Standing In The Gap.

“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.” – Ezekiel 22:30 NLT

I can’t read the verse above and not think of that famous war-time poster of Uncle Sam pointing his finger and saying, “I want you!” Here in Ezekiel 22, God is pointing His finger and saying that He looked for a few good men, but found none. There was no one who might help rebuild the spiritual walls of the nation of Judah. Not a single man could be found who was willing or able to stand in the gaps in that wall while it was being rebuilt, in order to protect the people and the integrity of God’s name. God said, “I searched…but I found no one!” He could find plenty of murderers, unethical leaders, immoral husbands and wives, extortioners, swindlers, unrighteous priests and false prophets. But He couldn’t a single, solitary man to “stand in the gap.”

From God’s perspective, the land was polluted. The people were like worthless slag, the leftovers of the refining process. The chosen people of God had become valueless because they were no longer holy and set apart. Rather than live their lives as God’s special possession, set apart for His use and His glory, they had chosen to defile themselves and dishonor God by serving other gods. After all God had done for them, there was not a single individual who God could point His finger at and say, “I want you!” Yes, He had Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah, Nehemiah and a handful of other prophets, but there was a glaring absence of faithful men and women who He could trust to help rebuild the spiritual legacy of the nation of Israel. Things were so bad that even God’s faithful prophets would prove unsuccessful in stemming the tide of sin and rebellion. The moral condition of the nation had reached an all-time low.

But this chapter reminds us that God is always looking for men and women who will rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. Today, we face similar conditions to that of Ezekiel’s day. Immorality, unethical leadership, graft, greed, corruption and a growing sense of spiritual apathy. And God is looking for a few good men and women who would be willing to stand in the gap so that the spiritual walls might be rebuilt. Those men and women are there, but the sad thing is that they are seemingly few and far between. The righteous seem to be overwhelmed by the unrighteous and the spiritually indifferent. But God has always worked with a remnant. He is looking for the faithful few through whom He can work in the midst of all the darkness. “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.” Has He found you?

Father, may I be that person You are looking for. I want to stand in the gap. I want to help rebuild the spiritual walls around Your people. Use me to accomplish Your will in this nation and around the world, so that You might receive the glory. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org