Idolatrous Elders Condemned

 

 

 

Ezekiel 14:1-11

 

November 24, 2023

 

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.  And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore, speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.

“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.  For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself.  And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the Lord.  And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.  And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike— that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord God.”

 

How does one guard taking idols into their heart?  And what are some of the idols Christians often take into their hearts?  Most dangerous and destructive: could it be religion?  Not the Worship of God, but the holding of rules and traditions of religion not the seeking of God.  Your ability to perform without depending on Christ.  Sports, of all kinds, knowing more about them and spending time studying and doing and watching them than seeking fellowship with the Holy Spirit.  The government is putting trust in a party for your identity, not Christ.  Chasing after wealth, and not the promises of God.  Acquiring stuff you value and seek more than sharing the Truth of what God has done for you.  And another is putting self before, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mighty.

 

How do we guard against letting these idols into our hearts?  For me, it has been a battle to seek God and not my desires, to seek fellowship with our Lord, to ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in the ways of holiness, mercy, love, and goodness.  To not just read the Word of God but to apply its teaching to my life.  To assemble with other believers, and to have a mentor relationship with a brother who loves me enough to tell me I’m falling short in my actions and words.

 

I have a dear friend named Paul who is all about relationships, and his heart is to seek first the kingdom of God, does he ever fall short, sure, and so do we all? When we put any relationship above our Lord, we have placed an idol in our lives. Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”   Your Father in heaven knows your needs and Loves you, so seek Him first and allow Him to provide what will be of value to your life.

 

From one mess to another, seek, obey, and live the abundant life the Lord has promised.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice