Fri.’s Devo - God’s Cleansing Judgment

Read: Ezekiel 7:1-9:11; Hebrews 5:1-14; Psalm 105:1-15; Proverbs 26:28 The Lord said that the time was up to repent; it was time for judgment. Disaster upon disaster was coming. It was not business as usual; everything was about to change. *** The people living outside the walls would die of the sword and those inside would die of famine and disease. The day of God’s judgment had arrived. Nothing they did will help them now. Their money would be worthless and their wealth would become disgusting to them. It would be plunder to the enemy. *** They would look for answers but the priests and the prophets would have nothing for them. The evil they did to others would fall on them by an even more ruthless people. *** During the days of repentance before the fall feasts, the leaders were in the home of Ezekiel. God sent an angel to take Ezekiel in the Spirit and transported him to Jerusalem. He showed him the idol that stood beside the entrance to the north gate. Then he took him through a secret passageway where there were engravings on the wall of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. Seventy of Israel’s leaders were in a room with incense burners worshipping something other than God. *** The angel took him to the north gate of the Lord’s Temple where women were sitting and weeping for the god Tammuz. Next, he was brought into the inner courtyard of the Lord’s Temple between the entry room and the bronze altar where about twenty-five men sat with their backs to the sanctuary. They were facing east and bowing low to the ground worshipping the sun. All of this was why God was judging the land. *** God then shouted for his men that were to punish the city. Six of God’s men appeared from the upper gate that faces the north. Each was carrying a deadly weapon in his hand. A man dressed with linen appeared carrying a writer’s case at his side. They all went into the Temple courtyard and stood beside the bronze altar. *** The glory of God rose up from the angels on the Ark of the Covenant and moved to the entrance elf the Temple. God told the one dressed in linen to walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of all who wept at the sins being committed in their city. *** He took the other six with him through the city and told them to kill everyone who didn’t have the mark. They began with the seventy elders. Their dead bodies would defile the Temple. *** As Ezekiel watched this vision, he cried out to the Lord asking if God would kill everyone. God responded that their sins were so very very great. The land was full of murder and injustice. They thought God didn’t see it, but he didn’t miss a thing. *** The man in the linen returned and said he had done what he was suppose to do. *** Hebrews explains the office of the High Priest. He is a man who has been chosen to represent the people to God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for the sins of all the people, He understands people’s weaknesses because he himself fights the same battles against sin. He has to be a man that God called to be a priest just like Aaron was and just like Jesus is. *** When Jesus was on earth, Jesus interceded for man with tears and anguish. He had to learn to obey through the things he suffered just like we do. He was appointed our High Priest by God in the order of Melchizedek, God’s High Priest in heaven. *** Paul wanted to teach them deeper but they had let themselves become dull and had stopped growing. They could only drink the milk of the Word. Solid food was reserved for those who had learned to recognize the difference between right and wrong. *** Lord, we thank you for being our faithful High Priest who intercedes for us day and night. Help us to grow in discernment and love for you.