I was sitting in Starbucks yesterday morning. There were signs that Halloween had arrived. One of the baristas was dressed like Maleficent. Another was dressed like a princess. One was Aladdin. Meanwhile, the soundtrack of the morning was a litany of Halloween songs, filled with strange minor chords, sound effects such as barking dogs, sirens, and low, ominous vocal harmonies. I heard a few lines that reminded me of horror movies I had seen when I was younger...movies I do not want to see again! But coming here I should expect to encounter some memory of something scary.
Ezekiel points us to what would be truly scary in his passage today.
Ezekiel 20-23 is about the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah. Admittedly, this is a constant problem throughout the Old Testament. Many different books are covering the same main problem. Pressing on and engaging with the words not only gives us something to chew on. God's Word comes to us and challenges us in our present day. God calls Ezekiel to speak to his people, saying that "your ancestors blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me." (20:27). How scary that we have dealings with God and that humanity is capable of being treacherous in these dealings! Doesn't the world dull this sense in us? The nightmare of the human condition is how little we're aware of our condition. That is the tragedy of Oholah (represents Samaria) and Oholibah (represents Jerusalem) in chapter 23 - they prostitute themselves, relying on other nations more than God. They don't realize the danger they're in.
It is valuable to know the truth about this life, and Scripture gives it to us: we are built for relationship. Nobody is an island. Least of all with God, for he is the one who created us, who fashioned us with his own hand, on whom we are dependent for air, food, water, and for a body that works well. When we take what he has fashioned - ourselves, our relationships, our world - and use it for our own purposes, we deal treacherously. We aren't merely doing things our way. We are working against the plans of the one who made it all. What is scary is this: humanity is involved in this world, but isn't aware of it. We are unaware that each moment is a moment of faithfulness to God or treacherous enmity to God. Humanity will do all they can to resist this truth. Ezekiel himself turned to God and cried, "Ah Lord God! they are saying of me, 'Is he not a maker of allegories?'" Humanity will resist this truth. They will pretend its all make-believe kids' stuff. We live in a secular age, and this is what is truly scary: not believing too much about God, but believing far too little.
We must find a way to trust God. Our hearts are dark, but his is wonderful light. We must face up to him and engage with him to become what he would make of us. Today is All Saints' Day in the church, in which we remember all those who have submitted their lives to the God they love to allow them to become like him. We remember those who have devoted themselves to Jesus Christ who was crucified for us, who loves his enemies, who knows who and what we are, and still gives his life for us.
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