In all the preceding chapters, a recurring question I have is - why? Why can the people continue in their sinful ways even as some of them have already been taken captive?
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In all the preceding chapters, a recurring question I have is - why? Why can the people continue in their sinful ways even as some of them have already been taken captive? Ezekiel 12 gives us some insight into the people's psyche.
There are 2 sayings which see the people use in response to Ezekiel's words.
V22 - "The days are prolonged, and every vision fails". V27 - "The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off".
Let us reflect what these sayings reveal. They did not disbelieve in Ezekiel's prophecies. However, they told themselves that its fulfillment was far off, in effect giving themselves an excuse not to act of the prophet's warnings immediately.
This was a mindset that displeased God greatly - which is why God called them out.
Do we believe in the words of the Bible? If so, do we make excuses for ourselves to continue in our sinful ways and not change ourselves?
Some of these excuses could include:
"I still have time - in the future, I'll be a better Christian"
"God is love - He won't hold such a tiny thing against me"
"So many other people in church are just the same"
"This is my character, it can't be changed"
Let us seriously and honestly reflect - in what areas are we still lacking? Have we put in any concerted effort to bearing fruit in these areas recently? Let us take heed from these verses of warning from the New Testament:
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
"For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13)
May we always seek to improve ourselves and be more sure of our salvation, following Paul's example in Phil 3:12-14:
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."