Thursday, February 10 2011
Ezekiel 14
Verse of the Week: V14 “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. Great Sincerity (V1-5)
V3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?”
God judged the elders or religious leaders of Israel and found them guilty of having idols in their hearts, in other words, they were hypocrites who outwardly confessed that they loved and worshipped God, but inwardly they had idols instead of God in their hearts. Their idols could be their families, children, best friends or anyone, or their businesses, possessions, pleasures or anything that they loved and worshipped more than God.
2. Great Faith (V6-18)
V14 “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.”
God delivered Noah and his family from the great flood while the rest of the human race was destroyed because of Noah’s great faith. God delivered Daniel from the lion’s mouths even though the leaders had plotted to kill him because of Daniel’s great faith. God delivered Job from despair and depression when all his possessions and loved ones were destroyed because of Job’s great faith. However, even the prayers and great faith of these three men could not deliver the people of Israel from the judgment of God because of their great sins and hypocrisy.
Genesis 7:23 “…Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”
Daniel 6:22 “My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths…”
Job 1:21 “….the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
3. Great Courage (V19-23)
V22 “Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.”
Though the majority of the people of Israel including the religious leaders were insincere and faithless, there was a remnant, a godly few, who had great courage to stand up for their love and faith in the true and living God even if it meant persecution and death.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be the godly few who truly love You.
