Good morning!
Text: Ezekiel 8-11; Isaiah 37
In Ezekiel, we find many compelling (and a few strange) visions. In Chapter 9, the Lord shows Ezekiel the impending judgment of Jerusalem (which comes by the Babylonians). In this vision the Lord commands the destroyers, saying these words:
And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. (Ezekiel 9:4-6)
That makes you take pause, doesn’t it? First, the shocking speed and harshness of God’s judgment are striking. Second, the “mark” which saves those who are grieved by the sin of their fellow countrymen speaks to us today. I know that I can become numb to the sin around me, calloused of heart. The Lord is not. It grieves Him… and it should break our hearts as well. The “mark” goes to those who share the Lord’s heart – and to share His heart is to please Him. So, here’s a challenge. If God were to send His angels to bring judgment in our land, would we bear the mark that saves? And if we did, I expect we would be hard at work to bring the Good News to those around us who are in sin.
in Him, Mike