Catholic Commentary on Ezekiel 14

“I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.” (Ezekiel 14:5)

Idolaters Condemned; The Righteous Remnant

Some elders of Israel come to Ezekiel to inquire of the LORD. God says: these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols. If a prophet is deceived and gives an answer in response to an idolater, the LORD himself will have deceived that prophet. Even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness. Even these three men could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

The Catechism identifies the idols set up in the heart as the interior form of idolatry: the false god worshipped not in a temple but in the depths of the will and the imagination (CCC 2113).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, these men have set up idols in their hearts. The idol is not always a statue in a temple; it is the thing installed at the center of the will that shapes every desire and decision. Ask God to search your heart for its idols. The righteous Noah and Daniel and Job could save only themselves; they could not save those who had installed idols at the center of their own hearts.

Prayer

Lord God, recapture our hearts from the idols we have set up in them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

14
Idolatrous Elders Condemned
(Romans 14:13-23; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13)
1 Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me. 2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
 
4 Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry, 5 so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’
 
6 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself. 8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
 
9 But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 They will bear their punishment-the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet- 11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’ ”
Four Dire Judgments
 
12 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply * 14:13 Hebrew staff of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, 14 then even if these three men-Noah, Daniel, and Job-were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
 
15 Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts, 16 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
 
17 Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast, 18 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.
 
19 Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast, 20 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
 
21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments-sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague-in order to cut off from it both man and beast?
 
22 Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it-sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem-all that I have brought upon it. 23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

*14:13 14:13 Hebrew staff

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