Ezekiel shaves his head which symbolizes mourning and he has to divide the hair up into three portions which symbolizes what is going to happen to Israel..the smaller portion was tucked into his robe to symbolize the remnant that would be left...God tells them that they couldn't even keep the laws of the pagan people around them.
My study Bible says that sometime has to break people to bring them to true repentance....I know this first hand. It is easy to think you know the best way, when there is freedom in surrender....this is against what our culture teaches us. Note that you will read 65 times in this book: "then they will know that I am Lord."
Chapter 7 deals with, "The End Has Come" ....God has given all the warning He is going to give....just like a parent warns.....If the parent doesn't follow through, then the warning words are empty threats. God repeats "The End Has Come" and means business..
God gives Ezekiel a vision in Chapter 8. God shows Ezekiel what is happening in the temple....people think they are hidden, but God sees everything.. Literally, the people had turned their backs on the Lord and were bowing to the sun.....How many times do you see the word "detestable" in this chapter? Does this give you an idea about how God feels towards these things?
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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God is PRETTY fed up at this point in the Bible. He has warned and warned and now he has had it.......
ReplyDeleteI thought Ch 8 was pretty cool with God lifting him up to look into doors to see what the people were doing.....kinda scary when God says 8:18 " My eyes will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them." I guess these people are doing as they wish, then try to call to God in hopes of forgiveness. Then continue to do as they wish.....Question....they did not have forgiveness then, so what would they be crying about?
Clarify what you mean about them not having forgiveness...thanks!
ReplyDeleteWell that verse says they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them." God is mad and is not going to listen to them.....but if they are going to pagan gods, what would they be crying to God about? Are they trying to be in his good grace but still do what they want?
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