Sunday, August 30, 2009, 11:20 a.m. – My husband and I went out to Shoney’s for brunch. We had coupons for half-off the normal price of the breakfast bar. After we finished eating, and we had paid for our food, we went to get into our car to go to the grocery store. While we were on the way to the store, this song came to mind:
Hands of the Potter / Caedmon’s Call
Lord if I’m the clay
Then I’ve been left out in the sun
Cracked and dry, like the mud from the sty
Still clinging to the prodigal son
But I'm on my way back home
Yes I'm on my way back home
Into the hands (into the hands)
That made wine (wine) from the water
Into the hands (into the hands)
The hands of the potter
Lord if I’m the clay then
Let your living water flow
Soften up my edges, lord,
So everyone will know
But I’m on my way back home
Yes I’m on my way back home
And Lord, when you listen for
The song of my life
Let it be, let it be, a song so sweet
Let it be, let it be, a song so sweet
Let it be...
Lord, if I'm the clay then lay me down
On your spinning wheel
Shape me into something you can fill
With something real
And I'll be on my way back home
Yes I'm on my way back home
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Lord, let me know if this message is for me personally or if it is to share or both. I read Ezekiel 7 next:
My Understanding: When my husband and I arrived in the store parking lot, there was a group of young adults who were dressed in a particular style of clothing and one of them was arrogantly displaying a “nunchuck” –
I’ve seen this style of clothing before, but I don’t know what it is called. Their hats looked like old-fashioned policeman hats. Some of their dress looked like people would have worn in the 1970’s during Woodstock. It looked very gang-like in appearance as they were all dressed similarly. As we began to exit the store, we discovered the young adults still loitering in the parking lot. One young man was in the process of removing his shirt to expose his bare upper body which was tattooed. He was the one touting and showing off the nunchuck when we entered the parking lot. The young people were not entering the store. They appeared to be just hanging out in the parking lot. And, they also seemed to be starved for attention as they were prancing about in a strutting manner, apparently hoping to be noticed.
As I read this passage of scripture and considered it in relation to the words to this song, I also realized that God had given me yet another real-life experience as an illustration of the practical-to-today application he wanted me to receive and to share from this passage of scripture. In the passage of scripture, eminency in judgment was a central theme throughout the passage. There was also a sense of finality to the judgment by the recurrence of the word “end.” The extent of the judgment was to be the “four corners of the land.” I often see this in terms of the four corners of the earth as is mentioned in the book of Revelation. And, I’ve seen this as applied to the four continents of Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. Basically, this is for the whole world.
The Lord said he was going to unleash his anger against his people and that he would judge them according to their conduct and their detestable practices. So, I asked the Lord to show me what conduct or detestable practices he desired to illustrate via our trip to the restaurant and/or our trip to the grocery store at which time we encountered this gang of young adults touting this weapon. And, then I read through the passage of scripture, seeking God’s face for understanding. When I got to verses 23-27, as I was reading about them in a commentary, the Lord said “this is the part.” So, I carefully examined what he wanted me to learn from this. The commentary talked about how the leadership had failed to lead the people in God’s ways. “It was too late! The anguish of judgment had come” (ZNIV Comm.). I immediately recalled a conversation my husband and I had had over brunch concerning spiritual leadership who fail to lead those under them and who have failed to keep their commitments (covenants) with the people.
Because the leadership of the land has failed to keep their promises (their commitments and covenants) with the people, God is going to bring this judgment on the land. Yet, I also see this as included in God’s judgments on the people. God will use our own leaders and their breaking of covenant with the people as a form of judgment. The “detestable practices” I saw were those of idolatry, spiritual adultery, failure to obey God and his laws, forsaking the Lord, and following after their own fleshly desires, etc.
Beginning in verse 10 it speaks of a “rod” that has budded, “arrogance has blossomed” and violence has grown into a “rod” to punish wickedness. This punishment would go to the issue of the buyer and the seller because money would no longer be of value. We would no longer be able to use money to buy food, houses, etc. The reason? Our wealth has been one of the great reasons that we, as a nation and as a people of God have stumbled into sin. Immediately I got a picture of my husband and I pulling into the parking lot of the grocery store only to be met by this apparent gang of young people arrogantly touting this weapon and strutting about as if to intimidate the customers at the store. The weapon was a “nunchuck” which is two sticks, i.e. “rods” joined together by a chain. Interestingly enough, the forms of judgment mentioned in this passage are a “rod” and “chains.” The Lord, I believe, is giving a picture here of “twin rods” joined together by a chain. I believe this points to something specific, so I will pray for further understanding.
When this judgment comes upon the land via these “twin rods” of God’s judgment on the land – rods that are joined by chains – some people will survive and will escape to the mountains. There they will moan because of their sins. “Idolatry, wickedness and materialism had robbed them of everything and led them into judgment” (ZNIV Comm.). “There (in the mountains), shuddering in fear, weak and dismayed, they would be ashamed of and humiliated by their sins that brought this destruction” (ZNIV Comm.).
God has been patient with us for a very long time. In his compassion and in his forbearance, he has withheld his judgment (discipline), yet this restraint can no longer continue. God must act as any loving parent would act in discipline in order to encourage his child back into a right relationship with the authority over his life and to keep him from the harm that sin brings upon him and those around him. God knows what is best for us and that is for us to be in close, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and to walk in obedience to God’s commands. “The only redeeming factor” (in all of this) is that the people will “learn that the Lord truly was (is) God and that his covenants were (are) to be obeyed!” (ZNIV Comm. In quotes) [() are mine]
