Numbers 14:18-19 says: “The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he won’t acquit the guilty. He recalls the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

In my prayer, the Lord revealed through Ezekiel 14 that idolatry and persistent unfaithfulness will be punished. This is a warning to all Christians who have turned to idolatry in their hearts; all who have placed stumbling blocks, their own iniquity, their own guilt, in front of their faces. God reveals His judgement in the form of “silence” against all leaders who come to Him under the pretext of seeking His counsel, but in reality it is for their own self interests. In His direct response to these sinful people, God will neither answer their prayers nor speak through these false prophets or false teachers who speak out of their own imagination (Ezekiel 14:1-11). God’s only answer and call to them is to “repent”!

Paul says in Titus 1:5, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” As true children of God, we are expected to seek out God and establish a personal relationship with Him, for godliness is not inherited but comes by divine transformation of our hardened and rebellious hearts. God will bring about true transformation among genuine seekers who yield to Him by renewing their minds and hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is out of the love that God graciously speaks to us. Out of love He warns us of what is coming, through His messengers, who include His prophets and teachers. As God’s messages are rooted in the Word, God will deceive false prophets who wilfully reject His Word by permitting a cloud of darkness which will hide His truth from them, resulting in deception by their own obstinate self-will.

In His judgement on all who are persistently unfaithful, the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 14:12-23. National sins bring national judgements. When virtue is ruined and laid waste, everything else will soon be ruined and laid waste too. The divine power of God will be poured out and judgement will be extended and stretched forth to all the corners of the earth, to all the concerns and interests of the nations.

God said that even the righteous Noah, Daniel and Job could not save anyone but themselves. That was and this is the nature of our Lord God; a just, holy and righteous God. In Ezekiel, like now the Lord promised four forms of judgement which would be poured out across the four corners of the land: through the sword; famine; ravages of wild beasts; and pestilence (massive death by disease).

Through this message, God is calling us to “Repent and turn to Him for righteousness and godliness” before it is too late. There is no other way!!! God is mighty to save and He is able to restore us if we truly turn away from our sins and turn to Him instead, for Psalms 23:3 promises: “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Let us now prayerfully consider and meditate on the following verses of scripture which the Lord shares with us.

Psalms 96:7-10 “Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts! Worship the LORD in the splendour of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth! Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”

1Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually!”

Numbers 14:19 “Forgive, please, the iniquity of this people, according to your great, faithful love, in the same way that you’ve carried this people from Egypt to this place, O LORD.”

Psalms 103:13 “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.”

Psalms 4:5 “Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.”

Psalms 25:4-6 “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.”

Job 12:16 “With Him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.”

Psalms 135:14-15 “For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.”

Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”

Psalms 102:15 “Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.”

Isaiah 13:17-19 “The Lord says: Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendour and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.“

Psalms 106:47 “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”

Psalms 40:2-4 “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! “

Philippians 1:8-11 “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Psalms 106:48 “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD!”

Amen and Amen.