How can we avoid the same mistakes as Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16:56? Setting the Scene “Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride?” (Ezekiel 16:56). Jerusalem’s downfall began when she mocked Sodom’s sin while ignoring her own. God’s indictment revolves around pride, contempt, and failure to repent. Recognize the Sin of Pride • Pride blinds us to our own need for grace (Proverbs 16:18). • Jerusalem’s arrogance grew as she looked down on others’ failures. • 1 Corinthians 10:12 reminds: “So the one who thinks he stands should take heed, lest he fall”. Guard Against Contempt for Others • Ezekiel 16:49 lists Sodom’s guilt—arrogance, complacency, neglect of the needy. Jerusalem mocked but mirrored the same behavior. • Jesus warns against fault-finding while ignoring personal sin (Matthew 7:3-5). • Galatians 6:1 calls us to restore others “with a spirit of gentleness,” never scorn. Cultivate Humble Repentance • Genuine repentance involves agreeing with God about sin, turning from it, and embracing His mercy (Psalm 51:17). • James 4:6: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” • Daily confession keeps hearts tender and dependent. Live in Compassionate Obedience • Sodom’s neglect of the poor became Jerusalem’s pattern (Ezekiel 16:49). • Isaiah 1:17 exhorts: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless; plead for the widow.” • Practical mercy—visiting, giving, advocating—guards us from self-centered religion (James 1:27). Keep Short Accounts with God • Continual self-examination through Scripture prevents hardening (Hebrews 3:13; Psalm 139:23-24). • The Spirit convicts; respond immediately rather than justify or compare. Stay Rooted in the Gospel • Remember the cost of our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19). • The cross levels all pride: none deserve grace; all may receive it (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice fuels humility and compassionate living. By rejecting pride, refusing contempt, and embracing humble obedience, we avoid Jerusalem’s mistake and walk in the grace God still offers today. |
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