God Is Looking For A Man

GOD IS LOOKING FOR A MAN

EZEKIEL 22 v.23 -31 v.30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

INTRODUCTION: God looks for men!

(a) In Salvation

God has been seeking for the souls of men to return to Him ever since the man fell in the garden.

Genesis 3:9–“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

Luke 19:10–“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Romans 3:11–“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

(b) In Service v.:30 "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."

I. THE PERIOD OF HIS SEARCH.

A. It Was A Time Of Sinful Poverty. (Ezekiel 22:1-12)

This was a time of :-

(a) Disturbance Bloodshed & Idolatry v.3 "Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine"

(b) Disobedience of Parents v.7 "In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow."

(c) Desecration of the Sabbath v.8 "Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths."

(d) Defilement v.10 "In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

(e) Deceit v.12 "In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD."

(f) Denial v.28 "And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken."

Denial Of God's Will "daubed them with untempered mortar", Of God's Way "seeing vanity, and divining lies", Of God's Word "when the LORD hath not spoken"

B. It Was A Time .Of Severe Punishment . (Ezekiel 22:l3-22)

They would be :-

(a) Reproved v. 13 "Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee"

(b) Removed v.15 " And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee."

(c) Refined v.21 "Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you."

C. It Was A Time Of Spiritual Pollution. (Ezekiel 22:25-28)

THE PROBLEM WITH PROPHETS - Vss. 25,"There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof." 28 " And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken."

THE PROBLEM WITH PRIESTS - Vs. 26 "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them."

THE PROBLEM WITH PRINCES (LEADERS) - Vs. 27 "Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain."

THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE - Vs. 29 "The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully."

THE PROBLEMS WITH PRAYER - Vss. 30 "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."