Ezekiel  20  As another "word of the Lord" came to Ezekiel, he is told to "groan with breaking heart and bitter grief.. "  The news that is coming will be so much worse than they think.  It will "melt" their hearts and cause them to tremble and faint. 

Ezekiel is told to cry and wail.. for the sword would come against the nation of Israel because of their sins.  They could not hide their transgressions.. they could not pretend any longer.  The Lord would bring "ruin" to the great city of Jerusalem... to the Holy Temple.. to the nation that He had chosen for Himself... because they no longer worshiped Him alone. They looked for direction from any other source and failed to remember their God. He was bringing a "sword sharpened.. and polished".. 

Yet, even in this awful day of judgement there is a word of hope.. "A ruin, a ruin, I shall make it.. until He comes whose right it is; and I shall give it to Him." ( v27) There is a King who is coming again! There will be a time when every tear will be wiped away. There will be a day when a New Jerusalem will be brought down from heaven.. when His Kingdom will come and His will done on earth.. as it is in Heaven. 

Do we groan.. do we have broken hearts.. for the judgements to come? Ezekiel did. His heart was breaking at the loss of his nation.. at the sins of his people.. He had to be emotionally and physically broken at the messages that the Lord gave to him.. Perhaps we don't feel it.. because we don't really believe it? Or we think that there is still lots of time? Perhaps God is telling us through Ezekiel.. "groan with breaking heart".. for the Day of judgement is coming.. soon. 

Father in heaven, open our hearts to Your Word and fill us with Your Spirit. We long for the coming of Jesus.. the One who will rightfully rule on the throne of Israel and over all the earth.. yet we know there are many who will be found lacking.. covered in their own sinfulness and without hope.  May the Gospel of Jesus Christ be made known as the hearts of Your children begin to be broken and poured out before You.  Open our eyes and ears Lord.. and give us the words to speak boldly! In Jesus' name. amen.