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During the exile in Babylon, some of the elders of Israel visited Ezekiel who was also taken captive in Babylon to inquire of God
But as they sit with him, God reveals to Ezekiel “These men came to talk to me, but they still have their filthy idols”.
It is alarming that a people who internalize idol worship even while in exile and have compromised their loyalty to God still expect to hear from the true God
Instead of responding to them on the updates of ongoing events in Jerusalem, God confronted them about their idolatry
The message of the LORD demanded the people in exile to repent and turn away from their idols and stop all their detestable sins, perhaps they may have a chance
And peradventure a prophet speaks outside God, giving a comforting message to the people; such prophet and the people will not only be punished but be eliminated from among God’s people
After the healing of the crippled beggar at the Beautiful Gate and the people gathering around Peter and John, they took it as an opportunity to preach
Peter confesses that the healing came-by through the power of God, the God of their ancestors; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who brings glory to Jesus by healing the crippled in the name of Jesus
Peter confronted them for rejecting this Jesus, handing him over to Pilate to be crucified
After which God raised him from the dead and they are not only witnesses to the events but confirming that faith in Jesus’ name had healed the crippled man
Peter also agrees that the Jewish leaders and the people had crucified Jesus in ignorance, but now they must repent so that their sins may be wiped away
Jesus is that prophet Moses spoke about “Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God’s people”