relationships (Ezekiel 8:1-18) Who Is Our Soulmate?

(Ezekiel 8:1-18) 

Now it came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there. 2 Then I looked, and behold, something like the appearance of a man; from His waist and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His waist and upward like the appearance of a glow, like gleaming metal. 3 And He extended the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner courtyard, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. 4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.

5 Then He said to me, “Son of man, raise your eyes now toward the north.” So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance. 6 And He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations!”

7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the courtyard, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8 And He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. 9 Then He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of crawling things and animals and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. 11 And standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand; and the fragrance of the cloud of incense was rising. 12 Then He said to me, “Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the rooms of his carved images? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has abandoned the land.’” 13 And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing!”

14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. 15 And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these!”

16 Then He brought me into the inner courtyard of the Lord’s house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the Lord while their faces were toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. 17 And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it a trivial thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me to anger repeatedly? Yet behold, they are putting the twig to their nose! 18 Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry out in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ showed visions to Ezekiel that began on the outside of the city, and progressed to the "heart" of the Lord's house, which should have been the heart of the Lord - and a holy and righteous influence - for the city, as well as for the surrounding nations.  But instead, it revealed the evil deeds and intensions of the people, and what was really going on. 

I see this as an allegory of how God looks at our hearts.  And when we become believers and accept the Lord into our lives, the Holy Spirit becomes our influence.  And as we ask and allow, the Holy Spirit's guidance and help for us will be greater.  As we fill our hearts more and more with the Lord's guiding influence of holiness and righteousness, this will influence our motives, directions, words and actions.

The Holy Spirit seals the hearts of every believer for eternity so one cannot lose their salvation, but it is possible to quench the Holy Spirit.  If we intentionally, habitually sin without remorse - God will stop listening to our prayers.  God hates sin and cannot have a relationship with sin.

We quench the Holy Spirit any time we place something or someone ahead of God.  Why would we choose to rely on ourselves, another person, something from nature, or something we have created, when we know that God created us and everything around us?  Yet it is so easily to fall into that mindset of "I've got this." "I'm enough."  Or to say regarding another person, "You complete me." "You are my soulmate."  

As believers, the Lord should be our most valuable and important relationship ever!  So why would we, on purpose, do things to make Him angry, disappointed, or jealous?  Jesus is literally our soulmate.  Only He is able to complete us.  And He is sovereign, so He's "got this".  We need Him!  And in Him, He is not just "enough" - He is everything!  He wants to help us and guide us through everything, because He cares and has a better plan and a better way for our lives.  And for every blessing, He deserves all the credit, glory and thanks!