Rev. Steven Hanna

 

Theme: Why God is sometimes silent: when the time for words is over

Aim: Don’t expect any fresh revelations from God if you haven’t listened to what He has told you already - but for those who won’t listen, expect to be purged. If you come back, expect to serve.

Reading: Ezekiel 20:1-12; 36-44:

 

Do you ever think there comes a time when enough words have been said? When the time for words is over and action is now required? Do you ever feel when a relationship has broken down: I really have nothing more to say. Your behaviour now needs to change. The time for words has passed?

 

It seems very much like that at the moment in the Anglican Church, doesn’t it? The Lambeth Conference – that happens every 10 years – will soon be here with over 800 bishops from across the world coming to London. And yet there are bishops coming to this with whom we profoundly disagree – particularly with regard to the supreme authority of the Bible and whether or not we accept what the Bible says godly sex is. The disagreement over the Bible is such that over 280 bishops from around the world have refused to come to Lambeth preferring instead to meet together at the GAFCON conference tonight in Jerusalem.

 

Two conferences because, sad to say, in the world at the moment, there are two churches. I am not saying there will be no Christians at Lambeth. The Lambeth conference starts with a three-day retreat studying the Bible – they will be looking at John’s gospel together – and who knows what will come of it? But the reason many feel they cannot go to Lambeth is because of events like last week where you have Anglican clergy performing a gay ‘marriage’ in all but name – in London. The problem is not just Gene Robinson in the US. The problem is in the church that says it is OK for Gene Robinson to be a practising gay and a bishop: a problem that is not just over there but also over here; in our diocese; and in our capital: the problem is - what is and is not acceptable Christianity, says who?

 

Why has our church got to such a state? Because we have been told that we need to listen to those who find themselves homosexual. I don’t believe there is any bar to non-practising homosexuals in the church provided they too have repented like the rest of us need to. Both sides, we are told, need to listen to each other – which is all well and good – but both sides also need to listen to God.

 

If God is taken out of the picture, all you are left with is the emotive argument about why shouldn’t two people who love one another be together? Who are you to say that two people who love one another shouldn’t be having sex together? And that question, notice, doesn’t just apply to homosexuals, does it? It is a question about the godly place for sex generally. There will be many non-Christians who think that gay-sex is wrong but they find they don’t have a solid argument on which to support their view. They might say: but it is against nature – to which the reply could be – it might be against your nature but is not against mine.

 

Who are you to say they shouldn’t be doing that? ‘Should’ implies this is either right or wrong. One person’s preference may not be yours but who are you to say that someone else’s preference is wrong? Wrong for who? Morally wrong absolutely, always and everywhere? – or just wrong for you and others like you ? Are morals like this absolute – or only relative to the majority at any given time or place? That becomes the question, doesn’t it?

 

Whose word is the final authority on how we should or shouldn’t live? Is the final authority the Bible or the Church or us? If God is God, we must surely listen to Him, mustn’t we? And when people say ‘But God says love one another’ and that is all gay people are doing, we also need to listen to how the Bible defines love, don’t we? Biblical love is like the love Christ has for us – love for God and His word, love that submits itself to God’s word for the good of others. That is biblical love. If you love Me, obey My commands – says Jesus when He says ‘I am the vine.’ (We could pray the delegates at Lambeth hear that in their studies of the ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus.)

 

That is why we need to listen to God saying something is wrong even if our emotions feel differently – whether we are talking about gay sex or any sex outside marriage or anything for that matter. Otherwise, you see what we are doing? We are putting ourselves outside of being corrected by God. We open up the way of life for people that basically says: ‘Follow your emotions’. Who are you to say my emotions are right and yours are wrong? But you see where that leads? If you argue like that then paedophilia is no longer wrong, is it? Paedophilia might not be your emotion but it is for a lot of people. If the rule is ‘follow your emotions’, there will be circumstances where you think: ‘Actually, that can’t be right!’ You have exposed an inconsistency in your thinking.

 

I am a mathematician. We call that proof by contradiction. If that happens, it is proof the original assumption is wrong. The rule for life can’t be ‘follow your emotions’.

