For the next two months we are looking at the prophet Ezekiel. I am glad that this is coincides with the general election. Listening to what God had to say to a nation around 2600 years ago, may well help us to decide who we will vote for on 6th June.
In this election campaign I hope and pray that we will take the bible seriously and that we will take seriously others who take the bible seriously - particularly when they come to different conclusions. In the election, as in all areas of our lives, we need to hear God’s words for today.
Discerning what is the voice of God spoken through a true prophet, and what is the voice of a false prophet requires the same prayerful discernment as is required to be a true prophet. I hope and pray that our politicians have the courage to discern what is the right thing to do, and that the electorate has the discernment to vote for them (7th May Ezekiel 2:1-7, 3:4-9, 16-21).
Discerning what we have to learn from history is an important part of how we understand ourselves both personally and as part of a nation. The bible is quite extraordinary in that the major lessons of history are not how great we are, and how badly others have behaved. Biblical history is more about how great GOD was and is, and how much we have got things wrong. I hope and pray that our politicians will have the courage to learn from their own mistakes, as well as the mistakes of others. (14th May Ezekiel 20:1-32).
One way of describing two political parties forming any type of coalition, is to say that they are “getting into bed” with each other, which points to, among other things, the fact that there will have to be major compromises made where there are differences in values. One of the major messages that prophets like Ezekiel had was that Judah and Israel’s political alliances with the Egyptians, Babylonians and Assyrians were done at the expense of the nations’ relationship with their God. I hope and pray as voters we will know what the really important issues are about which we are not willing to compromise. (21st May Ezekiel 16:1-22).
It is possible that a few weeks into the election campaign some of us may despair that any good came come out of the election. I am glad that we will hear God speaking to Ezekiel saying “Can these dry bones live?” and be inspired with our resurrection faith (28th May Ezekiel 37:1-14)