Eze.14:1-23, Each of you should keep your faith well (idolatry of the …

Eze.14:1-23, Each of you should keep your faith well (idolatry of the heart and self-salvation)

1. Who are the idolaters of the heart? (1-11)
 Verse 1, the elders are the leaders of the captive community. They came to Ezekiel to hear the word of God. However, God said that their hearts were filled with idols (3, ch.20). This is similar to the 70 elders that Ezekiel saw in the temple of Jerusalem in his vision secretly serving abominable idols(see 8:8-12). They were influenced by the Babylonian gods and fell into religious syncretism, serving idols (Is.29:13, they draw near to the Lord with their mouths and honor Him with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him). God wants them to abandon their idols and return to true faith that truly relies only on God. This is the way for them to enjoy God’s blessings.  Verse 3, they love worldly ways and follow the popularity and success of people. God does not tolerate their questions. The Lord cannot bless them in this state. Instead, he says that he will repay them according to the number of their idols (4). * The elders who should have been examples of faith became the target of God’s wrath (bad example) (v.8). We should use them as counter-teachers. They not only had idols in their hearts, but also had ‘stumbling blocks of sin’. Just as fish are caught in the bait of a fishing line, they were caught in the trap of worldly success, pleasure, and enjoyment and could not escape. Life is like walking through a minefield. You never know when or where it will explode and ruin your life. There are hearts that love sin in humans. They unknowingly move toward sin. The only way to avoid falling into sin is to read, hear, hold on to, and live by the Word of God. Ps.119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you.” When we hold on to the Word of God and live, God leads us to a safe place without landmines. Ps.12:5, “... I will arise and place him in the safe place where he desires.” 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Therefore, we must stake our lives on the word of God.
*Idols of the heart: Idolatry includes not only tangible things but also intangible things. The fundamental sin of idolaters is to turn away from God(7). It is to turn away from God and look at idols. Therefore, the only way for God’s people to live is to look only at God (Is.40:31, Heb.12:2). God looks at our hearts(1Sam.16:7). The actions of the captives who serve God outwardly but worship idols in their hearts are actions that put a stumbling block of sin before themselves.  Vs.4-5, God is trying to capture(catch) their hearts because they have betrayed (abandoned and left) because of their idols. V.6, What is true repentance? It is to turn away from idols, to turn away from everything that Theophany detests. It is a 180-degree turn from the path you were on (Shub, repeated three times in v.6). It is a complete change in the direction of your life. It means a complete and perfect change of purpose. This is what believing in Jesus is. It is the pursuit of a completely different essence of life. Mt.6:33, 2Cor.5:17. The tool God uses to bring back the people is His servant, the prophet. If a prophet delivers a false message, he will also perish. Responsibility is more important than privilege in God's work. Prophets, priests, pastors, and elders carry a heavy responsibility. They must only deliver the truth of the Lord. *What the saints will turn away from 1) Idols (6, Mal.4:5-6) 2) All abominations (6) 3) Seeing worthless things(Ps.119:37) *What the saints will do 1) Hear the law(Prov.28:9, 2Tim.4:4) 2) Turn to the word(Ps.119:59) 3) Saying thanks(Ephe.sians 5:4) 4) Working with their own hands in good works(Ephe.4:28). Vs.7-8, they will try to succeed by serving both God and idols, but will eventually fail and become a surprise, a sign(‘ot, sign), and a proverb(a thing of shame). They will be cut off from the people(see 13:9). Thus, they will become an example of not believing in this way. Using this as a lesson and a negative example, he tells us to turn away from idolatry and syncreticism. V.9, It seems that the Lord is neglecting false prophets and idolaters (Is.29:9-10) (5), but He will punish them when the time comes.
V.10, The Lord will punish both false prophets and the people who follow them, that is, both the tempter and the tempted.  * Lessons from vs.1-10: 1) Those who continue to sin without obedience and repentance cannot receive answers to their prayers (vs.3, 6) 2) The purpose of God's chosen people is not to completely destroy them, but to repent and be sanctified (11). The purpose of discipline is to purify them and lead them to salvation. *Verse 11: In conclusion

