Jump Start # 1621

Ezekiel 22:30 “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.”

  The search is on. I see in so many places to eat and business a “help wanted” sign. They are looking for someone. The search is on for the next President of this country. There are many congregations that are searching for a preacher, looking for the right fit. Here in our passage, God was looking for someone. He was searching.

There was a total let down of spiritual leadership in Ezekiel’s time.

• Prophets were taking advantage of the people
• Priests had mingled the holy with the unholy and not taught the people
• Princes were destroying lives for dishonest gain
• People of the land had taken advantage of the poor

The nation was a mess—top to bottom. There didn’t seem to be anyone who was doing what was right. So God was looking. He was looking for someone to stand in the gap. He wanted a spiritual man to rise up. He was looking for someone that seemed to care.

There are several lessons for us to see here.

First, we can think that our times are the worst ever. They may be for us personally, but not so in history. Ezekiel’s time was bad. God would pull the rug out from the nation and allow the Babylonians to come in and destroy His holy city and temple. Abuse, neglect and indifference had filled the air. God’s messengers were ignored. There was no leadership that was pointing the way back to the Lord. As bad as our times are, we still have bright spots and faithful men and women who are not afraid to raise their voices to be heard through the fog of error today.

Second, leaders set the tone and the atmosphere for what happens in a home, a church and a nation. Ezekiel ran through a list of leaders: prophets, priests and princes. Spiritual and political leaders. None of them were doing right. They were putting themselves before the people. They were not engaged in the work that God had assigned for them to do. They were taking advantage of others for their own advantage.

The same principle still applies today. In a corporation, a school, a church, or even in a home, the tone and example of the leaders sets the pace for everyone else. You find some dynamic, caring leaders and you’ll find a healthy organization. You find leaders who are aloof, indifferent and you will see tension, turmoil and complaining. This is true of a business, a school or a church. The right people in the right place and you have something. The wrong people and you have disaster. Businesses have been ruined because of the wrong people at the helm. Churches die because leaders are not leading. Finding the right person is important. It is better to be patient and get the right fit as to just get anyone. That anyone may take the place down the wrong road.

Third, God has roles for all of us to fill. When we do what God wants, great things happen. When we don’t, disaster strikes. The prophets were to be the spiritual leaders that connected the people to God’s law. They didn’t do that. The priests were to be the intercessors between man and God. They didn’t do that. The princes were to lead the national politically in the way God wanted. They didn’t do that. As a result the nation was about to be led away into captivity for an entire generation.

Fourth, God was looking for someone who could turn things around. There was a “gap.” God was looking for a man to stand in that gap. That man would help the nation get back to God. The search was on. Find someone who can stand in the gap. Who would do it? Who would step up? It wasn’t too late.

Fifth, sadly the verse ends with these words, “but I found no one.” No one to stand in the gap. No one who would do what God wanted. No one was found. The search was in vain. No one would do it. We are not told why. Could it be that it would take commitment and no one wanted to do that? Could it be that the work seemed too hard? Could it be that the person would have to stand alone? Could it be that no one cared?

So often we wait for someone else to step up and turn things around. We complain about the nation, the company we work for and even the church. We see what’s wrong. We notice how things could be better. Policies that do not work. People that are falling through the cracks. Things not being done. Oh, it’s easy to notice what’s wrong. We see it. It bothers us. We complain about it. We don’t understand why something isn’t done. Could it be that no one will stand in the gap. Why won’t management do something? Why won’t the owners fix this? Why doesn’t the preacher or the elders do something? We want someone to do something, but we never see ourselves as that someone.

In God’s search, He was looking for a man to stand in the gap. He didn’t say, “I’m looking for a prophet to stand in the gap.” Nor, “I’m looking for a priest or a prince to stand in the gap.” Rather, God was looking for a man to stand in the gap. That man may not be prophet, priest or prince. It would be someone who knew the Lord and understood what ought to be done. It was someone who would be the work of God before all things.

The same spirit happens today. We may look for someone else to turn things around when it could start with us. Why not us? Why not try to change things at work? Why not try to change things in this country? Why not try to change things at home? Why not try to change things down at the church house? God was looking for someone to bridge the gap between the nation and Him. That gap was caused by sin. God was looking for someone to bring the nation back spiritually. Who would do it?

This has always been a issue. Who will do it? We’d like someone else to do it. Let them pour the effort into it. Let them take the heat from those who fight change. Let them find the resources and make things better. Let someone else do it and we will ride the wave of change and enjoy the fruits that come from it. But that’s not the spirit of this passage. It’s not who will go along with the leader. It’s who will stand in the gap. God was looking for someone to stand up and do that work.

We hide behind excuses. Work is too demanding right now. I have a young family. I travel a lot. I don’t think I know enough. I’m too young to do this. I’m too old to do this. It’s time for someone else to do something. Ready excuses. Nice justifications. The result: no one to stand in the gap.

Without someone in the gap, Ezekiel’s nation would be crippled by the Babylonians. In our times, nothing changes. Work becomes oppressive. Home feels like everyone has jumped ship. Church seems stale and lifeless. Nothing changes.

God looked for someone to stand in the gap, and no one was found. Could He have counted on you? Can He count on you now?

Roger