Eze 22:23-31 | KingComments | STEP | The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel again ( ). He – again called “son of man” – is to speak to the land and not just to Jerusalem about their shameful behavior ( ). Because of their refusal to cleanse themselves, the land remains unclean. Therefore, it has received no rain and is barren. Instead of fruit for the LORD that they themselves can enjoy, His wrath comes upon them. All sections of the people are involved in the unfaithfulness to God. First the prophets are mentioned ( ). They, who are to call God’s people to return to Him, as ‘colleague’, secretly make ‘price agreements’ to enrich themselves on the people. They act like a roaring lion tearing apart prey. So cruelly do they deal with God’s people for the sake of wealth and valuables they take from the people. They murder to the point that many women become widows. The second category are the priests ( ). They are to present and live out the law to the people ( ; ), but they adapt the law and break it themselves. They do not give God the gifts sanctified to Him, but use them for themselves (cf. ). As priests, they should know better than anyone what the distinction between holy and profane is ( ), but to them it is no matter of concern. Mixing of good and evil is a common thing for them, as long as it benefits themselves. They don’t turn just a blind eye with regard to keeping the sabbath, but they close both their eyes. What God has said about the sabbath does not interest them at all. God is not being sanctified in their midst, but profaned. The princes, the rulers, are no better than the categories already mentioned ( ). Instead of protecting the citizens and standing up for their rights, they think only of themselves. They cruelly engage in self-enrichment. The comparison to wolves in the midst of God’s people is telling. They tear apart their prey only to shed blood. This is how they destroy people, with the purpose of profiting from it. Once again, the prophets come into play ( ). This category is characterized by falsehood , the previous by violence ( ). They make themselves look pretty, they act as if nothing is wrong. They moderate themselves to speak in the Name of the Lord GOD, while seeing nothing but false visions and divining lies. They say what people like to hear instead of presenting the terrible reality and calling for repentance. What they say, the LORD has not spoken, let that be clear! The last category is the people of the land ( ). This group is no better than the previous categories who have some responsibility, but imitate them in their outrageous behavior. The people of the land also indulge in oppression and robbery. Poor and needy and foreigners are the victims who are robbed of their property without pity.

‏ Ezekiel 22:23-31

The Wicked Land

The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel again (Eze 22:23). He – again called “son of man” – is to speak to the land and not just to Jerusalem about their shameful behavior (Eze 22:24). Because of their refusal to cleanse themselves, the land remains unclean. Therefore, it has received no rain and is barren. Instead of fruit for the LORD that they themselves can enjoy, His wrath comes upon them.

All sections of the people are involved in the unfaithfulness to God. First the prophets are mentioned (Eze 22:25). They, who are to call God’s people to return to Him, as ‘colleague’, secretly make ‘price agreements’ to enrich themselves on the people. They act like a roaring lion tearing apart prey. So cruelly do they deal with God’s people for the sake of wealth and valuables they take from the people. They murder to the point that many women become widows.

The second category are the priests (Eze 22:26). They are to present and live out the law to the people (Deu 33:10; Mal 2:7), but they adapt the law and break it themselves. They do not give God the gifts sanctified to Him, but use them for themselves (cf. 1Sam 2:16). As priests, they should know better than anyone what the distinction between holy and profane is (Lev 10:10 ; Lev 11:47), but to them it is no matter of concern. Mixing of good and evil is a common thing for them, as long as it benefits themselves.

They don’t turn just a blind eye with regard to keeping the sabbath, but they close both their eyes. What God has said about the sabbath does not interest them at all. God is not being sanctified in their midst, but profaned.

The princes, the rulers, are no better than the categories already mentioned (Eze 22:27). Instead of protecting the citizens and standing up for their rights, they think only of themselves. They cruelly engage in self-enrichment. The comparison to wolves in the midst of God’s people is telling. They tear apart their prey only to shed blood. This is how they destroy people, with the purpose of profiting from it.

Once again, the prophets come into play (Eze 22:28). This category is characterized by falsehood, the previous by violence (Eze 22:25). They make themselves look pretty, they act as if nothing is wrong. They moderate themselves to speak in the Name of the Lord GOD, while seeing nothing but false visions and divining lies. They say what people like to hear instead of presenting the terrible reality and calling for repentance. What they say, the LORD has not spoken, let that be clear!

The last category is the people of the land (Eze 22:29). This group is no better than the previous categories who have some responsibility, but imitate them in their outrageous behavior. The people of the land also indulge in oppression and robbery. Poor and needy and foreigners are the victims who are robbed of their property without pity.

No One Stands in the Gap

Then we hear the astonishment of the LORD at what He notices, namely, that there is no one who knows how to direct the people in the right direction (Eze 22:30; cf. Isa 59:16a; Psa 106:23; Jer 5:1). Evil is so common that no wall can be build up to avert the judgment of God. There is no one to stand before Him as the representative of the people to keep Him from His intention. There is no intercessor to fill the gap that has been made in the wall of separation, through which idolatry flows in freely. There is no one to stop that flow. That is how common the apostasy is.

The LORD is so appalled at this that He “poured out” His indignation on them (Eze 22:31). It is written here in the past tense, as if it had already taken place. The people are so unchangeable in their sinful behavior that He has put an end to them by the fire of His wrath. What they get is what they themselves have asked for. Their way comes down on their own heads. They reap what they have sown.

It is an exhortation for us to stand up for God’s rights in the midst of an apostate Christianity and to stand in the gap. We can pray that God in His grace will not let judgment come yet, but will bring many back to faithfulness to Him. That is one of the greatest benefits that we can bestow on God’s people and, above all, honor God with. The Lord Jesus is the great Intercessor and Mediator. He is our example and we may follow Him in this too.