Glorious Mud

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 ...

I have been reading through Ezekiel this month. And just for the record - this is one crazy book. Man, Ezekiel had one rough gig. I am tempted to complain when I run a 12 hour day of meetings. You know, rough stuff - St. Louis Bread Co. can get seriously old. Ezekiel, on the other hand, had to act out all these crazy judgments from God before they happened. He was God's living parable. He had to sit in a public square and build miniature cities out of bricks and then destroy them. He had to lay on his side in public for 390 days and then roll over and lay on the other side for 40 more days. He had to cook his food over human feces - well, until God recanted and allowed him to cook it over cow poop. And that is just the start. Ezekiel had it rough. But he was God's man. He loved God and he loved God's people and he was willing to suffer so that God's grace could come and bring repentance and restoration to people near to God in religious behavior but far from God i...