Ezekiel 14.23 and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.
God was explaining to Ezekiel that the horrific judgments that were happening in the land were not done rashly, or for no reason. Both the land and the people of God were being judged for their repeated sin of idol worship that dishonored His Holy Name. God is perfect compassionate and love, but He is not driven by mere human emotions. He doesn’t have any “Bad God Days”, like we do. God is good, righteous and wise in all and every distribution of His dealings with people or nations.
In the days of the prophet Isaiah, The Lord declared, The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, [so] shall it stand:The LORD Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen. That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. Note again that God actions were according to His divine purposes. Does that mean that we have no control over the things that happen in our lives? Yes and no. The vast majority of the circumstances and conditions around us are not based solely on what we do. We cannot change the weather or the decisions of our government that may effect our lives. We cannot change the decisions any other human being makes that can either bless us or make life miserable for us. Rarely do sinful or fleshly decisions only effect one person. But this we can do beloved. We can purpose to walk in the ways of The Lord and cling to Him when things all around us are falling apart.
When the people of God were deported to Babylon because of their sin, they were confronted with compromise. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel chose to live for God, and leave the consequences of that decision to Him. When Barnabas was sent to assess the condition of the church at Antioch, we read that when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Beloved, purpose in your heart this morning that you will cleave to The Lord. We have His promise that we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Though we may experience the tragic results of the fall of man and the consequences of sin, we can know with equal assurance that God did not send His Son to destroy us, for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Do not allow the bitter consequences of sin to overshadow or eclipse the goodness and promises of God.
