I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 22-23.

Ezekiel condemns Jerusalem as a city of murderers.  He goes on to tell them that their idolatry is inherently linked with their willingness to murder.  What truly struck me was the list of sins for which he condemned the leaders of Jerusalem.  From that list, I can cite example after example of all of them being practiced today, except for foreigners being forced to pay for protection.  Even there, I read tales of companies abusing employees who are H1-B visa holders by using their immigration status against them (note: while the stories are plausible I do not know if they are true).  Ezekiel goes on to tell us that this problem extends beyond the leaders to the common people.  Even the common people oppress the poor and rob the needy. 

Ezekiel talks about how both the secular and religious leaders look out only for their own interest.  The secular leaders conspire to take wealth from others.  The religious leaders blur the lines between good and evil, as Isaiah said, they call evil good, and good evil.  Finally, those called to “speak truth to power”, the prophets, make up lies to tell people in order to cover up the sins of their favored leaders (sound familiar?).  The common people seek leaders who will use power to grant them their desires rather than leaders who will justly enforce the laws. 

A study of history shows that when a society fully descends into the state which Ezekiel describes it will become an economic shamble.  Wealth becomes less and less as everyone strives to gain wealth by taking it from others rather than creating it themselves.  Those who spend their time attempting to create wealth quickly lose it to those who merely take it until everyone learns that there is nothing to be gained by being productive.  Throughout history people observe how these behaviors lead to the fall of civilizations and attempt to put in place rules which stop them.  Ezekiel, and most of the Old Testament prophets, tells us that such sins inevitably follow idolatry.  Whatever rules you put in place, those who reject God and His commands will find ways to use to take advantage of others.