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. (Ezekiel 22:30)
The Marines have a slogan, “We’re just looking for a
few good men.” So is God. What a difference a few good men could make
in the church and the church’s impact in the world. Ezekiel underscores this in our text. Here he pictures a city under siege and the
enemy has broken through the wall. There
is a deadly breach in the defenses. The
only hope was for a stalwart soldier to stand in the gap. It is an accurate picture of what is
happening in our time. The enemy is
pouring through the spiritual defenses—our families, our churches, our culture being
overwhelmed in the assault of Satan and his minions. The need is for an elite group of men—sold
out to Christ—who will not waver.
Ezekiel was that kind of man. Those prophets of old afford an inspiring
model for us. James exhorted, “Take...the prophets…for an example.”
The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of
DESTINY. Ezekiel—author of this book, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Daniel, and the rest bore the title, “prophet.” We usually think
of this as someone foretelling the future.
Though this element was often present, their office was primarily
forth-telling the truth. A careful
examination of their ministry shows they did not speak only of future events,
but confronted their contemporaries. The
prophet had a word for the present hour.
The Hebrew word for prophet is literally, “one who has been called.” They had a mandate from heaven. It was a divine compulsion. Jeremiah described it as a fire in his
bones. This awareness of God’s call
imparts a sense of destiny. Dear reader,
God has you here in this time and place for a reason—not an accident, but
appointment. The prophet had something
to say. Society today has lost its moral
compass—our families are floundering at sea without an anchor, and churches drifting
doctrinally without a steady hand on the helm of Scripture. Men, we must take up the sword of the Spirit
and stand in the gap!
The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of
DEVOTION. They were often referred to as
“the man of God.” This described the man’s devotion to the
Lord. He was possessed by the God who
held him and obsessed with the God who loved him. The prophet was God’s man. This suggests an abiding fellowship. Brothers, do you shut yourself up with God to
hear from Him in His Word and commune with Him in prayer on a consistent basis? Because the prophet was the man of God, he
could not be bought. His convictions
were not for sale. The world believes
every man has his price—but, not God’s man.
The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of
DISCERNMENT. Another term for the
prophet was, “seer.” He could see beyond the natural realm and
gained God’s perspective. He could see
the invisible with eyes of faith—to discern the spiritual realities behind the
surface events. We need to be men of
vision who see before others see, see more than others see, and see beyond what
others see. He had a word for his times
because he had a view of eternity.
Will you be a man who stands in the gap? God is looking for a few good men!
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