3 Devotional Thoughts From Ezekiel

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.     Ezekiel 9:9

What kind of ideas are in the minds of people who feel that they are free to sin terribly with no spiritual consequences? An underlying sinful mental attitude is expressed here in this verse. What were they thinking! They were thinking: “We can do what we want because God is not paying attention. He has forsaken the earth. He is very deistic; and He can’t even see what’s going on. Yes, we are told that once He did see what was going on, but that was then and this is now.” In today’s world the thought is very similar. If it were systematized and expressed aloud many might say: “We don’t believe God exists anymore, at least not in the way that the ancients believed it. If He sees what we’re doing He can’t do anything about it or won’t do anything about it anyway, so why not do what we want to do. Without God there are no consequences, so blood and perverseness can be our new normal.”

If you are in that crowd, let me respond with a bit of preaching, You’ll be sorry in the long run!

And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.     Ezekiel 11:5

I  know… every one of them. Does God know what no one else does about you? Can God discern the good and evil in your life? Can God literally evaluate your behavior because He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart (cf. Heb. 4:12)? Can you hide anything from God even though you keep it to yourself and never let it out of your mind? No! Do not harbor evil in your inward parts for God sees!

Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.     Ezekiel 12:27

This is also a very modern idea. It can't happen here. It won’t happen here, and if it does it will be a long time coming. It will be in a time far, far away - our land being conquered? - not much chance of that. Our land being occupied - not much chance of that. Beheading here, crucifixions here, starvation here, religious wars here? Maybe in 1000 years, but not now. The people of the world are too good for that. They are not sinners. That’s a very modern idea. Do not count on it! Pray that your country does not become a spiritual and physical desolation.