Your Character is Showing

Ezekiel 17:16 – “As I live, declares the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die.”

When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and Jerusalem, he had to deal with a rebellious people. Eventually, he placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah. But Zedekiah wasn’t an independent king. He was a king under Babylon’s authority.

When Nebuchadnezzar put Zedekiah on the throne, he made him swear an oath that he would remain faithful to Babylon and keep the agreement they had made.

But there was a problem.

Zedekiah’s character.

He was part of a nation that had already demonstrated over and over again that they were unwilling to keep their covenant with God. And if a person isn’t faithful to God, why should anyone expect them to be faithful to anybody else?

It didn’t take long for Zedekiah’s true character to show itself.

He broke his agreement with Babylon. He stopped paying the tribute he had promised to pay and began looking to Egypt for an alliance against Babylon. God repeatedly warned Zedekiah through the prophet Jeremiah, but neither Zedekiah nor the people listened.

Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar came back.

The consequences were devastating.

Zedekiah was captured. His sons were killed before his eyes. He was blinded, bound, taken to Babylon, and eventually died there. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were carried away into captivity.

And here is what really catches my attention.

God specifically pointed to Zedekiah’s broken oath.

Ezekiel 17:16 says that he would die in Babylon because he “despised” his oath and broke his covenant with the king who had put him on the throne.

Think about that for a moment.

Zedekiah didn’t break his word to a godly man.

He broke his word to a pagan king.

Nebuchadnezzar didn’t worship the God of Israel. He was a pagan ruler who had destroyed Jerusalem and taken God’s people captive.

And yet God still held Zedekiah accountable for his word.

That ought to make us stop and think.

How seriously do we take our word?

We live in a world where people sometimes treat promises as though they are disposable. “I said I would, but things changed.” “I didn’t really mean it.” “I changed my mind.” “Everybody does it.”

But God doesn’t see it that way.

God is a God of truth.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.”

Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to be truthful, honest, trustworthy, and people whose word can be depended upon.

And here in Ezekiel 17, God brings severe judgment on a man who broke his word—even to a pagan king who had no respect for God.

Why?

Because our integrity isn’t determined by the character of the person standing across from us.

It is determined by our character before God.

That means we don’t get to be honest only when it benefits us. We don’t get to keep our word only when the other person deserves it. We don’t get to tell the truth only when it is convenient.

As followers of Jesus, our lives are supposed to reflect the One we claim to follow.

God says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” – Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16

That makes this passage much more personal.

Can people trust your word?

When you say you will do something, do you do it?

When you make a commitment, do you keep it?

When nobody is watching, are you still honest?

When keeping your word costs you something, does your character change?

Because people are watching.

And as followers of Jesus, they should be able to see something different in us.

When people look at the way you live, the way you do business, the way you keep your promises, and the way you treat people, do they see Jesus?

Check your character today.

Does your word mean something because you said it—or because you belong to Him?