Ezekiel Chapter 8: Verse 12 (NIV)
He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’”
Ezekiel Chapter 9 Verse 4 (NIV)
and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
The worst thing that the leaders of Israel did at the time of the exile, was to mistreat the people and disobey God, choosing to live only for themselves and for selfish gain and assuming that since God had not seemed to respond, then He did not see all that they were doing. They, of course were wrong. God intended to punish them in His time. He saw everything and even revealed it to Ezekiel. We must never assume that in the midst of evil and atrocities and even poor leadership that God does not see. He moved in Ezekiel’s day, and He will also move in our day. We should never thing that we have got off lightly if we do something that offends God.
But God also sees those who have a heart like His who weep and mourn over the things that they see and who pray for God to come again in revival power. There are only two types of people in these verses; those who thumb their noses at God and those whose hearts long for Hom to move in power. If we want to see the offences being committed today changed then we must be like those who weep and lament before God, Revival begins when God’s own repent and seek His face. He comes to those first and His Spirit moves out across the land thereafter. I know which group of people I want to be in.
Dear Lord,
Please keep my heart soft and never let it grow hard and unaffected by the things that even today offend and grieve You. Forgive my complacency and keep me seeking Your face for this land and those in it. And also, for those in the land of Israel and surroundings who have long since forsaken You. Come again and make us return to Your ways and all that is right in Your eyes. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.