Broken Walls and Gaping Holes
Text Ezekiel 22 Time 26/11/06 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church
We turn this week to Ezekiel 22 where once again Ezekiel gives (1) The word of the LORD that came to him. You will not be surprised to hear either that it is again about sin and judgement. 2, 3a Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices and say: This is what the Sovereign LORD says.But once again, as before, if you look hard enough there is some encouragement here. It is only a hint, I admit, but if you know the New Testament and you have this hint, it will be enough to point you to Jesus Christ, which, after all, is the point of the whole Bible. If you are a mature person and you are visiting someone one night and at a certain point they start looking at their watches or yawning you will know how to take a hint – it's time to go! In a similar way a mature Christian will read a chapter like this and when he comes to verse 30 and he reads God's words I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none he will immediately start thinking of Jesus Christ, who is, if you like, the man that God had been looking for.
I want to say four things to you this morning. The first three we can say are about the broken walls and gaping holes that exist in people's lives. When my father was a young man he worked in the building trade. I remember him telling me that after a wall had been built an inspector would come around and kick the wall. If it fell down (as it sometimes did) it was clearly not fit for purpose and the bricklayer had to start again. Think of a broken down wall then - that is how we are by nature as far as doing good is concerned. Or think of a hedge with many gaps in it, gaping great holes where sheep and cattle can easily get out. Again it pictures how we are in as far as our sins are concerned. So let's begin.
1. Consider your sin, your guilt and the judgement it deserves
1. Consider sin summarised
We turn this week to Ezekiel 22 where once again Ezekiel gives (1) The word of the LORD that came to him. You will not be surprised to hear either that it is again about sin and judgement. 2, 3a Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices and say: This is what the Sovereign LORD says.But once again, as before, if you look hard enough there is some encouragement here. It is only a hint, I admit, but if you know the New Testament and you have this hint, it will be enough to point you to Jesus Christ, which, after all, is the point of the whole Bible. If you are a mature person and you are visiting someone one night and at a certain point they start looking at their watches or yawning you will know how to take a hint – it's time to go! In a similar way a mature Christian will read a chapter like this and when he comes to verse 30 and he reads God's words I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none he will immediately start thinking of Jesus Christ, who is, if you like, the man that God had been looking for.
I want to say four things to you this morning. The first three we can say are about the broken walls and gaping holes that exist in people's lives. When my father was a young man he worked in the building trade. I remember him telling me that after a wall had been built an inspector would come around and kick the wall. If it fell down (as it sometimes did) it was clearly not fit for purpose and the bricklayer had to start again. Think of a broken down wall then - that is how we are by nature as far as doing good is concerned. Or think of a hedge with many gaps in it, gaping great holes where sheep and cattle can easily get out. Again it pictures how we are in as far as our sins are concerned. So let's begin.
1. Consider your sin, your guilt and the judgement it deserves
1. Consider sin summarised
Ezekiel begins by addressing the people (3b) O city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols. Here are the chief sins of Israel then – violence and idolatry. These are not the only sins for sure but they are obvious ones. When you're talking to someone about what's wrong with them you start with what is wrong in general before getting down to specifics.
Violence is against the second table of the law and especially the eighth commandment – You shall not murder. Idolatry is against the first table of the law, especially the opening laws that say You shall have no other gods before me and You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.Well, what about us? Are we guilty of sinning against God? Are we guilty of sinning against each other? We may not be classic idol worshippers or murderers but if there is idolatry or violence in our hearts then we've sinned and we ought to recognise it is so.
2. Recognise the guilt these sins incur
Violence is against the second table of the law and especially the eighth commandment – You shall not murder. Idolatry is against the first table of the law, especially the opening laws that say You shall have no other gods before me and You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.Well, what about us? Are we guilty of sinning against God? Are we guilty of sinning against each other? We may not be classic idol worshippers or murderers but if there is idolatry or violence in our hearts then we've sinned and we ought to recognise it is so.
