Here we find the elder's of Israel are coming to Ezekiel (the prophet) for advice. However, God is tired of their hypocrisy. In verses 3 and 4 we find God calling them out because they have set up their idols in their hearts. These idols they have set up are continually causing them to stumble and fall into sin. Yet, they continue to come and seek advice from the prophets. To put it another way, they are using the prophet as a safety net. Saying in their hearts, " we will continue to do what we desire in secret because we can always go to the prophets of God to help us out of our undesirable situations. They will save us". You see these were people who looked righteous. They were continually coming to the temple to give sacrifices and to say they're prayers.
God tells Ezekiel He's had enough. He calls for them to repent in verse 6 and to turn from their evil ways. Then in verse 7 He tells them that whoever continues in their secret, hypocritical sins will receive the punishment that they deserve. God takes it a step further in verse 9 proclaiming that any prophet who gives advice to these hypocrites will face the same punishment as the evildoer.
Do we do the same thing today as God's people? Are we setting up idols of the heart and fulfilling those idolatrous desires throughout the week and then coming in to the church on Sabbath expecting God to bless us anyways? Are we using God, His church, and the Sabbath as a safety net? What are our idolatries of the heart, which are causing us to stumble? God is calling us to repentance just as He called the Israelites to repentance in Ezekiel's day. He wants to cleanse and purify us and He pleads with us to put away any idolatry hidden within our hearts.
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