“Ezekiel”

Scripture: II Kings 24:10-15

C.I.: The Nation Must Fall

There are 3 sections in the book of Ezekiel. - Each week in September I will take my lessons from each section.
(Chs. 1-24) – Deals with Israel, (Chs. 25-33) – Deals with Foreign Nations, (Chs. 34-48) Comfort Given to Israel.

I. Idolatry Denounced and Dealt With, (Ezekiel 14:1-10)

A. Idol = “Anything that comes between us and God – becomes our god,” (vs. 1-5)

1. ( vs. 1-3 ), “Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. – And the word of the Lord came to
me saying, - ‘Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts, - and have put right before their faces the
stumbling block of their iniquity. – Should I be consulted by them at all?'”
a. We are familiar with the many ancient idols of men (idols of Shiva, Buddah, Kali, Balaam, etc).
1) Yet there are other more current day idols too (Cars, homes, boats, money, etc.).
2) But God says these idols - are not those which can be seen – but are “…in their hearts.”

b. Earlier God gave Ezekiel an opportunity to see into the hearts of the leaders. – ( Ezk. 8:12 ), “Then the
Lord said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the
dark, each man in the room of his carved images ? – For they say, “The Lord does not see us.”'”
1) Ultimately, what happens in the dark – will eventually be made known in the light.
2) We have seen this on TV – ( ILLUST.: Bill Clinton, Mark Foley, Eliot Spitzer, Larry Craig).
3) ( Pro. 4:23 ), “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life.”

2. So God can “see” the idols we have set up in our hearts. – And there are many different varieties of these…
a. Fear: More concerned about what others thinks of us – than what God thinks of us.
1) ( Gal. 1:10 ), “Am I now trying to please men or God? – Or am I still striving to please men?..”
2) ( Rev. 21:8 ), “But for the cowardly, unbelieving, … there part shall be in the lake of fire.”
3) ( II Tim. 1:7 ), “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and live and discipline.”

b. Secret Sins: When we, like the leaders of Israel believe, no one (not even God) will find out about us.
1) The list of these is long: alcohol, drugs, pornography, sexual immorality, adultery, theft, …!!!
2) ( Num. 32:23 ), “…you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”
3) ( Matt. 10:26 ), “…there is nothing covered … revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”
4) ( Rom. 2:16 ), “…God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

c. False Faith: When the beliefs of men separate us from the faith of God.
1) ( Jn. 14:6 ), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father…!”
2) ( Eph. 4:5; Jude 3 ), “…one faith..” – “…appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith …”

d. False Worship: When our worship appeals to us – but it is not what God has commanded.
1) ( Matt. 13:9 ), “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.”
2) ( Jn. 4:23 ), “An hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship…”
3) God wants us to be aware - ( I Jn. 5:21 ), “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”
4) What are we going to do: break down our idols – or allow them to remain between us & God?

3. ( vs. 4-5 ), “Any man of the house of Israel - who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the
stumbling block of his iniquity,- and then comes to the prophet, - I the Lord will be brought to give him an
answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols”'
a. Hypocrisy is foolish – for it doesn't fool the only One who should matter to us – GOD!!!
1) Let's face it – as a nation we are no longer, “One Nation Under God!”
2) The “secularization” of our nation – is practically complete!

b. We were warned! – ( II Tim. 3:1-4 ), “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. –
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents,
ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of
good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
1) Have we come too far as a nation to turn back?! – Is there no turning back???
2) On a national basis – I have my doubts about us. – But for individuals there is still hope!!!
3) I can confidently say – that there is no individual in this room – who is too far gone!!
4) In my notes I asked myself, “Where is the hope?” – If we put anything before God – none!!!

4. ( vs. 6 ), “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all
your abominations.'”
a. HERE IS OUR HOPE! – IF WE ARE WILLING TO CHANGE/REPENT – GOD GIVES US HOPE!!!
1) Right people (God's) – in the right place (before God) – better do the right thing (REPENT!)
2) ( Acts 3:19; 17:30 ), “Repent therefore & return…” – “God is now declaring to men that all …

B. Religious Leaders Sympathetic to Idolatry are Denounced, (vs. 7-10)

1. People who want to hold onto their “idols” – while keeping up their “religious appearances” – are in for trouble.
a. ( vs. 7-8 ), “For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates
himself from Me, - sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his
iniquity, - and then comes to the prophets to inquire of Me for himself …and I shall cut him off from
among My people.”
1) If we think we can get away with this sort of hypocrisy – we are only fooling ourselves!!!
2) ( Gal. 6:7-8 ), “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; - for whatever a man sows, this he….”

b. We seen how God feels about the hypocrisy of the people, but what about the hypocrisy of the prophet?
1) ( vs. 9-10 ), “But if the prophet is enticed to speak a word, it is I, the Lord, who has enticed that
prophet, I will stretch out My hand against him and utterly destroy him from among My peop.
2) Preachers are like everyone else, we desire to be liked, but not at the expense of God's truth!!!
3) If people would rather hear a lie than the truth – then God will feed them lies.
4) ( II Thess. 2:11 ), “For this reason - God will send upon them a deluding influence – so that
they may believe what is false … who did not believe the truth.”
5) ( John 17:17 ), “Sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth.”

God knows your heart!

If you are in need of cleansing, He knows it! – If you leave here unclean, it's to your doom! – Acts 22:16; Mk. 16:16 !!