Ezekiel 28 - Tyre & Sidon

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 28

BACKGROUND
There are four parts to this chapter:

• fall of the prince of Tyre (vs 1-10
• lament over the king of Tyre (vs 11-19)
  
• judgment on Sidon (vs 20-24)
  
• promise to Israel (vs 25-26)

The prince of Tyre refers to the ruler of the city of Tyre at the time of the prophecy. The reigning king at that time was Ittobaal II. Because of his very great pride, God will use strangers (Babylonians) to bring judgment on him.

The king of Tyre in the second section most likely refers to Satan. We know from 1 Chronicles 21 (Satan was behind David's census), Daniel 10 (the prince of the kingdom of Persia delayed the angel Michael), and Matthew 4:8-10 (Satan tempted Jesus to worship him) that Satan wants to control nations and their leaders. This passage tells of his creation as a very beautiful creature and as an obedient angel of God. But his pride and selfish ambitions led him to sin, leading God to cast him out. Here he is the motivation and strength behind the human prince of Tyre. One day, his judgment will be completed with consuming fire.

The third section tells of God's judgment on the city of Sidon. This city was about 25 miles north of Tyre, along the Mediterranean coast. The people of Sidon were long-time enemies of Israel, but now their opposition would end. God would be glorified with the destruction of Sidon! How? Because the destruction would demonstrate God's holiness by rejecting the false gods and the sin of the city.

Finally, this chapter concludes with a promise to Israel. God will one day gather His people from where they are scattered back to their land. The nations will see His holiness in them, and they will live securely and prosperously in the land that God had promised to Jacob.

REFLECTION
This part of verse 25 struck me, "and (I) shall manifest My holiness in them (Israel) in the sight of the nations." In other words, the nations will see the holiness of God by observing His people Israel. Today, the angelic beings see the "manifold wisdom of God" through observing the church. It is part of God's eternal purpose through Jesus to demonstrate Himself through the church. (Ephesians 3:8-11) Wow! Part of the reason God saves us is to demonstrate who He is to the angelic beings!

APPLICATION
Do people see Jesus in you? Are you demonstrating who God is by the way you live?

PRAYER
Lord, we know you are far above all power and authority on this earth, as well as in the spiritual realm that we cannot see. Your purposes reach far beyond our lives into eternity. You demonstrate your holiness, wisdom, power, and glory in all that you do. Let us be humble before you, not like the ruler of Tyre who was arrogant. And let us live in such a way as to point people to you. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Ezekiel 27 - Lament for Tyre

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 27

BACKGROUND

North of Israel, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, was the city of Tyre. It was a major seaport city, an important trade center, a significant player in world commerce. Many of the materials to build Solomon's temple came from this area. Chapter 26 told of Tyre's coming destruction, and chapter 27 is a funeral dirge over the city. In reality, Ezekiel would not grieve over Tyre's destruction, but this dirge is a literary expression of the coming events. Since Tyre was such a maritime city, it is metaphorically described as a ship in this dirge. Let's take a look at it.

The dirge begins with a description of the building of the ship (vs 3-7). It was made of the finest materials from various neighboring countries. It was beautiful and much admired by the nations.

The ship was staffed with rowers and pilots (vs 8-9). The crew came from surrounding cities, representing some of the nations that made it possible for Tyre to be so successful.

The image briefly shifts from the ship metaphor to the city of Tyre itself (vs 10-11). Tyre had an army of mercenary soldiers from other countries. They were paid to protect the city and its shipping enterprise. They did not expect the city to be attacked, because they hung their helmets and shields on the walls as decorations.

Next (vs 12-25) is a description of the trade business that Tyre did along the Mediterranean coast. They traded with everyone along the sea, selecting the best of each type of merchandise.

The metaphorical ship of Tyre was filled with goods and was very glorious (vs 25), but alas! The rowers brought it into the open water, right into a hurricane, where it is broken up and destroyed (vs 26-36). The east wind that destroys the ship (vs 26) refers to Babylon. The beautiful ship, its valuable cargo, and its entire crew would all be lost in the sea. All the surrounding people will feel the economic repercussions of this loss and will be appalled. Tyre would be no more.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION
No matter how wealthy or powerful a nation or a person is, God is still more powerful. He is truly sovereign over all kings and rulers and powers of the world, and no one is invincible in His eyes. This truth applies on a personal as well as a national level. In fact, it can apply at any level of life. Our pride will get us in trouble every time! Let's reflect today on God's sovereignty over us and adjust ourselves, our own thinking, to that of submission and humility.

