Tag: priests need repentance
Confronting sin!
Scripture reading for August 23rd: Ezekiel 20-23
Confronting sin was the job of the prophet and preacher. We who minister the word of the Lord must faithfully declare what God has said and speak plainly to those whose souls are in danger of God’s eternal wrath. Sin brings the wrath of God. His wrath is happening continually and it is also an eternal thing that will happen to all who die in their sins on the day of judgment. (Romans 1:18-19) (Romans 2:5) God loves each person enough to confront him before He judges him.
In today’s reading, Ezekiel was told to confront the people of Jerusalem with all of their detestable practices. (Ezekiel 22:1) God declared that the sin of sacrificing their children in the fire to the false idols was wrong! Ezekiel pointed out mistreatment of fathers and mothers by children and mistreatment of the alien and orphan as reasons for the coming destruction. The people had despised the holy things and desecrated the Sabbath as a day of worship and rest. (Ezekiel 22:7-8) Adultery, incest, and lewd sexual conduct were hastening the day of wrath! Excessive interest was being charged and people were extorting money from the weak and powerless with mafia-like tactics.
God also confronted the priests as well. They were twisting God’s law to call evil good and then to call good, evil. They did not help people to discern between the holy or profane. They whitewashed their evil deeds by giving the people false visions and lying divinations. They claimed the the Lord had spoken when He had said nothing of the sort! (Ezekiel 22:26-28) When the ministers of God are under sin and deception, the people are led further astray by their false teaching and example. God looked for one man to stand in the gap on behalf of the land so He would not have to destroy it, but found none! (Ezekiel 22:30-31)
When God confronts sin, He gives his people opportunity to repent and be delivered. His love brings the confrontation to those who will humbly receive it. Take time today and allow the Lord to speak to your heart. Listen and repent so that the wrath may be turned away! Stand in the gap for someone who is lost and in need of His grace! The rewards are eternal!