Ezekiel 8:1-5: a reflection

1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, the Lord GOD’s hand fell on me there. 2Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire—from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire, and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal. 3He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north, where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. 4Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain. 5Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and saw, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

In a vision, Ezekiel is carried to the temple in Jerusalem, and there he is shown something grievous: set up in the very place meant for the worship of God alone stands an idol, the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. In the house that was to be dedicated to God, a rival had been installed, an idol set up in the place that belonged to God alone. It was a grievous intrusion: the sacred space meant for God had been given over, in part, to an idol, a rival for the worship that belonged to him. What should have been wholly God's had been invaded by a rival claim.

Notice the grievous intrusion: an idol set up in the place meant for God alone. The temple was to be the place of God's worship, dedicated to him; but an idol had been installed there, a rival set up in the sacred space. The place that belonged to God alone had been invaded by a rival claim on worship. God is rightly jealous for the place that is his; an idol in the temple was a grievous thing, a rival where there should have been only God. What was meant to be wholly dedicated to God had been given over, in part, to another. The intrusion of the idol into God's own house was a betrayal of what the place was for.

That is worth taking to heart, for our own hearts are meant to be a temple for God, and we must guard against the idols that would take his place. Our hearts are meant to be dedicated to God, a place for his worship; but we can allow idols to be set up there, rivals for the devotion that belongs to God alone, as an idol was set up in the temple. God is rightly jealous for the place that is his; we are to guard our hearts from the rival claims that would intrude where God alone should be. Do not allow idols to be set up in the temple of your heart, rivals for the devotion that belongs to God alone; guard the place that is his from rival claims. Guard the temple of your heart from the idols that would take God's place, keeping it dedicated to him alone, as the idol set up in the temple was a grievous intrusion into the place meant for God; for our hearts are meant to be a dwelling for God, and we are to guard against the rivals that would intrude where he alone should be worshiped.

Lord, in a vision, Ezekiel is carried to the temple in Jerusalem, and there he is shown something grievous: set up in the very place meant for the worship of you alone stands an idol, the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. In the house that was to be dedicated to you, a rival had been installed, an idol set up in the place that belonged to you alone. It was a grievous intrusion: the sacred space meant for you had been given over, in part, to an idol. Show me the grievous intrusion: an idol set up in the place meant for you alone. The temple was to be the place of your worship, dedicated to you; but an idol had been installed there, a rival set up in the sacred space. The place that belonged to you alone had been invaded by a rival claim on worship. You are rightly jealous for the place that is yours; an idol in the temple was a grievous thing. What was meant to be wholly dedicated to you had been given over, in part, to another. Take that to my heart, for my own heart is meant to be a temple for you, and I must guard against the idols that would take your place. My heart is meant to be dedicated to you, a place for your worship; but I can allow idols to be set up there, rivals for the devotion that belongs to you alone. You are rightly jealous for the place that is yours. Keep me from allowing idols to be set up in the temple of my heart, rivals for the devotion that belongs to you alone; help me guard the place that is yours from rival claims, Lord, keeping my heart dedicated to you alone.