The true synagogue of God is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles from around the world, “from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” (Rev. 7:9; cf. 5:9; Acts 2:5). The land of Israel was no longer the centre. Churches were planted throughout the Roman Empire. Gary DeMar
Scripture
“Your impurity is your lewdness and the corruption of your idolatry. I tried to cleanse you, but you refused. So now you will remain in your filth until my fury against you has been satisfied.”
Observation
Ezekiel enacts another prophecy from the Lord. He puts fine meat into a cooking pot and cooks it over a fire. The meat is to come out randomly. as no piece is better than any other.
He is to empty the pot onto rocks to symbolise the shedding of the blood of the people of Jerusalem. He then puts the empty pot onto the fire and heats it red hot, but the dirt and corruption is still there,
Ezekiel’s wife dies, and Ezekiel is told not to grieve publicly. The Lord will destroy the Temple, every bit a treasure to the people as Ezekiel’s wife is to him. They will not mourn, its loss publicly, but they will waste away because of their sin.
Application
The Lord cannot cleanse an individual, a church, or a nation, unless they are willing to be changed. For an organisation or a culture, this starts either with the leadership saying, “We have to change,” or with a massive change of heart among the people – a revival or awakening.
It is no good to ask the Lord to set us free from some bondage or addiction, unless we really want to be free. Sometimes we enjoy our sins too much to really want freedom.
Unless we freely repent of our sins and turn away from all evil, the Lord will take us through a fiery purification process,
He will not tolerate gross impurity among his followers.
Listen
Lord, what would you say to me about this cleansing process?
Keith, I want a holy people, totally dedicated to me. Nobody can serve two masters, but so many people try,
People do not welcome my discipline. Many do not even want my direction.
Discipline seems hard at the time, but those who experience it see how they gain through it.
Rest in my peace. Receive my love. Listen to my Spirit and let me direct all your steps.
An interpreter can’t move on to what a text means until he nails down what the text says. Gary Demar
Scripture
“You will be fully repaid for all your prostitution – for your worship of idols. Yes, you will suffer the full penalty. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
Observation
The Lord gives Ezekiel a parable of two sisters, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, even as young girls. Oholah, the older girl, represents Samaria, while her younger sister, Oholibah represents the southern kingdom of Judah. Both these girls lusted after officers and charioteers of Assyria, rather than being faithful to the Lord.
The Lord handed Oholah over to the men that she desired, and they stripped her of all that she had, and took her children to be slaves.
Oholibah saw all that had happened to her sister, but took her prostitution even further, as she lusted after Babylonian officers. The Lord is disgusted with her, and has rejected her.
Both of the sisters are guilty of adultery and murder; adultery for being unfaithful to the Lord, and murder for the sacrifice of children to the idols.
The lord will repay both nations in full for all their sin. The Lord will alow the neighbouring nations to terrorise them in order that they will recognise that He is the Sovereign Lord.
Application
It is hard to imagine how people could sacrifice their babies to idols in a fiery altar. But people did this because it became normal and expected. The Lord had specifically forbidden this but when the foreign deities gained a foothold, what had been forbidden became normal.
The Lord condemns his people for prostitution and for murder. The prostitution was about worshipping other gods. Murder was about sacrificing the children to these gods.
Today our culture has abandoned God to serve the God of Self. Millions of children are sacrificed to this god in abortions. God is calling His people to turn to him to repent and to receive his mercy.
Listen
Lord, is this really the place where we are today??.
Keith. Western culture really has idolised the Self in a way unknown in any previous age. Individuals and whole nations are being destroyed by this unrestrained lust for gratification.
Your role is to pray. Pray for the people in your town and the leaders of the state and the nation. They must turn back from the edge of the cliff.
The only solution is for people to turn to me.
Before any worthwhile discussion can take place about the Bible, the first question I always ask is, “What does the text say?” Gary DeMar
