From Priest to Prophet

Jeremiah and Ezekiel would be among the priests who could not serve in the Temple for one reason or another, but at the end, God called them to be His prophets. They lived in momentous times in the history of Israel. For almost 25 years Jeremiah prophesied of the coming destruction but no one seemed to listen until Babylon arrived at the gates of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was taken into exile and for many years the exiles had their hopes of an early return but to no avail. Ezekiel prophesied to them before, during and after the destruction of the Temple.

In Jeremiah's times, the priests had become corrupt and they held many daily services and confessed that "the temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord and the Temple of the Lord". They trusted in their magnificent building with no regard to personal behaviour. 

Likewise today, many people take pride in their physical buildings, the church of the Lord, the church of the Lord, so they claim. They take pride in their manifold services but with no regard to personal behaviour. They lie, backstab and slander their brothers and they expect God to answer their prayers! God is near their lips but far from their hearts.

The only answer is destruction like in the times of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. "Amend your ways", says the Lord. "Seek truth, seek lovingkindness and faithfulness." "Do not deal faithlessly with one another" but they will not give heed. Jeremiah and Ezekiel could have served in the Temple like other priests but God took them to be with Himself and they became His mouthpiece among the apostate Israel.