who belong to God are protected from His judgment. When the plagues came upon Egypt, the children of God were spared, when judgment fell upon Sodom, Lot was spared, and here, as Judah is being judged, those who turned to the Lord, were spared. It is worth noting, they were protected from judgment because a mark was placed upon them. This is true of those who belong to Christ. Paul explained to the Ephesian Church, they we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). This seal not only marks us as belonging to God, but also ensures we will one day receive our future inheritance in glory.
Scripture teaches, the most important of all graces is love. Jesus said it was the first of the commandments, the proof of our relationship with Him, and our most effective witnessing tool. Paul defined love in first Corinthians 13, and declared that love will outlast time. In our world, love is a very common subject, admittedly difficult to define. I think it is important we keep in mind, while the chief thing is love, the chief love, is love for God. John helps us to understand what love for God actually looks like.
Some of the imagery of the Bible is designed to get the attention of the reader. This passage certainly does that. Ezekiel explains, while he was sitting in his living room surrounded by the elders of Israel, he was suddenly lifted out of his chair by his hair, and transported hundreds of miles away to the city of Jerusalem. There he was shown a series of scenes that exposed the wickedness of the people, and in particular the leaders. One of those scenes took him to the the Temple where he dug a hole in the wall, found a hidden door, opened it up, and exposed the hidden sins of those who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation.
Ezekiel is declaring to Judah a message that everyone will one day hear. That message proclaimed the end of the road had been reached, and they must now give an account to the Lord for the lives they lived. For them, this day was a sorrowful one. All of the investments they had made were earthly and unable to provide deliverance from divine judgment. Like Belshazzar, they had been weighed in the balances and found wanting (Daniel 5:27).
Prayer is a critical part of our relationship with God. It is the means by which we are involved in the work of God on earth. Scripture reveals the things God desires to do when we join in prayer; as a result we get to see God work. There are many texts in Scripture making it clear that when we fail to pray, we fail to experience the works of God. Perhaps the most well-known is when James declares, “You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2c) Because of the importance of prayer, as it relates to the work of God, John instructs us on how to pray. Verse 14 tells us what to pray for,
When I read of the fall of Judah I am reminded of Achilles, who was one of the more famous characters in Greek mythology. He was the central figure of Homer’s Iliad, and the hero of the Trojan wars. The legend tells the story of Achilles, who was held by the ankle and dipped in the river Styx, providing him with supernatural protection in battle. As a result, his only weakness was his ankle that was not covered by the magical waters. It was this weakness that ultimately cost him his life.
