Idol worship.
Ezekiel’s vision in chapter 8 demonstrates the breadth of idol worship occurring in Jerusalem. The people have brought idols into God’s temple. They use the building that was designed for worship to God to worship things created by God or by the people. The leaders (verses 8:12-13) believed that God had abandoned them and as a result worshipped idols. In other words, people want to worship something but their belief that God had failed them was license to ignore God. While the idols of today are different, the belief that God has abandoned us remains. We look for something to support us and believe can save us. Some turn to the financial markets; some turn to nutrition; some turn to relationships; some turn to education; some turn to nature; some turn to self. The idol forms have changed but the purpose for the idol has not. God has not left us. We may not understand his temporary silence. We may presume that God is supposed to act in certain ways and believe that He has failed us. These reasons give us permission to turn away from God and to something else more tangible. God is present. Trust Him.