On Being Conformed to the World

“Then you shall know that I am the LORD, whose statutes you have not followed, and whose ordinances you have not kept, but you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are around you.”” —Ezek. 11:12 NRSV

The Lord speaking through Ezekiel the prophet regarding the besetting sin of Judah. The nation and her people were supposed to be faithful to Yahweh, to obey his commands, to trust in him, and to rely on his word. Instead, the people acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are around you.

For whatever reason, the people allowed the influence of the nations around them, who did not love or worship Yahweh, who did not trust him, and who did not rely on his word, to overwhelm their commitment to Yahweh; destruction and exile were the result. It’s important to understand that exile was meant as a work of Yahweh to restore their faith and trust in him.

What does all of this have to do with we who are separated from these people of God by 2500 years? We are under the same pressure to conform to the world around us, to trust our own resources rather than rely on God; to listen to the world and not God’s word. Indeed, if one looks at the church here in America, there is ample evidence that we are just as inclined to act according to the culture around us, rather than to obey God and God’s word.

God hasn’t changed and he always acts to restore faithfulness in his people. Sometimes the actions he takes are painful for his people, but they are always in love, and ultimately meant for the restoration of his church. Meanwhile, we should pay heed to the words of Paul: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Rom. 12:2 NRSV

The Black Sheep of the Family

“He said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” So I went in and looked; there, portrayed on the wall all around, were all kinds of creeping things, and loathsome animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel. Before them stood seventy of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the fragrant cloud of incense was ascending.” —Ezek. 8:9–11 NRSV

In this passage in Ezekiel, the great prophet is transported in a vision from Babylon, where he is in exile, back to Jerusalem, where Yahweh shows him how wicked the people have become. In this scene 70 elders of Israel, who should be leading the people into a deeper relationship and more trust in Yahweh, are worshipping creeping things and loathsome animals and all the idols of the house of Israel.

Interestingly, Ezekiel names names. He says that Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was among them. The Tyndale Commentary says that Shapahan is probably King Josiah’s Secretary of State (2 Kgs 22.3). Jaazaniah’s brother, Ahikam, was probably the same Ahikam who was a supporter of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 26.24). What are we to make of the fact that Jaazaniah, who appears to come from a devout, faithful family, is one of the elders worshipping idols? The Tyndale Commentary writes succinctly: “Clearly Jaazaniah was the black sheep of a worthy family.”

We might be inclined to explain this fact away if we didn’t find it operative in our own day. It is not at all unusual for the child of a faithful servant of the Lord, to fall away in apostasy. Indeed, it’s not unusual for anyone’s child to fall away from the Lord in apostasy.

God doesn’t give us any guarantees that, just because we follow him, our children will follow him also. In this way, God keeps us praying faithfully for our children, lest they fall into apostasy, or if they do, that God in his sovereignty would draw them back to faithfulness.

You/They will Know

““I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord.” ’” (Ezekiel 38:23, NASB95)

By my count the phrase they will know that I am the Lord or you will know that I am the Lord is repeated 62 times in the book of Ezekiel, as it is in our passage here. When any author repeats something that many times, it is clear that they mean for their readers to understand and absorb what they are saying.

Whether speaking about God’s people, or all the nations, or many nations [as here] when the motive for action is so that someone will know that I am the Lord it is an act of grace on the Lord’s part, even, as in this case, if it results in the destruction of a nation. Either God will win in the end of history, or evil will win. God’s destruction of the nation called Gog [symbolic or literal who can say] is an act of grace because he is stepping in and not allowing evil to triumph.

God acts to make himself known, among nations, among peoples, and also among individuals. This is grace in action.

You Were Filled

““The ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your merchandise. And you were filled and were very glorious In the heart of the seas.” (Ezekiel 27:25, NASB95)

What struck me as I read through this prophecy against the city-state of Tyre was how the oracle goes out of its way to point out the source and foundation of Tyre’s wealth. City-state X was your customer is repeated six times in this chapter and were your traders which is basically a synonym of was your customer is repeated nine times. So the prophecy emphasizes the bedrock of Tyre’s prosperity and wealth: it’s position as a trading center.

The result is found in our passage. Tyre was full of trade and traders, a hotbed of wealth and luxury and you were filled. Filled with trade goods, filled with riches, filled with prosperity, and filled with pride. Tyre’s wealth is the very thing that brings judgment upon them because they had no desire to follow Yahweh, or even acknowledge him. Their idol was money and trade.

