LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Message 13
THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
WEEK 5 - SATURDAY
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 14:3, 5, 22:18; Rev. 2:4
Read and pray: “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)
Dross
Ezekiel 22:18 says: “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the midst of the furnace; they have become dross of silver.”
This reveals that Israel, God’s precious treasure, became dross, the useless material that remains after gold and silver are refined. As God’s chosen ones, they became rebellious; as God’s vine, they became briars and thorns; as God’s bride, they became a prostitute; as God’s flock, they became scorpions; and as God’s treasure of gold and silver, they became dross.
This picture of Israel can be applied to the situation of Christianity today. In their position, Christians are God’s chosen ones; however, many have become rebellious against God. Instead of being a vine, they have become briars and thorns. Instead of being a wife, they have become a prostitute.
According to Revelation 17 and 18, Christianity today is not a bride but a great prostitute with many prostitute daughters. Therefore, Christianity today is truly a prostitution. Furthermore, among Christians, what we see today is not a flock producing meat and wool for others, but scorpions. In the end, although some Christians today may be a treasure to God, the majority have become dross.
THE REASONS FOR ISRAEL’S DEGRADATION
How could such a wonderful people, who were God’s chosen ones, God’s vine, God’s bride, God’s flock, and God’s treasure, become rebellious, briars and thorns, a prostitute, scorpions, and dross? In order to answer this question, we need to consider the reasons for Israel’s degradation.
Idolatry
The first reason for the degradation was their idolatry. Ezekiel speaks repeatedly about the idols in the midst of the people of Israel. We should not consider that an idol is always an outward image. Idols are substitutes for God.
Ezekiel 14:3 says, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart.” Those who set up idols in their hearts are separated from the Lord by their idols (v. 5). Verse 4 says, “Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Every man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him when he comes according to the multitude of his idols.”
In these verses we see a principle: all those who have idols within them and yet seek God outwardly cannot find God. God will not be found by those who set up idols in their hearts.
Those who seek the Lord with all their heart find Him (Jer. 29:13). However, God will not be found by those who seek Him outwardly but have idols inwardly. If there is an idol in our heart, something in our heart that occupies us instead of God, it will be useless for us to seek God, for in that situation God has no way to be found by us.
Anything within us that is a substitute for God is an idol. Whatever I love more than the Lord is an idol. A scholarship, education, money, clothes, wife, husband, children—all these can be idols, something or someone we love more than God and that replaces God in our life. Whatever is more important to us than the Lord is an idol. The first reason for Israel’s fall and degradation was idolatry.
The principle is the same with the degradation of the church. In Revelation 2 we see that the degradation of the churches began with leaving the first love toward the Lord (v. 4). The Lord Jesus said that the church in Ephesus had many good works, but He had something against them, because they had left their first love for Him.
This indicates that they had some idols. If we do not love the Lord with the first love, this is a sign that we have some kind of idol. Whatever I love more than the Lord is our idol. If we realize this, we will see that the cause of the degradation of Israel and of the church is exactly the same.
The people of Israel worshipped idols as substitutes for God. The situation is the same with a large number of Christians today. The majority of Christians have lost their first love. Some love their missionary work much more than they love the Lord Himself. Others love their Bible study or their evangelistic work more than the Lord. Many take care of their work but do not care for the Lord.
Dr. A. W. Tozer, of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, once said that if the Lord Jesus were to enter a conference of Christian leaders, they would not recognize Him. Although they might be discussing their work for the Lord, if He entered their meeting, they would not recognize Him. Tozer’s observation indicates that it is common for Christians to love many other things more than the Lord Himself.
Association with the World
Idols lead people into association with the world. The people of Israel had idols, and through those idols they came into contact and associated with the world, that is, with the Gentile nations.
This indicates that as long as we have something within us that is a substitute for the Lord, we will be associated with the world. We may love various things in place of the Lord: money, a degree, a good job, a car, a house, a good life, and even our husband, wife, or children. Anything we love more than we love the Lord will lead us into association with the world and bring us into worldliness.
Walking according to the Customs of the Nations
After the people of Israel associated with the nations, they began to walk according to the ways and customs of the nations. This means that they followed the nations. We need to realize that the three causes of Israel’s fall and degradation are also the main causes of the fall and degradation of Christianity today.
These causes are: loving something more than the Lord or in place of the Lord, association with the world, and walking according to the customs of the nations. Although we are in the Lord’s recovery, I am concerned that some may still have an idol within them, may still be associated with the world, and in their daily life may still walk according to the custom of the nations.
We should not pattern our life after unbelievers in any way. For example, we should not follow unbelievers in the matter of the way of dressing. We should not be interested in any particular style; rather, we should be concerned to have a proper appearance. The way we live, the way we spend our money, and the way we dress should not be according to the custom of the nations. We are a holy people, and for this reason we should be different from the people of the world.
🌿Enjoy more:
Hymn: Praise the Lord - “Satisfaction with Him”
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