 

Are there absolute rights and wrongs or is it majority opinion that rules - like in Rwanda during the genocide or in Germany under Hitler? Is what the majority says necessarily right? We feel in our experience again that can’t be right, can it?

 

But the Bible gives a coherent and consistent explanation. If there is a Creator who made us – He knows what He made us for and how we were made to live. If there is a God who is there at the beginning of history and at the end of history, who knows all things, who is in possession of all the facts, surely He is best placed to say: Actually, this person was right and this person was wrong. And as the Almighty God, it will be His verdict that counts in the end. But God is not just Almighty, He is good. He wants us to have the best life. God is the source of all goodness. What is best is being in right relationship with Him through the way Jesus Christ opens for us, in His death and resurrection.

 

Regarding what the Bible says about homosexual practice, that debate has already been won. In the academic world, Robert Gagnon is widely regarded as having produced the definitive work on this. It used to be said, the Bible wasn’t clear. Scholars now agree the Bible is clear on this. What is now disputed is this – is what the Bible says also what God is saying to us today? In other words, isn’t the Bible out of date? Isn’t God now doing a new thing? Isn’t His Spirit leading people into new experiences? People want a fresh revelation from God.

 

Friends, it is very subtle, isn’t it? The ‘God’ and ’Spirit’ language is still being used, Bible studies are still being done but why? Just to see what God used to say? Friends, it is the serpent who speaks with a double tongue, isn’t it? Not God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

 

What God said, He says still. That is how Bible interprets itself. That is how Jesus interprets the Bible. Jesus quotes parts of Genesis written 2000 years before Him about marriage and Jesus says it still applies. God’s warnings about judgement also still apply.

 

Now people don’t like hearing about God’s judgement. And the people here in Ezekiel’s day didn’t like what Ezekiel had to say either – yet amazingly they still come to listen to him, notice! – Ezekiel Ch 20:1 – we get to the passage in the end! Why have I taken so long setting things up? Because I pray we see: our context is not so different from Ezekiel’s.

 

The people come to him, why? V.1 To enquire of the LORD and they sat down in front of me, says Ezekiel. The leaders come because they wanted a fresh revelation from God. And yet, do you see what they think of what Ezekiel has told them already, v. 49? Ah, Sovereign Lord! They are saying of me: isn’t he just telling parables? Isn’t he just telling stories – stories about other people? We want a word for us. They don’t see that this is a word for them.

 

The people come saying they are seeking God. They want a fresh revelation from God and we are going to see today, how God answers.

 

First though, it is worthwhile doing our Cutting the joint of meat exercise. Ezekiel is a large book. How do we break into units so we can feed on it ourselves?

 

Well, first see how Ch 20 starts. It starts in the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day. In other words here is a diary entry and we see that the next diary entry is Ch 24:1 in the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day. Chapters 20-23, in other words, are the next unit.

 

The problem for us is – that is still quite some size, isn’t it? Can we break it down any further? If we look at the structure of the text, I think we can. Ch 20:1-44 form the first part of the unit. V. 1-44 speak of God’s reply to those who want a fresh revelation from Him. And then v. 45 onwards to the end of Ch 23 form the next part of the unit with a certain phrase that keeps re-appearing: The word of the LORD came to me. You see that? V 45: The word of the LORD came to me. Again Ch 21:1; 18, Ch 22:1; 17; 23 and Ch 23:1.

 

The unit then is Ch 20-23. Ch 20 gives God’s answer to those who want a fresh revelation from Him and, in Ch 21-23, God’s reply is then illustrated.

 

The theme then of this section today is:

Well, God is not silent. He speaks, Ch 20:2. The word of the LORD came to me. Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to enquire of me? As surely as I live, I will NOT let you enquire of Me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

 

There’s a surprise, isn’t it? The leaders of God’s people – the elders of Israel want to hear from God. They want a fresh revelation from God and God’s answer? He won’t let it happen. And we see that repeated in v. 31. V. 3 and v. 31 act like two pieces of bread around a sandwich. V. 31. As surely as I live, I will NOT let you enquire of Me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

 

So here’s the first thing we can learn:

You see how that relates to our situation today? Church leaders coming from all over the world to do Bible studies and enquire of Him, seeking some fresh revelation from God – and what does God say? I am NOT going to tell you anything new.

