Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"You have defiled My sanctuary"
Text: Ezekiel 5:11
THE DEFILING OF GOD’S TEMPLE
The Temple of the LORD was meant to be holy and sacred. Sadly, Israel had despised God’s sanctuary. The people would be severely chastised because of this sin.
“‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord GOD,
‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your
detestable things and with all your abominations,
therefore I will also diminish you;
My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.'”
Ezekiel 5:11
1. The holiness of God’s sanctuary.
a) This should have been a basic and fundamental truth.
b) But this truth became obscured because of spiritual blindness.
2. When the Philistines captured the Ark of God:
a) This was captured in 1 Samuel 5-6.
b) Philistia was sent a deadly pestilence because the Philistines had sought to keep it in their territories.
c) This episode was all but forgotten with the passing of time.
3. The defiling of the Temple.
a) King Manasseh
i) He built altars in the house of the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:4).
ii) He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:5).
iii) He set a carved image, an idol in the Temple (2 Chronicles 33:7).
b) The priests and the people.
i) They transgressed more and more (2 Chronicles 36:14a).
ii) They defiled the house of the LORD (2 Chronicles 36:14b).
c) Detestable things:
i) These were idols.
ii) They were installed in the Temple.
4. God’s solemn declaration.
a) He will diminish Israel.
b) He will not spare.
c) He will not pity them.
d) The nation will suffer the wrath of the LORD.