The Lord leads Ezekiel witness sins

EZEKIEL     CHAPTER 8

On September 17th during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, while leaders of Judah were in his home, Ezekiel saw the Lord who took hold of him. From the waist down God looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked lik a gleaming amber. He put a hand on Ezekiel and took him by the hair. Then the Spirit lifted him into the sky and transported Ezekiel to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple. There was a large idol there that made the Lord very angry. Suddenly the glory of the Lord was there, just as Ezekiel had seen it before in the valley.

The Lord told him to look north and he looked next to the entrance of the gate where the idol stood. The Lord asked him if he realized what the people were doing, and how they were sinning and driving him from the Temple. Then the Lord brought Ezekiel to the door of the Temple courtyard where he could see an opening in the wall and the Lord asked him to dig into the wall. He did so and uncovered a door to a hidden room.

The Lord told Ezekiel to enter the room and see the unspeakable wickedness going on. When he entered, Ezekiel saw walls covered with snakes, lizards and hideous creatures. He also saw various idols and seventy of Irael's leaders standing there with Jazaniah son of Shapan in the middle. Each of the leaders held an incense burner so there was a thick cloud of incense. So the Lord told Ezekiel that the leaders thought the Lord did not see what they were doing in the darkness and he had deserted them. But the Lord wanted Ezekiel to see even worse sins.

So the Lord took Ezekiel to the north gate of the Temple were some women were sitting weeping for the god Tammuz. Then he took Ezekiel to the inner courtyard of the Temple where 25 men were worshiping the sun. The Lord was angry and said the people of Judah committed terrible sins and had led the nation into violence and thumbing their nose at God and rousing his fury. Therefore, the Lord would deal with them in fury.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The idol that made God so angry was probably the image of Asherah, the Canaanite goddess of fertility whose character encouraged sexual immorality and self gratification. Another God, Tammuz was the Babylonian god of spring. He was the husband or lover of Ishtar and his followers believed that the green vegetation died because he died and descended into the underworld. Thus, his worshipers mourned his death believing he would come back to life.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY?  This chapter should be a wake-up call to each of us. Imagine if God whisked you around your own open-house. How comfortable would you be if he looked into your life right now.

We all have some kind of idol that we worship. Whether it be success, or money or material belongings or pleasures of the flesh. But we must be mindful that God recognizes us as flawed humans. Later when Jesus came along, he died so that we might be foregiven. In Ezekiel's day, Jesus did not yet exist and so the sinners felt the wrath of God. We are so fortunate to be able to repent and feel the forgiving nature of Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH:

Pray for my grandson, new baby Gunar who was born with kidney problems.

Pray for my grandson Hunter who is lost and afraid and far away from home.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and who recently underwent major surgery.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our farmers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought. Pray for us consumers who will face higher grocery prices and the poor who won’t be able to adjust what little budget they have.