Saturday
In the seventh year of Jehoiachin’s exile, elders living in Judah during this time, went to question God through Ezekiel as to what is happening. I don’t think they expected to hear God answer their questions the way He did.
The questions aren’t actually stated, but we hear God’s response in our reading today. God gives Ezekiel a clear directive that judgment is to be announced to the elders.
He starts by giving a history lesson. It is always good for us to look back in order to adjust and reorder our lives. My husband, always tells me after an event that it is good to do an assessment on how things went. What did we do well, what did we do wrong and what needs to be fixed? God is doing a very similar exercise here, to show the elders just how sinful God’s people are and how merciful God has been. And so we hear of God giving the people the law (The Ten Commandments) and how because of their rebellion, that generation would not see the Promised Land. But they are also given a great opportunity to be faithful participants in the covenant and learn to be a holy people, (in one way) by remembering to keep the Sabbath. Vs 20 says, “Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us.” By keeping this tradition, we are in effect, following the example of God and that one action helps us to draw closer to God.
After Ezekiel finishes talking with the elders and the rest of the people, they start complaining that Ezekiel speaks only in parables and they are unable to understand. I think they don’t understand because they don’t like what Ezekiel is saying. We often blame the messenger when we don’t like the message, but even though our witnessing may fall on deaf ears, it is our place (as it was Ezekiel’s) to keep sharing, to keep speaking the truth of Jesus.
The disciples asked Jesus a similar question in Matthew 13,
10 “The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’ 11He replied, ‘Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.’”
In essence, this same message is shared again and again, you will understand if you live your life for Jesus. The Holy Spirit will help you, knowledge may not all come at once, (pretty sure it would blow our minds if it did) but God will reveal to us what we need to know in His timing.
Blessings and peace
Pastor Kathy