Day 244 of 365
MORE ACCOUNTABLE
The entire Bible, from cover to cover, is the story of God's plan to create a people, choose a people, transform that people and then work through his transformed people to change the world. God's people are supposed to be like a light that shines into the dark world, but this passage reveals that the Israelites literally outdid the world in sinning. While the other nations worshiped idols, Israel left the One true living God to turn to idols - a choice that brought dire consequences. God judged them, and his judgment was harsh because his mercy to them had been unfathomable. Of all the people in the world, God chose to love these people in a special way. For them to forsake that love was unthinkable.
The judgments of God are always relative based on the level of light people have received. All people will suffer if they never hear of God; this is why God's people are supposed to run to people with good news to share! At the same time, those who receive more are more accountable. Ezekiel 5:5 - 7 teaches about this enduring scriptural truth that Jesus repeated in his teaching: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded" (Lk 12:48). If that was true for Israel, who spent their lives looking forward to Jesus' arrival, how much more true is it of believers today who have the Holy Spirit?
Jesus, thank you for holding me accountable to the knowledge I've been given. Help me to live entirely surrendered to the Holy Spirit living within me. Amen.
Ezekiel 5:5-11 NASB
5 "Thus says the Lord G od , 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her. 6 But she has rebelled against My ordinances more wickedly than the nations and against My statutes more than the lands which surround her; for they have rejected My ordinances and have not walked in My statutes.' 7Therefore, thus says the Lord G od , 'Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,' 8 therefore, thus says the Lord G od , 'Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. 9 And because of all your abominations, I will do among you what I have not done, and the like of which I will never do again. 10 Therefore, fathers will eat their sons among you, and sons will eat their fathers; for I will execute judgments on you and scatter all your remnant to every wind. 11 So as I live,' declares the Lord G od , 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare.
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