Ezekiel

INTRO

deported in 2 of 3 deportations - slave - hostage

25yo about to start priest apprenticeship

which is why book has so much priestly imagery

HIS CALLING - Chap 1:1 - In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God

AND WE STILL HAVE THEM TODAY

first vision - wheels, heavens, cherabim, and a throne.

Ezek 1:26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.

Jesus - on a throne - v27 surrounded by a rainbow

Ezek 1:28 Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezek 2:1 And he said to me, “Son of man,[a] stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.”

Ezek 2:3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me.

SO EZEK - commisioned by JESUS to bring a message to Israel of their rebellion

and what is the message? mourning and woe - Ezek 2:10

not a fun one. not positive encouraging. I imagine at this point Ezek felt like many pastors who have to preach a counter-cultural truth… insecure? nervous? fear of man?

But God steadies him - chp 3 - “I have made your face as hard as their faces - forehead as hard as flint”

Isaiah 50:7 - “…i have set my face like flint...”

Luke 9:51 - …he set his face to Jerusalem...

and from that moment, Ezek is a prophet. Tough. Fearing no man. Ready to preach. Whatever the cost.

and boy did he have a sermon to preach...

I understand why its difficult for some pastors to proclaim truths. They’re policed, on everything really. On their tone, on their content. And as a result God’s flocks only get half-truths or culturally safe anecdotes… but after you read through Ezekiel you’ll come away with a different understanding.

Ezek disarms the tone police. It shuts down the shaming tactics. And we are left with blunt and glorious Bible truths.

If/when someone seems offended by what a pastor says just ask “have you read Ezekiel?”

But WHY was God set against his people?

chp 16 - idolatry so severe it’s compared to whoring, but worse. Israel didn’t pay they were paid.

chp 16 - also tells us of mass infanticide throughout the nation. abortion, in other words. child sacrifice in their pagan religious services, alot like today. We just sacrifice our children to convenience and comfort and career.

lastly chp 16 - sodomy - bible word - contemporary homosexuality

APPLICATION - does this sound familiar?

It’s pride month.

our entire nation is under a banner - our white house - our ambassadors - we are announcing our rebellion against God with his own covenantal colors.

it’s honestly a religious symbol - a religion of rebellion against God and his created order - and a religion that seeks to colonize and gain ground… like most religions

in our church someone has been fired for not celebrating Pride month

a friend of mine’s kiddos witnessed a fight break out between JH kids at a local health club over the issue

we’ve got gay bars in Lafayette

Schools that call themselves Christian - episcopal and such - have coming out days, and hand out stickers to allies

there are even cereal boxes for sale in local stores that encourage your kiddos to pick their own pronoun - it doesn’t have to be the way you were born. It can be whatever you want it to be

see? that’s rebellion. God made you. He decides.

These things, sodomy, transgender sexual acts, it’s no longer shameful or perverse and secret - it’s not done publicly.

and as a result we are being numbed to it. What we laughed about ten years ago is now celebrated.

And the church? It’s caving to the pressure.

on a national level we’ve got church leaders who say things like “the Bible whispers about sexual sin” - in fact i remember once when a local church made a statement about Biblical marriage there was a massive uproar on SM.

on a local level we’ve had churches (what I’d label as conservative Christian churches) appoint a couple as greeters.

BUT - don’t think that’s what this is all about… look at Ezek 16 more closely.

EZEK 16:48 As I live, declares the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.

He goes after pride, gluttony, self centeredness...

BUT PUMP THE BRAKES - some will say “see? this means all sins are fundamentally the same”

and we know that’s not true. some are definitely worse than others. We’re not gonna put the pedophile in the same category as the drunk… and fire didn’t fall from heaven just because Sodom was full of gluttons...but there is something important to notice here.

so whats happening here?

He’s informing his audience that sin has a trajectory.

this is the same as Romans 1 - they were “given over”

If we don’t repent of our gluttony, pride, idleness, laziness - don’t think sin will just keep you right there.

sin will not rest until it has all of you. and you will slide farther and farther down. until eventually...

the fundamental sins are there - and unless you repent - woe.

Lets take a look at each one

PRIDE

the mother of all sins. ALL sins. it’s fitting that it is called pride month. the irony isn’t lost.

“you deserve this, you’ve earned it” “I like what I see and I take what I like, who cares about consequences for myself or others...” you see how pride works?

this is why we see the proud fall to public sexual sin often.

And the proud can’t get help from others “beneath them” so it’s much easier for them to slip further and further down - they push others away.

and then to protect their image - they don’t confess until it’s too late.

Prov 9:7 reminds us that when you rebuke a proud man, you will pay for it. They are gifted at turning the tables. They get offended easily, and right off counsel.

If you are dealing with sexual perversion in your life, and some of you are. Repent of pride, self importance. Humble yourself in lowly service to the little people you look down on. Don't hide your sin to protect your image, shatter the image through confession to friends and pastors. Learn to take criticism and correction so you can grow.

GLUTTONY

self centereness, self importance, making decisions based on what you want and not whats best. what you want and not what others want.

in gluttony, food is just the outlet for the lack of self control.

fasting helps here - struggling with self centeredness? Kill it before it takes you somewhere worse.

Idleness / LAZINESS

now idleness itself isn’t necessarily a sin, neither is sex or eating, but the excess...

I deserve this - I deserve to sit idle for days - binge - netflix/chill. Even at others expense

my children will be fine. my employer pays me for this time, but whatever… paid for 40 hours but working 15.

And a porn addiction isn’t far behind.

do you notice how these things are connected?

learn to fast. learn to not be idle. work. serve. say no to the self.

stop justifying yourself and repent. stop beign proud.

LACK OF COMPASSION

and of course those fallen to gluttony, laziness, self centered - they don’t concern themselves with those in need.

or if they do they just do it when it’s benficial to themselves, or maybe as an attempt to appease their broken conscience.

Fight sexual sin in your life by!!! Tithing. Generosity. Laying your life down for your brothers.

YOUR MONEY ISN”T YOURS - YOUR FOOD - YOUR BODY

you belong to the Lord.

Pride month is an abomination, no doubt.

but it’s just a bit farther down the road for all who refuse to repent.

So preacher, what do I do!? Repent, and believe the Gospel.

the Good news that Christ came to die for all our sins and FUNDAMENTALLY change who we are...

Ezek 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules

This prophecy already came true. The spirit of god flowed out of the upper room on pentecost just as ezekiel prophesied in 47. And its come all the way to lousisiana and to our hearts. You do nto have to be dominated by sin.

If you are a child of GOd, he does not desire to judge you or punish you. Turn that you might live. Turn back turn back and live 33:11