A nation faces serious trouble when its leaders are corrupt. Consider the decline of modern-day Russia, where oligarchs and a dictator hold power.
This situation illustrates the dangers of collaboration between governmental leaders and religious figures, such as the Patriarch of Moscow. The result is a country devastated by an unholy and unprovoked war.
God brought judgment upon His people, Israel, because they had turned away from Him. This rebellion extended from the government leaders to the spiritual leaders and even to the common people.
Governmental Leaders
Zedekiah was a puppet of Nebuchadnezzar, and Ezekiel refused to acknowledge him as a king, instead calling him a prince. Ezekiel leveled four key condemnations against the leaders.
(1) Instead of protecting the people, the leaders exploited and oppressed them.
(2) They seized valuable possessions, presumably from the temple.
(3) They saw people as disposable items that could be consumed for their benefit.
(4) The men who died in war created many widows in Judah.
The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, say to it: You are a land that is not cleansed, not rained upon in the day of indignation.
Its princes within it are like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows within it (Ezekiel 22.23-25).
Powerful leaders are often shielded from the devastation and suffering they inflict on their people through war and societal turmoil. However, God has appointed a day of reckoning, and even the most exalted rulers must ultimately bow to His will.
The Priests
The Patriarch of Moscow is complicit in Putin’s war crimes in Ukraine. Images show him sprinkling holy water on missiles intended to target innocent civilians. Additionally, he lives in luxury and wealth.
Similarly, in Ezekiel’s time, while the priests may not have blessed weapons of war, they enabled the kings to act as they pleased by providing religious justification for their actions.
Its priests have done violence to my teaching and have profaned my holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them (Ezekiel 22.26).
One of the greatest idols in life is power. When we prioritize power over God, we declare that the short-term advantages gained through aligning with the powerful are more desirable than the enduring rewards of a life lived in faithfulness to God.
Whether in 590 BC or 2024, ministers of God must stay true to Him and their calling, resisting the temptation to align with earthly powers. If they fail to do so, they risk facing God’s judgment today, just as the leaders did in Ezekiel’s time.
Lesser Officials
Dictators and autocrats maintain their grip on power because lesser officials enable them. Ezekiel includes these lesser officials among those deserving of God’s judgment, as their actions reflect the corruption and wrongdoing of the leaders they serve.
Its officials within it are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain (Ezekiel 22.27).
The Prophets
The role of a prophet is to stand apart from government, boldly proclaiming God’s will and purpose to those in power.
When prophets align themselves with government and accept its benefits, they risk becoming compromised, often tailoring their messages to align with what government officials want to hear.
Its prophets have smeared whitewash on their behalf, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, “Thus says the Lord God,” when the Lord has not spoken (Ezekiel 22.28).
God included this section of Ezekiel in the Bible not merely as a history lesson about ancient Israel, but to prompt us to examine our own lives and ask, “In what ways am I guilty?”
Let us reflect on this as we strive to align our lives with God’s will.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It can be found on the Bob Spradling YouTube channel.
Real Voices 