Scripture Reading : Ezekiel 14
Theme : Each is Responsible for Idolatry
Idolatry of Elders, People and Prophets (1-11)
God does not just judge the idolatry of those in Judah, but He will also judge the idolatry of those in exile. God will judge each person in every generation according to his own heart and actions, not according to his ancestors’ heart and actions (Ex. 34:6-7). Whoever commits idolatry and turns away from God’s kingship, whether they be elders, false prophets or those inquirer of false prophets, God will judge them. The people in the exile need to repent too since they are also idolatrous and stubborn. They should not just point fingers at those in Judah. They have no excuse.
God’s Glory (4-28).
The exiles did not want to repent because they thought they could find someone who is righteous and intercedes for them to avert punishment from God (Ps 106:23). But God states clearly that their idolatry is so serious that no righteous person can avert His judgement. Righteous people could only save their own physical lives by their righteousness because they have no idolatry for God to condemn. The exiles cannot continue to sin and rely on others to intercede for them, they must repent or die. Also when the exiles see the sins of those in Jerusalem, they will agree with God that His judgement is just and these wicked Jews deserved punishment.
Praying the Scripture
- An individual’s eternal destiny can only be determined by his own faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, it cannot be determined by the prayers of a righteous person. However, an individual’s temporal physical wellness can be helped by the prayer of a righteous individual (James 5:16). The Bible does not teach that an individual’s soul can be saved eternally through the merits of other saints. Roman Catholicism’s doctrine of treasury of merit contradicts the Bible and is heretical. Pray that you will not have the attitude of these sinful Jews who wanted to continue to worship idols and rely others to get them out of jail. Take God’s warnings seriously and repent from idolatry.
- One reason why some people have a hard time understanding God’s severe judgment on sinners is because they do not fully see and understand the ugliness of the sins that sinners commit. If you have a hard time understanding and agreeing with God’s severe judgement on sinners, then you must understand and see the severity of their sins as described in the Bible. God is just and He does not judge without a cause. Trust God’s judgment instead of your own view of someone whom God knows more than you.
经文：以西结书14
主题：每人要为自己拜偶像之罪负责
众长老、子民和先知的偶像崇拜之罪（1-11）。
神不但要审判在犹大拜偶像的人，还要审判崇拜偶像的被掳之民。神要按每一世代之人的心与行为作审判，而不是按他列祖的行为而定（出34:6-7）。凡拜偶像并不认神作王的，不论他们是长老、假先知还是询问假先知的，神都会对他们施行审判。被掳的也需要悔改，因为他们也有淫乱、固执的心。他们不应该只把矛头指向犹大；他们是没有借口的。
神的荣耀（4-28）。
被掳之民不想悔改，因为他们以为自己能找到一个可为他们向神代求以逃离惩罚的义人（诗106:23）。然而，神清楚表明他们偶像崇拜之罪甚大，以致无义人能幸免祂的审判。义人只能因自己的义救他肉体的性命，因为神不能指责他们犯偶像崇拜的罪。被掳之民不能继续犯罪并依赖别人为他们代求；他们必须悔改，否则会死。再者，当被掳之民见到耶路撒冷人的罪行时，他们会认同神的审判是公平的，而这群邪恶的犹太人确实应该受到惩罚。
用经文祷告
- 个人的永恒命运取决于他是否信靠耶稣为自己的救主；这不能靠义人的代祷而定。可是，个人暂存的肉体健康能够靠义人的祷告有所好转（各5:16）。圣经并没有教导人的灵魂能借其他圣徒的功德得到永恒的救赎。天主教的教义，即人有“功德仓库”之说法，是与圣经冲突的，属异教。祷告你不会有这些罪恶犹太人的心态，即继续拜偶像，并依靠他人脱离惩罚。我们要认真对待神的警告，从偶像崇拜中悔改。
- 人很难接受神对罪人施行如此严厉审判的其中一个原因是他们无法完全看到或明白罪人所犯之罪的丑陋性。你若难以接受与认同神对罪人的严厉审判，你就必须明白并看到圣经是如何叙述他们的罪的严重性。神是公平的，不会平白无故审判他人。要信靠神的判断而不是你个人对某人的看法，因为神知道的比你多。
