So You Want to Worship God?

The setting is ancient Babylon. Ten thousand captives from the Southern Kingdom of Israel have been carried away by the Babylonians. Ezekiel the prophet is one of those captives.

In this passage, Ezekiel is prophesying of the fall of Jerusalem to the disbelieving remnant left in the Southern Kingdom. Learn of God's warnings to His people and how those warnings apply to our worship today.

1. The Lord hates the idolatry of His people.

In this vision, God is showing the four forms of idolatry:
• Idol of Jealousy - These are gods which compete with the True God.
• Secret Idols - These are idols worshiped in secret.
• Idol of Provision (referring to the Babylonian fertility god which made the soil produce abundant crops) - These are idols pertaining to our personal security, wealth, and comfort.
• Idol of Defiance (referring to turning their backs on the Lord) - This idol is one of forsaking God.

2. The Lord will restore His people and initiate a new covenant with them.
- It parallels Jeremiah 31:31-36.

3. The Lord will expand His people and include them in His new covenant. (Hosea 1:10, 2:23; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Romans 9:24-26, 11:11,16-17)

4. The Lord ratifies this covenant.
(Hebrews 8:7-13, 9:15-21; Matthew 26:27; Hebrews 10:16-18)

Conclusion:
The Lord hates the idolatry of His people.  (1 Corinthians 10:6-7, 14-16; Ezekiel 14:1-11; 1 Corinthians 11:27)

Why is this new covenant important?
• We have fellowship with Christ.
• We have fellowship with one another.

Revelation 21:3, 7 

Pastor Chad Morris is the Assistant Pastor at Community Baptist Church.