 

Why should I? Why should church leaders think they would learn new things from God when they haven’t put into practice what He has already told them? I have already spoken to you and you have not listened, He says. The time for more words is over! Listen to what I have said already. You know what you need to do. The time for listening to more words is over. Now is the time for action.

 

And it is not just church leaders who can be rebellious, is it? People and churches can be like that, too. We have heard what we need to do here. It is not a message we like – Give your energies to Me, God says, Ch 15-17. But you do not surrender to My will, God has said. We are apathetic. The blessings you want will not be yours till you surrender to Me what is Mine by divine right, God has said. When will things change for us here at church? When will the message change? We want some fresh revelation from God please, Ezekiel. We want some fresh revelation from God please, Steven. We want some blessing, please.

 

But God says: it is not going to happen, is it – not yet a while ‘til you put into practice the words I have already spoken to you. And then there is an interesting question God asks Ezekiel in v. 4. Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? To which the answer seems to be yes. Ezekiel will judge them but to do so he must confront them with their sins, but not first their sins, do you see that? Confront them with the detestable practices of their fathers.

 

In other words, confront this generation with the sins of previous generations – not because we are guilty for what others have done, we saw that in Ch 18. God will only hold us responsible for what WE do.

 

I don’t know whether any of you saw the BBC programme Kidulthood recently. I was in two minds about watching it because the language is foul and the attitude to sex realistically honest and shocking – but parents, I suggest you watch it; one to see what many youngsters are like today but, before you judge, notice the example of the adults and parents – and ask yourself: where is God in any of their lives? Teenagers, ask your parents’ permission if you want to watch it – but I suggest if you do watch it – watch it with a wise Christian adult who isn’t your parent. The reason I mention this is because I think Kidulthood is a modern secular equivalent of Ch 20:1-31. We were a Christian nation. Kidulthood helps us look at what we have become. This is a generation we need to learn how to minister to.

 

See what God says in, v. 5: I chose Israel and said I am the LORD your God. So v. 7, get rid of your idolatry because I am the LORD your God. But in v. 8 they rebelled. And God said He would judge them for it but in v. 9 for the sake of My Name I didn’t. God didn’t judge His people because He didn’t want His name being profaned. He didn’t want the nations saying, ‘Your God makes promises to give you a good life but He can’t keep them, can He?’ That is what it means to profane God’s name – to give God a reputation He doesn’t deserve, so v. 10 Therefore I saved My people and v. 12 I gave them my Sabbaths. I gave them a day to keep especially for Me. He saved them and gave them a day each week for them especially to mark out that God had rescued them. God did that in the OT. He did in the NT, too – different day but same point. Don’t treat my special day like any other day.

Yet in v. 13 the people rebelled. They utterly desecrated His Sabbaths. They utterly ignored the fact that God gave them this day as a reminder that He had saved them. But in v. 14 for the sake of My name, I didn’t destroy them, v. 17. I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them. I reminded them who I was, v. 19 and 20. I am the LORD …your God. Be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbaths holy. Keep them special. Holy is a word that means ‘set apart’. As Christians we are holy. We are supposed to be ‘set apart’ for God. We are supposed to be in the world but no longer like the world. Similarly God says: Keep my Sabbaths holy. Keep my special day set apart for Me.

 

But, in v. 21 we are getting the picture now, aren’t we? They … rebelled. The Sabbaths continue to be desecrated. It is a strong word, isn’t it – polluting what is holy, what is supposed to be set apart for God. V. 22 But for the sake of God’s name, He doesn’t bring judgement BUT v. 23 God also made another promise too, didn’t He? If Israel kept on rebelling, God would punish them.

