Ezekiel 7:23 says, Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence. Ezekiel was then told to make a chain that was to be used to represent the crimes and violence of the people of Israel. The people had been guilty of shedding the blood of others without any good cause. We as followers of Christ are called on to reach out to people with the gospel, which will only want what is best for them, no matter who they are. Yet too often we would rather see them killed than converted I believe.
Verse twenty-four adds, Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled. God told Ezekiel that He was going to bring the worst of the heathen, which is the worst of the Gentiles, and they were going to take the houses of the people of Israel. He also said that he was going to take away the pomp of the strong men and that their holy places would be defiled. The temple was supposed to be the holy place of God, but they had made it a holy place for false gods, and it was not going to stand as God’s temple any longer. As Christians, if we defile our worship places with idols instead of keeping it as a holy place for God, we should not be surprised if God gives them over to the people of the world.
Verse twenty-five continues, Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. God told Ezekiel that destruction was coming to the people of Israel and that even though they were looking for peace, they would not find it. One day, when Jesus Christ returns, everyone will be looking for peace, but for many it will be too late to find it.
Verse twenty-six states, Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients. God said that when the destruction came on Israel that mischief would increase as would rumors, and that people would need a prophet and that the law that the priests were supposed to proclaim would perish. Also, the older men, who should have been able to offer them encouragement would have nothing to offer because the people of Isreal had not been faithful to God for so long. Since they had not listened to the prophets, priests, and older men when they were giving them God’s word, He was not going to offer them words of encouragement now that His judgement was upon them. Those who do not listen to and accept God’s call to salvation when it comes will one day find out that it is too late to do so once He comes in judgment.
Verse twenty-seven adds, The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the Lord. Instead of rejoicing in God’s blessing in giving them power in the world, the king and princes would be in mourning in desolation, and all the people of the land would of Israel would be troubled. This would all be because of their sin and not because God had suddenly turned His back on them. God had blessed them with a land flowing with milk and honey, but they had turned away from Him and had started worshipping other gods, and this was the result of their sin. As the church, we are called to be the people of God today, but if we become so in name only while worshipping false gods, then whatever judgment we face from God will be from our own refusal to obey His word.
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