PRAYER
Lord, your name is above all names, your power above all powers, your rule above all rulers, your wealth above all wealth, you are the LORD GOD! There is no other besides you. Give us a glimpse of you and let us be humbled before you. You are the glorious one who gives us life and being. We worship you! Amen.

Psalm 138 - Wholehearted Thanks

by Becky

LINK: Psalm 138

BACKGROUND

We return to psalms of David for a few weeks.

In verse 1, David says that “before the gods I sing your praise.” The word translated gods there is elohim, which sometimes means “rulers” or “judges” and sometimes means “divine ones” or “angels.” David could be talking about powerful heavenly beings, the angels, here, which is how the Greek Septuagint understood it. Or he could be speaking of the false gods of the nations around them. Or he could be talking about powerful people – people like judges. Because of the context I am inclined to understand it as either angels or powerful people. The point is that David is singing God’s praise before those with power.

REFLECTION

David offers wholehearted thanks here to the LORD for His steadfast love and faithfulness. He weaves into these words his own experience. He speaks of God’s work in past, present, and future.

David had experienced God’s answer to his prayers: “my strength of soul you increased.” It doesn’t say, by the way, that God removed whatever was troubling David. God answered and increased David’s soul strength.

Someday in the future, all the kings of the earth will recognize God’s power, and will thank Him. God’s glory is that great. Though God is so great that powerful people will bow before him, it’s not the powerful that He pays attention to. God is close to those who know they bring nothing to Him – those lowly in heart.

David knows that in the midst of trouble God preserves him and rescues him. He knows this because he knows His Lord – what He has promised and His character (v 2) and because David has experienced God’s strength in the past (v 3).

The last verse of this psalm is one that we can hang onto!

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;

your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.

Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

APPLICATION

David was convinced that God was at work in him. Why? What gave him that conviction?

Are you that convinced? How much of David’s confession can you make your own?

I hope you'll meditate on this psalm today and make it your own.

PRAYER

LORD, we know you have made us and that you are a God of purpose. You have a plan for each of your children and your love never goes away. Help us to know you, LORD, so that like David, our feet can stand on the solid ground of your character and pomises even in the midst of trouble.

Ezekiel 25 & 26 - Judgment for Surrounding Nations

LINK: Ezekiel 25 & 26

BACKGROUND

Ezekiel 25-32 is the second section of the book and deals with judgment on the surrounding Gentile nations. This judgment was based on the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; 15 - it would be really beneficial to memorize this!). God would bless those who blessed the descendants of Abraham and curse those who cursed them. Through these chapters, Ezekiel proclaimed God's curse on seven countries that had a part in Judah's demise. Each of these prophesies were delivered in a "Because/therefore/then you will know" format.

Here is a brief history of and God's judgment on five of those surrounding nations:

Ammon: Conflict between this nation and Israel was first recorded in Judges 10:6-11:33. Saul fought them (1 Sam. 11:1-11, and David conquered them (1 Chron. 19:1-20:3). They regained independence after Solomon's death, and joined the Moabites and Edomites against Judah during Jehoshaphat's reign (2 Chron. 20:1-30). Ammon did unite with Judah and Tyre against Babylon, but they didn't help Judah when Nebuchadnezzar attacked (Ezekiel 21:18-27) and even rejoiced over Judah's demise. Because they didn't help, they would be plundered by other nations (nomadic desert tribesman) and destroyed.

Moab: Conflict between Moab and Israel began when Balak, king of Moab, opposed Moses leading Israel through Palestine (Numbers 22-24). Later, Israel was oppressed by Eglon, King of Moab (Judges 3:12-30). Remember that Ruth was a Moabitess and great-grandmother of David. So they obviously enjoyed some years of peace as nations. There was conflict through the reigns of Saul and David (1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:2). and Moab was under Israel's control through the reign of Solomon. They rebelled during Jehoshaphat's reign (2 Kings 3:4-27) and united with Ammon and Edom in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Judah. They supported Babylon in an attacked during Jehoiakim's revolt (2 Kings 24:2), but joined other nations against Babylon in 593 B.C. (Jeremiah 27:1-7). They were judged for their envy and contempt of God's people thus profaning the name of God. They would be taken over by the same nomadic desert tribesman who overran Ammon.

