“Behold, the day. Behold it comes, your doom has come. The rod has blossomed. Pride has budded.”
– Ezekiel 7:10
Ezekiel 7:10 includes a phrase that we see all throughout Ezekiel 7. “Behold, the day. Behold, it comes.” All throughout as equal Ezekiel 7, we hear God through his Ezekiel saying to his people, “The day of judgment has come. The day of doom has come. Where the rod has blossomed and pride has budded, all of your rebellion against me, your rising up against me.” God says “The day for judgment against you has come.” And it’s so humbling. You just read through this whole chapter. God is saying, “I will not spare you. I will punish you for your ways. Behold, the day has come. Behold, the day, it comes.”
In light of the realization that the day of judgment is coming, we ought to live in order to point people towards Christ.
As we read this, I can’t help but think about the day we all know is coming. A day of judgment that is coming for every single person in the world who will one day stand before God to give an account for our lives. All of us will stand as sinners before Him, who’ve rebelled against Him.
Our only hope on that day, our only hope, your only hope, my only hope, is trust in Jesus, in the finished work of Jesus on the cross who paid the price for our sins, applied to our hearts through faith. I’m just compelled in a clear way right now to say to every single person who’s listening right now are you ready to stand before God in judgment? Do you have confidence to stand before God in judgment? Even a hopeful sense of anticipation like you look forward to that day. Do you look forward to that day?
We Must Trust In The Lord To Save Us From Sin
The only way you can look forward to that day as if you have trusted in Jesus and you are hidden in him and his righteousness is applied to you because you’ve placed your faith in him, not because you’ve done enough good things, not because you have a list of things you’ve done, but because you’ve trusted in Jesus to save you from your sins. If that’s the case, then you can live in hopeful anticipation of that day. You can cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.” But only if you’re trusting in Jesus. If you have not trusted in Jesus then I dread that day, apart from trust in Jesus, and I invite you today in view of the fact that this day could be any day for any one of us, trust in Jesus today.
If we have Jesus in us, then let’s proclaim this to people around us today. In light of the fact that this day’s coming for every coworker, every neighbor, every friend, every family member we have this day is coming. “Behold, the day is coming.” For all those who are not in Jesus, a day of doom it will be.”
Ezekiel 7:10 Prays To Live With Eternal Perspective
So God, we pray that you would help us to live today with an eternal perspective, help me, help each one of us to live in the eternal perspective, there realizes this day is coming and lives today in light of that day. Lord help us to rest in Jesus, trust in Jesus, follow Jesus today in view of that day. God, help us to proclaim Jesus in view of that day.
So God, we pray that you give us boldness. Help us to care more about people’s salvation on that day than our reputation today or anything else that keeps us from speaking up and sharing the gospel. God, help us to warn people of this coming day and to tell me the good news of your grace that’s available in what Jesus has done on the cross and who Jesus is as the savior from our sins and the Lord of our lives. God, help us to proclaim Jesus.
Ezekiel 7:10 Prays For The Pinjarra Muslims Of India
God, we pray for this right around us, far from us among the Pinjarra Muslims of India. Over 3 million of them and no known followers of Jesus. God, none of them are ready for that day. Not one of the 3.28 million of them ready for that day, God. Please send laborers to the Pinjarra Muslims of India that they might be ready on that day, they might know your salvation today.
Oh, God help us to amidst all the business of our lives, all the things going on around us, lift our eyes to realize that day of judgment is coming for all people and help us to live with urgency today, one trusting in Jesus all the more and to proclaiming Jesus with everything we have. May it be so we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
