Connect Ezekiel 7:22 with other scriptures on God's holiness and judgment. Setting the Scene “I will turn My face away from them, and they will desecrate My treasured place; robbers will enter it and profane it.” The Holy Character of God • Isaiah 6:3 – “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” • Habakkuk 1:13 – “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.” • Exodus 15:11 – “Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?” God’s holiness is not merely an attribute; it is the essence of His being. He is totally set apart from sin, and every manifestation of His glory exposes and judges all that contradicts His nature. Desecration Invites Judgment • Leviticus 26:31 – “I will lay waste your cities and devastate your sanctuaries, and I will no longer smell the pleasing aroma of your offerings.” • 2 Chronicles 7:19-22 – Solomon is warned that if Israel turns to idols, the temple itself will become “a byword and an object of ridicule.” • Ezekiel 9:6 – Judgment begins “at My sanctuary,” underscoring that the nearer the privilege, the greater the responsibility. When the people reject God’s holiness, the very place that once displayed His glory becomes the first target of discipline. “I Will Turn My Face Away” • Deuteronomy 31:17-18 – The LORD hides His face because of idolatry, leaving Israel vulnerable to their enemies. • Isaiah 59:2 – “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you.” • Psalm 13:1 – David’s cry, “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?” reveals the anguish of divine withdrawal. God’s turning away is not indifference; it is active judgment, allowing the natural consequences of sin to run their course until repentance is born. Robbers in the Sanctuary • Jeremiah 7:11 – The temple becomes “a den of robbers” when worship is emptied of obedience. • Mark 11:15-17 – Jesus drives out merchants, echoing Jeremiah and showing that the pattern of desecration continues when hearts grow cold. • Daniel 11:31 – “Forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress,” pointing forward to further historical fulfillments of Ezekiel’s warning. These instances prove Ezekiel’s words literally accurate: physical defilement of holy space accompanies spiritual defilement of the heart. The Twin Themes: Holiness and Judgment • Romans 11:22 – “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God.” • Hebrews 12:28-29 – “Let us worship in reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” • Revelation 15:4 – “All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” God’s holiness demands judgment on sin, yet it also guarantees a righteous resolution to human rebellion. Hope Beyond the Ruin • Ezekiel 37:26-27 – God promises a future covenant of peace: “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.” • Zechariah 2:10-11 – The LORD declares He will once again live among His people. • Revelation 21:3-4 – The final temple is the very presence of God with redeemed humanity, free of tears, death, and pain. Judgment, though severe, is never God’s last word. His ultimate goal is to restore a people who walk in His holiness forever. |
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