From b923fac16cc9de3c18e9dbfcb57a7de044efd65d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lyle Mantooth Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 23:26:18 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] Ezekiel 14:1-11 --- content/bible_journal/ezekiel_14:1-11.md | 42 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 42 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/bible_journal/ezekiel_14:1-11.md diff --git a/content/bible_journal/ezekiel_14:1-11.md b/content/bible_journal/ezekiel_14:1-11.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d932964 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/bible_journal/ezekiel_14:1-11.md @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ ++++ +title = "Ezekiel 14:1–11" +date = "2023-04-04" ++++ + +### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel14.1-11) + +Now we have a small interlude where the message of the Lord given through +Ezekiel does not concern the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but the exiles who are +there near him. In particular we have "certain of the elders of Israel" (_v. +1_) who have come to the prophet for a word from the Lord, and yet they have +taken idols into their hearts. This could mean that they actively worship the +Caananite gods like their compatriots back in Jerusalem, or have begun to +follow the Babylonian gods of their conquerors, or have forsaken the Lord in a +more subtle way by turning to wealth and power or putting their ethnicity and +holy city before God in their hearts. Whatever the case, the Lord knows it and +they stand condemned. + +The Lord does not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. Just as you don't +ask your spouse what clothes to wear on a date with someone else, you don't ask +the Lord what the future holds for you when you have asked a funny looking rock +to bless you as well. It's just asking for trouble. And indeed, that is what He +says He will bring to these elders: trouble enough to make everyone around them +to notice and learn from their bad example until they are not around any more. + +But it is not just the idolaters who are in danger here. If the prophet agrees +to give them a prophetic word, the Lord will deceive him and the word he gives +to the idolaters will be false. And thus he will incur the same punishment as +the idolater who asked for the word in the first place. Now there's an +uncomfortable verse. The idea of God being deceptive is not a fun one, +especially when remembering other verses that tell us that God loves truth and +hates lies. But other translations use different words like "enticed" or +"prevailed upon" instead of "deceived". I'll have to do a word study and figure +out just what the Hebrew word really means here. But for now, we can be sure +that God is against idolatry, and anyone who enables idolatry in the name of +the Lord can expect judgement just as severe. + +* * * + +You are sovereign, and yet we are responsible for our actions, thoughts, and +feelings. However, we can trust in You and Your goodness even when we don't +understand.