JMD Devotional 170 Exekiel 14:6-14 God Has No Grandchildren (nor Hitchhikers!)

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who separates himself from Me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity and guilt before his face, and [yet] comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of Me, I the Lord will answer him Myself! And I will set My face against that [false worshiper] and will make him a sign and a byword, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and you shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord. [The prophet has not been granted permission to give an answer to the hypocritical inquirer] but if the prophet does give the man the answer he desires [thus allowing himself to be a party to the inquirer's sin], I the Lord will see to it that the prophet is deceived in his answer, and I will stretch out My hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel. And they both shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the iniquity of the [presumptuous] prophet shall be the same as the iniquity of the [hypocritical] inquirer, That the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people, and I may be their God, says the Lord God. The word of the Lord came [again] to me, saying, Son of man, when a land sins against Me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out My hand against it and break its staff of bread and send famine upon it and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they would save but their own lives by their righteousness (their uprightness and right standing with Me), says the Lord God.

Why should we pay close attention to how God dealt with Israel? Was this not recorded for our instruction? Does God change or play favorites? It matters not if you are related to celebrity or clergy or what faith and standing your parents had; we are each judged by our works. We are saved by faith in Christ Jesus; but genuine faith is reflected in actions; life plays out what you really believe. Most people---by their actions---really believe that judgment will not come or that they are the exception. God is not mocked…

Dear God,
I confess that my good works are meager; my example inconsistent, my ‘righteousness’ is like filthy rags. Help us all to take heed to the consequences of rebellion; may we be instructed in holy fear as we contemplate the many nations that perished and the countless people upon whom Your judgment fell. May we not take the Age of Grace for granted; please grant us repentant hearts and restore us to perfect fellowship in Christ.
Amen

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