The Sacredness of the Sanctuary and Its Impact on Divine Favor
Ezekiel 5:11
Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
Much can be said of the defiling of the sanctuary! This problem didn’t just stop with Ezekiel’s generation either. It has been a continual problem through every age, bringing us all the way to where we are today. It is a shame that so little respect is shown in our generation for the sanctuary of the Lord. It is not so much about a building made of brick and mortar; it is about what the sanctuary represents.
The house of the Lord represents all that is pure, holy, honest, and true. It is when we begin to disregard and deem as insignificant those things which should be held as sacred, that we begin to lose favor with the Lord our God. Our Beloved Lord’s stern warning in our text shows us that at what level we revere the sanctuary, is the same level by which God will measure His dealings with us.
Is it any wonder that when we choose to live a Godless existence, a Godless existence is what we get? It is staggering to think of those who have chosen both to live without Christ, AND to expect Him to come to their rescue when in need, all at the same time. While it is true that our Lord “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (see Psalms 103:10), yet at the same time we learn this about God in Romans 9:18, “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.”
I ask you, is God unjust when we are punished in our own destructive, rebellious behavior? Can prideful man truly blame God for that which not only is his own fault, but which Christ has made a remedy for, if we would but repent and turn to Him? Can the ill patient truly blame the physician for his illness, when he has refused all-the-while to take the prescribed medication? No! Neither should we falsely accuse God of being unfair, unjust, or insensitive to our needs, especially if we have chosen to live our lives without His input!
America then should not be surprised that our Lord has all but lifted His shield of protection, when we have for the last several decades forsaken the assembling of ourselves together at the house of God that we might be held accountable to His Divine Word. Today, America can only stay the wrath of God by true repentance.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
Much can be said of the defiling of the sanctuary! This problem didn’t just stop with Ezekiel’s generation either. It has been a continual problem through every age, bringing us all the way to where we are today. It is a shame that so little respect is shown in our generation for the sanctuary of the Lord. It is not so much about a building made of brick and mortar; it is about what the sanctuary represents.
The house of the Lord represents all that is pure, holy, honest, and true. It is when we begin to disregard and deem as insignificant those things which should be held as sacred, that we begin to lose favor with the Lord our God. Our Beloved Lord’s stern warning in our text shows us that at what level we revere the sanctuary, is the same level by which God will measure His dealings with us.
Is it any wonder that when we choose to live a Godless existence, a Godless existence is what we get? It is staggering to think of those who have chosen both to live without Christ, AND to expect Him to come to their rescue when in need, all at the same time. While it is true that our Lord “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (see Psalms 103:10), yet at the same time we learn this about God in Romans 9:18, “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.”
I ask you, is God unjust when we are punished in our own destructive, rebellious behavior? Can prideful man truly blame God for that which not only is his own fault, but which Christ has made a remedy for, if we would but repent and turn to Him? Can the ill patient truly blame the physician for his illness, when he has refused all-the-while to take the prescribed medication? No! Neither should we falsely accuse God of being unfair, unjust, or insensitive to our needs, especially if we have chosen to live our lives without His input!
America then should not be surprised that our Lord has all but lifted His shield of protection, when we have for the last several decades forsaken the assembling of ourselves together at the house of God that we might be held accountable to His Divine Word. Today, America can only stay the wrath of God by true repentance.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill