BIBLE CHALLENGE
August 19, 2021
"Again, the Word of the Lord came to me: ‘Human being, look! People from the house of Israel are saying, ‘The vision he sees concerns the distant future..."
Ezekiel 12
“Again, the Word of the Lord came to me: ‘Human being, look! People from the house of Israel are saying, ‘The vision he sees concerns the distant future; he is prophesying about a time far off.’ Therefore, say to them that the Lord, God says, ‘None of My Words will be delayed anymore, but the Word that I speak will be accomplished,’ says the Lord, God.” Ezekiel 12:26-28
Warnings about the future often go unheeded. At least, that’s what happens when I promise to discipline my kids if they don’t clean their rooms! For many years, we have become familiar with forecasts of doom for planet Earth unless mankind curbs its wastefulness. Al Gore once considered himself the World’s prophetic spokesman concerning global warming. In response to his message, millions of Americans decided to go “green,” trying to do their part to try and stave off a fiery climate-driven apocalypse. Yet, notice how many people would instead go “green” than humble themselves to receive salvation and escape the coming Day of the Lord.
Isaiah cried out, “Who has believed our message?” Isaiah 53:1 Things were no different in Ezekiel’s day.
In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Men display great ingenuity in making excuses for rejecting the message of God’s love. They display marvelous skill, not in seeking salvation, but in fashioning reasons for refusing it; they are dexterous in avoiding grace and in securing their own ruin. They hold up first the sword and then the shield to ward off the gracious arrows of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which are only meant to slay the deadly sins which lurk in their bosoms.” This was precisely Ezekiel’s experience.
One section of Ezekiel’s culture derided his message, while the other postponed acting on it urgently, passing its curses on to another generation. Perhaps, the biggest lie of the enemy is not that there is no God or Heaven, but that there is no urgency for people to chose to follow Jesus now. In short, the Devil’s biggest lie is that men have more time to determine whether they will follow God’s Word. This was the message of Jerusalem’s false prophets in today’s passage, those men who claimed to speak on God’s behalf. They said, “Ezekiel’s words are true, but not for our generation. The destruction he prophesies is far off.”
The same lie is alive and well in our culture. Sadly, similar destruction is awaiting those who refuse to trust in Messiah Jesus. Some people reject the Gospel as foolishness, while others intend to follow Jesus at a more convenient time. I get it. I grew up around the Church, and I heard people saying, “Jesus is coming!” And I would answer, “When is He coming? Probably not today.” But, by God’s grace, I heard the gospel one night, and I felt my heart respond, “I believe!” And I have committed my life to follow Him and share the Gospel, repeating Ezekiel’s message: ‘Repent! For the Day of the Lord is coming….”