Ezekiel 14

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Israel’s Idolatrous Heart Revealed

What did God reveal about the elders who came to speak with Ezekiel here in verse 1 of chapter 14?
What was the judgment of God to be of an elder who did not repent of his noted sin?
What was the point God made to Judah when He introduced the names of the three righteous men: Noah, Daniel and Job?
Which one of the three righteous men mentioned in question 3 was living in Babylon at the time of Ezekiel’s messages recorded in this chapter?
Was the remnant of captives that was brought from Jerusalem to Babylon a righteous or an unrighteous remnant? Why were they brought to Babylon?

God revealed something new about the elders who we see in this chapter and who were the same elders who came to speak with Ezekiel in chapter 8. God revealed that they were guilty of idolatry themselves. It was not open idolatry, but idolatry of the mind. They were not literally bowing down to images, but they had idolatrous hearts (v 3), which caused them to stumble into sin (v 4).
God would cut off from among His people any of these elders who did not repent and turn away from this “idolatry of the heart”. They would then have no chance of return.
The point God made by introducing the names of three righteous men was that even if these outstanding men of God had been in the midst of the people Israel, the people would still not have been delivered from their wickedness. The nation was ripe for judgment and had passed the point of no return.
Daniel was living in Babylon at the time of Ezekiel’s messages that are recorded in this chapter.
The remnant that was taken to Babylon from Jerusalem was an unrighteous remnant. They were brought to Babylon so the Jewish people there could hear first-hand of their sinfulness and understand the righteousness of God’s judgment of Jerusalem (vs 22, 23).

In verse 13 of this chapter, God speaks of “persistent unfaithfulness.” Consider the nation of America; has this nation been “persistent” in its unfaithfulness? Is this nation reaching a point of no return regarding God’s judgment? Are there other nations similarly persistent in unfaithfulness today?

Are there any idols in your heart today? If so, would you be able to identify them? Have you found any idols there that have caused you to “stumble into iniquity” and be “estranged” from God? Are you experiencing a lack of God’s leading or direction? There is no better time than now to repent, cast these idols out, and with God’s help, draw near to Him and find peace as He directs your life.

“Son of man, when a nation sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine upon it, and cut off man and beast from it.” Ezekiel 14:13