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Ezekiel 33 (ESV)
7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
REFLECTION:
After the destruction of Jerusalem, from the beginning of this chapter, Ezekiel’s message has shifted from condemnation and judgment to comfort, hope, and the return of God’s people in the future. God had appointed Ezekiel as the watchman before and asked him to warn the Israelites that the judgment would come. God here once again appointed Ezekiel as the watchman, only this time He ordered Ezekiel to convey the message of hope and forgiveness of sins, but the message still contains a warning element. This is an important turning point in the Book of Ezekiel. The sins committed in the past discouraged the Israelites in exile. They had refused to face their disobedience, and here they finally realized the sin of rebelling against God for many years. So God assured them: If they repent, God will forgive them. God not only wants to save the Israelites, but also wants everyone to return to Him. God cares about the present and future of each of us, not our past. The opportunity to return to God depends on whether we are willing to accept it. We should follow God sincerely, especially when we fail and fall, we should confess our sins and repent, and ask God to forgive us. The God of grace and compassion “have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” If we turn back in our sins, we will be forgiven and accepted by God. “You turn back, turn back!” Is this also God calling us today?
PRAYER:
Come to God humbly, ask God to enlighten the darkness and filth in your heart, and confess your hidden sins to Him; ask God to give you strength so that you can escape from the bondages that you are currently powerless or unwilling to escape from, so that you no longer enjoy this “joy in sin”, but “turn back” to the path of seeking God wholeheartedly.
HYMN:
Refiner’s Fire – youtu.be/7qCdr5FEXic
