What is the meaning of Ezekiel 14:4? Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says - Ezekiel is commanded to relay God’s own words, underscoring the absolute authority and reliability of the message (2 Peter 1:21; Jeremiah 1:7). - Prophetic speech is never private opinion; it is the living voice of God Himself, still trustworthy today (Isaiah 55:11). - As in Amos 3:7 and Revelation 1:1, the Lord graciously makes His will known before acting, so the people are without excuse. When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart - Idolatry begins internally long before a statue is ever erected (Exodus 20:3; Psalm 44:20-21). - Jesus affirms this heart-first principle in Matthew 6:24 and Mark 7:21-23—what rules the heart rules the life. - Paul calls covetousness “idolatry” in Colossians 3:5, showing that even good things can become gods when they displace the Lord. - Guarding the heart is therefore critical (Proverbs 4:23). and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face - The inward idol soon becomes an outward obstacle that trips both the sinner and those who follow his example (Leviticus 19:4; Romans 14:13). - What we set “before the face” shapes what we pursue; if it is wicked, it blocks sight of God’s glory (2 Corinthians 4:4). - Self-chosen stumbling blocks echo Israel’s sin in Numbers 25:2-3, where pagan feasts lured them from covenant faithfulness. and then comes to the prophet - Seeking a prophetic word while clinging to idols is spiritual double-mindedness (James 1:8). - Isaiah 29:13 describes the same hypocrisy: “These people draw near with their mouths… but their hearts are far from Me”. - Yet the Lord still allows the approach, exposing the heart before pronouncing judgment (1 Samuel 28:6; 2 Kings 22:13). I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry - God responds not with the answer the petitioner hopes for, but with one that fits the depth of his rebellion (Galatians 6:7; Proverbs 1:31). - In Psalm 81:12 He “gave them up to their stubborn hearts,” a pattern repeated in Romans 1:24-25 and 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. - The purpose is corrective as well as punitive—shocking sinners into recognizing their need to repent (Ezekiel 14:5; Hebrews 12:29). summary Ezekiel 14:4 warns that hidden idols invite divine confrontation. God’s word is sure, His gaze penetrates the heart, and He answers hypocrisy with judgments tailored to expose and cure it. True worship requires removing every rival to His throne, both inward and outward, before seeking His guidance. |
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