Four Ways God Can Bring Judgment On A Nation

Four Ways God Can Bring Judgment on a Nation

October 28, 2015 Year B

When you look at the news today, it seems like our world is turning again into chaos. China and the United States have a quarrel over an incident in the China Sea. The President is considering putting troops on the ground in Syria, where there are alreaady other troops from Russia, China, Syria, as well as the Islamic State terrorists.
One would think that judgment is coming.

God makes it clear what causes judgment and how He will act about it: Sin committed by the people in a nation can have a consequence of judgment. Here in Ezekiel, God shows us FOUR WAYS He will act in judgment on people who sin against God faithlessly.

Famine (Ezekiel 14:13)
Dangerous Animals (Ezekiel 14:15)
Sword (Ezekiel 14:17)
Plague (Ezekiel 14:19)

The interesting correlation that God tells Ezekiel is that even God’s best prophets can’t deliver people from this judgment. God names them: Noah, Daniel, and Job (Ezekiel 14:14 Ezekiel 14:16). God says that even these superheroes of the faith can’t help God’s people when God judges the nation.

Sin would be so bad that these superheros or Saviours would not be able to save God’s people. They would only be able to save themselves (Ezekiel 14:19).

Then God proposes that He will have all four judgments given against His city Jerusalem (Ezekiel 14:21). But then God says that even if He were put so much judgment for sin on Jerusalem, there would be survivors. They will testify that God’s judgment was necessary (Ezekiel 14:22-23).

What about us? What about you and me? This passage warns us that we need to keep living faithfully. There is a nation in chaos, in trouble. We need to continue to be a witness to the world of the right way to live. The judgment is against sinful nations, not Christians. However, God can use us to help others see their need for salvation.

Prayer: God, please help me be faithful to you as a witness to the nations that sin.