Ezekiel 22:23-31 “And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, (24) “Son of man, say to her: 'You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.' (25) The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. (26) Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. (27) Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. (28) Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord had not spoken. (29) The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. (30) 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. (31) Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord God.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture God plainly tells us that He looks among men to find individuals that will be prepared to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the nations. So why does God need individuals to do that? God tells us in this passage that He needs them to intercede on behalf the nations so that He doesn’t destroy them. And so in order for us to understand this concept we need to understand the difference between God judging a nation and God destroying a nation. As we have already discussed, when God judges a nation He allows certain judgements to come upon them in the hope of persuading them to correct their wicked behaviour. In these instances God never looks for an individual to stand in the gap for the nation to prevent God’s judgement from falling, precisely because the judgement is necessary to bring the nation to the place of repentance.
Michael E.B. Maher
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