9/5/2011
I am in the book of Ezekiel who prophesized during the time that Israel was in Babylonian captivity. I was flooded with thoughts on this day and I want to share with you all.
We have a demoralized people in America. We and our ancestors have allowed America to become what it is today because we did not take a stand against evil. We have given in to a wicked society, have become desensitized, and in doing so we have compromised the Word of God. We have depended on others and continue to depend on others when we should be taking a stand against evil in the name of Jesus.
Corporate responsibility has not worked and will not shield the individual believer from our responsibility. Each individual must accept personal responsibility for our national calamity. Each individual is responsible for his or her individual sin. It is the weight of the cumulative sin of each individual that has contributed to the downfall of America and each and every one of us bears a share of the blame.
Three very important personal, relevant lessons can be learned in Ezekiel. First is the importance of individual moral responsibility. Although it is true that God still blesses and corrects entire local churches (Rev 2:3), His primary dealings are with individuals. As such, one cannot appeal to the righteousness of others as his righteous nor need he fear personal correction for the sins of others. Second, Ezekiel teaches that though God is reluctant to discipline His people severely, He must. He is a righteous and jealous God as much as He is merciful and forgiving. Third, Ezekiel assures us that God will ultimately triumph in history. His enemies may be winning battles now, but future judgment will totally destroy them.
“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.” We can’t allow this statement from Bernard Shaw to apply to us. God never changes. If God brought judgment on Israel, He will do the same with us. He has blessed American with great wealth (spiritual and monetarily) and we spend it on ourselves instead of His Kingdom.
We have a moral and Godly responsibility to take a stand against the dark kingdom and to recognize that we are not to blame others. Rather, we need to look at ourselves. Turn to God for forgiveness and call on the Holy Spirit to help us change.
Ezekiel 3:18-21 (NLT) If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me. “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”
