RTW August 22

The Only Righteous One

I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land.  I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
Ezekiel 22:30

 

 

My Takeaways

Something to Old

God’s harsh words through Ezekiel show why God had to send Jesus.  The sins of the world were great.  His people were not responding to discipline.

  • Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (NIV)  Romans 5:12
  • For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (NIV)  Romans 5:19
  • For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (NIV)  1 Corinthians 15:22

Something New

 

Something to Do

Respond to the discipline because of the One Man who stood in the gap for me.

 

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3 Comments

  1. My Takeaways: Do Something

    Something Old: The activities of Oholah (Israel) and Oholibah (Judah) picture the heart of all people, “And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution.” (23:35) I often resist being under authority and want to do things my way. I can even become stubborn and ignore possible consequences of my actions. Often times I don’t even consider how what I do affects others, and the list goes on and on. Pride, stubbornness, and an independent attitude are all characteristics that, left unchecked, lead to unfaithfulness—to spiritual adultery. I don’t want to be the person that rejects authority, demands personal Independence, and absolutely fails to understand that sin grieves the heart of God. I want to be the person that pursues everything about God, His ways and His desires for me. The only way I can become that person is by always having an appetite for God and staying faithful to him alone. I don’t want to suffer from spiritual adultery like the people of our world today and Ezekiel’s day.

    Something New: God had reached the end of His patience. He was about to pour out His wrath on the nation of Judah; but, before He did, He “looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one” (22:30). Like Wendy I found this verse interesting. The people needed total spiritual reconstruction! How often do I give the appearance of loving God without loving his way? I don’t want to use religion as a whitewash. I want to remember to apply in my life what I read in God’s word. Then I can be the one “to stand in the gap” and make a difference.

    Something To Do:
    I woke up this morning
    Saw a world full of trouble now, thought
    How’d we ever get so far down, and
    How’s it ever gonna turn around
    So I turned my eyes to Heaven
    I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
    Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
    People living in poverty
    Children sold into slavery
    The thought disgusted me
    So, I shook my fist at Heaven
    Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
    He said, “I did, yeah, I created you” (now listen)

    If not us, then who
    If not me and you
    Right now, it’s time for us to do something, yeah
    If not now, then when
    Will we see an end
    To all this pain
    Oh, it’s not enough to do nothing
    It’s time for us to do something

    I’m so tired of talking about
    How we are God’s hands and feet
    But it’s easier to say than to be
    Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
    It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
    Well, I don’t know about you
    But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
    I don’t want a flame, I want a fire and
    I wanna be the one who stands up and says
    “I’m gonna do something”

    If not us, then who
    If not me and you
    Right now, it’s time for us to do something, yes it is, come on
    If not now, then when
    Will we see an end
    To all this pain
    Oh oh, it’s not enough to do nothing
    It’s time for us to do something

    We are the salt of the earth
    We are a city on a hill
    We’re never gonna change the world
    By standing still
    No, we won’t stand still
    No, we won’t stand still
    No, we won’t stand still
    No

    If not us, then who
    If not me and you
    Right now
    It’s time for us to do something
    If not now, then when
    Will we see an end
    To all this pain
    It’s not enough to do nothing
    It’s time for us to do something
    It’s time for us to do something
    It’s time for us to do something

    Songwriter: Matthew West

  2. I also found this verse so interesting. “the wall of righteousness that guards the land.” That righteousness has a guarding effect on an area and the people in it. The wall stays strong as long as we all do our own individual part in keeping it intact.

  3. I’m just so grateful that we already have this “one Man” that stands in the gap for us. My something to do is to keep on doing what I know to be good to keep the wall in tact and to put God as my protection first and foremost instead of looking for protection and fulfilment everywhere else…

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