Sabbath, February 22 – Ezekiel 14, 15
1. What three righteous men are mentioned in Ezekiel 14? (Ezekiel 14:20)
2. How does God regard the false worshiper and the lying prophet? (Ezekiel 14:10)
Once again, leaders come to see the prophet. They are seeking a different word from the LORD. Once again, they receive the message they were not looking for.
These men may deceive themselves and others, but God sees that their hearts are set on their idols and that they have consciously and deliberately chosen wickedness. There will be no word from Him through the prophet. Instead, He will respond directly through judgments to win back their hearts.
It is interesting how often the word “heart” is mentioned. They “set up their idols in their hearts,” and God wants to “seize the house of Israel by their heart.” The call is clear: “Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.” (Ezekiel 14:6) To receive His word, the heart must be willing.
The false prophet is just as guilty before God as the one seeking a message that suits his heart. “And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired.” (Ezekiel 14:10)
Each person is responsible for his own heart. Faithful men like Noah, Daniel, and Job cannot save others.
“Significantly all three of these men had been the means of saving others. For Noah’s sake his whole family had been spared (Gen. 6:18). Daniel was the means of saving his companions (Dan. 2:18). Job averted the punishment of his friends by his intercession (Job 42:7, 8). Though effective in saving some, they had been powerless to save the generation in which they lived. Noah was unable to save the wicked race before the Flood, and Daniel, though holding high rank in the Babylonian court, had presumably not been able to influence Nebuchadnezzar to spare the people of Judah and their capital city. If the Jews were placing any hope in the position and influence of Daniel, that hope was now dashed. Compare Jer. 15:1.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 14:14)
Through a parable in Ezekiel 15, God poses a question: “Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any other tree, or the branch which is among the trees of the forest?” (Ezekiel 15:2)
The value of Israel lies in its relationship with the LORD. Without that relationship, Israel was no better than any other nation.
“His parable teaches that Israel has no native superiority over other nations. The people are not to rest their confidence in the fact that they have been especially elected by God, for they are no longer a true vine, but mere wood, the most useless of all wood, fit only for fuel.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Ezekiel 15:2)
God’s judgments on His people and rebukes through the prophets are intended to reclaim their hearts.
The greatest danger for us today as God’s people is not literal idol worship. Baal and Ashtaroth take on today subtle and insidious forms that do not provoke rejection. Considering these prophetic messages, we may ask: What is the modern equivalent of the idolatry of that time? It may be the love of material things or the imitation of the world at the cost of obedience to God.
What is certain is that, both then and now, the LORD does not delight in the worship of those who come to Him out of tradition or mere formality. His Word is not found when the heart is inclined in another direction. He promises to speak and to be found by those who seek Him with all their heart. When we go to church for His word, let us ensure that we come with a willing heart.
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24, NKJV)
May God bless you abundantly today.