 

God has a dilemma, doesn’t He? God made a promise to bless His people, to make a people for Himself and yet He promised He must also punish sin. How can he bless us yet also punish our sins? For the sake of His name, God can’t ignore our sins – otherwise people say: ‘O, God just forgives. He just brushes them under the carpet.’ Allah might be able to do that – but the God of the Bible can’t – because the God of the Bible is just. Wrongs need punishing. Yet the punishment we deserve takes us away from God and the source of the very blessing He promised.

 

It seems like the two promises clash, don’t they? But that is how the Bible points us to Christ – for in Christ on the cross – our sins are punished and we can have the life God promised. We either take the punishment for our sins ourselves, and are permanently cut off from God, or Christ takes the punishment for us so we won’t be cut off. But when Christ takes the punishment for us, He also changes us. His rescue is better than the rescue from Egypt, isn’t it? Because we need His Holy Spirit to change us, so we might have His law on our hearts, remember, so that we can obey Him, so we can be holy – that is why God calls Him the Holy Spirit. Did you realise that?

 

But when the people don’t listen… v. 26. God gives people over to their sins – like Romans 1, isn’t it? I let them become defiled so that I might fill them with horror. They will experience a terrible judgement but … and here is the application to this generation, v. 30: will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did and confuse lust for love? The answer: you will. Because you too continue to do what your fathers did – to this day, v. 31.

 

If we are just like the previous generation, we won’t be judged because of what they did. We will be judged because of what WE do. It will be our apathy and our immorality this generation will be judged for. Am I to let you enquire of me, O church of God? As surely as I live, I will not.

 

Friends, that is scary, isn’t it? It is why I am suspicious of so-called blessings being poured out in Lakeland, Florida in a so-called great revival there with some leaders there we know – yet where is the talk of repentance, where is the holiness of God? Do you know what blasphemy really is? It is not just non-Christians swearing and using Jesus’ name in vain. Look at v. 27. It is when God’s people – leaders included – forsake God by not living as He commands. That is blasphemy because it trashes God’s name. It trashes God’s name when people call themselves Christians and yet look nothing like Christ. V. 33 As surely as I live, God says, I will judge you.

 

I’m sure that is not the answer the rebellious church leaders in Ezekiel’s day expected to hear is it? I doubt whether it is the answer those at Lambeth expect to hear either. The time for words is over. I will not give you a fresh revelation. God will NOT let rebellious church leaders enquire of Him. Which brings us to the second point, briefly, v. 38 – our memory verse today.

Do you see v. 38? I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against Me. That is wonderfully encouraging to know, isn’t it – if you yourselves are faithful but caught up in a church that is not?

 

God will purge His church. He will root out those who forsake Him because God will have His church be holy. God will have His church be set apart for Him. And so God gives the church two messages depending on which church you are, do you see that v. 39?

 

If you are a church member who is like the world in how it lives, God says: Carry on. Go and serve your idols, every one of you! Serve your careers. Sacrifice your families for them. Have your sex with whoever you want. But afterwards, then you will surely listen to Me. Because like last week, we heard with the Prodigal Son, God will surely bring some back to Himself, to the land of Israel in Ezekiel’s day – and it is only when they are brought back, they will no longer profane God’s name. They will no longer be people who look nothing like Christ. When we are brought back, what does God say? He does say, ‘There, there, there’ but not in the way you think. V. 40 There, there, there. When you are brought back, there you will serve Me and I will accept you. Where? Back in God’s promised land. When the exile is over – when we come back to Christ. And why does God do this? Here is the reason, v. 41 Because I will show myself holy, God says. I will show myself holy among you in the sight of the nations. For evangelism’s sake – the nations will know I do not brush anyone’s sin under the carpet – not even the sin of the church. V. 42 Then you (too) will know I am the LORD.

 

The God who is God in this world is holy – and as His church, God says we need reminding of that, too.

 

-         God will NOT let rebellious church leaders enquire of Him

-         God will purge His people of those who revolt and rebel against Him and then, praise God, many will be brought back to serve God, as we should.

If people don’t listen, expect to be purged.

When people come back, expect them to serve.

Let’s pray.