Ezekiel 22:30-31
“Will You Stand in the Gap?”
November 19, 2008
“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. 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.
This is a pitiable scenario that we find in Israel at the time of this prophecy. The Lord makes an evaluation of His people. Just to remind you: it is His evaluation alone that counts. We are susceptible to looking at things from an earthly perspective. People fool us into believing what is best about them; God is not fooled. And God will not be mocked. His eyelids try the sons of men (Ps. 11:4). He sees all, knows all, and will repay all for their deeds in this world, whether good or bad. His are the eyes of passionate, holy fire aflame in His love for mankind, enraged at the sin that has shipwrecked the souls of millions. His evaluation alone determines the course of our eternity.
Now those ageless, eternal eyes turn their dreadful gaze upon His own people, and He sees the sin. The princes have used their power to oppress the common man for selfish gain (v. 27). The prophets, those set apart by God for the purpose of divine communication, have fabricated messages from God (v. 28). They tell the people that everything is okay when everyone knows deep down that it is not. The people of the land (the land-owning aristocracy) have increased their owning through the oppression of the poorest and most vulnerable (v. 29). Now God is asking, “Who will stand against this? Who will stand in the gap between righteousness and evil? Who will stand the gap between them and Me?” And there is no one to be found.
The country we live in today parallels the spiritual condition of Israel in Ezekiel’s day. The darkness continues to expand with little to no resistance. And where are God’s people who are called to stand in the gap? I am afraid that we have become so caught up in the things of the world that we can no longer see the darkness that surrounds us on all sides. We have become blind and deaf to the needs and cries of those who are suffering around us. Not just a physical suffering, but more importantly a spiritual suffering. People are lost and dying; everyday more find their eternal home in the tormenting fires of Hell…where are those who will stand in the gap?
Dearly beloved, you and I are charged with the privilege of standing in the gap with the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the cure for the greatest bane of mankind at our disposal. We can share it freely with great power and authority. Why then aren’t we standing in the gap? Why aren’t we sharing the water of life as freely as it was given? On a popular “shipwreck” TV show, one of the lead characters made this statement: “If we can’t bring the water to the people, let’s bring the people to the water.” Friends, you and I can do both. We have fountains of living water springing up within our souls (John 7:38). We have the ability to bring them to the waters that they might drink and live. We also have the privilege of bringing the water to them where they are. We can stand in the gap, but we must be willing to stand in the gap.
We must also be willing to separate ourselves from the darkness this world creates. Christians cannot presume to live life like the devil but testify for the Lord. The two are diametrically opposed forces, and we cannot serve simultaneously these two masters. The church must remove itself from the corruption and filth of the world if there is any hope for success (2 Cor. 6:17). Then we must stand together, in God’s power, against the corruption and injustice in the world. We have a responsibility to protect the strangers, the orphans, and the widows from the evil intentions of the world. They need someone to stand in the gap for them as well. We have a responsibility to give voice to the issues of morality and the sanctity of human life, though none go stand with us. The church must bridge the gap between the things of God and the world that His kingdom may come in this world as it is in heaven. Do we dare to stand in the gap?
But, let me remind you that nothing we do would be worthwhile had someone not stood in the gap for us. I firmly believe that this is what Christ did upon the cross of Calvary. He threw Himself between us and the onslaught of God’s wrath. Jesus drank every bit of the wrath that was reserved for us. He bore my sins, paid my penalty, and endured my hell so that I would not have to. He stood in the gap for me, and He’s done the same for you. For as many of us as have accepted His ministry, we are now able to become ambassadors of righteousness in His name. We are able to stand in the gap because Christ first stood in the gap for us. What a great privilege! What an awesome responsibility!
Here at New Home Free Will Baptist Church, we seek to learn to stand in the gap. We, like everyone else, have not always fulfilled that intercessory role to the best of our abilities, but we’re growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior every day. I hope that you will consider joining our fellowship for worship and service. But no matter where you attend, I pray that you will be resolute to stand in the gap for the Lord. May He never again find His people lacking for those who will stand in the gaps! The Lord bless you according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
In Christ,
~Benjamin