I Poured My Fury Upon Them
A Sermon on Ezekiel 36:16-18
Originally preached April 29, 1956
Scripture
16¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. 18 …
Sermon Description
Some may posit that the Bible could never be fully explained and understood in a single sermon. However, in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermon on Ezekiel 36:16-18, he points out that two main themes can be drawn from this passage. The first, that we are all sinners. No man is perfect and all have sinned. The second, that God punishes sin. Dr Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these two themes are interconnected and one cannot be taken without the other. Some insist that God is a completely loving entity who does not punish, when really, they know that God punishes sin. God can be both a jealous God and a God of love. Dr. Lloyd-Jones claims that, we will never understand this correlation, because if we claim that we can fully understand God, then we claim to be as intelligent as God. And that is simply impossible, for we are finite, and God is infinite. Put simply, Dr. Lloyd-Jones states, “God hates sin, God judges sin, God punishes sin” – These are facts. As shown in the passage when the Israelites were sinning, “[God] poured out [his] wrath upon them.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones even points to Adam and Eve’s banishment from the garden as a consequence for their sin. It is clear that God punishes sin. However, “Why does God punish sin?” If he is all powerful, why can’t he simply acquit all of humanity from their sinful deeds. To this, Dr. Lloyd-Jones replies that it is because God is a holy and just God. A just God cannot simply let sinners go consequence free, just as a judge cannot acquit a murderer simply because he has the power to. No, God could not simply forget our sins and welcome us into heaven. However, God loved us so much, that he gave us a lifeline that would appease the consequences of sin and uphold God’s justice. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this lifeline is Jesus Christ. And by his sacrifice, we may be accepted into heaven if we believe in him. We must only ask for God’s mercy, and he will receive us.
Sermon Breakdown
- There is only one message in the Bible - the message of God to mankind.
- This message has various parts but they are all part of one whole. You must accept all parts of the message or none at all.
- The first part of the message is the doctrine of sin. Sin makes man act foolishly and reject God.
- The second part is that God punishes sin. God hates sin and judges it. This is clearly taught throughout the Bible.
- God punished the sin of Adam and Eve by driving them out of Eden. He punished the sin of the Israelites by driving them into captivity in Babylon. He punished the Jews in AD 70 by destroying Jerusalem.
- God punishes sin by driving people out of his presence and withholding blessings from them. This is how hell is described - as being outside, without God.
- God must punish sin because he is holy, righteous and just. Sin is abhorrent to him.
- It is foolish for men to pit themselves against God. They cannot escape him or his judgment.
- God punishes people according to their sin and behavior. His judgment is always just.
- The good news is that this punishment is unnecessary. God has made a way of escape through Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins, God will forgive us and reconcile us to himself.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding God's Punishment of Sin According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe God's response to sin in Ezekiel 36?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Ezekiel 36 shows that "God hates sin, God judges sin, God punishes sin." He emphasizes this as a factual statement that cannot be ignored or dismissed. The passage specifically says, "Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land and for their idols, wherewith they had polluted it. And I scattered them among the heathen." Lloyd-Jones points out that this demonstrates how God actively punishes sin by pouring out His fury and scattering the Israelites among foreign nations.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say we cannot pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that the Bible presents "one message" with distinct but inseparable parts. He states: "You cannot pick and choose in this message. You either take it all or you take none of it, because each part leads to the next and is indissolubly attached to the other." He challenges those who want to accept God's promises of salvation but reject teachings about sin and judgment, asking: "If this first part isn't the message of God, well, why should I think the second part is the message of God?" He calls it "the height of folly" and "illogical" to selectively believe only the parts of Scripture we find comfortable.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the history of Israel to demonstrate God's punishment of sin?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Israel's history as historical proof of God's punishment of sin. He reminds his listeners that God warned Israel in Deuteronomy 4 that if they corrupted themselves, He would scatter them among the nations. This prophecy was fulfilled exactly as God had warned when they were taken into Babylonian captivity. Lloyd-Jones states: "The jewish nation is a proof of the doctrine of God's hatred of sin and God's punishment of sin. It's a fact of history. As definitely a fact of history as any other fact of history." He also mentions the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 as further evidence of this principle.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as God's consistent method of punishing sin?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "God always punishes sin by throwing people out. By throwing them out of his presence and by throwing them out of the place in which he's put them." He provides multiple examples: Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden, the Israelites were thrown out of their land into Babylon, and the Jews were scattered among the nations in AD 70. He describes this punishment as being "without Christ... without God... without hope... left to yourself and people like yourself." Lloyd-Jones concludes that this pattern culminates in the final judgment where some will be "outside the eternal city" forever.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address those who say they cannot understand God's wrath against sin?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that our inability to understand God's wrath is due to our limited perspective and sinful nature. He says, "If you realize something of the being and the greatness of God, you'll even give up trying to understand." He challenges the notion that we should make our understanding the standard for belief, pointing out that many central doctrines of Christianity (like the incarnation) cannot be fully comprehended by human minds. He states, "Can the finite understand the absolute? Can that which is small understand the everlasting? It's impossible." Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that our ignorance of God's holiness leads us to question His justice, saying, "If we but have some faint conception of the unutterable, ineffable glory and holiness and purity of God we wouldn't argue about this."
What hope does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer to those who have sinned against God?
Despite the sobering message about God's punishment of sin, Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with hope. He explains that punishment "need never happen to you" because "God comes to you in Christ at this moment and says, though you've sinned... I've made a way to forgive you. I've sent my son to die for you and those very sins." He assures his listeners that God will "blot out all your sins and the very record of them" and "clothe you with the righteousness of my only son" if they will "acknowledge and confess it all, and ask him for mercy." The sermon ends with the promise that those who believe will "have a right to enter in through the gates of that city and begin to partake of that tree of life that'll feed you and fill you and ravish your heart through all eternity."
Old Testament
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.