“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. [Ezekiel 22.30]
What does this mean? The only way to know is to see what was said before it... and it's not pretty.
“Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will be like a polluted land, a land without rain. Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land. Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them. Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign LORD,’ when the LORD hasn’t spoken a single word to them. Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. [Ezekiel 22.24-29]
The wall of righteousness that guards the land should be the political and religious leaders, prophets, and common people. But, as Ezekiel writes, these people are all corrupt before God thus leaving a gap in the wall that needs to be filled. Then the famous words are spoken: I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
So, how seriously do we take this statement "I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one"?
Someone needs to stop the politicians who are seizing treasures and extorting wealth.
Someone needs to stop the religious leaders who make no distinction between what is holy and what is not and actually destroy people’s lives for money.
Someone needs to stop the prophets whom the LORD hasn’t spoken a single word to.
Someone needs to stop the common people who oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.
But who will that be?
First, it can only be a person who recognizes the need. That person will necessarily be a person well-versed in God's Word. Error can only be seen as error when compared to the Truth.
Then, the person who stands in the gap can only be a person of prayer. The violations addressed above are spiritual in nature and can only be effectively combatted in the Spirit.
The gap-stander can only be one who actually stands in the gap. Silly as that sounds, standing in the gap involves a presence. There is a physical presence following recognition and prayer (of and for the need) that speaks God's Word and therefore God's will over the violations against God. Because this presence is preceded by knowledge of the Truth (leading to recognition) and prayer (intercession for the offenders), there is an accurate and equipped, appropriate and relevant voice of advocacy to restore the breech in the wall.
God sought this person in Ezekiel's day and I dare say God seeks this person today. Who is this person? It's Jesus. If we are going to be the person God seeks out, we can only be that person as Christ is in us.
The Good News is... Jesus has come and left four good accounts of His life and ministry on earth showing faithful followers exactly how to live and act. If we are going to effectively stand in the gap for those around us, we must be willing to lay down our lives, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.
Will we be gap-standers? That is entirely dependent upon whether or not we will be genuine Christ-followers! Can someone say, "AMEN"?
Father, may we see that the only way to address the problems in the world is to follow Christ!
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