Daily Devotions
Ezekiel
"A land that is not cleansed"
Text: Ezekiel 22:24
A FIRM WORD OF ADMONITION
Every word that Ezekiel preached to Israel came from the Lord directly. Ezekiel was only the spokesman for God. In his preaching and writing, his total focus was to deliver what God had revealed to him.
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
‘Son of man, say to her:
‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on
in the day of indignation.””
Ezekiel 22:23-24
1. The word of the Lord came to me.
a) The Lord revealed His word to Ezekiel.
b) The task of the prophet:
i) To understand the word he was given.
ii) To determine to speak only the word declared.
iii) He was not to add anything to God’s word.
iv) He was also not to subtract anything from what God had declared.
c) Hard and painful words to proclaim.
i) There were many words that were hard to proclaim.
ii) Ezekiel knew that it was vital to say exactly what God had revealed.
iii) He determined that he would be absolutely faithful to his task and
ministry as a true prophet of God.
2. A hard message for Israel.
a) A land not cleansed.
i) The land of Canaan was polluted with sin and idolatry before Israel was given the land.
ii) Israel’s task was to cleanse the land of sinful and idolatrous practices.
iii) But Israel had failed to obey the Lord.
iv) Worse, Israel had added to the pollution of the land by pursuing wickedness and practising idolatry.
b) A land not blessed with rain.
i) If Israel had obeyed the Lord, it would be given the former and latter rain.
ii) The rains were needed to ensure good harvests.
iii) But the Lord had not sent the rain because of the wickedness of the nation.
iv) Israel had not received the fulness of blessings.
c) The day of indignation.
i) It is a reference to judgment from God.
ii) God was indignant that Israel had turned out so wickedly.
iii) Justice would be meted out against evil perpetrators when God visits the nation in the day of indignation, in the day of the Lord.