Tuesday, January 7, 2014
THE GAP!
Please bear with me this morning as I present a rather lengthy portion of scripture but I think you will see why in a moment.
Ezek 22:18-30
18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, andstand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
I am amazed how closely the sins of Israel and Jerusalem parallel those of our nation today. It is shocking how simply and quickly God might be appeased and how unwilling we are to appease Him. We are a stubborn and selfish people bent on arousing the anger of the Almighty.
HER PRIESTS -- have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane. Trouble began in the priesthood with those who were to give moral and spiritual direction. It is always so! To profane holy things is easy; all it takes is to make those holy things common and unimportant. We have long been making things casual and godliness has sometimes turned to grunge. If appropriate dress before a holy God were not important then Moses would not have been instructed to put off his shoes before the burning bush!
HER PRINCES -- are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. The image of wolves ripping open a captured meal is violent and pitiful. Our elected officials seem locked in a similar feeding frenzy. As I write this two of our leaders representing the east coast and the other the west coast are being investigated for ethics violations. When the wicked beareth rule the people mourn!
HER PROPHETS -- have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. Our strongest voices have nothing to say! When they see a crack in the wall of wisdom they daub it with ridiculous lies.
THE PEOPLE -- of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery! We can hardly expect more from a people with so weak and woeful leadership. The whole head is sick. There is a huge gap to be filled.
THE PLEA -- And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. God is seeking a man, or woman, who will stand where others have fallen and make up the hedge. There is a huge hole in the hedge of morality and truth. God is seeking someone to give Him reason to withhold judgment.
Dear Lord, I don’t want to be a casualty but I can’t stand unconcerned on the sidelines while the enemy rushes through the gap. Place me in the gap and fill me with courage and strength. AMEN
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