Stand in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:29-31

“The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.”

Throughout the book of Ezekiel, God lays out the charges against Jerusalem. They had become evil people: oppressions, robbery, mistreatment of the poor and needy, ect. The people continued in their rebellious ways despite time after time that God had spoke to them, rising up early and sending His prophets, whom they beat and killed. But God loved his people, so he sent prophet after prophet to them to warn them and to beseech them to return to the Lord and forsake their evil ways. But they would not.

So now the judgment of the Lord must be poured out upon them. But noticed what He says: “I searched for a man who would stand in the gap on behalf on the land for Me, that I would not destroy it, but I found none.”

It’s so interesting to see how God works. Sometimes its hard to understand. Indeed, the fleshly mind cannot understand it. But God must destroy the land, but He does not want to destroy the land. He wants His people to return to Him. They don’t return to Him, but He still does not want to destroy the land. So what does He do? He searches throughout Israel for a man who will intercede for Israel. Someone who will stand up and say, “God, turn from your fierce wrath and have mercy upon your people who you brought out of Egypt!” This is what Moses did. Moses stood in the gap for Israel. But there was no Moses this time. God had searched but He found no one.

This demostrates the love and mercy of God, and His long-suffering toward those who hate Him and profane His name. The Lord has found someone who will stand in the gap for us: His Son. We live in a time of God’s grace. We live in a time where God is calling and beseeching us to come – forgiving us of our wrong doings. We live in a time where God does not judge us based on our sins, but looks at us through the blood of His Son’s sacrifice. Oh, Glory to God!

But this time won’t last forever. That is why the bible says to seek the Lord while He may be found and in the day of His favor, because these days are coming to a close and God’s wrath will be even much greater than it was against Jerusalem and Sodom and Samaria. They didn’t have the grace we have, and they didn’t have the Son of God. There will be no excuse for us in the day of judgment for our disobedience – only a fearful expectation of the wrath of the Almighty God.