I was reading this the other night:
23And the word of the LORD came to me: 24"Son of man, say to her, You are a land that is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation. 25 The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. 26 Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. 28And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD has not spoken. 29The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. 30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. 31Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord GOD."
So many times in the Bible, the sins of the nation of Israel sound so much like now, with corruption even within the church. And yet the Lord STILL has mercy on them and on us! Later in chapter 37, Israel is despairing, fearful of being cut off...and yet the Lord shows Ezekiel that as he can raise the dead bones to life, preaching to them the gospel, so the Israelites will be brought back and given the spirit.
I was just particularly struck by it, and how it brought to mind the modern church. Teachers "saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD has not spoken."
This too made me pause: "30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." Wow. That's awful.
Anyway, just something I was reading. Not much of a blog post. :) I've been super busy, and my blogging has suffered as a result. Plus the more people I talk to in person, the less need/desire I feel to write out what all's going on. (My relatives are yelling at me right now, probably, since I've neither blogged, nor called, nor emailed them.) :D
