What personal actions can prevent us from sharing the fate in Ezekiel 32:25? The sobering scene in Ezekiel 32:25 “ ‘They have made Elam a bed among the slain, along with all her multitude. All around her graves are her people. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword because their terror had been spread in the land of the living. They bear their shame with those who descend to the Pit. They are placed among the slain.’ ” Why did Elam end up in the Pit? • They used violence to advance their agenda. • They instilled fear instead of blessing. • They lived “uncircumcised” — outwardly powerful, inwardly unchanged (cf. Deuteronomy 10:16). • They never turned from shameful deeds, so judgment caught them. Timeless heart issues God still judges • Unrepentant sin (Ezekiel 18:30–32). • A hard, uncircumcised heart (Romans 2:28-29). • Reliance on force instead of God (Matthew 26:52). • Indifference to the terror our choices create for others (Proverbs 3:29-30). Personal actions that keep us from Elam’s fate 1. Embrace true heart-circumcision through Christ • Surrender in faith (Colossians 2:11-12). • Invite the Spirit to cut away stubbornness (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). 2. Practice ongoing repentance • Confess quickly (1 John 1:9). • Turn from known sin, not just feel regret (Acts 3:19). 3. Reject violence and cultivate peace • “Seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11). • Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17-21). 4. Live so others flourish, not tremble • Use words to build up, not intimidate (Ephesians 4:29). • Serve the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:17). 5. Wear shame-free living as daily clothing • Keep a clear conscience before God and people (Acts 24:16). • Walk in the light, exposing deeds to truth (John 3:20-21). 6. Stay battle-ready through holiness • “Cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1). • Let the fruit of the Spirit replace the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-23). Daily checkpoints to stay on course • Heart: Am I soft toward God’s promptings today? • Mouth: Did my words spread peace or fear? • Hands: Did I serve or strike? • Path: Is there unconfessed sin? • Influence: Are people safer, holier, and more hopeful because I was here? Closing encouragement Elam’s bed among the slain warns us, yet grace opens a different destiny. By yielding our hearts, renouncing violence, and walking in humble repentance, we trade shame for honor and the Pit for life with the Lord (John 5:24). |
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