Biblical Irony

In Ezekiel 32:1-34:31 we find a case of biblical irony.  Irony according to my Google search is “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.”  In the Scriptures we find statements like “So the last will be first, and the first last” Matthew 20:16 ESV.  That is biblical irony.

How does this work?

The prophet says that the righteous (or those who think they are) may be condemned while those who are wicked may be saved. [See Ezekiel 33:12-13].  Why are these ironic statements true?  We discover throughout the Bible that only by repentance and faith in the Perfect Son of God can we be saved.  Those who attain a certain level of righteousness are tempted to rely on themselves and not on God’s offering for sin.

Meanwhile, the wicked who realize they are hopeless are the ones who in desperation may call out to God for mercy.  And they find it.  There is hope for the wicked and a warning to the presumptuous righteous.

What should we do?

Be sure you are trusting in Christ, not your own good works, for salvation.  In the day of judgment, it will be ironic that the wicked are saved but it will not be amusing that the self-righteous are lost.

[For more reflections on today’s reading, see the corresponding reading in my book Cover to Cover: Through the Bible in 365 days].

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