Contemplative Bible Reading

Ezekiel 22:30 (New Living Translation)

30 “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.

God is talking to the people through the prophet Ezekiel. The political and religious leaders of the people have not done what God told them to do. They are stealing, lying, cheating, and not teaching the difference between right and wrong—the difference between righteousness and evil.

God searched for someone who would do what is right. God searched for someone who would “rebuild the wall of righteousness,” but found no one. Sigh. It is over. Doom is coming.

Sometimes life is complicated and sometimes life is simple—easy. There is right and there is wrong and I know what is right and what is wrong. But, but, but you have to understand. There are these many factors and there are all these different factions of people and there are … nope. There is still right and wrong and all my attempts to make the simple complicated are just excuses to make me feel better.

Leaders are to have a wall of righteousness about the people to protect the people and allow the people to live in what is right and good. It is the same as parents protecting small children from evil. It is simple. Please God, don’t let me make it sound complicated.