God is still showing Ezekiel around “Christmas Carol” style, and this time, Ezekiel sees the death of what seems like most of Israel. God has a guy go out and put a mark on everyone who is grieving over their sin. God also has six other guys follow the marking guy. These six are told to kill everyone that doesn’t get a mark.
As Ezekiel sees the massive bloodshed, he weeps over the dead, wondering if any will be spared. God simply replies, “…I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but will bring down on their own heads what they have done” (v. 10).
This is one more reminder of how serious God is about sin, but this time there is a new side of God we see. God honors and protects the repentant heart. He sees those who truly mourn over their sin and has compassion on them.
This ties in exactly to what we’re going to be talking about on Sunday! We’re talking about the Last Supper when Jesus foretells the sins of Peter and Judas. One of the big differences in these stories is the aftermath of their sin. Peter realizes his mistake, repents, and becomes a cornerstone of the church. Judas realizes his mistake and thinks so little of himself that he commits suicide.
How repentant am I over sin? Do I grieve over my mistakes, or do I simply let them slide? God, break my heart over my sin. Give me a heart that grieves and aches. Amen.
After Ezekiel’s year-plus of lying on his side, God shows him another vision. In this vision, he is taken around Jerusalem and shown detestable things that Israelites are doing. Each time he is shown something, God tells him that he will see something even more detestable. At the end of the journey, God tells Ezekiel that He will not listen to them and will deal with them in anger.