August 17, 2025 -He Will Not Listen

EZEKIEL 5:1-9:11

Chronological Bible Readings

Ezekiel 8:16 He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east.

God is showing Ezekiel why they were in Babylon. The Israelites had turned their backs on God worshiping all kinds of other Gods. The reference of bowing down to the sun in the east caught my attention and made me think of Islamic people bowing down all facing one direction. That is toward the Kaaba of Mecca. The interesting thing I found was that Orthodox Christians bow down facing east as it represents the rising of Jesus and looking toward His second coming. I found this article that has many scriptural references from Old and New Testament but none of them reference this scripture which represents looking away from God.

Why Orthodox Churches Face East » Saint John the Evangelist Orthodox Church

Ezekiel 8:18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them.”

As a result of Israels disobedience and sin God closes his ears to them. We have read several times that God said, "I will not listen to them." as a result of disobedience and sin. Every time I read this, I remember the time that God said He was no longer to listen to my prayers because of my disobedience. He said "Your not listening to me and until you do I will not listen to you." When I tell the story I always thought it sounded unlink God. Almost childish in it's directness. But now as we are reading chronologically it has allowed me to see these words and context repeated closely enough that I see that His words to me were consistent with scripture and exactly what He has done in the past when people have ignored what He was telling them to do. Now I have scriptural support for the truth that it truly was God speaking to me not just the knowing that it was Him. I have often said that I don't ever want Him to have to speak to me that way again. Not in anger and denial but I wouldn't mind if He would speak directly to me with direction and guidance. It would make knowing what He wants me to do so much easier. But He knows what is best.