Countries, which are merely a reflection of the individuals contained within them, are just as susceptible to being filled and turning away from God as individual people. It will not take one very long to figure that out by looking into American culture [or European or Asian for that matter]. Like Tyre, we pursue wealth and prosperity, and like Tyre riches turn our eyes away from the Creator, to the things he created. Judgment follow

Ensuring God’s Wrath (Falls on You)

““Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life,” (Ezekiel 13:22, NASB95)

In this passage we have two ways to ensure that God’s wrath falls on you: First, is to dishearten the righteous. This means to take away their hope either by spreading flat out falsehoods (“God doesn’t care about you,” “God isn’t concerned about your suffering,” God is too busy to think about the individual,” etc.), or to lead them astray by spreading things that appear true, but are not (“It’s okay to worship idols as long as you are also worshipping God more.” “God is still our God, but we also have some backup gods in case our God fails us.”)

The second way to ensure God’s wrath is to encourage the wicked to continue in their wicked ways. “Hey, you can follow and love God and you don’t have to give up anything!” “God is love and love is God, so if you love, that is good enough for God.” “As long as you are happy, keep doing what you want to do.” “God is busy with the big picture, don’t worry about what he thinks.”

Do these two things and you can be certain that God’s wrath will fall upon you.

Oh, you don’t want God’s wrath to fall upon you? Then do not do these things. Love God and teach the truth about him and teach others to love him too. Warn the wicked to turn away from their wickedness and follow the God who loves them enough to have his Son die in their place.

The “When” of Grace

“When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.” (Ezekiel 20:41, NET) 

God speaking to Ezekiel.

Notice the insignificant word “when.” It’s easy to miss, easy to pass swiftly by, but think about what it doesn’t say. That word isn’t “if,” or “perhaps,” or “possibly,” but “when.”

“When” is a word that expresses a definite plan as in, “When I get home, we will go on a walk together.” The walk is going to happen, it’s just a matter of timing.

God was going to bring his people out from the nations and restore them to Israel, the only thing left was the matter of timing. Did God’s people deserve to be rescued? Did they earn their rescue? No and no. This “when” is an act of sheer grace on God’s part. God was going to act and God was going to restore. He didn’t have to do so, he planned to do so. This is the way of grace.

“They will throw their silver and gold away”

They will throw their gold and silver away in the streets like refuse, because neither silver nor gold can save them when the Lord pours out his fury. They cannot use it to satisfy their desires or fill their stomachs. Gold and silver led them into sin.” (Ezekiel 7:19, GNB)

God declaring judgment on his own people through the prophet Ezekiel.  Among their other sins, money and the desire for material things had drawn their hearts away from Yahweh. Silver and gold were also used to make idols. The Lord will bring about events that will make the desire of their hearts completely worthless.  So useless would money be that they would throw it away into the streets like garbage.

This prophecy came to pass.  When Jerusalem was being besieged by Babylon, the people began to starve because the city was running out of food.  What good would money do when there was no food to buy?

Here is the thing about God and his ways.  In his good zeal to keep our love for him alive—despite our ever present penchant to wander—he will take what is most precious to us, that certain something that is the desire of our heart rather than him, and wrench it away from us and make it worthless to us.  This is an act of love because far better for us to have Jesus and nothing else, than to have everything else, but not Jesus.

Day 41: God Still Working

On Day 39 in our trip through the NLT Chronological Bible reading it like a novel, we saw how God fulfilled his word; the nation of Judah was destroyed and taken into exile in Babylon.  Is this the end of Judah?  Is God still committed to his people even though they no longer occupy the Promised Land?  What will become of them?

Our readings today cover the time between April 26, 571 BC and Sep 21, 520 BC.  Ezekiel and Ezra were kind enough to exactly date some of the events that they recorded.  We quickly discover that God has not abandoned his people at all!  Indeed, he is still speaking to them through the prophets, he is still active, watching over his people and caring for them.

At the highest levels of government in Babylon, Daniel is protected from the perfidious plot of those who would destroy him as he spends the night in a den of hungry lions, but is protected from being devoured by the power of God. The aftermath of that night is declared in an absolutely beautiful scene between Daniel and King Darius:

“Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”” (Daniel 6:19–20, NLT)

Yes, Darius. He was.

