Ezekiel Chapter 8 describes a vision of abominations in the Temple. For us now, we can see the importance of keeping our relationship with the Lord pure, not bringing anything else into it. But it is also a warning to remain stalwart in keeping that relationship unadulterated as the end times are on us and the Tribulation looms closer.
While Ezekiel was in his house with the Elders of Judah sitting before him, God lifted him into a vision. First God showed the prophet the gates to the courts of the Temple and there was an image of idolatry set up there. What a horrific atrocity! But it got worse. There was a hole in the wall of the court. It was a small hole that would allow someone to spy on the secret activities that took place behind the wall in the private chambers of the priests. God told Ezekiel to dig through the hole and it became a wide enough to enter.
Upon entering Ezekiel was shocked to see images of creeping things, loathsome beasts, and all idols engraved on the walls. But not only that, seventy of the elders each with a censer and incense were worshipping the various idols and images. They were in the private areas of the Temple doing these secret things. Verses 12-13 read,
“Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they commit.”
Each man thought he was hiding his idolatry and evil from everyone, including the Lord. They had no faith that God had not left them and turned to carved pictures, false gods, and wooded idols. They kept it all hidden as if only what other people saw was important. When something is kept secret, it is not hidden from God. Sin flourishes in the dark. One would think that was as repugnant as their sin could get. But it got worse.
At the North Gate the women wept and prayed to a false God, Tammuz introduced by the Babylonians. Worse still, inside the courts twenty five men worshipped, not God, but the Sun. They had their backs turned away from the altar toward the east. Verses 17-18 read,
“Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
It was too obscene. God’s jealousy ignited His wrath and it couldn’t be contained. Ezekiel’s vision continues in subsequent chapters and it is very clear that the vision is of the End Times and Tribulation. But we have to take warning now. It is really easy to take a little something from a pagan god, religion or belief and because it seems harmless allow it to become part of your belief system. It is not harmless. When we add other beliefs to the Word, it is no longer the Word. We are creating a god of our own liking.
Ezekiel’s vision took him from the gates to the inner most parts of the Temple. The outside where everyone could see called people not to worship the Lord, but idols. A display like that makes people think those practices are okay. If this celebrity who is famous for his Christianity is flagrantly using symbols for a pagan religion, then how many people will follow his twisted doctrines to hell? In the women’s court they followed a ritual introduced by the Babylonians. It is too easy to take Non-Christian doctrine and meld it into our lives. Numerology, Astrology, and Illuminati have all found their ways into our systems. And many haven’t noticed or cared. In the private chambers of the priests, they clandestinely worshipped images. They kept their sin to themselves, but lied to God’s face. They even blamed God for their actions when it was their own lack of faith that led to the treachery. That would seem the ultimate adultery.
But the ultimate betrayal was bringing it to the most sacred of places, God’s altar. It would be like cheating on your spouse in your marital bed, and inviting him to watch. The Lord will not accept it. The Day of Judgment is coming. The Tribulation is coming. We have to be diligent about our relationship with the Lord. We have to keep it uncorrupted. God is holy.
We don’t need anything extra. God is omnipotent. He is awesome. We don’t have to pull from other practices and beliefs, we only have to seek Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and His righteousness. We only have to trust Him.
Examine your heart and life. Are you allowing other practices to soil your relationship with the Lord? Are you doing some things in private, because your church family wouldn’t understand or agree? Are you worshipping the One True Living God or perhaps a god of your own creation?
Repent now, while there is time.
While Ezekiel was in his house with the Elders of Judah sitting before him, God lifted him into a vision. First God showed the prophet the gates to the courts of the Temple and there was an image of idolatry set up there. What a horrific atrocity! But it got worse. There was a hole in the wall of the court. It was a small hole that would allow someone to spy on the secret activities that took place behind the wall in the private chambers of the priests. God told Ezekiel to dig through the hole and it became a wide enough to enter.
Upon entering Ezekiel was shocked to see images of creeping things, loathsome beasts, and all idols engraved on the walls. But not only that, seventy of the elders each with a censer and incense were worshipping the various idols and images. They were in the private areas of the Temple doing these secret things. Verses 12-13 read,
“Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they commit.”
Each man thought he was hiding his idolatry and evil from everyone, including the Lord. They had no faith that God had not left them and turned to carved pictures, false gods, and wooded idols. They kept it all hidden as if only what other people saw was important. When something is kept secret, it is not hidden from God. Sin flourishes in the dark. One would think that was as repugnant as their sin could get. But it got worse.
At the North Gate the women wept and prayed to a false God, Tammuz introduced by the Babylonians. Worse still, inside the courts twenty five men worshipped, not God, but the Sun. They had their backs turned away from the altar toward the east. Verses 17-18 read,
“Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
It was too obscene. God’s jealousy ignited His wrath and it couldn’t be contained. Ezekiel’s vision continues in subsequent chapters and it is very clear that the vision is of the End Times and Tribulation. But we have to take warning now. It is really easy to take a little something from a pagan god, religion or belief and because it seems harmless allow it to become part of your belief system. It is not harmless. When we add other beliefs to the Word, it is no longer the Word. We are creating a god of our own liking.
Ezekiel’s vision took him from the gates to the inner most parts of the Temple. The outside where everyone could see called people not to worship the Lord, but idols. A display like that makes people think those practices are okay. If this celebrity who is famous for his Christianity is flagrantly using symbols for a pagan religion, then how many people will follow his twisted doctrines to hell? In the women’s court they followed a ritual introduced by the Babylonians. It is too easy to take Non-Christian doctrine and meld it into our lives. Numerology, Astrology, and Illuminati have all found their ways into our systems. And many haven’t noticed or cared. In the private chambers of the priests, they clandestinely worshipped images. They kept their sin to themselves, but lied to God’s face. They even blamed God for their actions when it was their own lack of faith that led to the treachery. That would seem the ultimate adultery.
But the ultimate betrayal was bringing it to the most sacred of places, God’s altar. It would be like cheating on your spouse in your marital bed, and inviting him to watch. The Lord will not accept it. The Day of Judgment is coming. The Tribulation is coming. We have to be diligent about our relationship with the Lord. We have to keep it uncorrupted. God is holy.
We don’t need anything extra. God is omnipotent. He is awesome. We don’t have to pull from other practices and beliefs, we only have to seek Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and His righteousness. We only have to trust Him.
Examine your heart and life. Are you allowing other practices to soil your relationship with the Lord? Are you doing some things in private, because your church family wouldn’t understand or agree? Are you worshipping the One True Living God or perhaps a god of your own creation?
Repent now, while there is time.
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