Read: Ezekiel 20-22:16
The leaders of Israel came to ask Ezekiel what the Lord was saying. God told Ezekiel to remind them of the covenant He had made with their ancestors and how badly they had broken it. He told them to get rid of the vile images they were so obsessed with. They had fallen in love with the idols of Egypt. God had threatened to punish them while they were in Egypt, but since God didn’t want to defile his name by punishing them in front of their enemies, he waited, hoping they would repent. They didn’t repent. Like their parents before them, they chose to follow after their idolatry. God was so tired of their idolatry he told them to go ahead and practice their evil because one day they would turn and stop bringing shame on God’s name. One day they would be ashamed of their past and receive God’s mercy. Until then, God would send fire to burn everything. It will be fire that could not be put out.
Ezekiel complained to the Lord that everyone accused him of speaking in riddles and didn’t think God was being literal in his judgment. God told him to tell them he meant everything he said. He was going to destroy the evil along with the good people. God was going to lead the army of Babylon to Jerusalem to besiege it. The people of Jerusalem would be utterly wiped out.
This is such a sad reading. History repeats itself and this will be the picture of the end. The world will be destroyed by fire and no one will be left. Those who love the Lord will live eternally with him.
Lord, expand our vision to see the big picture of your ways. You are faithful to judge and faithful to save.
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