Ezekiel 14-16
Have you ever felt like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? That is what was happening when the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel to inquire of God. God had had enough of their idol worship. God felt like the husband of a wife who had turned to other men. God can no longer sit by while the Israelites worship idols and accredit them with the blessings God has poured out on them. God’s message to the Israelites was; “Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” (Ezekiel 14:6, NIV)
Israel continued to rebel and to worship idols instead of
turning to God, so God punished them for their actions, but He left them with a
promise. "“‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have
despised my oath by breaking the covenant. Yet I will remember the covenant I
made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting
covenant with you." (Ezekiel 16:59-60, NIV) God’s goal is not to
destroy Israel, but to bring her back into a relationship with Him.
God says; "Then,
when I make atonement for you for all you have done,’”" (Ezekiel 16:63a,
NIV) God made atonement for all we have done when Jesus died on the cross for
the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus message was the same as the message of God to
Israel; “Repent!”
When we ask God to intervene in our lives, the first thing
He is going to do is to call us into a right relationship with Him. If we
aren’t living for Him, we can’t expect Him to answer our prayers. Confession is
always a good way to begin our time of prayer, then taking time to listen as
God directs our paths.
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