WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS? Is God unjust to ask such a sacrifice of Ezekiel and his wife?
- Ezekiel 24:15-27.
- This is just a tough passage, but it’s one that points us to an important truth that often gets overlooked in the American church. Let’s start by unpacking this passage and then we’ll look at several relevant other passages.
I think the easiest approach is just to go verse by verse and then talk big picture.
- v. 15.
- This is from the Lord, so we’re dealing with His will and not, as sometimes happens, someone speaking falsely in His name.
- v. 16a.
- God is going to take the life of Ezekiel’s wife. This is the crux of our dilemma this evening and what makes us question God’s fairness and love.
- Note that his wife is the “delight of [his] eyes,” so there was great love there.
- vv. 16b-17.
- The death of Ezekiel’s wife is an object lesson for Israel. Part of the lesson involves Ezekiel’s response: he is instructed to not do all the traditional acts of mourning.
- v. 18.
- This actually happened.
- v. 19.
- This had the desired effect. Ezekiel’s unusual behavior raised the curiosity of the people, who asked him what this was all about and how it related to them.
- This creates a moment when Ezekiel doesn’t have to demand the attention of the people - he’s got it.
- vv. 20-24.
- Now we get to the point.
- It starts with a familiar mantra in the Old Testament: the people of Israel have wandered away from God and into sin. Now God is going to bring judgment.
- The people’s focus has been on the sanctuary of God. It is the “delight of your eyes” (v. 21), just as Ezekiel’s wife was to him. But their religion was an empty one, focused on outward ritual but lacking inward faithfulness.
- Now judgment from God is going to fall. The sanctuary they love will be desecrated as their land is captured. - - - - Those they love will die (v. 21b), just as Ezekiel lost someone he loved.
- Then God tells them that, like Ezekiel, they too will not mourn. It is possible this is a command for them - along the lines of “Don’t mourn when this happens because you deserve what’s happened to you.”
- I think it’s more likely, though, that this is not something they will choose to do, but instead it is just something they will do because the situation demands it. The tragedy will fall on them so suddenly and their situation will change so fast that they will not have time or opportunity to mourn (vv. 22-23). Under normal circumstances the death of their children would lead to an extended and profound mourning. But not when you’re in the midst of chaos and running for your life.
- Verse 24 brings that idea to a conclusion. God is telling the people of Israel: “When this happens, think back on Ezekiel and how he didn’t mourn and know that this was a called shot. I told you this was going to happen and Ezekiel’s situation is burned forever in your memory. In that moment, you will know without question that this is from Me. This isn’t just bad luck and poor military preparation. No, this is divine judgment.”
- So we have that point, clearly explained. And that could be our sermon tonight: when we have sinned greatly, God brings judgment. That’s a good and frequently repeated Biblical truth. If you’re in that situation this evening, take warning.
- But, honestly, that’s not what draws my attention in this passage.
- What gets me is the simple fact that God asks this of Ezekiel and his wife.
- Why does God ask this of Ezekiel and his wife?
- Is it unjust of God to ask this of Ezekiel and his wife?
- Is this too great a sacrifice?
- What does this tell us about what expects of us?
- To answer those questions, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover and multiple passages to look at.
- I should note as we start down this road this evening that I do think this troubling passage raises a question that is a huge blind spot for the American church. It’s a point where we have deliberately chosen a different path that has serious implications that are plainly evident.
“I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”: This speaks directly to what we might call the “God has a wonderful plan for your life” school of thought in American Christianity.
- I want to begin with a non-Biblical phrase that has been ubiquitous in American Christianity over the last 75 years: “God has a wonderful plan for your life.”
- You have undoubtedly heard this phrase many times. The complete version is “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” but we’re just concentrating on the last half.
- This is the initial point in salvation presentations in the evangelical church for all those years. The big names all use this: Billy Graham, Campus Crusade, etc.
- There is a problem, though: that’s not a particularly Biblical idea.
- There is a Bible verse that’s quoted: Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
- A couple things on that:
a. The first is that this is a particular moment in Old Testament history there in Jeremiah where God is speaking to Israel and telling them in the midst of their mess that He is working for their good and not their harm. It’s certainly true in that context but that doesn’t mean that is the primary way that God is interacting with all believers in all times.
- There are often principles we can learn from such Old Testament passages, but that doesn’t mean that all passages can be directly transferred to our situation without a consideration of the original context.
- One example of this that has created huge problems in the American church is 2 Chronicles 7:14. This is the “if - - My people who are called by My name” verse. This was written to Israel. American Christians have thoughtlessly lifted this from the original context and applied it to America, to great harm. America is not Israel and our situation is different. That verse cannot be directly applied to America with twisting it in a way that is inappropriate. If there is any modern application of that verse, it would not be to America but to the church. You could make an argument that the ideas there hold some relevance for the way the church should be acting, but that’s not the way it’s applied.
b. The second is that there are a whole host of New Testament verses that speak to the struggles and suffering that Christians should expect when they follow Jesus. And those are backed up by the example of the apostles and the sacrifices they had to make to follow Jesus.
- Where this all leads us is to ponder the word “wonderful” in that original statement.
