Having Perfection and Yet Losing It All
The Lord God is perfection and beauty
You cannot find greater perfection or beauty than God
In Ezekiel 28:11-19 we find a lament for individuals, mankind, angels, & nations
Who lost the perfection and beauty God had for them
Everything becomes corrupt when we lose our dedication to the Lord
God has given us perfection and beauty
But we have to be dedicated to Him to receive it and maintain it
Perfection and beauty cannot be enjoyed without dedication to God
It may surprise many of us
On the day of the Lord, God will be separating the dedicated from the undedicated
Those dedicated to God will be walking in the fruit of perfection and beauty
Those dedicated to themselves and this world will be walking in the fruit of sin
When you and I, or a nation, is dedicated to God
Fruits of perfection and beauty come from the Lord
So keep your eyes and attention on loving the Lord
With all your heart, soul, mind and strength
And everything else will be fulfilled and added unto you
Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Having Perfection and Yet Losing It All
Ezekiel 28:11-19 is a lament over a great loss.
We see here a funeral service.
Who is the service and lament for?
Verse 12 tells us…
It is for the King of Tyre (an individual).
Verse 13 tells us…
You were in Eden, the Garden of God
(Adam and Eve, mankind).
Verse 14 says…
You were anointed as a guardian cherub
(angel above other angels, Satan).
Verse 16 says…
Through your widespread trade
(a nation, a great nation of the world, Tyre).
Although we see in verse 12…
The lament is to be taken up for the King of Tyre
there is natural and spiritual connections to this lament.
You don’t lament something bad or evil.
You lament over the loss of
something great and of value.
Why lament?
Because of the word, “WERE”…
Verse 12 says…
The model of
perfection and beauty.
"'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Verse 13 Tells us God’s gifts of placement and provision
You were in Eden, the garden of God
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
Verse 14 Anointed, ordained, highest place with God
You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
Verse15, blameless…
You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created.
God created the King of Tyre,
Adam and Eve, Satan, the great Nations.
What God created was good,
blameless, perfect and beautiful.
We lament because
as individuals, people of human race,
Guardian cherub, great nation…
All have fallen.
When did this happen?
Verse 15…
You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
What was the wickedness?
Verse 16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
Verse 17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
Verse 18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries
From perfection and beauty…
To
Violence, pride, corrupt wisdom, sins,
dishonest trade, defiled our sanctuaries.
So, what does God, who created each one, do?
Verse 16…
I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you
Verse 17 I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.
Verse 18 I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.'"
Why lament?
Because all God gave us
God had to take away…
Having perfection and yet losing it all.
God has given us perfection.
We have fallen from perfection.
So what is the problem?
One word can describe it “dedication”.
When we are dedicated to God…
We live in the perfection and beauty
He created us for.
When we lose our dedication to God…
We lose everything He created us for
and what He created us with.
Perfection and Beauty cannot be enjoyed
without dedication to God.
The day of the Lord…
Has come and will come with destruction.
It may surprise many of us.
On the day of the Lord…
God will be separating the dedicated
from the undedicated.
Those dedicated to God…
Will be walking in the fruit of perfection and beauty.
Those dedicated to themselves and this world…
Will be walking in the fruit of sin.
When you and I or a nation
is dedicated to God…
Fruits of perfection and beauty come from the Lord.
So keep your eyes and attention on loving the Lord
with all your heart, soul, mind and strength
and everything else will be fulfilled and added unto you.
Matthew 6:33-34…
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Hebrews 12:1-3…
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Scripture Reading
Ezekiel 28:11-19 NIV
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"'You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald,
chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.'"
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