Ezekiel: God who travels Chapter 8
Idolatry Breaks God’s Heart 💔
A Cry from the Book of Ezekiel
It took me a lot of moments to breathe before writing this.
I had to ask God for mercy first—because deep in my own heart, I know I’m not innocent of this sin.
And yet...
God still gives me grace.
He still gives me breath to write,
And the space to reflect on what breaks His heart the most.
The Sin That Cuts Deep
The book of Ezekiel is unapologetically clear about its focus:
Idolatry.
Not just as a historical problem.
But as a personal, spiritual crisis—one that continues to destroy lives, generations, and nations.
If you’ve ever asked, “What makes God weep?”
If you’ve ever wondered, “What causes Him to act in judgment?”
You will find the answer in Ezekiel.
It is this:
When His people—those He loves—worship what is not Him.
A Strange Prophet for a Strange People
Ezekiel’s task wasn’t just difficult—it was devastatingly lonely.
God made him act out symbolic judgment,
Endure loss,
Bear the sins of others,
And speak to people who refused to listen.
He wasn’t sent to foreigners.
He was sent to Israel and Judah,
God’s own people,
Who traded their Covenant-Keeping God
For carved images, lifeless idols, and unholy practices.
Idolatry Wears Many Masks
That’s what makes this sin so dangerous.
It’s not always statues.
Sometimes it’s obsession.
Sometimes it’s ambition.
Sometimes it’s self.
Or people.
Or money.
Or comfort.
Or control.
And worst of all:
We do it unaware…
Until it becomes deliberate.
Until it replaces God in our thoughts and desires.
“Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts…’”
(Ezekiel 14:2-3)
A Drug That Deadens the Soul
If idolatry were a drug,
It would be the most addictive, mind-altering poison.
It lures. It deceives. It destroys.
And most people don’t even realize they’ve taken it.
That’s why the cure feels so extreme:
-
Deep soul-searching
-
Painful correction
-
Heart-wrenching cleansing
-
Flesh being purged, pride being broken
This is the mercy of God.
He breaks us—
So that He can make us whole.
God’s Jealous Love
It may sound strange to say:
But God is jealous—not in a petty way, but in a holy one.
He is jealous for us, not against us.
Because He created us to belong to Him.
That’s why He tells Ezekiel to speak,
To warn,
To weep,
And to remind the people:
“They will know that I am the Lord.”
All or Nothing
I came to a hard realization while writing this:
If man cannot obey the first commandment—
“You shall have no other gods before Me”—
Then we will not be able to follow the next nine.
It’s not a list we pick from.
It’s a covenant we either keep—or break.
It’s truly all or nothing.
But There’s Hope
Even in judgment, there is mercy.
Even in wrath, God remembers His promises.
He sends prophets like Ezekiel,
Not to condemn,
But to call us back.
He doesn’t want to destroy us—
He wants to destroy the idols that are destroying us.
And He still says today:
“Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!”
(Ezekiel 14:6)
Final Thought: Come Clean Before God
If this has exposed something in you—it has in me too—
Don’t run.
Don’t justify.
Don’t pretend.
Come back.
Confess it.
Lay down every false god.
Because only one God can save.
Only one deserves your heart.
And only one gave His Son so that yours could be restored.
AC
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