Ezekiel

Ezekiel 6: God makes His name known

Begin in prayer

Before hearing the warning against Israel's idols, ask God to turn our attention to Him. Ask the Lord to subdue our distractions, be present with our family and reveal Christ to us as we read Ezekiel 6.

Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so Yahweh, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you say.

Amos 5:14

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Teach us why false worship offends You and show us the mercy of Christ for unfaithful sinners. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God sends Ezekiel to prophesy against Israel's mountains, where people worship idols. He will destroy their high places and altars, leaving dead bodies before their idols. Yet He will preserve some who escape the sword among the nations. They will remember Him and loathe themselves for the evil they have done. Ezekiel must lament as God announces death by sword, famine and disease. Through judgment and the escape of a remnant, people will know that He is the LORD.

As you read Ezekiel 6, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God makes Himself known by judging idols and preserving people who remember Him.

God addresses the mountains where Israel worships idols and announces that He will destroy those places. The high places are sites of false worship, with altars and incense offered to idols. Bodies lying before the broken idols will show that these gods cannot protect their worshippers. Yet the LORD also promises to leave some people alive among the nations where they are scattered. Those who escape will remember Him and loathe themselves because of all the abominations they have committed. God describes Himself as broken by their unfaithful hearts, showing the offense their idolatry brings against Him. Those who die and those who escape will both know that He is the LORD. His warnings are true, and the worship owed to Him cannot safely be given to another.

How does Ezekiel 6 show us that God makes Himself known by judging idols and preserving people who remember Him?

God will destroy the places of false worship.

God will bring the sword against Israel's mountains and destroy the high places (verses 2 to 7). Dead bodies will lie before the idols. Their broken altars will expose the helplessness of the gods they served.

God preserves people who will remember Him.

God will leave some alive when the people are scattered among the nations (verses 8 to 10). They will remember Him and loathe themselves for their evil deeds. Their changed view of sin will include the unfaithfulness of their own hearts.

God will show that His warning is true.

Ezekiel must strike his hand, stamp his foot and lament Israel's abominations (verses 11 to 14). Sword, disease and famine will bring death. The ruined land and its fallen worshippers will show that the LORD has spoken.

Memorize

Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places.

Ezekiel 6:3

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what do I love more than God, and will I turn from it to Jesus?

The LORD says, “Those of you that escape will remember me”. Scattered people will see their sins for the evil they are. Their hearts had departed from the living God to follow idols that could never protect them. We also need Him to expose the loves that take His place.

Jesus came to bring sinners back to God. He died for His people, bearing the judgment their unfaithfulness deserved. By that sacrifice He obtained their salvation once for all, and no further offering is needed to make it enough. Then He rose alive from the grave.

Turn from the things you serve instead of God and trust His Son. He will forgive those who come to Him with repentant hearts. Ask Him to help you hate your own sin and love the Lord you have offended. His mercy gives sinners reason to remember Him with thanks.

Parent's note

Tell your children that idols cannot save, and Jesus died and rose to bring sinners back to God. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for making His name known, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

1 John 5:21

Lord, thank You for speaking truth and showing mercy to sinners. Forgive the things we have loved and served in Your place, and help each one turn to Jesus in faith. Please give us hearts that remember You, hate sin and worship You alone this week. Amen.