Ezekiel 25:6-7 – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped and danced and cheered with glee at the destruction of my people, I will raise my fist of judgment against you. I will give you as plunder to many nations. I will cut you off from being a nation and destroy you completely. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
God has some enemies. Throughout the Old Testament, we can read story after story of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines. Remember Goliath? Philistine. The book of 2 Kings has some stories about these nations, including in chapter 23 in which we read about the desecration of God’s Temple by the Moabites. The sacred dwelling place of God had been ripped apart and his altar replaced by an Asherah pole to worship a fertility goddess. The rituals involved were deeply evil.
Today’s chapter has individual words for each of these four enemy states. The theme is the same: because you have opposed God, your nation will be wiped out and your land destroyed. God makes it clear he will not be mocked or replaced. Anyone who thinks they have found a power greater than God will learn the error of their ways.
Here’s your freedom for today:
Only God can save you.
When we turn to other gods, we look to them for safety, security, or provision. We might not call it “pagan worship” today (though some do continue to worship ancestors, spirits, and pagan gods). For most Americans, we turn to things like our bank account, the government, sex, or our possessions. We treasure these things, trust these things, and at times replace God with these things. Our hearts are more affectionate towards our phones than our Creator. What are you looking towards today to save you or give you security? What might God need to destroy in your life to remind you that he alone is God? The good news is that God doesn’t want to destroy you or the things in your life. He’s given us the opportunity to surrender these things on our own. However, even time is not guaranteed to us, so take today to bring your heart in alignment with God. Turn from worldly gods while you have time.