Ezekiel 14:12-16:41

The City Will Not Be Spared

¹² Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, ¹³ “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, ¹⁴ even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord God. ¹⁵ “If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, ¹⁶ though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. ¹⁷ Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’ ¹⁸ even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. ¹⁹ Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, ²⁰ even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

In this passage the prophet Ezekiel is being given a warning from God about the judgment that is coming against Jerusalem. People frequently try to question God saying how or why could a loving God bring judgment on people . God's love and His judgment are not conflicting attributes. Keep in mind what Psalm 89:14 says about God.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.

God's righteousness and justice require that He judge. What we need to understand is that even God's judgment is intended to draw men to Him.It is part of His lovingkindness and truth. His judgment is against evil. His desire is that men would turn from evil to follow Him. The text gives us an example of 3 of the most righteous men that are and were ever on earth,  Noah, Daniel and Job and says that even these men could not cause the city to escape the coming judgment.

Thankfully we live in a different time, under a different covenant relationship with God. No one can escape judgment by his or her own righteousness. Jesus Christ is the one who allows us to escape judgment.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says   "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

There is still a judgment that is coming. When I read this text I can't help but to think of the condition of the world and in particular the U.S. The cultures, societies and governments of most nations have turned from God, certainly we have. They have collectively chosen to embrace sin, satisfying personal lust and greed. Creating laws and living in ways that are contrary to God's will. The judgment will come. God's righteousness requires it.

even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.” 

Regardless of the judgment that will come against the nations, kingdoms and societies of the world, each of us has a personal judgment to face. We can choose to be judged on our own works and merit or we can accept the work of Christ and be judged as righteous in Him. 

This warning of coming judgment in Ezekiel, is taken from today's readings in the One Year Bible. If we have accepted the righteousness of Christ as our standard of judgment, then we find what our Lord calls us and commissions us to do in response in today's chronological readings from the One Year Bible.

Matthew 28:16-20

The Great Commission

¹⁶ But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

and   Mark 16:15-18

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

and     Luke 24:44-49

⁴⁴ Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

We are not called to simply live out this life in Christ. Jesus is coming back to establish His eternal kingdom. You don't need to be a missionary to share the gospel, the good news, with nations. That word nations, is translated from the Greek word ethnos, from which the English word ethnic comes from. The nations, diverse ethnicities,  are around each of us every day.

Jesus says in the Matthew text : “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

In the Mark text He says : " These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

  and finally in Luke : "behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

From last to first, Jesus has sent the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, to fill, clothe and empower us. The evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us will be seen in the working of miracles. All authority is given to Jesus and He in turn has commissioned us to walk in that authority. 

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit thank You that your judgment is according to Your loving kindness. Thank You that in Christ I am judged as righteous. Continue to work and reveal the depth of this to  me each day. I pray today that You would indeed fill me, clothe me with the promise, the Holy Spirit . Then, in that power and in the authority that has been given in and through Christ enable me to be Your witness to the nations.   Amen