What Endures? Part 2

Ezekiel 22:23-26 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”

Continuing Michael’s message: 

When God's priests stop making a difference between the holy and the unholy, then God's righteous judgment shall follow.  God is faithful to his word.  The choice for God's people and for His priests is to "separate" themselves from the unholy things of this world.  "Sanctification" or Holiness, means to separate according to the purpose for which the Creator intended.  Holiness starts with the prophets who speak to the people on behalf of God, and the priests who speak to God on behalf of the people.  

Ezekiel 22:27-28 “Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken.”

The priests, the princes, the prophets and the people's forsaking the Lord is the root of the problem...the prophets and the priests are responsible for keeping t” house of the Lord holy.

Ezekiel 22:29-30 “The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”

Where is the church today?  God was looking for men and women to "stand in the gap" and to keep Israel from the righteous judgment of God. The question is: "Shall God judge Christians today with the unrighteousness and wicked of this world?” The Lord said to Abraham, if I find ten righteous in the midst of the city, I will save the city.  Otherwise, I will snatch the righteous from Sodom and Gomorrah and then destroy the wicked city. 

John 3:14-16 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Even though God is a righteous judge, he made a way for mercy and grace to triumph over judgment: John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

What endures?  We have been given God's gracious gift of eternal life when we were saved by His grace. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever – 1 Peter 1:23.  Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my Word will not pass away.” 

May God richly bless you,

Your brother in Christ, Michael