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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 355

"Should you then possess the land?"

Text: Ezekiel 33:26

THE PERSISTENT SINS OF THE REBELS

The rebels who escaped spoke arrogantly about how they would inherit the land. They were confident that they would do better than their contemporaries in their battle against the Babylonians.

“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
‘You eat meat with blood,
you lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood.
Should you then possess the land?
You rely on your sword, you commit abominations,
and you defile one another’s wives.
Should you then possess the land?””
Ezekiel 33:25-26

1. The Lord responded to the words of the rebels.

2. He reminded them of their sinfulness.

3. Five grievous sins were highlighted:

a) Eating meat with blood.

i) This was a blatant disregard for the Lord’s word.

ii) Israel was told to kill the animals humanely.

iii) They must not eat meat with blood.

b) Lifting their eyes to idols.

i) The rebels were still worshipping idols.

ii) They had not given up their idolatrous practices.

iii) They were not worshipping the Lord.

c) The shedding of blood.

i) The rebels were quick to shed blood.

ii) Killing people did not bother their conscience.

iii) They were murderous.

d) Relying on their swords.

i) They lived by their swords.

ii) They were swift to react with violence.

iii) They were violent people.

e) Committing abominations.

i) This was done because of idolatrous practices.

ii) One form of abomination was the raping of women.

iii) These were sins associated with the rebels.

4. The Lord’s question.

a) Given all these problems, should they possess the land?

b) This question was repeated by the Lord.

c) The answer was obvious.

i) They will not possess the land.

ii) The Lord would not give them the land as their inheritance.

iii) They were unworthy of the Lord’s blessings.