Stemming The Tide-4 Series

STEMMING THE TIDE-IV—Ezekiel 22:23-31

Intervention/Confrontation/Stand against

Attention:

The little Dutch boy who plugged the leaking dam with his finger.

In her novel titled, ‘Hans Brinker, Or The Silver Skates,’ American author Mary Dodge made famous a tale of the bravery & commitment of a young boy in Holland.

He was coming home from school one day & notices a hole spewing water from a dike—Dikes protected the lower-than-sea-level land from being inundated with water from the sea.

It seems the boy did not have time to fetch help but rather plugged the hole with his thumb until help would arrive/He stayed there with his thumb in the dike all night, despite the cold, until the adults of the village find him the next day & make the necessary repairs.

Need:

To be individual & thereby corporate world changers.

YaHWeH sought for a man who would be willing to stand for Him in the midst of overwhelming sin.

YaHWeH is looking for a person to stem the tide of sin.

YaHWeH is looking for a person to stem/thwart/impede/obstruct the rampant onslaught of sin.

Who will stem the tide of sin?

Who will stand for the Lord against sin?

People who stem the tide of sin.

We have found previously that...

A person who stems the tide of sin, Addresses spiritual...

1. CLEANSING-CLEANLINESS(:23-24)

2. TREASON(:25)

3. DISCRIMINATION(:26)

4. GAIN(:27)

5. TRUTH(:28)

6—A person who stems the tide of sin addresses spiritual...

PRACTICALITY(:29)

Explanation:(:29)“oppression, robbery, mistreat the helpless”/Lifestyle/Application

:29—“The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, & mistreated the poor & needy; & they wrongfully oppress the stranger.”

*The sense of the Hebrew for “used oppressions” & “committed robbery” is more literally—‘Oppressively employed oppressions’ & ‘Robbingly employed robbery.’ OR ‘Pressed by Oppression’ & ‘Torn from by Robbery.’ Thus a ‘double whammy’ of exhortation intended to call the nation to examine their actions for what they really are, & thus for attaining the result of repentance.

The very people who have no power(“the poor & needy”) are the ones who are “mistreated” by “the people of the land.”

This should cause us to look at our own land. In fact, this is the stuff of rebellion, mutiny, insurrection, & revolution for any nation.

Likewise, resident aliens are “oppressed” injudiciously.

The way individuals(& thus the nation) treat others(even their own) is the ‘tell-tale’ marker of a “people” & their lack of faith.

Ps. 35:20—“For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet[egr--restful/peaceable] ones in the land.”

Ps. 36:1-4—<> An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity & when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness & deceit; He has ceased to be wise & to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed; He sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil.”

Ps. 120:6-7—“My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.”

If your religion(that which you live by) does not address real-life matters & relationships it is useless, being entirely cerebral.

Everyone acts on their heart’s trust, so that...Everyone’s actions eventually reveal what they REALLY believe!...Everyone’s actions reveal whom they ACTUALLY worship...Everyone’s actions reveal what TRULY drives them to do what they do!

“People”(See :25, 27—vpn)—Me `am—Noun Masc.—1) Nation, people—1a) People, nation, 1b) Persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men; 2) Kinsman, kindred. Strong—a people(as a congregated unit); specifically--A tribe (as those of Israel); hence collectively--Troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock.

“Land”(See :24)—Ura eh’-rets—

“Used/Practiced”(See “oppress” below)—qve aw-shak’—Qal Perfect—1) To press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort—1a) (Qal)--1a1) To oppress, wrong, extort, 1a2) To oppress. Strong—a primitive root(compare qse[To press upon/Quarrel]); To press upon, i.e. Oppress, defraud, violate, overflow.

“Oppressions/Extortion”—qve o’-shek—Noun Masc.—1) Oppression, extortion, injury—1a) Oppression, 1b) Extortion, 1c) Gain by extortion. Strong—Injury, fraud, subjectively--Distress; concretely--Unjust gain. Used 15X.

“Committed/Exercised”—lzg gaw-zal’—Qal Perfect—1) To tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force; 1a) (Qal)--1a1) To tear away, rob, 1a2) To seize, plunder(with accusative cognate). Strong—a primitive root; To pluck off; specifically--To flay, strip or rob. Used 30X.

“Robbery”—lzg gaw-zel’—Noun Masc.—1) Robbery, something plundered. Strong—Robbery, or concretely--Plunder. Used 4X.

“Mistreated/Vexed/Wronged”—hny yaw-naw’—Hiphil Perfect—1) To oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong; 1a) (Qal)--To oppress, suppress; 1b) (Hiphil)--To treat violently, maltreat. Strong—a primitive root; To rage or be violent: by implication--To suppress, to maltreat. Used 21X.

“Poor”—yne aw-nee’—Adj.—1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched—1a) Poor, needy, 1b) Poor & weak, 1c) Poor, weak, afflicted, wretched, 1d) Humble, lowly. Strong—Depressed, in mind or circumstances.