Ezekiel 8:15, “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”
The Book of Ezekiel tells us about a very difficult time in the history of the children of Israel. The nation, who were extremely blessed by God, had disobeyed God and brought His chastening hand against them. Ezekiel, the servant of the Lord, was part of a group taken in captivity. While in captivity, I’m sure there were many days when Ezekiel’s, and others, mind raced to questioning why. Why did all these atrocities come upon the nation? Why did God remove His precious protective hand that these evils would take place?
In Ezekiel chapter eight, the Lord appears to Ezekiel. The Lord then carries Ezekiel to see the abominations of the nation. Ezekiel, by the revelation provided by God, was able to view just how wicked the leaders of the nation had become. I’m sure much of it was an incredible shock to the servant of God. I’m sure his questions were changed to, How could this people who have been so blessed commit such things? The idolatry and rebellion, I’m sure, was much worse then Ezekiel ever imagined. The leaders of the nation, and the people, had turned their backs on the Lord Who had been so good to them. God had blessed them with light and understanding when others had dwelt in darkness. God had blessed them to inherit a land where they could serve the Lord God in the light He blessed them with. Yet, they sinned and desired the idols of this world to be their gods. The people had loved darkness more then light. They had walked in the ways of Baal, and offered their children to the fire gods of Molech and Chemosh. Ezekiel 8:8:14 shows us one weeping for Tammuz, a Mesopotamian god worshiped in Babylon. Rather than weeping for ther sins, the weeping was done for idols. Ezekiel, by the hand of God, was able to view the sins of the people. He saw first hand just how far this people had descended into ungodliness.
In today’s world, we are experiencing something similar. For the first time, for many, people are witnessing just how far our government and nation has descended. A nation once that upheld the God of heaven and earth as the only wise and true God, now finds itself in the ways of atheism more and more. A nation that at one time prayed for God’s rich blessings, now has news media that condemns those who pray. But just how far have we descended as a nation? I’m afraid we all would be shocked if God helped us to see as He did Ezekiel. Yet, we do find comfort in the fact that God is still God. He hasn’t changed. And just as He helped His children in the days of Ezekiel, we can trust Him to help us today. No matter how dark the way may seem, dear child of grace, God is always a “very present help in time of trouble, “Psalm 46:1. So let us continually labor to be faithful to God, that we may shine forth His glory in a world that becomes darker and darker everyday. Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”