Ezekial - Chapters 4-7

Dated: 12-Sep-2008, 19-Sep-2008

7:20 - "The things that you use to disgrace the Lord will be destroyed".
When we misuse the talents given to us, God will destroy those talents. People who know you because of your talents will find no use for you. Our God is a selfish God. He wants all the glory and love to be His alone. God has given you the talents you have. When you use these talents in ways that don't please God, then He'll take it away as your punishment.

4:14 - Even in the midst of His fury, God listens to prayers. When Ezekial said he didn't want to defile himself, God heard it. He was ready to go soft on him. God loves to talk to us and listen to us and to give us what we need. He is always all ears to all our woes and cries. He wants to give us nothing but the best. So, when you cry out to the Lord, He does listen. But how He chooses to answer our prayer varies. Sometimes what we ask for may seem like the best for us. But God knows everything about us. And He knows what will be the best for us and also remain the best for us, in our complete lifetime.

3:14 - Annoyed and angry (Refer the question I felt here)
God had taken complete control of Ezekial. Imagine being under complete control of another person. How would you feel? Would you be able to be happy? So, the human side of Ezekial just comes out, when he says this.

4:4-5 - Ezekial was called to be a prophet for the Lord. But this required sacrifices from him too. He had to lie down for 390+40 days. He had food restrictions too. So when God calls us to be His workers, we need to be ready to make sacrifices He asks for.

7:21-27 - There is a code of conduct when you are God's people. When you break this, God is angry. People of Jerusalem did that. They worshipped other Gods and built altars for them. This is why God chose to punish them. In the same time, there were wicked people around them. God was not planning on destroying them though. For the sole reason that they didn't belong to His family.
If you see a boy smoking on the road, the most you'd do is advise him to not smoke. But if it is your own son, then you'd belt him then and there. It's a similar situation with God too. When you decided to be sons of God, you are giving Him full authority over your life. When you start to do things not pleasing to Him, He will punish you.
If you sin without knowing the Lord, He is going to be sad about you. But when you sin after getting to know Him, He is also gonna get angry with you. You need to remember that.