1/14/13  Ezekiel 10-11
The vision Ezekiel sees is heart breaking for him.  The Glory of the Lord leaves the temple in Jerusalem.  The evil leaders continue to ignore reality, but judgement is upon them.  Ezekiel cries out to God asking if God will not leave a remnant.  But God reassures him that even though He is leaving the temple and Jerusalem, He is not forsaking His people.   He will once again bring back Israel to the promised land.  In fact God is going to do something greater!   He is going to give His people a new heart and a new spirit.  A living heart will replace the cold stony one.  A faithful heart will replace the unfaithful one that led them to what was detestable and abominations. 

God repeats the two strong messages He has given to Ezekiel already:
1. He will judge each one according to his own conduct.
2. They will know that He is the LORD.

Ezekiel 12-13
Ezekiel is used as a demonstration of the exile that is about to happen for those left in Jerusalem.   Like us the people think that what is being prophesised is somewhere in the future.  But God is at work in the present and has finished giving any more time for Israel to repent.   There comes a time when it is too late.
Chapter 13  is a condemnation on the false prophets.  These men and women speak from their own inspirations and have not heard from the Lord.  They don't see visions from God, they are not sent from God, they speak lies and mislead people.  God calls them whitewashers.  False, fake, and failing.  When the rain comes the whitewashed wall crumbles.  False hopes of peace.  False words dishearten the righteous and encourage the wicked to remain wicked.

What lessons do we need to receive from this Word?   I believe we are also living in a time when we think God will not act, that it is still a long time off.  We don't grasp the nearness of His coming judgement.  We need to warn others that time is running out.  The day of salvation in Today as the writer in Hebrews reminds us.
I believe we  have many false prophets among us also.  They preach peace when there is no peace.  They speak from their own inspirations and not from God.  They give false hope.  The righteous are disheartened and the wicked are not encouraged to turn from their wickedness.  God will not have pity or spare these false teachers.  May they repent and turn from their lies.  How much more do we need to speak the Truth of God's Word.  Lead on Oh King and strengthen us with Your almighty power to speak the Words of Life to a deceived and dying world.