S) "23 'Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it,' declares the Lord God."
Ezekiel 14:23 (NASB)
O) To make a very strong point, in the second half of this chapter, the LORD spoke to Ezekiel about some hypotheticals. He said that, when He stretches His hand out against a nation, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that nation, He would not spare the nation but only those three men. He gives four examples of the same thing, whether using famine, wild beasts, the sword, or plague. Then, after giving the same example, that He will not spare a country once He has passed judgment, even if those three men were there, regardless of which of the four methods of judgment He might use, He turns this hypothetical against Jerusalem in reality, in v.21. However, God assures Ezekiel that there will be a remnant spared. He says there will be survivors who come to Ezekiel, after all four judgments come against the city Jerusalem. Consequently, their conduct and actions, righteous as they will be at that point, at least, will be a comfort to Ezekiel. Whether that is because they were already a faithful, righteous remnant, or because they were the only people willing to repent, we don't exactly know. In either case, they will apparently be found righteous before God (as Noah, Daniel, and Job), at least at that point they will be. So, Ezekiel will be able to see that God's righteous judgment was not to destroy every last person from Jerusalem, or to cut off the line of Israel. His purpose is to winnow, to purge, to purify for Himself a remnant who will be faithful to Himself.
A) When calamity strikes, I often hear people say trite things like, "everything happens for a reason." While that is true in the strictest sense, people usually mean it as a comfort, as if to say whatever has happened will turn out for the good. This is simply not true. At the very least, people die in the guilt of their sins, everyday, and that is most assuredly not for the best. Having said that, this verse is a very great comfort to me, because it does remind me that insofar as the will of God is being accomplished, His purposes are always righteous, good, and just. So, when God does purpose trials, tribulations, even judgments in my life, but those circumstances are the tools of His discipline, then when I see my conduct and actions, I will know that He has not done in vain whatever He has done to me. Similarly, when I am praying for my loved ones, whether or not they have yet committed their lives to Jesus, and I am asking for the will of God to prevail in their lives, to be done in their lives as it is done in heaven, and I see tragic, stressful, painful, or even terrifying things happening in their lives, I must hope, pray, and trust that it will bring them to repentance. If I can see their conduct and actions honor God after such circumstances, then I will be comforted with a great comfort, indeed.
P) Father, You have allowed me to experience some difficult times. I can look around me, and see that there are others who have faced much more difficult times, more difficult struggles, more pain, more loss, more tragedy. So, I am thankful that You have spared me from more difficult things, so far. Having said that, I would be glad to face anything You have in mind for my life, if it means being a better, stronger, more devout disciple for Jesus Christ. I trust Your discipline, Father God. I trust that whatever judgments You put forth, while I am still on earth, are only the methods to keep me as Yours so that in my final day, I am found to be faithfully with You. Lord, there are a lot of people in my life who are estranged from You. Like the elders mentioned earlier in this chapter, they have idols before their faces, and erected in their hearts, that are keeping them from a right relationship with You, Lord. Father God, I ask for You to judge them on earth, using whatever means You determine are right, that they would come to repentance and right conduct and actions. Soften their hearts, or else break their hearts, that they would see the truth of who You are, who they are, and what it means to be in relationship with You, Lord. I look forward to the day, that I see their conduct and actions, and it comforts me to know that what You have done in their lives was not done in vain, but that it accomplished the purposes You designed. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven . In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
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