I continue to slug my way through Ezekiel. What a fascinating book! A few days ago I made some comments about God’s mobile throne. If you missed that, you might want to check it out here in preparation for what I am going to say.
Ezekiel’s current vision began in chapter 8 as he sees the cherubs and God’s mobile throne that had appeared to him earlier. Babylon’s “final solution” for Jerusalem has not yet been executed and many are holding on to the slimmest thread of hope. Their hope, however, is nothing more than self-deception at best and outright refusal to listen to God at worst. God’s words to Ezekiel leave no doubt about the certainty of judgment to come.
In the vision, Ezekiel has sees the cloud of God’s glory moving out of the temple and departing. No one could have imagined that God would ever move out of his own house! But, God has made it abundantly clear that he will not co-exist with the filth and abomination of Israel’s sin. This is the setting for the closing words of this prophecy.
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD. Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. (Ezekiel 11:16-24)
We could easily excuse anyone for absorbing these words like a kick in the gut. God promises to bring Israel’s sins right down upon their own heads. The glory of God departs and moves out toward the east. If this were all, the anguish would be unbearable.
What amazes me, though, about these closing words is the incredible grace, hope and promise that God holds out to his people. Many are in such a state of denial they undoubtedly missed the message of hope amidst the call for the coming calamity.
To these Jews who shunned Ezekiel’s message, the city of Jerusalem and its temple were everything – their very identity.
Perhaps this is a large part of the problem. They had forgotten the God of the city and the temple.
Here, in this catastrophic moment, the God of the mobile throne tells them that he himself will be their “little sanctuary”. Some see this as a prophetic view of the synagogue, never spelled out in scripture, but obviously blessed of God for the Jewish disaspora. That could well be.
However, let’s not miss the main point – no matter where we are, no matter whether buildings stand or fall, God himself is our sanctuary. The God of the mobile throne is himself our mobile bunker, our fortress, our castle, our refuge.
As if this were not enough, God promises them that they will one day return to a literal land, city and temple. He says that he will give them a new spirit and a new heart.
Many in Jerusalem were fighting the wrong battle. They thought the Babylonians were the enemy. They thought nothing could be more fatal and final than to lose the city and the temple. They should have been more concerned to lose the presence and power of God Almighty. The cloud of his glory was departing.
All this causes me to wonder if sometimes we are guilty of the same. I love this country and am grateful for all God affords us here. I hear the panic-filed screeches of those who give the impression that this bill or that, this political move, this politician or this issue will be the demise of the nation, the loss of our liberties and the fall of civilization as we know it. If the nation falls, the world, of course, will come to an end.
The truth is, God was at work in this world long before this nation was born, and he will be around long after this nation is gone. And, as good as it is, this nation cannot and will not endure forever. We should defend it, love it and be thankful for it and those who serve and protect. But, if the Bible instructs us to put our focus on things eternal that can never be moved, how should that be reflected in the priorities and attitudes of our daily lives?
I wonder if we should be a bit more concerned about losing God’s power and presence in our lives – especially those of us who already have new hearts and spirits.
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Join me each day as I share what's bouncing around in my head and heart. I wish I had time to sit down with each of you over a good cup of coffee, but at least we can thank God for blogs! Oh! I'll take the coffee, too, whenever I can!
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