As I was in class the other day (Old Testament Survey) we were in the book of Ezekiel when a certain passage touched my heart. It is Ezekiel 9:1-6, in case you don’t have your bible on hand here it is,
Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring the guards of the city here, each with a weapon in his hand.” And I saw 6 men coming…each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side….Now the Glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the temple. Then the Lord called to the man in linen who had the writing kit and said, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.
Ok so this is in Jerusalem, among God’s own chosen people whom He loves. (Take notice to the judgment starting in His sanctuary) What I want to ask you is, when was the last time you grieved and lamented over the state of our world? How about the state of our nation? How about the state of your unsaved loved ones? How about the church, the bride of Christ? I think we should all take a look at the world around us and realize the things that are going on. If the Lord decided to judge our nation by the standards he put forth in Ezekiel, would you survive the day? It’s a serious question we need to consider. Are you okay with the killing of thousands of innocent babies? Do you have it settled in heart that rape, murder, human trafficking, child abuse, etc. are ‘just the way it is’? Are we okay with going to the grocery store and seeing people who are on their way to hell and not doing our part in sharing the gospel with them? Are we okay with the death of the wicked? God isn’t.
Don’t worry, me too. But I don’t want to be and that’s why we all have to ask God for a burden for His people. I Don’t want to be okay with these things, I Don’t want to go on with life as usual. I am setting my mind and heart on a journey to produce the want in me to change. It’s called fasting, weeping, and mourning. Well, that and the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle (Mathew 5,6,&7) I’m deciding to stop with slandering, even if the person is wicked, and to pray for them instead. I will stop fighting my persecutors, and bless them instead. I will stop cursing the wicked, and pray for them to be encountered by the living God. I will stop hating my neighbor, and instead serve them. I’m not going to be settled with my church not experiencing the power of God. With God all things are possible, we can make a difference in people lives’ every day and even though it’s hard, we can do it. Let’s take the burden the church should have and start today.
I want to be blameless on the day of Christ, and I pray that you would want and pursue the same things. Bless You, Grace and Peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
