Articles
Behold The Severity of God Ezekiel 5-8
Behold The Severity of God Ezekiel 5-8
In Romans 1, Paul states concerning the pagan people that they are without excuse for changing the glory of God into an idol and worshiping the creature rather than the creator. How much more so was this true of Judah! God had called them. God had established them. God had revealed Himself unto them. God had given them a temple, priesthood, and worship order.
They had despised the Lord and turned to detestable things. They not only filled the land with their idol worship, they brought it into the very temple of the LORD. Their hearts were for their gods. They rebelled against the Lord.
As we begin our reading of Ezekiel we notice several things.
God knows. God is able to show Ezekiel the very acts of the people within the temple. The people affirm that God ‘doesn’t see’ (8:12), but they are blind to God’s omniscience. Nothing is hidden from God. Secret things are open and visible to the LORD. Even the thoughts and intents of their heart was known.
God is angry (5:15). God will repay them according to their deeds (7:3, 27). God will not be unjust, but will bring righteous judgment upon them. As God describes how terrible the judgment will be, including turning to cannibalism during the siege of the city (5:10), we struggle to comprehend. The enormity of the judgment is because of the enormity of their sin in that they have sinned against God. God has called, pleaded, and threatened them for over 300 years. God sent prophet after prophet to turn them from their wickedness, but to no avail. Now, His limit has been reached.
God brings judgment. God’s patience has limits. I marvel at how long the LORD withheld such judgment. I stand in awe in how terrible the judgment was! In this, God will have no pity (7:4, 9; 8:18).
With the coming judgment, God says that ‘then they will know that I am the LORD’ (6:10; 7:4, 27). Sometimes it takes such judgment before people will acknowledge Him as God. He alone is God. He alone is worthy of worship. He desires to bless His creation, but He demands that they recognize Him as God. He has no pleasure in such punishment (see chapter 18), but He will have no pity upon those who insist on rebellion.
Behold the goodness and the severity of the LORD. God has blessed us with the offer of forgiveness. God has given His son to be our sacrifice and mediator who will restore us to our creator. God yet has no desire to punish but desires that we would repent and return to Him. God offers, but each of us must respond in faithfulness. We must put our trust in Jesus. What is waiting for you: the wrath and anger of a just God or mercy and forgiveness?
Hugh DeLong
