There’s no substitute for the real thing

Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Bern Leckie answers:

What did I like about today’s passage?

It’s never pleasant to hear about God’s judgement, but now that it has turned out from the Jewish people in Ezekiel’s time to their neighbours, I’m appreciating the bigger picture of what keeps getting between people and God.

On the surface, it might seem strange that God is dishing out punishments to other nations. Wasn’t it only his people who made and broke a covenant agreement with him? Israel and Judah are getting the promised results of their choices, which their ancestors agreed would be fair and right. So, what has this got to do with Tyre, the proud trading city, or the legendary civilisation of Egypt?

God identifies their common fault. In the way they have treated creation and seen their own role in it, they have cast themselves as gods. God’s accusation of Tyre is direct, and he identifies the cause: “Because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.” By doing well materially, they have assumed they are doing well spiritually, with piles of gold assuring them that they must be successful and wise. Why would they then need God when they are gods?

Egypt’s substitution of God might have been a little different, but just as foolish. By claiming dominion over creation, such as “The Nile belongs to me; I made it for myself,” Egypt’s Pharaoh put himself in God’s place. Remember from the Exodus story how Egypt had magicians to reproduce many of God’s miracles? They had gone their own way, spiritually, but were very much treading on God’s turf by claiming ownership of his stuff.

So, these nations would find that despite their actively ignoring him, God would not ignore them but act to show the world that being God is something only God can do.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God can intervene to show people that he is real even if they do not believe in him. Without a framework of faith in God, this intervention might only seem disruptive, even destructive. But God’s larger purpose is for everyone to know that it’s better to know and trust him than for us to fool ourselves that we don’t need him because we can do all that he does by ourselves.

God’s intervention with other nations at the time of Ezekiel shows that his kingdom plan was never restricted to nurturing one nation. From the beginning of scripture, the case is made that he is God of the whole world, and he has been working to bring all people back to him.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

I need to resist and reject the temptation to think that I am self-reliant because of some physical comfort, wealth, knowledge and wisdom. While these can all be good things, and God doesn’t tell us to give them all up to express faith in him, they are only truly meaningful when we acknowledge God as their source, keep relying on him and stay prepared to let anything else go when God leads us through changes of situation, fortune or understanding.

Who am I going to share this with?

As we discuss plans for this term at church, I’m aware of tension between what I think I know and what I’m sure God can surprise us with. I’ll reflect with the team as we look for his lead.