The love of Christ serves to constrain (curb) us because we have been reconciled to God
and we are a new creation in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5)
Modern technology attests to the fact that Jerusalem is geographically at the center of the earth. God inspired Ezekiel to write, "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her" (Ezekiel 5:5). Dr. Stanley says, "All along, God intended for Israel to serve as an advertisement to the world's nations regarding the goodness and holiness of God. If she refused to play the role in blessing, she would play it in judgment". God prophesied through Ezekiel that because of all Israel's abominations that were even greater than those of the surrounding nations, they would even resort to cannibalism. Famine, pestilence, wild beasts, and pursuit by the enemy would be the consequences of her rebellion and abominations.
The purpose of Israel's destruction? "And you shall know that I am the Lord" (6:7). God repeats this phrase two more times in today's passage in Ezekiel. God said some would escape, "Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from me" (v. 9). "The Lord has a staggering emotional investment in His relationship with us. He created us to connect with Him on a heart-to-heart level, and when we give our hearts to something else, it deeply grieves Him" (Dr. Stanley's comment on verse 9).
Our reading in Psalm 119:169-176, serves to exhibit a heart for God in response to God's loving decrees. God's word, His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, His law, and His judgments, are all mentioned in this passage. The Psalmist asks for understanding, deliverance, and to be heard by God. He expresses his desire to praise God for the fact that he is taught by God. He acknowledges that "all Your commandments are righteousness" (v. 172). He asks for God's hand to be his help because he has chosen God's way. He is not being legalistic in his relationship with God, but says this, "I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight" (v. 174). He confesses his sin and acknowledges before God that, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments" (v. 176).
What a contrast between Israel and the Psalmist. Today's passage in Proverbs sheds even more light on this theme and seems to sum up this contrast: "Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity" (Proverbs 28:14). It may seem but a small thing to ignore one of God's precepts or statutes. It may appear to be a "minor" issue. Yet, the problem lies in the attitude behind the decision not to follow God in a seemingly "small thing". Even if we don't think it's important, we are failing to respect God when we lay aside His edict and do things our way. God can see the end from the beginning much better than we can see it. We are not only to trust Him to help us--we are to trust His insight.
Hebrews reminds us to "Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house" (3:1,2). The writer goes on to say that "He who has built all things is God" (v.4). Verse 12, "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God". That minor precept we choose to ignore and to discount as unimportant could very well be the first step of many that take us away from God. In writing it off, we are choosing to depart from God's standard on whatever it addresses--we believe our way will work. In so doing, we are disbelieving God and what He says about it. Our passage in Hebrews says, So we see that they (Israel, the chosen people of God) could not enter in because of unbelief" (v.19).
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