A Search and No One Found
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Intro:
Intro:
Good morning.
If you have your Bibles, please turn with me to Ezekiel chapter 22.
Before we begin this morning, I want to get you thinking along these lines — and that is the idea of what if God were to ask the following questions:
“Is there a man anywhere who does NOT commit abomination?!”
“Is there a man who does NOT commit violence against his nature?!”
“Is there a man anywhere who does NOT worship idols?!”
“Is there a man who does NOT disrespect father and mother?!”
“Is there a man anywhere who does NOT oppress and mistreat strangers and orphans and widows?!”
“Is there a man anywhere who does NOT despise God’s holy things and who has NOT profaned His sabbaths?!”
“Is there a man who does NOT slander to cause bloodshed?!”
“Who does NOT commit lewdness?!”
That’s what God is looking for in Ezekiel chapter 22, just looking for at least ONE MAN in Jerusalem who has not done these sorts of things, but He can’t find ONE!
You can keep reading Ezek. 22:1-16 later on.
He gets into all kinds of sins that were being committed in the land, including some very grotesque and incestual sins of a sexual nature.
But the bottom lines is that God is SEARCHING, but He cannot find a righteous man in the land!
Take a look at Ezek. 22:30-31
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.
A search is going on (and God’s doing the searching!), and no one righteous can be found!
Our sermon title this morning is “A Search and No One Found.”
In the book of Ezekiel, we have Ezekiel being God’s watchman.
He’s prophesying in Babylonian captivity by the River Chebar, but God has transported him in the Spirit back to Jerusalem (see Ezekiel 8:3). (Just mention & show slide)
He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy.
What is Ezekiel’s message?
Of course, it’s one of SIN as well as God’s DIVINE JUSTICE, but it’s also a message of MERCY and HOPE.
The goodness AND severity of God is shown in the book of Ezekiel.
Judah is in Babylon, receiving her punishment due …
But in the end, there is the hope of forgiveness and restoration upon Judah’s repentance toward the end of the book!
But just know that in Ezekiel chapter 22, God is dealing with a rebellious, stubborn, and immoral people — and he wishes He could find a man, JUST ONE, to stand in the gap before God on behalf of the land, that He would decide not to destroy it!
Now some may ask, “Wasn’t Ezekiel that man?”
Well, remember he’s looking for a man to stand in the gap in JERUSALEM to prevent God destroying it.
Where is Ezekiel? (By the River Chebar in Babylon! - Ezek. 1:1) (Just mention and show slide)
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Alright, so I want us to pick up in verse 17, and I want us to join the search that God is undertaking, let’s see if we can find a righteous man to stand in the gap (we won’t be able to!)
No, what we are going to see is that there are 4 groups or categories of people, of which no one righteous can be found!
(Read Ezek. 22:17-18).
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.
What is DROSS?
It’s the IMPURITIES, the BAD STUFF, the stuff you don’t want when you refine a precious metal!
(See picture for example).
God says, “House of Israel, you’re DROSS! You’re WORTHLESS! You’re the BAD part of silver that needs to be refined out in the fire!”
Why? Because of their sins!
(Read Ezek. 22:19-20).
Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.
So when you read verses like this, you should be thinking JUDGMENT!
(Read Ezek. 22:21-22).
Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’ ”
And it HAPPENED — in 586 BC when the Babylonians destroyed Jersualem!
(Read Ezek. 22:23-24).
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’
No relief in sight for Jerusalem’s terrible plight!
Okay, let’s go through and find 4 groups of people that God is searching through to see if He can find SOMEONE to stand in the gap and plead on the people’s behalf. (Not unlike Moses when he interceded on behalf of the people during the Exodus!)
No Prophets Found:
No Prophets Found:
(Read Ezek. 22:25).
The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.
(Read Ezek. 22:28).
Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken.
In short, the prophets — are they TRUE prophets of God, or are they FALSE prophets?
They’e FALSE prophets!
And they’re taking advantage of people, PREYING on the people like a lion!
“They’ve taken treasure and precious things” — aka they are making MONEY off the people! Lots of money!
Meanwhile they’ve “made many widows in her midst!”
Total corruption, to the point of conspiracy to commit murder!
Look at the image in verse 28 - They plastered with untempered mortar - It was not the right consistency, so it couldn’t get the job done! It couldn’t properly fill the cracks in the bricks!
(Just like their preaching, or lack thereof!)
Instead, it went like this: “False visions,” “divining lies,” and saying, “Thus says the Lord God,” when the Lord had NOT spoken! :(
Thus, God in His search looks out among the prophets — and can’t find one! (not a TRUE one!)
Next …
No Priests Found:
No Priests Found:
These were the ones conducting the worship to God, conducting the sacrifices! (The Prophets were the ones supposed to be SPEAKING on behalf of God)
(Read Ezek. 22:26).
Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
In short, the priests were taking their priestly duties completely non-seriously!
A complete disregard and utter contempt of God’s rules for worship (which you can read about in the book of Leviticus!)
You can also read in that book about how God is HOLY; therefore, they were (and we are) supposed to be holy!
But clearly they were not!
Thus, God looks out among the priests to see if He can find just ONE that is living right, and He cannot!
Next …
No Princes Found:
No Princes Found:
(Read Ezek. 22:27).
Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.
These guys are ROYALTY — the nobility — the families of the Kings, I presume!
And they’re no better than that corrupt religious leaders!
They, too, are preying on other people to shed blood, to destroy people and to get dishonest gain (money)!
What a sad state of affairs leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem!
To this point, we have covered three groups of people who were leaders.
The prophets and the priests — the RELIGIOUS leaders — and the princes — the CIVIL leaders!
But now, we turn our attention to the everyday people …
Question — If God couldn’t find any righteous among the LEADERS, how likely is it that He will find one among the PEOPLE? (Not likely, as we’re about to see!)
And sadly, there were …
No People Found:
No People Found:
(Read Ezek. 22:29).
The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger.
The people of the land, too, are more concerned with THEMSELVES, aren’t they, rather than doing what is right!
Thus, they OPPRESS, they STEAL, they MISTREAT the poor and the needy, and they wrongfully OPPRESS the stranger.
Par for the course during the time of Ezekiel!
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
What’s the key takeaway for today?
God’s searching! Who will He find?
If God were to go on the search today and were to look in this very room, would He find a man (or a woman) to STAND IN THE GAP?
To DO WHAT’S RIGHT!
To be COURAGEOUS! To be DIFFERENT!
Or would He look out and sadly say, “I can’t find anyone — just one — to stand in the gap!”
(Read Ezek. 22:30-31 one more time).
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.
