Daily Lesson for August 31, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Ezekiel chapter 22 verses 23 through 31:

23 The word of the Lord came to me: 24 Mortal, say to it: You are a land that is not cleansed, not rained upon in the day of indignation. 25 Its princes within it are like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows within it. 26 Its priests have done violence to my teaching and have profaned my holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Its officials within it are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. 28 Its prophets have smeared whitewash on their behalf, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, “Thus says the Lord God,” when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery; they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the alien without redress. 30 And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.  31 Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; I have returned their conduct upon their heads, says the Lord God.

As we move through the book of the prophet Ezekiel we see his interpretation of the events to befall the city of Jerusalem and Judah as a whole.  What comes around goes around, Ezekiel says; and all the nation's tolerance of cruel leaders, sham priests, whitewash prophets, the ongoing acceptance of the oppression of the poor and the extortion of aliens will fall back upon them.  What they have done to others will soon be done to them.

And the LORD is left to look and lament: Is there no one to stand in the breach?  Is there no one to build back the wall again -- the wall of community and peace?

But the princes are like roaring lions.  And death is a simple calculation in somebody's hedge fund.  And there are a four pay day lenders on every corner. 

And 587 BC doesn't seem that far away.

And God is still looking for someone to stand in the breach.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson will come from Ezekiel 25-27.