By Pastor Jeff
Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” We all have heard sermons on how this passage refers to intercessory prayer and that is true but it is more than that. As you read the entire chapter we find the nation of Israel is total disarray as they have turned their back on God. God goes on to condemn the nation as a whole, then the prophets whom He calls conspirators, devouring souls, robbers and liars. He tells Ezekiel that the priests have violated the law, disobeyed the Sabbath and profaned God, the princes (leaders) are like wolves shedding blood, and destroying souls for dishonest gain,
If you didn’t know this was from the bible you might of thought I was talking about America and we sure can make a comparison to our what our once mighty country has become. Everywhere we turn it seems a new law has been enacted that takes more freedoms and rights away from us Americans, good is now called evil, evil is indeed being called good. Ezekiel 22:29, “The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.”
But the most disturbing thing about this chapter is when God says, “I sought a man“, not a world, nation, city, or a church, but a MAN! and He could not find ONE! first God is looking for someone to build a “Hedge” or a fence, when I was young man my grandparents had in their backyard a hedge which was so thick and tall that is was virtually impenetrable, that’s what God wants to be built. He next looks for a man to “stand in the gap”. which refers to a breech in the wall in which an enemy can easily enter into the city, but He found NONE!
The devil has chipped away at the wall of our country and the church for a very long time! The wall has been severally weakened to the point of collapse and we have like Israel have turned our backs on God. God is telling us to “stand“, 1Corinthians 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” We also must realize that we need to put on protection to fight this battle, Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”
God once again is looking for a man or woman to build up a hedge and to stand in the gap, will you be that man? Having done all, will you stand?
Picture by pbc.org.za/series/standing-in-the-gap/
Janesville Apostolic Ministries 