Edom: They were blood relatives of Israel, both being descendants of Isaac (Genesis 25:19-26). Like Moab, they refused to let Moses and the Israelites cross their land (Numbers 20:14-21). Saul and David both fought them with David capturing them making them a vassal state (1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:13-14). During Solomon's reign, Elath in Edom was Israel's seaport (1 Kings 9:26-28). They regained their freedom in 845 B.C. (2 Kings 8:20-22) and struggled with Judah over the caravan and shipping routes. In 605 B.C., they became a vassal of Babylon. When Judah revolted in 588 B.C., Edom helped Babylon (Psalm 137:7; Jeremiah 49:7-22). Their sin was that they took revenge on the house of Judah by joining in the attack with Babylon. God would reciprocate by laying vengeance on them. By the first half of the second century B.C., Edom was conquered by the Nabateans Arabs. Eventually, they moved to the Negev where they were forced to convert to Judaism.

Philistia: Israel was in conflict with them since the time of the Conquest. They were in opposition to Shamgar (Jud. 3:31), Samson (Jud. 13-16), Samuel (1 Sam. 7:2-17), and Saul (1 Sam 13-14; 28:1-4; 29:1-2, 11; 31:1-3, 7-10). David finally defeated them (2 Sam. 8:1) and made them a vassal country. This continued into the division of Israel where there were numerous battles under various kings. The battles stopped when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon subdued both countries. They were judged because they acted on their vengeance and took revenge with malice, trying to destroy Judah. Therefore, God would destroy them. "K(Ch)erethites" was a synonym for the Philistines (1 Sam. 30:1-14; Zeph. 2:5). Philistia disappeared as a nation during the intertestamental period.

Tyre: This was the capital of Phoenicia. Israel and this country had wrangled over the trade routes between Egypt and the rest of the Middle East with Tyre dominating the sea and Jerusalem controlling the caravan routes. With Judah's collapse, more goods would be shipped by sea, and Tyre would "corner the market" and prosper. They sinned by their gloating, and God judged them when Nebuchadnezzar attacked the city in 586 B.C. and captured it by 571 B.C. (it took a long time because Tyre was constantly resupplied from the coastal side). The island part of Tyre surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar in 573 B.C. Some commentators think that the actual destruction of this island didn't take place until Alexander the Great made a bridge to the island and destroyed it completely in 332 B.C. For centuries, it was nothing more than a bare rock where fisherman spread their nets (26:4-5, 14). Here is a current picture where Alexander's bridge has become permanent due to sand building up on it:

Katrina will continue on Monday with a "dirge" for the city of Tyre!

That was a ton of history and enough for today. Have a great Saturday Bible readers!!!!

PRAYER

Lord, we praise You for Your sovereignty over world events. We pray we would continue to know that You are the Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 24 - What's Cookin'?

LINK: Ezekiel 24

BACKGROUND

This is a the last chapter in the first section of Ezekiel that deals with the destruction of Jerusalem (chapters 4-24). The first part of this chapter is about a boiling pot (24:1-14), and the second part is about the death of the prophet's wife (vv. 15-27).

January 15, 588 B.C. marked the siege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1; 52:4). The rebellious house of Judah was sieged by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon because they had broken God laws and had violated the terms of the covenant. This message was given to the exiles in captivity the beginning day Jerusalem's siege. This would last for two year before its total destruction in 586 B.C.

The parable of the cooking pot is similar to what Ezekiel had told them in chapter 11 where leaders assured the people that they were like safe meat inside the pot (Jerusalem); but Ezekiel prophesied that they were dead meat. The "rust" of their impurities would float to the surface during God's judgment. Since the meal was ruined by this, the contents of the pot would be thrown away. Since Jerusalem had blatantly shed the blood of others, God would openly shed her blood on the bare rocks.

The second part of this chapter deals with the death of Ezekiel's wife. He was told to "groan silently" over her death (v. 17) and not follow normal mourning procedures. He did this, and the people wanted an explanation. Ezekiel explained that this was symbolic of the relationship between God and His wayward people. The death of his wife symbolized the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem which were the "stronghold of their pride, delight of their eyes, object of their affection." They were to follow his example in mourning. The Babylonians set the temple in Jerusalem on fire on August 14, 586 B.C., but news of its destruction did not reach them by messenger until January 8, 585 B.C. (33:21-22). On that day, Ezekiel would be mute no longer, and the exiles would know that God is the LORD (v. 27)!

