13"‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.
14"‘I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.’"
- P155
The Lord gives Ezekiel a parable on the day Babylon begins its siege: A pot isset to boil with choice meat and bones, but it is now encrusted and its depositwill not go away. The Lord declares that bloodshed and lewdness have madethe city impure. He will not relent until His wrath is satisfied. Jerusalem will bejudged according to her conduct. - P155
Ezekiel’s parable of the cooking pot portrays Jerusalem’s impending judgment. The pot, filled with choice cuts of meat, represents the city’s privilege and prosperity, while the fire symbolizes God’s purifying judgment. The command to "pile wood beneath it" and "bring it to a boil" emphasizes the intensity and thoroughness of this judgment. - P156
God’s judgment, while painful, ultimately serves a purpose. The people had been living just like the surrounding world; they were no different. This should prompt us to ask ourselves whether we are any different from non-Christians. If we do not see a difference, - P156
what does that say about our relationship with God? Just like with the Israelites, God may try to get our attention by allowing fiery trials to lead us back into the calling He has given us. - P156
The pot burning over an open fire and its rust still clinging to it, symbolizesthe public and inescapable nature of Jerusalem‘s judgment. The empty potrepresents the complete devastation awaiting the city, and the persistentrust highlights the futility of superficial repentance. The seemingly harshimagery underscores the seriousness of unrepentant sin and the necessityof God‘s purifying judgment. - P156
True transformation requires more than out-ward displays of remorse; it demands a deep inner cleansing. Just feelingbad about our sin but doing nothing else about it is not repentance thatbrings transformation. Repentance that transforms seeks to purge sin fromour lives with the power that God‘s Spirit makes available to all believers. - P156
Holy God, thank You for Your commitment to our purification. Give me the courage to face my sin honestly and welcome Your fire that refines my faith. May I emerge from the crucible of suffering more like You. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P156
"I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand beforeme in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found noone." - Ezekiel 22:30 - P157
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