November 4, 2020: Day 74 – Ezekiel 22

The primary image in this chapter is that of blood.  There is blood seen as the city seems to hemorrhage as a result of the idolatry that has led it to defile itself.  As a result it has become a disgrace to the nations.  If you look at vs.6 you see that those who are in power in Israel were bent on shedding blood, and as a result they are now reaping what they have sown.  The list of abominations in which they were involved is jarring and not worth repeated.  Suffice it to say that the theme is that of blood and this blood comes as a result of the abominations that are committed.

God is not only frustrated but relegates Israel to a place where they will receive and fully experience the wrath of God.  You can find that in vs.21.  This fire of wrath was seen first hand as the nation is taken into captivity into Babylon.  So, we find ourselves in the midst of a contested election.  But notice how things are going.  Things are pretty quiet as people are counting votes.  The uniqueness of our system and the way in which we are able to persevere even in this very strange time is an incredible testament to the system that we have established here in this country. We are all waiting for the results…peacefully.

I am always careful in making too many parallels to Scripture and any sense of manifest destiny that some within our country might feel.  We are no better nor closer to the kingdom of God than any other country on the face of this earth.  But I can think of no other country that is able to make the types of transitions that we make while the people of the land wait peacefully for the results.  It ought to make us not proud, but certainly grateful and even more motivated to find ways to encourage our governments to more closely align with the kingdom of God and that which Matthew 5 and Matthew 25 encourages.  Take heart, we are an amazing country with amazing people from every end of the spectrum.