2. Recognise the guilt these sins incur
4 you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. Whenever we break the commandments we become guilty. We may feel guilty, we may not but whenever we sin we incur guilt. Like a stain – sin leaves its mark. Like tide mark on bath. Ever been in a place where people are smoking – the smell remains. So sin clings to us in the form of guilt.
3. Understand the punishment these sins deserve
3. Understand the punishment these sins deserve
Ezekiel goes on, You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil. There is trouble ahead. God is finished with his people and they will become the laughing stock of their neighbours and everyone else. What turmoil is about to come on them. Again we must see that we cannot sin and hope to escape the consequences. It may seem that we can sometimes but in the end it catches up with you. God punishes sinners. It is a fact, one we need to face up to.
2. Consider your sins in detail1. The sorts of sins God opposes – are you guilty?
2. Consider your sins in detail1. The sorts of sins God opposes – are you guilty?
6 See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood. The leaders are sinners but sin has penetrated into every part of society. Here some nine sorts of sins are mentioned. It is good for us to use it to examine ourselves. Are we guilty of such sins?
1 Contempt
1 Contempt
7a In you they have treated father and mother with contempt. Here we are thinking of the fifth command – to obey and honour your parents, which means anyone in authority. Are you showing the respect you ought to to those in authority? To fail to do so is sin.
2 Oppression
2 Oppression
7b in you they have oppressed the alien and mistreated the fatherless and the widow. Here is the opposite sin – oppression. Aliens or strangers, orphans and widows are often mentioned in Scripture as the most vulnerable in society. To fail to care for them is a great sin. Again, are you guilty of oppression, of taking advantage of the needy?
3 Unholiness
3 Unholiness
8 You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths. Now we go back to the first table of the law. Do you think 'Oh no, church again'? Do you take the Bible for granted? Are you endeavouring to keep one day in seven special to the Lord?
4 Violence
4 Violence
9a In you are slanderous men bent on shedding blood. Violence often starts with a violent tongue - a slandering or gossiping tongue. Are you given to violent speech or violent behaviour? God hates such sins.
5 Idolatry
5 Idolatry
9b in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts. Idolatry was rife in Israel at this time. It often involved all sorts of lewd acts, such as adultery with shrine prostitutes. Although formal idolatry is rarer we are surrounded by idolatry of a more modern sort and the temptation to indulge can be strong. Are you living for today, living for the moment? Are you putting creation before the Creator?
6 Lust
6 Lust
10 In you are those who dishonour their fathers' bed; in you are those who violate women during their period, when they are ceremonially unclean. These people were so full of lust that they would jump into bed with anyone at any time regardless of respect or ceremonial law. Again we see it today. Are you driven at times by pure lust?
7. Immorality
7. Immorality
There is yet more to say on this. 11 In you one man commits a detestable offence with his neighbour's wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law, and another violates his sister, his own father's daughter. The family unit was breaking down as in our own society. Are we guilty of such sins or are we drawn to such sins? Repent!
8 Greed
8 Greed
12ab In you men accept bribes to shed blood; you take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbours by extortion. These were people who lived for money. Again, it is difficult not to see parallels with our own society. We know that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Flee from it.
9. Unbelief
9. Unbelief
12c And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD. Finally, the most damning sin of all. These people were living as practical atheists. Are you? It is the root sin.
2. The sorts of sinners God opposes - are you guilty?
2. The sorts of sinners God opposes - are you guilty?
If we drop down to 25-29 we see that there Ezekiel confronts the various members of society. We can divide them into three sorts.
1 Civil leaders
1 Civil leaders
He speaks to the princes, members of the Royal Family. 25 There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Similarly there were other officials doing the same thing. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. Now whenever we see that in our government and in our royal family or in those in power in other nations then it is most displeasing to God. God will judge such evil people. If you have any power at all in the community, make sure you use it wisely and faithfully. Pray for those in power.
