Presents Pamphlet #1172 Ezek kc 36-1
Their
pulpits are infested with the "many who would come in the last days"
in
the name of Christ and deceive the multitudes
In
the opening verses of this 20th chapter of Ezekiel
we
see that certain elders from the House of Israel (not Judah),
who
were reeking from the smell of "*bull manure",
which
is what idolatry smells like to our Father,
came
down to ask Ezekiel for a word of wisdom from God.
*
Just as Moses' brother Aaron and Company built
a
golden calf to worship in the wilderness,
Rehoboam,
king of the northern 10 tribed House of Israel,
had
set up altars of molten "calves" in the hills (high places)
for
the people to come and worship and bring their sacrifices.
In
our understanding that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1),
we
see today that there are many altars of spiritual bull
set
upon the hills and street corners for people to come and worship.
Their
pulpits are infested with the "many who would come in the last days"
in
the name of Christ and deceive the multitudes (Mk. 13, Mat. 24).
How, you ask?
By teaching the traditions of men (bull) instead of God's Word.
So who do people really worship when they go there?
That's the point of this chapter for us to see.
One
big question to consider as one reads this chapter 20 is,
"How
would you feel toward a child who is not only ungrateful
for
all that you have done for him (or her) but who totally disregards your
instructions
with
an "in-your-face" attitude,
and
then turns around as if nothing was wrong and asks you to do him a favor?
That
is exactly how God views these elders of Israel,
so
He told Ezekiel to tell them regarding their inquiry, "No way!"
He is NOT going to answer their requests until they clean up their acts.
Let's
study the 20th chapter of Ezekiel
where
God is recapping to Ezekiel
the
way He feels about how His children have treated Him
after
all the wondrous and marvelous things He did for them
in
bringing them out of the bondage of Egypt
and
providing them with everything they needed
to
live happily ever after under His protection.
They simply would NOT listen and obey Him?
It's no different today!