Ezekiel 7:1-9: a reflection

1Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 2“You, son of man, the Lord GOD says to the land of Israel, ‘An end! The end has come on the four corners of the land. 3Now the end is on you, and I will send my anger on you, and will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your abominations. 4My eye will not spare you, neither will I have pity; but I will bring your ways on you, and your abominations will be among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ 5“The Lord GOD says: ‘A disaster! A unique disaster! Behold, it comes. 6An end has come. The end has come! It awakes against you. Behold, it comes. 7Your doom has come to you, inhabitant of the land! The time has come! The day is near, a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting, on the mountains. 8Now I will shortly pour out my wrath on you, and accomplish my anger against you, and will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your abominations. 9My eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways. Your abominations will be among you. Then you will know that I, the LORD, strike.

The word of God through Ezekiel presses with sober urgency the certainty and nearness of a coming reckoning. An end! The end has come, God says; your doom has come to you; the time has come; the day is near. Again and again the nearness and certainty of the day are pressed: it comes, it is near, it will surely come. Whatever else the passage held for its first hearers, it presses a sober truth that stands for all: that a day of reckoning comes, certain and not to be endlessly postponed, and we do well to live in light of it.

Notice the certainty and nearness the passage presses: the day comes, and it is near. The people had perhaps presumed the reckoning would never come, or was far off; but God presses its certainty and nearness upon them. The day would surely come; it was near; it was not to be endlessly postponed. This sober truth, of a certain and approaching reckoning, was pressed upon them so that they would take it seriously, and not live as though it would never come. The certainty and nearness of the day were meant to awaken them.

That sober truth is worth taking to heart, for there is a day of reckoning, certain and not endlessly far off, and we do well to live in light of it. We can live as though no reckoning will ever come, as though the day of accountability were infinitely distant or unreal; but Scripture presses its certainty and nearness. There is a day when we will give account to God; it is certain, and nearer than we may think. Do not live as though no reckoning will come, putting the day of accountability out of mind; live in light of its certainty, ready to give account to God. Let the sober certainty of a coming reckoning awaken you to live rightly now, ready for the day, rather than presuming it will never come or is endlessly far off, as God pressed upon his people the nearness and certainty of the day, that they might take it seriously and be ready.

Lord, the word of God through Ezekiel presses with sober urgency the certainty and nearness of a coming reckoning. An end! The end has come, you say; your doom has come to you; the time has come; the day is near. Again and again the nearness and certainty of the day are pressed. Whatever else the passage held for its first hearers, it presses a sober truth that stands for all: that a day of reckoning comes, certain and not to be endlessly postponed, and I do well to live in light of it. Show me the certainty and nearness the passage presses: the day comes, and it is near. The people had perhaps presumed the reckoning would never come, or was far off; but you press its certainty and nearness upon them. The day would surely come; it was not to be endlessly postponed. This sober truth was pressed upon them so that they would take it seriously. Take that sober truth to my heart, for there is a day of reckoning, certain and not endlessly far off, and I do well to live in light of it. I can live as though no reckoning will ever come, as though the day of accountability were infinitely distant or unreal; but Scripture presses its certainty and nearness. There is a day when I will give account to you; it is certain, and nearer than I may think. Keep me from living as though no reckoning will come, putting the day of accountability out of mind; help me live in light of its certainty, ready to give account to you. Let the sober certainty of a coming reckoning awaken me to live rightly now, Lord, ready for the day.