Ezekiel 14

CHAPTERS 1416THEME: Prophecy against the elders’ idolatry; vision of the vine; Jerusalem likened to an abandoned baby adopted by GodChapter 14 is divided into two major sections: the prophecy against the idolatry of the elders and the certainty of the destruction of Jerusalem. Both sections open with, “The word of the LORD came unto me” (vv. Eze_14:2, Eze_14:12). The Lord continues in this chapter to outline why He judged the city of Jerusalem as He did. The principles that are put down here are operative today also. God still judges nations.

Ezekiel 14:1

PROPHECY AGAINST THE ELDERS’ IDOLATRYIn these verses Ezekiel will call the elders of Israel to repent. I have noticed throughout both the Old and New Testaments repentance is God’s message to His own people, those who profess to belong to Him. “Repent and turn to God"that will be Ezekiel’s message here. The elders come to Ezekiel, and oh, how pious these fellows are! They pretend they want to listen to the prophet. It is like coming to church with a big Bible under your arm, pretending you want to serve the Lord.

Ezekiel 14:2

In effect the elders say, “Oh, brother Ezekiel, we don’t worship idols!” It was true they had not made idols, but the Lord said, “These men have set up their idols in their heart.” Samson was also a man who pretended to be God’s man, and the Spirit of God did come upon him at times. The Holy Spiritnever his hairwas the secret of his power. But there came a day when he went out and “…he wist it not …” (Lev_5:17)he knew not that the Spirit of God had departed from him. He had kept toying and playing with sin and at the same time wanting to be God’s man. How many people today in the church keep toying and playing with sin and think they are getting by with it? My friend, they are not getting by with it. Judgment is inevitable. They may go through the form and ritual of religion, keeping up a false front, but they actually have idols in their hearts. Ezekiel is told by the Lord that these men are phonies. They pretend they want to hear his message, but they do not hear it at all. When he turns around, they will put a knife in his back.

Ezekiel 14:4

God says He will judge these men. The Lord Jesus called the religious rulers of His day hypocrites. He used that frightful, awful word more than anyone. Ezekiel is speaking to the spiritual leaders of the people. How tragic this is! God is going to judge them. God will always judge phony religion. I believe that whenever a church or an individual departs from the truth, God will judge.

Ezekiel 14:6

God has laid it on the line that these men are phonies, not genuine, having idols in their hearts, sin in their hearts. Again, someone might say about Samson, “My, isn’t that terrible about Samson! I’d hate to live like that man did and have that judgment come upon me.” However, I am afraid that there are folk who sit in the church pew and yet would like to live in sin, to taste the fruits of sin. The very thing they condemn outwardly is the thing in their heart they would like to do. This old nature we have is bad, but God says, “Repent. Come to Me.” He is gracious to Israel. He is giving them an opportunity to become genuine, but they will not.

Ezekiel 14:12

CERTAIN DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEMThe false prophets were still running around saying, “God will spare Jerusalem. It is His cityHe loves it. He says His eye is there.” They could quote an abundance of Scripture about it. It is possible to quote an isolated Scripture or two to support false doctrine today. However, you cannot take a verse here and there; you must look at the whole picture presented in Scripture. When you do, you will not be able to support false theories. These prophets were wrong, and God is saying very explicitly that Jerusalem is to be judged. God says to Ezekiel, “The city is a rebellious city which has continuously rebelled against Me. I have given them opportunity to return to Me, and they will not.” God is very definite, and He means what He says. Judgment is unavoidable. Listen to just how serious He is:

Ezekiel 14:14

If Noah were in the city of Jerusalem, the Lord says, they would not listen to him. Just imagine what a warning Noah would have been to those people! But the people in Noah’s day did not listen to him, and the people of Jerusalem would not have listened to him had he been there. I get rather amused over the excitement about the search for Noah’s ark. I think they may find it, but let me ask you: How many believers do you think its discovery will make? If Noah himself were here today, who would believe him? They would call him a square and an old fogey! (One thing nice about being a square is that you don’t go around in circles as do a lot of other people. Some of those going around in circles really think they are big wheels, too!) They wouldn’t have listened to Noah, and they wouldn’t have listened to Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar listened to Daniel, however. What a tribute that is to Daniel! Yonder in the palace of the world’s first great ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, is Daniel. The Babylonians knew Daniel, and they knew he was God’s man. The Lord says that the Israelites would not have listened to Noah or Daniel or Job!

Ezekiel 14:17

God says that He intends to bring a sword upon the land. He is going to allow Nebuchadnezzar into the land, and he will destroy it.

Ezekiel 14:20

Noah would not have been able to save his own family in that city"they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.” Daniel saved a couple of empires, but if he had been in that city he could not have helped them at all. That is the reason that God got Daniel out of Jerusalem. God’s people wouldn’t hear him, but an old pagan king in Babylon listened to Daniel and made him prime minister. How many churches are there today where the people will really listen to the Word of God? I do not think there are many. That is one reason that this hour God is permitting His Word to go to the world via radio and why He is allowing the Word to reach groups of people that many Christians had given up on. My friend, if the folk in churches are not going to listen to the Word of God, He is going to go out yonder where people will receive it. Daniel would not have done any good in Jerusalem, but he was made top man in Babylon and there a pagan king listened to him. My friend, God is going to let people hear the gospel who are willing to listen to Him.