REFLECTION

". . . and they will know that I am the LORD (v. 27)"

When God wants to get a point across, He repeats it over and over again. Check out how many times he repeats this phrase throughout the book of Ezekiel:

Ezek 5:13	‘Thus My anger will be spent and I will satisfy My wrath on them, and I will be appeased; then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them.
Ezek 6:10	“Then they will know that I am the Lord; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them.” ’
Ezek 6:13	“Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree and under every leafy oak—the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols.
Ezek 6:14	“So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Ezek 7:27	‘The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with horror, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Ezek 12:15	“So they will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.
Ezek 12:16	“But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the Lord.”
Ezek 13:9	“So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord God.
Ezek 13:21	“I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezek 14:23	“Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it,” declares the Lord God.
Ezek 15:7	and I set My face against them. Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.
Ezek 20:38	and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezek 24:27	‘On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Ezek 25:11	“Thus I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezek 25:14	“I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; thus they will know My vengeance,” declares the Lord God.
Ezek 25:17	“I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they will know that I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance on them.” ’ ”
Ezek 26:6	‘Also her daughters who are on the mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Ezek 28:22	and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, And I will be glorified in your midst. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I execute judgments in her, And I will manifest My holiness in her.
Ezek 28:23	“For I will send pestilence to her And blood to her streets, And the wounded will fall in her midst By the sword upon her on every side; Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Ezek 28:24	“And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am the Lord God.”
Ezek 28:26	“They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.” ’ ”
Ezek 29:6	“Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, Because they have been only a staff made of reed to the house of Israel.
Ezek 29:9	“The land of Egypt will become a desolation and waste. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I have made it,’
Ezek 29:16	“And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned to Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.” ’ ”
Ezek 29:21	“On that day I will make a horn sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth in their midst. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezek 30:8	“And they will know that I am the Lord, When I set a fire in Egypt And all her helpers are broken.
Ezek 30:19	“Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt, And they will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Ezek 30:25	‘Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.
Ezek 30:26	‘When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands, then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Ezek 33:29	“Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed.” ’
Ezek 33:33	“So when it comes to pass—as surely it will—then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.”
Ezek 34:27	“Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them.
Ezek 34:30	“Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord God.
Ezek 35:12	“Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all your revilings which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel saying, ‘They are laid desolate; they are given to us for food.’
Ezek 35:15	“As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” ’
Ezek 36:11	‘I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will treat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezek 36:38	“Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Ezek 38:23	“I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord.” ’
Ezek 39:6	“And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the Lord.
Ezek 39:23	“The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword.
Ezek 39:28	“Then they will know that I am the Lord their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer.

APPLICATION

God wants us to know Him deeply and intimately. How can You know Him in a more deep and intimate way today?

PRAYER

Lord, we want to know You. Lead us into a deeper understanding of Your heart and ways. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 23 - The Adulterous Sisters

LINK: Ezekiel 23

BACKGROUND

This parable about the two adulterous sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, is similar to chapter 16 because both deal with Judah's unfaithfulness to God. Chapter 16 emphasized Judah's idolatry and trust in other gods while this chapter focused on Judah's foreign alliances and trust in other nations on top of her idolatry.

The two sisters became prostitutes in Egypt. Oholah means "her tent" and Oholibah means "my tent is in her." Oholah represented Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Oholibah represented Jerusalem, the capital city of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Israel (Oholah) made an alliance with Assyria. The Black Obelisk of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (ca. 841 B.C.) mentions "Jehu son of Omri" with a picture of him bowing down to this Assyrian king. Jehu allied Israel with Assyria in order to avoid the Syrian threat, becoming a vassal and paying tribute that continued into the reigns of Menahem and Hoshea (2 Kings 10:32-34, 15:19-20; 17:3-4; Hosea 5:13-14; 7:11; 8:9; 12:1). When she tried to break away from Assyria by attempting to align with Syria and Egypt (2 Kings 17:4; Isaiah 7:1), Assyria crushed Samaria in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17:5-6; 18-20).

