How does Ezekiel 22:12 highlight the consequences of greed and corruption today? Verse Spotlight: Ezekiel 22:12 “In you they accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit on a loan and extort your neighbors by violence. But you have forgotten Me, declares the Lord GOD.” The Ancient Indictment • Bribery—using money to pervert justice and even “shed blood.” • Predatory lending—charging interest and profit that crush the vulnerable. • Extortion—coercive enrichment at a neighbor’s expense. • Spiritual amnesia—“you have forgotten Me,” the root behind every outward sin. What Greed and Corruption Produce 1. Injustice multiplies • Psalm 82:2–4—“How long will you… show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak.” 2. Society unravels • Proverbs 29:4—“By justice a king brings stability, but by bribes he tears it down.” 3. God’s presence departs • Isaiah 59:2—“Your iniquities have separated you from your God.” 4. Judgment becomes inevitable • James 5:1–4—wages withheld cry out, and “the cries… have reached the ears of the Lord.” Modern Echoes of Ezekiel 22:12 • Corporate scandals, price-gouging, payday lending. • Political graft and under-the-table deals. • Human trafficking financed by illicit profits. • Everyday financial greed—tax fraud, exploitive fees, dishonest expense reports. These are not merely “economic issues”; they signify forgetting God and invite His discipline. Timeless Warnings Against Greed • 1 Timothy 6:9-10—greed plunges people “into ruin and destruction.” • Proverbs 28:8—ill-gotten gain “will end up in the hands of the poor.” • Matthew 6:24—no one can serve both God and Money. The pattern is clear: unchecked appetite for profit hardens hearts, harms neighbors, and provokes the Lord. Living Differently in Light of Ezekiel 22:12 • Pursue honest work and fair profit—Ephesians 4:28. • Practice generous lending—Luke 6:34-35. • Reject bribes and favoritism—Deuteronomy 16:19. • Remember God daily—Deuteronomy 8:11-14; gratitude guards against greed. • Invest in eternal treasure—Matthew 6:19-21. Hope for the Corrupt and the Corrupted • Confession brings cleansing—1 John 1:9. • Restitution heals relationships—Luke 19:8-9 (Zacchaeus). • The Spirit empowers new living—Galatians 5:16, 22-23. God’s grace breaks the cycle of greed, restores the forgotten relationship, and rebuilds communities marked by justice and compassion. Ezekiel 22:12 sounded an alarm for ancient Jerusalem; its echo warns us today. Hear it, turn from greed, and walk in the freedom of remembered fellowship with the Lord. |
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