Daily Bread for Sep 4, Eze 13-15

Today’s readings are Eze 13-15.

Eze 13 describes the fates of false prophets and prophetesses, those who are telling Jerusalem not to worry. They are like those who whitewash a defective wall to hide its imperfections and make it look better than it is. The Lord will expose them and put an end to their influence among His people.

The Jews in exile have developed a leadership structure comprised of the heads of clans and tribes, called the "Elders of Israel."  This leadership structure is a good thing, but these elders have idols "in their heart." They and others are practicing a Babylonian custom of wearing various amulets, veils and armbands as a tribute to the Babylonian gods. Notice, it is not the items they wear that are the problem. Armbands, veils and jewelry have no power in and of themselves. The problem lies in the heart of the wearer. Because they honor other gods, these leaders are not to be listened to. 

But, the false prophets among the people are urging them to embrace these weak leaders and ignore the warnings of oncoming judgment. God is sovereign, even over false prophets (Eze 13:9), and will use them to expose the sin of His people and purge it from among them (Eze 13:10-11).

Jerusalem is doomed to be destroyed by God (Eze 14). Certain individuals, deemed to be righteous in the manner that Noah, Daniel and Job were, will be spared. But the city will be devastated, burnt up like a useless vine (Eze 15). Clearly, this will not be the end of the city. It will eventually be rebuilt, as per the promise God has made to bring His people back. With this in mind, rather than destruction in the burning of Jerusalem, we should see refining fire as God purges all that is sinful and evil from within without permanently destroying it.

This type of purging can be a metaphor for our lives as Christians. God's refining fire may be painful, at times, but it is never meant to destroy us, only to cleanse us.