I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
Ezekiel lists the sins of Jerusalem, sins seen by our society as “normal” behavior:
- contempt for parents
- oppressing the foreigner
- mistreating the widow and the fatherless
- idolatry and the lewd acts associated with it
- incest and other forms of sexual immorality
- murder for hire
- charging interest and making a profit off of the poor
- extortion
The people do not ever even think of God and his commands.
As you read this list and get towards the end, it might make you think he is talking about the mob and others acting outside of the law. But as I read it and compare it to our society today, I think he is talking about people who are acting in ways that are technically legal and approved by those holding political power. In order to understand this, look at the proposals for addressing illegal immigration, they are all designed to create a subclass that can be taken advantage of for cheap labor. I could go on, but I see it in many of our government’s policies. Politicians proclaim that they are passing laws to address problems, but if you look closely, they usually make things worse and it has reached the point where it is hard to write these things off as unintended consequences.
Ezekiel goes on, he speaks of political leaders who act to increase the number of widows. Look at our society, at how many politicians adjust policy so as to increase the numbers of single mothers. In a sense, they are “making many widows.” But he does not stop with political leaders. He continues by condemning the religious leaders who do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, who do not teach the difference between right and wrong. He talks about political leaders who destroy people’s lives for money and the religious leaders who whitewash these deeds by making it seem like those who do them care about the poor and oppressed. It has gotten so bad that even the common people are taking advantage of the poor and powerless.
God is looking for someone right now to rebuild the wall of righteousness and to stand in the gap. Will I step up and do as He asks? Will you?
The writer tells us that under the law, the high priest offered sacrifices again and again, thus reminding the people of their sins year after year. Under the new covenant God sent Jesus to offer Himself as a sacrifice once and for all time. Under the old covenant we were reminded of our weakness and sinfulness time after time. Under the new covenant, God has promised to no longer remember our sins and lawless acts. We are to do the same. Rather than focus on our shortcomings and how we fall short of meeting God’s standard, we are to look to how we can do God’s will going forward. Let us focus on doing God’s will, not on avoiding sin.
Let us thank the Lord, no matter where we find ourselves. The entire world belongs to God. The people of every nation are His people. The psalm concludes with this statement:
With God’s help we will do mighty things
Do we believe this? Do I?
The wise person sees potential danger and plans accordingly, the fool charges in and suffers the consequences. Notice that it does not say that the prudent person does not take risks, merely that they plan for the risks.