The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. 3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight.
One of our favorite home videos has Vicki warning young Lauren not to jump rope with a 2 foot rope, seconds before she fell flat on her face. She was fine but the connection to Israel’s refusal to listen to reason was inescapable. Ezekiel, like Isaiah before him and Jeremiah, warned the people that their sinfulness would lead to destruction and captivity. They refused to see or hear the warning signs all around them, even when God commanded Ezekiel to act it out for them by going into exile to symbolize it for them. Nope. that did not work either.
We are no different. Sometimes, it is necessary for someone to pay the consequences before the lesson finally gets learned. By then, it is usually too late. It certainly became too late for Jerusalem when it fell to Babylon shortly after these warnings. America is jumping rope with a two foot rope and will soon fall flat on its face. Jesus has called us as his criers to go about the towns and cities, telling the people that their sin will lead to eternal exile. Let us praise the Lord for opening our eyes and ears.
Dear Lord, thank you for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. Help us to act out the kingdom for people so their eyes and ears will be opened. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church