- If people interpret “wonderful” to mean “Yes, this is a challenging road but it’s going to be incredibly meaningful and worth it. The sacrifices are ones you’ll look back on with dismissal compared to what God has done in your life. So, in the end, it is a wonderful life,” then we might be ok. But that, of course, is not how 99.9% of those who hear that statement interpret it.
- How do they interpret it?
- It’s more like this: “God wants to save you and bless you. God will bring good things into your life. He’s going to answer your prayers. Following Him is going to be all upside and no negative. Invite Him in and He’ll lead you into a wonderful, blessed life.”
- That completely ignores the call to sacrifice.
- That completely ignores the call to serve.
- That completely ignores the call to difficult spiritual growth.
- That completely ignores the call to financial giving.
- That completely ignores the call to love the unlovable.
- That completely ignores the call to share the gospel, even when it’s uncomfortable.
- That completely ignores the call to eschew earthly things and pursue eternal things.
- No, the way “wonderful” is understood is that God is going to make your life better, as defined by what you naturally want in your life.
- I do believe following Christ is the best way, but it’s not the easy way, and that’s what “wonderful” implies.
- This is a harsh criticism, but one that I believe is merited: this thinking is a cousin of the prosperity gospel.
- Those using this phrase would reject that vociferously because they reject the prosperity gospel as a shallow and unworthy twisting of the true gospel. The prosperity gospel proclaims that God is mostly interested in pouring out earthly blessings and making our life easier. In fact, the amount of money we have is an accurate measure of how close to God we are. This, of course, is heresy.
- But the “wonderful life” is a cousin to that line of thinking. It promises those who believe that God is interested in making their life easier and more “wonderful.” That's not promising riches per se, but it is promising ease and blessings.
- For Christians, one helpful verse to keep in mind here in order to have a more accurate understanding is 1 Corinthians 6:20. That verse talks about us being bought with a price. What’s that mean? It means that our redemption cost something. It cost Jesus dearly.
- When I fully grasp that, I then know that I owe a great debt to Jesus. I don’t walk forward trying to earn that salvation that has been given to me, but I do walk forward desiring to honor Jesus in any way I can. In that, it’s an act of gratitude, not obligation.
- This brings the idea of sacrifice back into the picture. When I see the amazing gift that Jesus has given to me, I want to do all that I can for Him. When He asks a sacrifice of me, I don’t look to myself and ask when it will benefit me. No, rather, I think of what He did for me and eagerly walk forward.
- The idea of being bought with a price deserves to be taken a step further, though. It’s not just that I do these things out of gratitude, although that is true. It’s also something I do because I owe that to Him. I belong to Him now and He is the CEO of my life.
- One example from my life is my forfeiture of my chosen career. God called me to give up my original career choice when He called me to be a pastor. It was not something I wanted to do and I fought Him on that for quite some time. In the end, though, I did what He was calling me to do. As His follower, He had the right to ask that of me. It didn’t have to be something I liked - He is in charge. I can look back on that decision with gratitude and know that He knew best but the decision was not one that was my choice. It was His.
WHY WOULD GOD ASK THIS OF US? The mission is that important.
- It’s not that He’s uncaring or indifferent. It’s that there is a mission that needs to be accomplished. And it’s that important.
- In our day the mission is the global spread of the gospel. That includes missionaries going to the farthest corners of the world as well as local churches reaching their communities.
- Perhaps the easiest way to make this point is to focus on the missionaries.
- Missionaries endure dangerous situations.
- Missionaries leave beloved family members.
- Missionaries get sick.
- Missionaries get lonely.
- Missionaries have to learn new languages.
- Missionaries need to live in cultures they are uncomfortable with.
- And on and on.
- Why go through all that trouble and sacrifice?
- Because the mission is that important.
- The mission is the share the good news in the darkest corners of the globe so that everyone gets to hear the gospel.
- Jim Elliot’s death.
- Was that worth it? Not according to the “God has a wonderful plan” school of thought. But according to the gospel, yes.
- Now would be a good moment to tell a story of sacrifice that led to enormous good.
- There are tons of missionary stories I could tell that would fit that bill, but there’s an even better story to tell: the story of Jesus’ death.
- God isn’t asking something of us that He is unwilling to do Himself. This is not a general far behind enemy lines speaking hollow words that cost him nothing. No, God Himself paid the ultimate price.
- Why? Why did Jesus come to earth and die on the cross? It’s obvious, isn’t it? He did it for our salvation. That was the mission. It was an enormous price to pay but the mission was so important.
- God asks us to do in a small way what He did in a big way.
- It would do us good to remember that the symbol of our faith is a cross, not a pillow.
- A pillow of ease and comfort is not what our faith represents.
- The cross is a symbol of redeemed suffering. Dwell on that for a moment: redeemed suffering. That's what Jesus did. That's what God expects of us.
- I want to close by going back to Ezekiel and his wife for a moment.
- What was asked of them was tough. No doubt about it.
- But there was a larger mission in mind. That event served as an unforgettable picture that all of Israel would remember and then as events unfolded they would know that the larger, national tragedy was a judgment of God.
- It was difficult but it was in service to a larger mission.
- That puts that event in a clearer context.
- As we go to the invitation, I think it’s worth a moment of reflection for each of us to ask: how much have I been focusing in my faith on what I can get out of it? And how much am I sacrificing for the good of this mission?
