20221002

robe and gavel

Ezekiel 22:1-5 (JDV)

Ezekiel 22:1 The word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said:
Ezekiel 22:2 “And you, son of Adam, will you pass judgment? Will you pass judgment against the city of blood? Then explain all her repulsive practices to her.
Ezekiel 22:3 You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: A city that sheds blood within her walls so that her time of judgment has come and who makes idols for herself so that she is defiled!
Ezekiel 22:4 You are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled from the idols you have made. You have brought your judgment days near and have come to your years of punishment. Therefore, I have made you a disgrace to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.
Ezekiel 22:5 Those who are near and those far away from you will mock you, you infamous one full of turmoil.

robe and gavel

As God’s prophet, Ezekiel had the responsibility of condemning sin and making God’s people accountable for their actions. So, in this context, it is only right that God calls on Ezekiel to pass judgment.

Often today’s culture attacks the Christian who dares to speak out against the slaughter of the innocent, or the acceptance of sexually immoral lifestyles. They throw Jesus’ words in our face and tell us that he taught us “don’t judge” (Matthew 7:1). But they ignore what Jesus was actually teaching — that we should not judge hypocritically.

Both our Lord and this prophet teach that there is a time when believers are responsible to point out evil and hold people accountable for their sins. Perhaps there are many of us today who need to hear the Lord’s words to Ezekiel: “will you pass judgment?”

There is a time when the robe and gavel are appropriate.

LORD, forgive us for failing to condemn blatant sin in our land.