Rebels Reap

Ezk. 20: 13-14

"But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. "Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out."

 
The rebel reaps what he sows! If he refuses to walk in God's ways rejecting what God says and profaning His Sabbaths, they the heavy comes down. Where is the dividing line between God's just ice and His mercy? When is enough enough? It must be in the human heart. God must know the heart of man when it is totally turned to evil, when it is beyond redemption. So why does He do this public judgment? So that His name will not be profaned in the sight of the nations. The nations had seen God be the God of Israel, and conversely, they had also witnessed their heinous idolatry. I am sure these nations felt their gods of wood and stone were stronger and more powerful, after all, who was the victor? But God will enlighten all eyes. His judgment reaches the offender and the observer. It purges out the rebellious heart and the transgressors.
 
How bad will this be? Ezk. 21 says that the news of the coming judgment will be so bad that the heart will melt, and the hands will be feeble. Spirits will faint, and knees will be weak as water. If this is so, why don't people believe and change? Why won't they listen to the prophets? Could it be their hearts were full up with rebellion and self-will? There was no room left for the mercy of God to do its cleansing work, only room for a sure and present destruction. What is my heart like? Am I allowing corners of rebellion to coexist with my obedience?
 
Father,
Show me my own heart. Bring your rebellion hunter in and let it find its prey. Give me Your grace and strength to be rid of it completely.
In Jesus name,
Amen