As I mentioned in previous posts, I have been working my way slowly through the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel's job as a prophet was to act as a wake up call to God's people. They had become spiritually blind and deaf - unable to discern God's voice or his purposes - because they had cultivated a rebellious spirit against God (Ezekiel 12:2). They replaced God with idols, but still claimed to follow God. As a result, God was bringing a cleansing judgment on the nation that would act like a chlorine shock to a pool that has turned green - it would purge the slime and restore the good. But, like any extreme measure of correction, it wasn't going to be pleasant.
In chapter 13 and 14, Ezekiel is charged to publicly challenge the leaders in the nation who were deceiving the people and themselves. He has harsh words for the elders who secretly worship idols and then publicly seek out the prophets to hear from God. He has harsh words for the prophets who cater to these guys, reinforcing their authority and path away from God.
The point is that these guys has created an echo chamber. The leaders of Israel had surrounded themselves with prophets and counselors who would simply reinforce what they wanted to hear. The system they developed did not allow for divergent, challenging voices - and as a result, they heard what they wanted to hear and did what they wanted to do - all in the name of God. It was a system that encouraged the echo and discouraged any dissonance in advice - and once that system was up and running, it pretty much took care of itself.
I believe the leaders of Israel were genuinely surprised at the hand of God's corrective judgment. They had so insulated themselves from divergent opinion - from any voice that might challenge what they held sacred in their hearts - they thought the echo they heard from their own voices was in fact the affirming voice of God. It is what they wanted - a god who served them - a god made in their own image.
Looking back at these guys, we shake our heads. Really? You would claim to follow God, but then you would ignore his voice? You would take his name but reject his counsel? You would bow in worship before the One True God and at the same time keep idols hidden at home in your secret rooms? Really?
But we need to be careful. We are in danger of acting like the Pharisee who came to the temple only to thank God that he wasn't like those sinners who were far from God - all the while, he himself was far from God (Luke 18:9-14). See, that is the nature of sin and idolatry. It is wickedly deceptive - and even as we stand back and judge the sins of others (past or present), we are possibly committing the same or worse sins ourselves.
So, if you are a leader in God's house, here are some diagnostic questions:
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who like and dislike the same things as you? Have you built a system of cultural idolatry?
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who have the same doctrinal persuasions you do? Have you built a system of intellectual and doctrinal idolatry?
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who are all from the same Christian tribe as you? Have you built a system of denominational (or non-denominational) idolatry?
* Have we intentionally made room for the challenging voice of God? Do we, together, practice quick and direct honesty or do have we created a self-balancing web of unspoken conversations and deceits?
* Can we honestly say that if God were to show up to purge everything we have built, we would celebrate his glory even as our own glory was being destroyed?
We need to realize that idolatry wasn't just a problem for the leaders of ancient Israel. It is the persistent malignancy of God's people. It is the sinful bent of our hearts. We continually seek to quietly, subtly, secretly put ourselves on the throne of the universe so that we can replace God with a god that is more attractive to us.
And, as was true for ancient Israel, God expects the leaders of his people to be the first and most dedicated idol destroyers.
In chapter 13 and 14, Ezekiel is charged to publicly challenge the leaders in the nation who were deceiving the people and themselves. He has harsh words for the elders who secretly worship idols and then publicly seek out the prophets to hear from God. He has harsh words for the prophets who cater to these guys, reinforcing their authority and path away from God.
The point is that these guys has created an echo chamber. The leaders of Israel had surrounded themselves with prophets and counselors who would simply reinforce what they wanted to hear. The system they developed did not allow for divergent, challenging voices - and as a result, they heard what they wanted to hear and did what they wanted to do - all in the name of God. It was a system that encouraged the echo and discouraged any dissonance in advice - and once that system was up and running, it pretty much took care of itself.
I believe the leaders of Israel were genuinely surprised at the hand of God's corrective judgment. They had so insulated themselves from divergent opinion - from any voice that might challenge what they held sacred in their hearts - they thought the echo they heard from their own voices was in fact the affirming voice of God. It is what they wanted - a god who served them - a god made in their own image.
Looking back at these guys, we shake our heads. Really? You would claim to follow God, but then you would ignore his voice? You would take his name but reject his counsel? You would bow in worship before the One True God and at the same time keep idols hidden at home in your secret rooms? Really?
But we need to be careful. We are in danger of acting like the Pharisee who came to the temple only to thank God that he wasn't like those sinners who were far from God - all the while, he himself was far from God (Luke 18:9-14). See, that is the nature of sin and idolatry. It is wickedly deceptive - and even as we stand back and judge the sins of others (past or present), we are possibly committing the same or worse sins ourselves.
So, if you are a leader in God's house, here are some diagnostic questions:
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who like and dislike the same things as you? Have you built a system of cultural idolatry?
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who have the same doctrinal persuasions you do? Have you built a system of intellectual and doctrinal idolatry?
* Have you surrounded yourself with people who are all from the same Christian tribe as you? Have you built a system of denominational (or non-denominational) idolatry?
* Have we intentionally made room for the challenging voice of God? Do we, together, practice quick and direct honesty or do have we created a self-balancing web of unspoken conversations and deceits?
* Can we honestly say that if God were to show up to purge everything we have built, we would celebrate his glory even as our own glory was being destroyed?
We need to realize that idolatry wasn't just a problem for the leaders of ancient Israel. It is the persistent malignancy of God's people. It is the sinful bent of our hearts. We continually seek to quietly, subtly, secretly put ourselves on the throne of the universe so that we can replace God with a god that is more attractive to us.
And, as was true for ancient Israel, God expects the leaders of his people to be the first and most dedicated idol destroyers.
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