WHAT GETS YOU IN TROUBLE WITH GOD (PART 2)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

 “See in you they have treated father and mother with contempt.”

Ezekiel 22:7a

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Yesterday we began a nine devotion series on sins the Israelites committed that got them in trouble with God. In devotion one, we found out that the leaders of Israel had abused their power and freely murdered others, shedding blood in the streets of what was once a holy city of Jerusalem. This blatant ignoring of one of God’s most basic commands to not murder was just one of many transgressions the Israelites committed. Today we look at another as we look again at our scripture verse:

 “See in you they have treated father and mother with contempt.”  Ezekiel 22:7a

So what does it mean to treat someone with contempt?

Let’s look at some definitions of the word:

a. feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval.

b. the act of despising: the state of mind of one who despises.

c. a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern.

None of these represent treating someone in a positive way. Rather, they are all attitudes that disrespect and devalue someone.

Now consider these feelings being extended toward one’s parents, directed toward a father or mother or both. And then consider this command from the Lord which interestingly precedes the one we looked at yesterday, the command to not murder:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

Additionally, we find two other verses regarding this matter in the scriptures:

“Each of you must respect your mother and father.” Leviticus 19:3

“For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’” Mark 7:10

Given all this, I think you can easily see the sin that is at the center of today’s devotion, the sin that will get you in trouble with God. For if God commanded us to honor our father and mother, and we decide to disrespect and dishonor them with the way we treat them and/or the way we live our lives, then we have decided to be disobedient to God’s word and will, a decision that will never sit well with Him.

This is one of the reasons the Israelites had gotten in God’s doghouse, inciting His wrath and incurring His judgment. They had treated their father and mother with contempt and, through that willful sinning, treated God with contempt as well. This is because they showed no regard or respect for God’s commands through their blatant violation of them.

And so God would show His people what disregard and disdain felt like as He handed them over to the Babylonians who in turn destroyed Judah and Jerusalem before taking away the Israelites into seventy years of captivity. Hindsight being twenty-twenty, I’m sure the Israelites would say their sins weren’t worth the punishment attached to them.

So where does this leave us today?

Well, I believe the answer to the question is found in another question:

Do you honor your father and mother?

It’s not a complex question by any means. In fact, there really isn’t any gray area attached to it.

You either treat your parents with honor and dignity or you don’t.

In the first way, you not only honor them but God as well through your obedience to His command. In the second, you dishonor both through your wicked violation of God’s orders.

How can you get in trouble with God?

Dishonor your father and mother, treating them with contempt.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at our third devotion in this series.  

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
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