Ezekiel 6:8-10
8 “Yet I will leave some of you alive. When you have among the nations some who escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries, 9 then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. 10 And they shall know that I am the Lord. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.”
The prophet Ezekial had harsh words for the people of Israel. He talked repeatedly about how God was going to punish them, how they would starve and be killed because of their sin. These are not comforting, loving words, but they are truth for the prophesies did come true. God is a God of love and forgiveness, but we must never forget that He is also a God of justice. We can't expect to continually sin and have God automatically forgive us. Verse 9 gives us a glimpse of God's perspective: "I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me". God's punishment is not capricious, but is a response to our own adultery. God uses punishment and consequences to get our attention, that "they shall know that I am the Lord" (verse 10). We are on the right path when we see how sinful we really are ("they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed" verse 9).
God, I hate my sin. Please forgive me for my many sins.
8 “Yet I will leave some of you alive. When you have among the nations some who escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries, 9 then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. 10 And they shall know that I am the Lord. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.”
The prophet Ezekial had harsh words for the people of Israel. He talked repeatedly about how God was going to punish them, how they would starve and be killed because of their sin. These are not comforting, loving words, but they are truth for the prophesies did come true. God is a God of love and forgiveness, but we must never forget that He is also a God of justice. We can't expect to continually sin and have God automatically forgive us. Verse 9 gives us a glimpse of God's perspective: "I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me". God's punishment is not capricious, but is a response to our own adultery. God uses punishment and consequences to get our attention, that "they shall know that I am the Lord" (verse 10). We are on the right path when we see how sinful we really are ("they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed" verse 9).
God, I hate my sin. Please forgive me for my many sins.