Profaned Among the Nations
This one has been in my spirit for several months now and the urgency to write it is now increasing. Here we go…
Eze. 36:20-23 (NKJV): When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ 21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
In these verses, The Living God is having a conversation with Ezekiel. He reminds Ezekiel of Israel’s idolatries when they came into the promised land. God says they defiled the land by evil ways and deeds. (vs. 16-17) The consequences of their idolatry was that they were exiled from their lands. God tells Ezekiel that, even then, the children of Israel didn’t learn. The name of the Lord was profaned among the nations. To profane anything means the following: characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious.
This is one of the many conversations Ezekiel has with God concerning the nation of Israel’s repeated idolatries. Here God takes them to task because not only do they commit idolatries in the inherited land He prepared for them, but they, upon EXILE double down on their idolatrous behaviors.
The nations where the Israelites were sent even were shocked into stunned unbelief, declaring (paraphrased) “Are these the people of God? They are just as idolatrous as we are!”
There is, according to Scripture, nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9). In our time, we have a people who claim to be the people of God, committing gross idolatries in the lands in which they are sent. Idolatry looks different to us today. The people who claim to be part of the family of God no longer bow down to gods of wood and stone. Rather they now prostrate themselves at the seats of power. Those who claim that “Jesus saves” have forsaken that same Jesus and have declared Him “woke”. They have accepted the falseness that is couched in the same lies Satan tried to use on Jesus at His temptation. We have pastors and leaders who are preying on children in their congregations and get standing ovations!! (see John Pavlovitz’s“stack here:
The Beautiful Mess by John Pavlovitz
The name Christian has been fouled by these and other idolatries so much so that when people hear the term, they associate it with those who are preaching another gospel.(Gal. 1:8) Christianity has been tainted so much that those who are truly Christ’s are having a very difficult time proving to whom they belong. The nations around the world are declaring “Are these the people of God?”
People who truly love the True and Living God are leaving church establishments by the droves (See my post on deconstruction) because of this. I’m going to say this with my full chest: The religion of MAGA (White Nationalism) is a CULT wrapped in bible verses! We shouldn’t be surprised that they can quote Scriptures, Satan can quote with the best of them! We shouldn’t be surprised that they do good works (Lord, Lord, did we not…). Jesus himself said of these people: “You travel many miles to gain a convert, and when you do, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you! “(Matt. 23:15)
One of the reasons false religions gain traction is because the true Church of God is not walking in it’s authority and power of the Holy Spirit. While the magicians and soothsayers of the enemy mimic the power (anybody remember Moses?) of God and pimp the people of God is because those who are endued with power from on high don’t use it! We are not being the witnesses of the power of Christ in the earth, so the enemy runs rampant as his end swiftly approaches.
However, I want to leave you with hope. Jesus declared that upon the rock of revelation knowledge of who He is, He would build His Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.(Matt. 16:18). His Church will endure. But it must first stand up!