“‘Even, though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,’ declares the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 14:14
God said these words as Ezekiel was pronouncing final judgment on the Southern Kingdom of Israel, specifically Jerusalem. The presence of these three men could not save Jerusalem. I am intrigued that God named these men. I am equally intrigued with whom he did not name. When I think of Old Testament saints, these three are not at the top of my list. They are at the top of God’s.
Noah and Job have already died. Daniel is living in exile in Babylon. He was taken captive with Babylon’s first assault on Jerusalem. He is still alive. It would be interesting to know if Ezekiel and Daniel’s lives crossed paths.
The fact that God emphasizes what little good their presence would do is an indication of just how far the nation had fallen into sin. Not even these Godly men could save Jerusalem from the coming destruction. Later, Ezekiel tells us,
“‘Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct that they. As I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘Sodom, your sister, and her daughters, have not done as you and your daughters have done.'”
Ezekiel 16:46-48
I never considered just how evil Jerusalem had become. There is so much more in these passages. When you read of Sodom’s sins, the list is interesting. What we usually list, God does not list. I would summarize them as pride and a lack of concern for the poor and needy.
For me, it boils down to their rejection of God as their God. All other sin resulted from that first choice. I think that is where pride is the issue. We do not need God and thus, our sense of right and wrong becomes self-defined rather than God defined. Self-defined allows for the enjoyment of the flesh. God defined allows for the enjoyment of God’s design.
It comes back to who is our God. For Jerusalem, it was not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was the gods of the other nations. Who is it for us?
I say with Joshua, as for me, I will serve the Lord.
Mary studied Mechanical Engineering as an undergraduate student. While studying she traded semesters working at NASA in Houston, Texas. It was while working at NASA that she felt the tug on her heart that God had another plan for her life. Upon graduation, Mary proceeded to serve as a missionary for the next 11 years of her life; she served in Greece the last two years of her service. Upon returning from Greece, she pursued her Master's degree in Counseling, which led to a job with a major university. It was while working there that God did what God faithfully does, she found herself working as an engineer again as she managed major construction projects for the university. She also pursued her Master's degree in Engineering Management and her Professional Engineering License. Mary now on her ministry and writing. When Mary left missionary service it was her desire to return to fulltime ministry one day. She had her first outline for a book in 1989 (a book she has yet to write). Her first book was published in May, 2014 with the second quickly on its heels in December, 2014. She continues to write and is developing an evangelistic series of books centered around Jesus Christ. Her prayer is that her books will bless others' relationships with our Father God and His word.