Friday, January 14 2011
Ezekiel 8
Verse of the Week: V12 “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.”
1. God’s Glory (V1-6)
V4 “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.”
God brought Prophet Ezekiel to see His great glory as well as the great sins of the people. It was a sight that Ezekiel would never forget in his lifetime. He saw both the glory of God in its highest character and the sins of the people in their lowest character.
V6 “He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.”
2. God’s Revelation (V7-12)
V7 “And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.”
God revealed the secret sins of the people to Ezekiel through a hole in the wall. The people who were supposedly to be holy men of God teaching the laws of God were the same people who broke the law and sinned against God just like the rest of the people.
V10 “So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.”
3. God’s Fury (V13-18)
V12 “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.”
The character of a man is determined when he is in the dark alone facing temptations. God’s blessings are upon a man when he overcomes temptations even when he is alone, however, God’s fury is upon him when he falls into temptations and sins against God. Man’s greatest sin is that of self deception when he thinks that God cannot see his sins.
V18 “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to do right even when no one else is around.