Amazingly, in 538 BC, King Cyrus declares that the exiles in Babylon may go home to Judah, exactly fulfilling the prophecy that God’s punishment of Judah was only for a time. The exiles start to return in several waves, the temple begins to be rebuilt and the people reoccupy the land, all under the protection of King Cyrus. This is precisely what the prophet Isaiah had prophesied almost 150 years before:

“When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’ ”” (Isaiah 44:28, NLT)

Here is what we learn about God from today’s reading:  God will keep his promises.  God will not abandon his own people, even when they are faithless, even when they are not in the Promised Land, he is still God, he is still in control, he is still working for their good, because of his great love for his people.

Day 39: Aftermath

We are in Day 39 of our trip through the NLT Chronological Bible reading it quickly as if it were a novel.  In Jerusalem the destruction of the temple on August 14, 586 BC begins, about a month after Babylon breached the walls and conquered Jerusalem.  The writer of Chronicles has a very poignant comment as Judah is carried off to captivity:

“So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.” (2 Chronicles 36:21, NLT)

The reader cannot help but be moved by the sadness contained in this comment.

Indeed, the book of Lamentations is a poetic outpouring of the sadness surrounding the fall of Jerusalem and final destruction of Judah.  The book is an acrostic, in each chapter, each verse begins with words containing consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, except the third chapter in which each three verses begins with words starting with consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The book is an amazing piece of poetry.

In addition, when a Hebrew writer wanted to emphasize something, wanted the reader to grasp the key point of a section of writing, they would put that point exactly  in the center of what they were writing.  Do you know what is in the center section of the center chapter (3) of Lamentations?  “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”” (Lamentations 3:22–24, NLT)

This is a powerful reminder that even though Jerusalem has been destroyed and Judah ceased to exist as a nation, Yahweh has not forgotten his people. Yahweh’s faithfulness is great!

Meanwhile, in Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel hears of Jerusalem’s fall on January 8, 585 BC,  six months after the fact. The Lord has beautifully comforting words to the Jews in Babylon in the aftermath of Judah’s destruction, even though Israel’s shepherds (leaders) have failed them, God is the Good Shepherd, he will not fail his people:

“I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!” (Ezekiel 34:15–16, NLT)

Surely the faith lesson we learn about the Lord on this day is that God has not and will never abandon his people; that even when our human spiritual leaders fail us, God will never fail us.

Day 37: Ezekiel

We are in Day 37 of our trip through the NLT Chronological Bible reading it like a novel.  As we inch ever closer to the final destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, God’s message of judgment becomes stronger and stronger.  Jeremiah tells King Zedekiah: “If you want to live, submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people.” (Jeremiah 27:12, NLT) Neither King Zedekiah, nor the people in Jerusalem will listen to the prophet with devastating results.

In exile in Babylon, we discover a new prophet that the Lord has raised up, his name is Ezekiel. Ezekiel’s name means: The strength of God.  Ironically, even though he is in Babylon, most of Ezekiel’s prophecies will be to Jerusalem and the people who still live there.  His message is one of unrelenting judgment that is coming and will not be put off:

• A Sign of Coming Judgment
• The Coming of the End
• The Desolation of Israel
• Idolatry in the Temple
• The Lord’s Glory Leaves the Temple
• Signs of the Coming Exile

And on and on it goes, the sheer weight of the prophecies reinforcing the inevitability of what will come.  God will judge the people and it will be painful.

This raises the obvious question: “Why was Judah so enthralled with worshipping other gods?  Why didn’t they get the message, repent and be restored?” It seems so obvious.

The reason that the people continued in idolatry was pragmatic.  They looked at their own situation, and they looked at the nations around them and those other nations seemed to be doing better than they were.  Would it really be wrong if they just added worship of other gods along with the worship of Yahweh?  You know, just hedge one’s bets a little bit.

The people got the exact opposite message that the Lord intended.  He brought hardship and calamity on them so that they would return to him, instead they turned to other gods hoping those gods would take away their hardship and calamity.

The gods we pursue today, aren’t the same gods that Judah pursued, but we have our own set of gods that we think will bring us success and prosperity.  We pursue power, money, influence, education, reputation, and physical beauty, these are the gods of America and they have infiltrated the church.  These gods won’t bring us success any more than Judah’s false gods did, indeed they will bring the exact opposite. Tim Keller writes in his book Counterfeit Gods: “If we look to some created thing to give us the meaning, hope, and happiness that only God himself can give, it will eventually fail to deliver and break our hearts.”