Who Stands In The Gap?
By Tracey Sebold

While recently reading a book a relative gave me about prayer (I must admit that I only agreed to read it after she said that I could "tell her what I thought" of the book), I encountered a section on "intercession" and how it is vital that Christians intercede on behalf of unsaved individuals; because otherwise, they will not receive salvation (I do not agree with that statement, and will probably write another entry about it soon). Their argument stems from a quote taken from

Ezekiel 22:30
I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

This verse is used quite a bit when preachers want more people to participate in church activities (such as prayer services), because if we don't "stand in the gap" and help bring people to the Lord, we (as Christians) aren't doing our job. I had never really looked into this verse, or the accuracy of presenting it in that context, so when I came across that quote in the book I am reading, I read the context of the verse. (A side note about the book -- actually, this is a general
warning: when a book that claims to be geared towards bringing about a spiritual renewal cites 16 different translations of the Bible, be suspicious. When someone uses that many different translations (and they are not using them to show how one verse can be translated differently, and how it compares with the original language) the author is most likely taking scripture out of context and using whichever translation backs up their argument.)

What I discovered when I read the context (all of chapter 22) was really interesting to me: the person who God was looking for to stand in the gap wasn't an Israelite that was shirking responsibility, it isn't a Christian who doesn't do enough "intecessory prayer," it is the Messiah for whom He is searching. The Lord God is looking for someone who can "undo" all of the abominations and uncleanness that Israel has brought upon herself. Let's follow the context of the chapter to determine if it is indeed the Messiah who stands in the gap.

Verses 1 through 12 list the reasons that God is bringing judgment upon Israel: they have broken all of the 10 commandments, as well as other laws in the Torah. Jerusalem has become the seat of all kinds of abominations and blasphemy against the Lord.

Verses 13 through 16 confirm that judgment is coming, and that the Lord is going to scatter Israel among the nations, as a means of purging these sins from the people.

Verses 17 through 22 offer an analogy of Israel as dross, the impurities which are burned out of precious metals as they are refined by fire. Again this is showing that judgment must come upon Israel to remove the sin from the nation leaving only a remnant who withstand the judgment (the precious metals separated from the dross).

Verses 23 through 29 explain how every part of society has become corrupt. Remember that in Israel there are kings, priests, prophets, and the people. These verses show that no class of citizen have resisted the lure of sin.

The kings (even going back to verse 6) have used their power to kill and oppress for dishonest gain, the priests have "done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things," meaning that those who are supposed to have full knowledge of the commandments God has given are
disregarding them when there is no personal gain for observing them. The priests have also violated the Sabbath, and mocked God by not teaching the people the difference between the "holy and the profane" (the things separated for God, and the things separated from God). The prophets are "seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord has not spoken." (If we recall, Deuteronomy 18:20-22 records this sin and its
punishment: "But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." ) The people of Israel are oppressing and robbing the poor and needy, "and have
oppressed the sojourner without justice."

Finally, we come to verses 30 and 31:

"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord GOD.

God has searched for a man among them (common Israelite) who was righteous enough to have kept himself from these sins, who could call the people to repentance (prophet), repair the wall between God and man by showing them how they were profaned and how to become holy
(priest), and representing the land before God (king). There was no such man, so Israel had to be judged for their sins.

I believe that these scriptures can also be applied to us today. Looking at all of the sin and corruption in this world, the Lord God searches for a prophet/priest/king descended from Israel to repair the breach between Himself and the people. Praise be to God that He only needs to look to His right hand, where Yeshua is seated.

"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time." -- 1 Timothy 2:5-6

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