Ezekiel 22:30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one    

    Jerusalem, like many ancient cities was a walled city. The walls were, obviously, for protection. The walls were big and thick. If an enemy came, it was the walls that were going to be the difference between victory and defeat. In an age without explosive weapons, the walls were a significant defense. If those walls stood, no enemy would get in. So, to attack the city, you had to attack the walls. If a section of that wall could be compromised, that was all that was needed. Just a gap in the defenses. If that happened, the only hope was that some brave soldier would stand there, in the gap, where the enemy was going to focus all their attacks!

    Jerusalem, as representative of Israel, had sinned. The list of offenses in chapter 22 is long and unpleasant. They had been in-volved in all manner of wrongdoing, from being disrespectful to parents, to gross immorality, and, worst of all, idolatry. They knew better. These weren’t acts of ignorance. They had the Scriptures and knew full well what they did was displeasing to God. Further, they had the witness of prophets who had long told them that their actions were wrong. That God would come in judgment if they didn’t change their ways. 

    So it would make sense that God would be unhappy. It would be completely understandable that God was going to come in judg-ment and destroy them. That’s what we would do if we were God. I mean, how many times does someone have to wrong us before we say, “That’s it!” God had even more justification for that type of response. In fact, that’s the image of God so many people have. They see God as just waiting for an opportunity to punish and judge. But what does the Bible say?

    God was looking for someone to rebuild the walls and stand in the gap. He did not want to bring judgment on them! Even after all they had done, His inclination was to mercy. God didn’t discover mercy when Jesus came on the scene. Father God is a merciful God! 

    It’s significant to see, though, that He looked for one among them to rebuild the wall. He looked for one of them to begin the process of calling them back to Himself. Sadly, He did not find such a one. 

    What if God is calling us to rebuild walls and stand in the gap? What if He is calling us to be the one to begin the process of calling people back to His ways? “Oh, that’s too big a job! Things are too bad! What can one person do?” Good questions. But in today’s verse, God was only looking for one. One person standing in the gap of a broken wall would face a lot of opposition for sure. But I rather think that if God is looking for one to stand there, He will resource and strengthen them for the task! He awaits our response. 

 

Blessings,   

 Pastor Russ