Ezekiel
11 reminds me of the expression “Out of the frying pan and into the
fire”. We use this to describe a decision made for the wrong
reasons without all the information. It is common at work when
someone takes a transfer to get out of a bad situation without
investigating the new role. Remember in the previous chapter, the
Glory of God was leaving Jerusalem, reluctantly leaving the house of
God. I believe the Lord was searching for a sign of repentance
before departing. Pausing at the East Gate of the city, He cannot
ignore the wickedness. “The
Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate…
There… twenty-five men leaders
of the people…were plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this
city“. All of us have said
inappropriate things, some of us have said them at inappropriate
times, but these guys are oblivious to the Glory of God beside them
as they deny His promise! God had warned the people to repent and
decreed the city would be captured by the Babylonians and destroyed.
These men were saying, “Haven’t
our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot, and we are the
meat in it“. They are saying,
we do not need God, our fine homes and strong gates will protect us.
God
tells Ezekiel, “Therefore
prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man“.
Listen carefully to His words, “That
is what you are saying… but I know what is going through your
mind“. It seems ‘Hypocrisy’
is a word that is only used against folks that speak for godly
standards. Those that stand against God believe they are justified
in deception. God says, “You
have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the
dead… Therefore… The bodies you have thrown there are the meat
and this city is the pot“.
Their walls of protection will trap them inside.
God once again confirms His justice through
Ezekiel, “You fear the sword,
and the sword is what I will bring against you… and deliver you
into the hands of foreigners… for you have not followed My decrees
or kept My laws… This city will not be a pot for you“.
As Ezekiel finished pronouncing God’s Word, the city leaders fell
down dead. The prophet “fell
facedown and cried out”
begging for the people. He knew that no one can be righteous on
their own. “Will you
completely destroy the remnant of Israel?”
God makes a promise to the Nation, “Although
I sent them far away… and scattered them… I have been a sanctuary
for them in the countries where they have gone“.
This has been true multiple times in the nation’s history and even
today most of the Jewish people remain dispersed, yet separate. But
there is another part to the promise, “I
will gather you from the nations… where you have been scattered,
and I will give you back the land of Israel again“.
And there is a third part, “I
will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I
will remove from them their heart of stone
and give them a heart of flesh…
They will be My people, and I will be their God“.
The cool part is that we get to share the good news with others.
The chapter closes, “I told the
exiles everything the Lord had shown me“.
Friend, have you been jumping from one bad situation into another?
Maybe it is time to invite the Lord into your frying pan. Psalm
51:10 says, “Create in me a
pure heart, O God, and
renew a steadfast spirit within me“.
Maybe it is time to gather rather than Jump?