EZEKIEL

57
So common, so widespread was the idolatry of Judah that it had become common place. Sin is deceptive, when practiced over a prolonged period of time, it no longer troubles the conscience of those involved. Their actions had become habitual to a degree where they could no longer see any harm in worshiping the gods of the heathen. The feelings of the Lord and His Word had indeed become imatter of no consequence to them. Disobedience to the Word of the Lord in one area of life will open the door for a flood tide of every kind of unrighteousness. As a result, there was no restraint and the land was filled with violence of every sort. This is applicable for today as well as it was in their day. Sin is a reproach to any people. Prov. 14:34.

The mixture of their worship, the use of idols to represent the Lord was a matter of great provocation to the Lord. Rightfully, He became angry with them. A mixture of spiritual and carnal is obnoxious to Him. When Israel left Egypt, for whatever reason, there were those who were not Israelites who joined with them. There was a goodly number of them for they are called a mixed multitude. Ex. 12:38 It was among this mixture that trouble started. They were a disruptive force among the people and stirred them up to complain against the Lord. Num. 11:4 In a time of renewal there is to be a separation from such. The people who returned to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon, separated themselves from those who were not true Israelites. Neh. 13:3 Nehemiah very strongly rebuked the mixture and demanded a change. Neh. 13:23-30 The Lord will find Himself a fully separated people who will be the Bride of Christ in the end of the age. 2 Cor. 6:17.

They put the branch to the nose. This is one of those not too obvious, yet very obvious statements of a prophetic vein which we periodically find in the Word. They sniffed at the branch, in other words they had great disdain for the branch and rejected it. To whom else would the Lord be referring except to the man whose name was to be The BRANCH. Zech. 6:12 This is one of many names given to the Lord Jesus which relate to a work or to the nature of the person so named. As the Son of Man, He is a descendant of Jesse and was to have authority and leadership as a rod, a scepter, a King. Isa. 11:1 He is the righteous Branch, the King of kings who would be born of the lineage of king David. Jer. 23:5 Most importantly, the responsibility of building the true Temple, the Bride of Christ, rests upon Him. Zech. 6:13.
The glory of the Lord is revealed in Him. He has a dual ministry, that of Priest and King and will rule and reign eternally. They put the Branch to the nose, they rejected the chief corner stone, the foundation of salvation.
Mt. 21:42 Amazingly, they put it to the nose and they still do.

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