This did not keep the younger sister, "Oholibah" (Jerusalem), from relying on Assyria rather than God. This may have been when Ahaz refused to align with Israel and Syria and aligned with Assyria by becoming its vassal. Despite Isaiah's urging to trust in God, Judah trusted in the nation of Assyria (2 Kings 16:5-9; Isaiah 7) and became its vassal for the next century. Then, they were vassals of Egypt until King Hezekiah turned to Babylon for (2 Kings 20:12ff; Isaiah 38, 39). Then, King Jehoiakim turned to Egypt in 600 B.C. to free themselves from Babylonian oppression (2 Kings 24:1). Judah final revolt happened in 588 B.C. when Egypt failed to help them and they were taken to captivity in Babylon (2 Kings 25:1; Jer. 37:5-8; Ezek. 29:6-7). All of Ezekiel's prophecies came true! Jerusalem truly drank her sister's cup of judgment (v. 31; Psalm 75:8; Is. 51:17-23; Jer. 25:15-19; 51:7; Hab. 2:16; Rev. 17:3-4; 18:6) because she had "forgotten" God and "cast" Him behind her back (35).

No REFLECTION and APPLICATION today since yesterday was such a long one!

Keep Reading

PRAYER

Lord, we are Your bride. Keep us faithful to You alone. Amen.

Ezekiel 22 - Standing in the Gap

LINK: Ezekiel 22

BACKGROUND

This chapter contains three messages on Jerusalem's judgment:

Why It Would Come (1-16)

Ezekiel functions like a prosecuting attorney or judge in a court case as he presents the facts. The two charges were shedding blood and making idols. Blood or bloodshed is a key word of this chapter and mentioned seven times. Specific sins that were cited were social injustice (v. 7), apostasy (v. 8), idolatry (v. 9), immorality (vv. 10-11), and greed (v. 12). More important than the sins cited was the core problem: "you have forgotten Me (v. 12).

God's judgment would be dispersion among the nations (v. 15). Judgment would lead to God's ultimate goal: "You will know that I am the LORD." Remember that this is a key phrase throughout the whole book of Ezekiel.

How It Would Come (17-22)

Judah would be refined like precious metals are refined. Throughout the ancient Near East, metallurgy was already a developed science. Precious metals are refined by intense heat to remove the impurities (dross). The dross rises to the top and is thrown away. Israel was like dross and had become worthless because of her sin. Then, God would melt the dross again in Jerusalem. Judah had retreated to Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar invaded. God pured out his fiery wrath on them. The image of an iron furnace has been used elsewhere in the Old Testament before (Deut. 4:20; Isa. 1:21-26; 31:9; Jer. 11:4; Ezekiel 24:1-14).

Who Would Be Judged (23-31)

The royal family were like lions who would be judged because they used their power for material gain. The religious leaders did not instruct the people in the Law but let sin run amok among the people. The officials were like wolves who dispensed justice inequitably. The false prophets did not denounce the sins of the people but gave false visions and lying divinations. The people of the land practiced extortion, robbery, and oppression of the needy.

Corruption was so pervasive that God searched for a man to "build up the wall and stand . . . in the gap," but he found no one to lead the people back to Himself (See Isaiah 59:1-4, 16)! Therefore, God would pour out His wrath and consume them with His fiery anger.

REFLECTION - Standing in the Gap

"I looked for a man among them who would build the wall

and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land . . . " (Ezekiel 22:30).

This verse inspired David Bryant to write the book In the Gap: What It Means to Be a World Christian:

THERE IS A GAP, YOU KNOW . . . and we're in the middle of it right now! Let me explain.

The Gap Defined. It's the Gap between God and man; between God and all that He is and man and all that he is, in every respect. "for there is one God and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). A mediator implies a gap between two parties that cannot or will not accept each other.

It is also the Gap between God's original intention for humankind -- to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth with people in His image and subdue it -- and Jesus the Mediator's final restoration wherein a new people will fill and subdue the earth, with Him (Rev. 5:9-10).

For God, the Gap is a very personal issue. First of all, He is one of the two parties involved. Secondly, He has given the distance between His own plan for world redemption and the consummation of that plan. He has given His own dear Son. "He has a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph. 1:10).

But more than that, the mediator has actually sacrificed His own life in the Gap, falling like a seed into soil in order to bring forth fruit (John 12:23-26), to bring many peoples home from the other side of the Gap.

That is why the Gap is a very personal issue for our heavenly Father; that's why He is personally concerned with the distance that remains between Christ's mission and the reaping of salvation's harvest among all nations, between the death and resurrection of our Lord which closes the Gap for all who believe and the imparting of this good news to all the world.

Like Columbus claiming the West Indies for Spain, Christ planted the staff of His Cross in the middle of the Gap and flew the flag of His own broken body to reclaim this world for His Father. He is no "imperialist." He created the world but He also paid for the world -- all of it. His Kingdom is coming, in the Gap . . . but at great cost.

