RTW 2023

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.“

Ezekiel 22:30

Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.
Ezekiel 22:29

Common people who those who weren’t royalty or elite. They mistreated the poor. They learned from those who led them. How terribly sad, and terribly similar to what happens today.

‍

God will bring

• destruction to anything that steals His glory.
• discipline to those who steal His glory, or give it to another.

“Even they whose lips should preserve knowledge, have not instructed the people: they have violated my law, not only in their private conduct, but in their careless and corrupt manner of serving in my temple.” – Adam Clarke

Their job was to

• understand the law as it pertained to conduct, holy or unholy, and clean or unclean.
• Teach the difference to the people.

Our pastor’s and spiritual leaders aren’t responsible for our righteousness.

Our wall of righteousness is

• Bought with the blood of Christ and should be treasured and protected
  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him
  2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

• Built through the truth of God’s Word in our life
  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
  John 17:15-18 (ESV)

• Broken when we yoke ourselves with the world.
  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.
  2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV)

To Build our wall we must

• Lift the Word up
  Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
  Psalm 119:18 (ESV)

• Take the Word in
  The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
  Psalm 119:130 (ESV)

• Live the Word out.
  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
  Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

Be blessed!!!

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Psalm 119:1-3 (ESV)

When every Christian determines to build a wall of righteousness around themselves, imagine how strong and impenetrable the church will be.

‍

Build my wall. Make it strong.