‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’

 We continue our study in Ezekiel, the last time we met was about To What Way Does Your Heart Turn? You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

 So here we have Ezekiel, God hasn't been allowing him to speak, and a messenger comes running up from Jerusalem with new “The city has been struck down.”    

Ezekiel, given by God a ready answer, has a response.   You people who count on your numbers as a reason for why you should possess the land (after all Abraham was only one and we are many) this is why you can't.
Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? 26 You rely on the sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife; shall you then possess the land?
 
 It doesn't work this way.   Abraham was a man who followed after God, but the Israelites are, ergo
As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. 28 And I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and her proud might shall come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed.
God won't let sin go unpunished.   He won't.   If you live in a way that God doesn't want you to, then judgement will come.   Judgement comes because God wants people to know this truth.  HE IS THE LORD.  HE IS GOD.

God then points out to Ezekiel why people come to hear him talk.  He's a source of entertainment.   He talks well, they like the sound of his voice, but what he says means nothing to them.  They will not change.  


BUT when desolation comes to Israel and it surely will... then they will know that Ezekiel truly was a prophet among them.

I read these last words and I can see it.
People talking amongst themselves saying "hey, let's go hear what ole' doomsday has to say today, should be worth a laugh".   All those people gathered round to listen because it gives them something to do together...but not because what Ezekiels says matters, just because they want entertainment.

They don't want to change...they just want to do their own thing.

--- Don't we all have to guard against that?   The desire to be entertained rather than to just listen to know and understand?   To want the show without the depth.   Kinda like when I read a book on teachings...and I want to just read the life stories and ignore the lessons behind it.  

In the end their foolishness will be known... just as my foolishness is known when I don't see the depth... or rather when I avoided the depth and then hear someone talking about what they learned and realize I hadn't sought for God's truth.

It's good to think on this eh?   :)    Makes me sad when I visit churches and it seems some churches are into the show more than into the depth.  When communion is done without the full acknowledgement of who God is and what he did for us.  When the band plays to be heard rather to supplement praising God.  

I want depth and teaching in church services.   Not fluff.   I don't want to go just for the show but for the meat of God's word.  

I don't want to be like the Israelites... satisfied with the show and not seeking the depth and then afterwards being surprised at what they missing seeing of God.

Let us not miss God eh?