In Ezekiel 1 and 2 we saw the glory of the LORD. We saw that He is holy and worthy to be praised. No gods (idols) can stand up to Him. No army is big enough or strong enough to defeat Him. And yet in Ezekiel 6 and 7, the Israelites have turned to other gods and have put their trust in them. They have turned their backs on God. They worship idols and do despicable things in the sight of God. They do not fear Him and ultimately have chosen to live in rebellion.
Some things we learn about God in these chapters of Ezekiel:
1. He is a good and righteous judge that cannot leave evil unpunished.
2. He wants the people of Israel to come back to Him.... But first He must cleanse the sin because in order for Israel to be in relationship with a holy God they must realize their sin and repent. He has had to use extreme measures to make them see their need for Him and that their idols cannot save them.
3. He is all powerful and He alone deserves their worship and faithfulness.
Reading about the wrath of a holy God against a sinful and rebellious nation makes Jesus' sacrifice all the more clear. All of humanity has turned their backs on God. We run to idols and do despicable things. And yet, God chose to pour out His wrath on His only son. We deserve His wrath much like the Israelites did. However, Jesus took our punishment so that we could have a relationship with a holy and righteous God. Through Jesus, who did everything that the Israelites could not do, we have access to the Father that the Israelites could only imagine. And through Jesus' work on the cross, the whole world will know that He is the LORD.
You see, through the whole story, God wanted people to know that He is the LORD... that loves unconditionally and deserves all of our praise.
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