Message: People willingly turn from the Lord and when they do judgment awaits. Only being righteous saves us and this righteousness comes from God. God's justice is being seen right now, today.
Time: Ezekiel receives a visit from some of the leaders of Israel and when visiting, he receives a message from the Lord.
What the Lord is Saying:
The leaders have idols in their hearts. They embrace things that will lead them to sin. They petition me. Why should I listen? Instead, what they will receive is a deceived message. They will learn, eventually, not to have other gods.
Another scenario comes up, people sin and receive judgment. People die. Who escapes this? Several times the text states that the ones that escape are the ones that have been declared righteous. Righteousness saves people, individuals, not groups or nations.
It is interesting to realize that God's laws of justice are active even in today's time. We often wonder when God is going to judge and not allow the sin to continue, like it is? What makes us think that God isn't already judging us? Right now, we see the fraying of the fabric of our society. God's name is blasphemed on a regular occurrence now. Marriage is being redefined. Idolatry is common place (gambling, alcoholism, debauchery, gluttony). It is somewhat inconsistent to look at these things and think that God's justice is NOT currently occurring. Many of us are groaning because of what is occurring, though many think everything is fine. We are currently, right now, in a state of receiving the curse of God. I must remember Romans 1 and the fact that God gives people over to their sin when they continue to ignore the commandments of the Lord.
We are too quick to think that the destruction and calamities we are privy to today are not due to God's judgment.
Problem: God's judgment is here, right now.
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