Dregs or Precious Remnant
In Ezekiel, we have the account of the fall of Jerusalem by one of its ageless foes. If you look at the many times Israel was overtaken, EVERY time, she had previously fallen into sin. But not just sin. She had hardened her heart and that sin had turned into outright rebellion against God and His prophets.
We find this is the case during the ministry of Ezekiel as Israel had reached the point where God would no longer abide their rebellion. God had allowed a strong enemy to surround the chief city of Jerusalem. The city was under siege!
Now when there is a siege, several things develop:
• Starvation;
• Greed and selfishness, sparked by the need to survive;
• Mothers began eating their own children;
In essence, a siege is one of the cruelest strategies of warfare for the simple fact that to survive, people become isolated from each other when they should be banding together to save the city. Brothers begin to steal from one another and mothers prey upon their own children to fill their bellies. It leads to the closing of the “bowels of compassion” toward those in need and the hurling of accusations between friends.
Under such circumstances, countrymen no longer stand together as a united front against the enemy. Instead, even the closest of friends become estranged and, ultimately, trust, brotherhood, and security are destroyed from within…without the enemy risking the loss of a single soldier!
As I believe this carnal method of warfare can be translated into spiritual terms, we must first understand that a siege is an outward attack. You see, a siege is not instigated by the people inside but rather those forces on the outside.
And the reactions within the city between its inhabitants, such as starvation, murder, distrust, and fear, are how a siege is designed to conquer. Even scripture tells us:
• “A house divided against itself cannot stand” (Matthew 12:25).
• “Neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life” (Ezekiel 7:13).
Such was the state of Israel but, unlike in times past when it would repent before the Lord, Israel insisted upon continuing in its wicked ways.
As might be expected, Ezekiel was wearied by their refusal to heed his message and they were tired of him preaching it! They had reached a spiritual stalemate!
It is in these bitter and frustrating circumstances that the book of Ezekiel was written.
In response to the rejection he felt, we find Ezekiel withdrawing from the people to seek relief; he could see no way out of the siege and he was beginning to be pulled into the captivity along with the people he was attempting to reach! Sound familiar?
But…he was commanded by God to stay and continue preaching though the people shut him out.
Why would God want a prophet to keep preaching to people who refuse to obey? I’m certain many of you have faced similar circumstances in your ministry and with your personal witness. Too often, our own inclination—and sadly, sometimes the advice of those we trust—is to move on…or quite simply, to give up.
But is that truly what God is calling us to do? To be?
Just why would God tell Ezekiel to keep preaching to a people who scorned his message, rejected him, and were unwilling to heed the message?
Today, ponder that question because it touches many of us as we face our own spiritual sieges in our homes, our churches, and our lives. We’ll be exploring the reason for such a seemingly strange—and at times, strenuous—command from the Lord in our next segment as we continue “Dregs or Precious Remnant!”