2. Judgment with four punishments(12-23) *The righteous will save only their own life(self-salvation)
V.12, God judges Israel with four punishments for idolatry and sin.
1) Famine(13-14): The first punishment is famine. They will starve because they have no food. The three people(Enosh=weak, sick, and dying human) were recognized as righteous. However, even if their righteousness were combined, it would not save the nation from destruction; each person would be saved only by his own righteousness. Noah's righteousness (Gn.6:9) did not save his generation from the flood. Job(1:1, 12:4) did not save his children from the tribulation. Daniel(1:8, 6:11) did not save even King Nebuchadnezzar, who favored him.
2) Wild beasts(15-16): The second punishment is to judge with wild beasts, desolating the land so that people cannot walk.  3) Sword(17-18): The third punishment is the sword, that is, war. Children will die because of this. In 586 BC, the Kingdom of Judah was destroyed.    4) Plagues(19-20): The fourth punishment is a plague. A plague will spread and kill people and animals. However, even if there are righteous people like Noah, Daniel, and Job, they will not be saved but only themselves. Salvation is a completely personal matter. Therefore, we must personally receive God’s calling and believe in Jesus well until the end. May we all live as faithful saints who keep our personal faith well.    Vs.21-23: The people who are saved from the four punishments will be taken captive to Babylon and will go to the captives who went ahead, so that they will be comforted(22-23). God's judgment on Jerusalem's sins is justified, and the remnant will repent, be saved, and experience restoration. The history of reconstruction will also occur through them.    *Lessons from vs.12-23: 1) God will thoroughly carry out the judgment that he has begun until it is completed. He will judge with four punishments: famine, wild beasts, sword(war), and plagues. The way to avoid these is to thoroughly repent with tears before the judgment(Lk.18:13-14) 2) Salvation is thoroughly personal. It is a personal matter, not related to groups or organizations. The righteous Noah, Daniel, Job, and even their children could not be saved(16). The three people represent the entire history of mankind. Noah is the most ancient era that humans can remember, from before to after the flood. Job is a person from the era when Abraham, the ancestor of Israel, lived. Daniel symbolizes the final era of Israel's history at the time.

3. Look to the God of hope (covenant, restoration) (11).
This is a very positive and hopeful word. God promises a new covenant(11:19-20, 36:25-28), that is, restoration and sanctification, through judgment. To those who repent, Jehovah will be their God, and they will regain the privilege of being his people. This is like sieving(winnowing fork, Am9:9, Mt. 3:12, Lk.3:17). The wheat(grain) will remain under the sieve, and the chaff will be filtered out.
*God will separate the wheat from the chaff. May you live as the people of God, the wheat.
*Question: What are the fruits of new acts that I should bear today, turning my heart and repenting and turning my face to be worthy of repentance, as the Israelites who left God’s embrace due to idolatry? (14:6, Mt.3:8, Mk.4:20)
*God shows mercy and compassion even in the midst of tribulation. God does not end everything with judgment. He always has the salvation of the people in mind. The book of Ezekiel ends with salvation and restoration. God judges Israel for their sins, but the purpose is not judgment, but restoration of their relationship with God. After this judgment, God will bring them back. He will speak to the remnant and they will see God’s justice. What kind of God is He? He gives the grace of love and salvation(Jn.3:16). He is merciful and gracious. He gives us Ex.34:6-7: “Then the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping goodness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation.’” Dear saints, let us all challenge ourselves to live like Noah, Job, and Daniel. Let us rely on the God who is full of kindness and grace, and who gives hope and restoration, and hold on to the Word He has given us. If you only hold on to the words of life of God and live, the Lord will pour out His power and grace. May you become blessed people of God who possess the life of Jesus, living like Job, Daniel, Noah, and Ezekiel of today. Amen.