By Such Stripes Are We Healed
by Jack Shaver
©The United Church of Canada, 1985
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0-88622-196-X
7M/12/85/APL
Used with Permission
What's God looking for?
Ezekiel 13: 4-16; 22: 23-31
These two final readings from the book of Ezekiel look like a lot of verse for one day's reflection, but they serve to frame what is perhaps Ezekiel's most striking message. You have to compare the two passages carefully before you even notice the message. The lines to be compared appear in the midst of almost similar messages. The preaching is common to all the prophets from Amos to Ezekiel. Kings, priests, prophets and people are all forsaking their responsibility under God. In the l3th chapter at verse five these words, addressed to the prophets of Israel, appear:
"You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord."
A pretty high doctrine of ministry is suggested by that metaphor. The nation's foundations are faulty. Someone is needed to build up the wall and repair the faults or in a time of testing the nation will collapse. Given that this is a stubborn people, a lot is being asked of anyone speaking on behalf of God. To build up this people requires more than gettiug the word said, it includes getting it heard!
Now listen to verse 30 in chapter 22:
"And I sought for one among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none."
This is not quite the same sentence. Here, God is looking for someone who will stand in the breach before him. What is sought is someone who will bring it about that God does not have to destroy the people.
Hidden away in this little verse is a metaphor setting forth a remarkable doctrine of ministry. God is looking for one to take responsibility for the nation's sins. It is a metaphor that keeps exploding new insights. It's a living version of the story of God and the human race.
God has to do with the ordering of how we shall live on the earth. As long as humans try to put it together some other way, it won't work.
Disaster is the consequence of ordering human society unjustly. An unjust human situation had better be prepared for rage.
Given that state of affairs, what is God doing? Looking for someone to get between his rage and the people who have it coming. It is not enough to punish the wicked; what's called for is that they be saved.
This notion is not unique to Ezekiel. It appears elsewhere in the Bible. It shines forth in Job's protests. It breaks through in other exilic prophets. Moses is reported to have advocated on behalf of people whom God was about to destroy. As the first Christian believers began to find words to declare what, for them, had been the significance of Jesus Christ's ministry, they set forth variations of this theme.
The good news about embracing human sin and sorrow is that a glimpse of the wondrous love of God may come of it. The good news about embracing human sin and sorrow is that saving may come of it. The good news about embracing human sin and sorrow is that God is looking for someone to do it.
Thanksgiving
Living God, it it a mystery to us why we spend so little time in a grateful state. We are in the habit of finding fault. We justify it on the basis that we have high standards, but our complaining becomes tiresome even to ourselves.
Dear God, how long since we last offered genuine praise? How long since we thoroughly enjoyed anything?
You have given us the gift of life; wouldn't it be something if we received it with delight'? You have given us loved ones; what if we joyfully took them to our hearts? Heaven and earth declare your wonder, terror and glory. What if we did, too?
Almighty God, genuine praise is not in us because our living and loving is out of joint. Sin has alienated us from ourselves and others.
God, if you could just take away the sin of the world...
What have we said? 0 Lamb of God, have mercy upon us.
No wonder the angels are astonished by your work of salvation.
Praise be to God for ever and ever.
Amen