2 Religious leaders
2 Religious leaders
There was also sin among the religious leaders. First, those who were priests (as Ezekiel would have been). God says (26) Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Then Ezekiel's fellow prophets (or false prophets we would have to say). 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, This is what the Sovereign LORD says - when the LORD has not spoken.We don't have prophets and priests now as then. Under the new covenant all believers are priests and prophets. We do have religious leaders, however, and whenever they fail to preach holiness or mislead people with false visions then they sin grievously against God and against his people. There are men today who are unwilling to say clearly that the Lord's Day, today, is special and must be kept holy. Many fail to preach against worldliness and its insidious power to strangle the life out of people. It is easy to criticise the no drinking, no smoking, no cinema generation but we must still preach the importance of holiness, of living in a different way to the world. Similarly, rather than these false visions – "revival is here, God is doing a new thing, hundreds are being healed" – let's be honest and confess what a low ebb religion has come to in this land and let's begin to pray for a change. Pray for me and other preachers not to pussyfoot on holiness nor to bring false visions but true.
3 The people
3 The people
Finally, 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. It was a nation of fraudsters and thieves where the needy were oppressed and taken advantage of. Again in a land where the prisons are full to overflowing and where many injustices still remain we must see parallels. You will find that even the nicest people you could meet are often not averse to some sort of fiddle or fraud. Unborn babies lack the protection of law and periodically efforts are made to make things the same for newly born babies and the elderly. Others in society who are vulnerable are often neglected and taken advantage of in various ways. What about us? Are we guilty?
3. Consider the sort of punishments God gives
3. Consider the sort of punishments God gives
As we have said the chapter is about sin and about judgement. When there is sin then judgement follows – often in this life but especially in the world to come. It is spelled out for us in 13-24 speaking plainly and using using vivid pictures.
1. The reality
1. The reality
God says (13-16) God says he will surely strike his hands together at all this sin. He asks Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? He goes on I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it. I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you through the countries; and I will put an end to your uncleanness. When you have been defiled in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the LORD. This refers again to the way the people were going to be exiled from their own land. In a similar way a day is coming when God will expel all the wicked from the earth. You feel confident now may be but will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day God deals with you?
2. A Silver furnace
2. A Silver furnace
In 17-22 Ezekiel uses an illustration. It is of a furnace used for refining silver. It's a favourite picture in Scripture. In the silver refining process the ore is heated to a very high degree until all the dross is burnt up and only the silver remains. So God is going to turn the heat up for Jerusalem with a siege and so destroy the evil (the dross) and refine the good (the silver). This is why God says the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. So he is going to gather them in Jerusalem. He goes on (20ff) As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace to melt it with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you. This is referring specifically to Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem but it has a wider application. We are all going to have to go into the furnace as it were. Paul speaks of everyone's work being tested by fire at the judgement. All the wood and stubble will be burned up, only the gold and silver of truly good deeds in Christ will remain.
3. A Drought
3. A Drought
23, 24 Again the word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, say to the land, You are a land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath. Here is a simpler picture. It is wet today but we know what trouble a drought can bring. God's people at this time were in a drought – no refreshing rain was falling from heaven. It is the same here. Where are the showers of blessing? What a judgement when God withdraws his blessing. It is a picture of hell – a place where rain never falls and peoples' throats are dry – desperate for water.
4. Listen to God as he looks for a man to build the wall and stand in the gap
4. Listen to God as he looks for a man to build the wall and stand in the gap
So what hope is there? The princes have failed and the officials, the priests and the prophets, the people too. The walls are down, gaps are everywhere. God says (30) I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. At that time there was none and so God says (31) So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD. And so it was. The people were driven out and for 70 years they were in exile. But then God brought them back under Ezra and Nehemiah. The walls were rebuilt and the gaps filled in and they were re-established. Then some 400 years further on Messiah was born in the land. Here was a man who said he would build his church and the gates of hell would not stand against it. Here was a man who stood in the gap and took the penalty for sin so that there might be forgiveness for all who trust in him. He is the perfect Prophet, Priest and King. He is the one who can build us up so that we can stand, who can provide us with all that we need to come to God. Look to him.
