Day 243 – Ezekiel 16-17

Talking Points

• Chapter 16 is very graphic in describing the wicked actions of God’s people. They exchanged the worship of the one true God who loved them, for that of pagan, false, manmade gods. They took the silver and gold He blessed them with and fashioned it into idols. They performed lewd acts as part of their false worship. God describes their actions as being like those of an adulteress and a harlot. He makes it perfectly clear: He abhors their actions.
• In His description of their sinful exploits, God says they “were not satisfied” (Ezekiel 16:28). The truth about sin is that it’s never enough. It always escalates. The heart bent on sin is never content.
• Again, God promises to show grace by remembering His covenant with His people. They did not earn it, deserve it, or merit it. The reality was exactly opposite. Where they had forgotten the God who had blessed them, He didn’t forget them. Don’t miss this great revelation of God’s character: He is loving, gracious, and merciful not because of who were are or what we do. He is loving, gracious, and merciful because that is who He is! “Who is like the LORD our God…?” (Psalm 113:5)

Thoughts

As I read this descriptions of the bold defiance of God’s people in their sin, I wonder, “How did they get here?” And then, I remember my own sin. How do we get here? Better yet, how can we avoid getting here?

In Ezekiel 16:30, God says His people had “languishing” hearts. He uses this word that means their hearts were sick, dull, tired, or fading away. Their hearts had become cold and apathetic toward God, dulled, tired of Him.

How is it that anyone could become stale toward or unimpressed with God?

From the context, there are three ways.
First, they neglected the Word of God. They didn’t heed it. They didn’t want it. The surest way to grow tired or dull in our relationships with God is for us to neglect His Word.
Second, they became ungrateful. Instead of seeing all the tremendous blessings of God, they weren’t mindful of what they had as the people of God. See, a grateful heart cannot be a cold heart.
Last, they participated in, reveled in sin. They ran toward it. No one can love sin and love God. No one can participate in sin and grow closer to God. One will always repel the other. Either your sin will drive you away from God, or your love for Him will drive you to hate sin.

Today, may our hearts be far from “languishing.” Instead, may they fervently burn for Him! And, may we do the things that will add fuel to that fire!