With that kind of personal investment in such a costly claim, God is deeply concerned for the billions of earth's citizens who have yet to hear that there is a mediator, let alone believe and walk across the Gap to home. Our God is as personally committed now to reaching these billions as He was the day Christ died for them.

And, that's why the Gap is a very personal issue for Christians as well. It lies between what God is doing in your life and mine -- as people united forever to the mediator -- and what God still wants to do among all the nations.

Millions, for example, have asked the Savior to quench their thirst with His water of life (John 7:37). But there's a sprawling space between the living river that flows into the hearts of satisfied disciples like us and the glorious day when that river flows out of us to complete Habakkuk's vision: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (2:14). That's why I say we Christians are right in the middle of the Gap. We have been born again for the sake of the Gap. Someday the waters are to cover the whole earth . . . through us. God is committed to reaching earth's unreached people in a very personal way: through us (p. 3-4)

I hope the import of David Bryant's words run deep into your soul because this encapsulates the scarlet thread of redemption!

APPLICATION

God is calling us to a purpose much larger than just studying the Bible in the Bible Book Club. Are you willing to "stand in the gap" in prayer for this cause?

A bit more from David Bryant:

I CAN STILL recall the moment. It was years after the publication of my book, In the Gap, a phrase taken from Ezk. 22:30. Sitting alone in my family room, grazing through my Bible, I happened upon the text that inspired my 'gap~~ theme to begin with: "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land." My eyes fixed on a phrase I had not noticed previously: "stand before me in the gap." Stand, yes. But before God. What did that mean?

An Old Testament commentary revealed that the Hebrew text read "before my face." This phrase was often used to describe the role of a priest in the temple. God had them ministering before His face: in His presence, for His pleasure, at His call, to His glory In other words, in an attitude of prayer.

Immediately, God's plea in Ezekiel 22 took on a new meaning. Not only are we to repair the breach in the wall by throwing ourselves into it wholeheartedly, but we are to do so as a people of prayer We're the royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), representing God's heart to the nation and interceding before God for our nation. That work of prayer is our only hope that the gap can be closed, the nation revived, the land spared, the enemies defeated, and the purposes of God in Christ fulfilled.

This "revelation" came to me in the spring of 1984. In June, I found myself providing leadership at the International Prayer Assembly for World Evangelization in Korea. This historic event rallied nearly 3,000 prayer mobilizers from 70 nations to spend a week praying for world revival and strategizing on how to get Christians everywhere to do the same. As I looked out over the sea of faces on opening night, I marveled that God could not say "I found none," as He did in Ezekiel's time, but rather "I found thousands." Today, 13 years later, He can say, "I found millions!" (from http://www.proclaimhope.org/content/prayMagazine/issue2)

Come and join the millions around the world who are standing in the Gap!

PRAYER

God, thank You for giving Your own dear Son as Mediator who sacrificed His own life to stand in the Gap forever and for us. Lord, lead us in the way You would have us "stand in the gap" between You and the many unreached peoples who do not yet know You. We ask this in the name of our Mediator, Jesus. Amen.

Ezekiel 20:45-21:32 - God's Sword

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 20:45 - 21:32

BACKGROUND
This is another section of judgment, but that's not a surprise. God demonstrates that He is the one judging, and is using a human army to do so.

First, God identifies the target (20:45-49) and told Ezekiel to "set his face against" the Negev to the south. Judah and Jerusalem were to the south of where Ezekiel was (Babylon). So God was about to unleash His judgment on Judah and Jerusalem.

Then, in chapter 21, God drew His sword and sharpened it to use it against them. He directed Ezekiel to cry out, wail, and moan because of the death and destruction. Ezekiel's cries would melt the hearts of those who heard them.

Beginning in verse 18, the sword is revealed as Babylon. God will use the king and army of Babylon to accomplish His purpose in Jerusalem and Judah. The army will come to a point where they have to decide whether to march toward Ammon or Judah, and they will decide to attack Judah and will destroy it.

God will not forget the Ammonites, however. Their turn for judgment will come as well (vs 28). Ammon had joined the alliance (along with Judah and other nations) against Babylon, so Babylon won't forget about them. God will pour out His wrath on them, and their destruction will be complete. Ammon will never be restored but will be forgotten.

REFLECTION
Ezekiel referred to King Zedekiah as "the prince of Israel" in verse 25 and said he will be brought down low. He was the last king of David's line, and there will be no other until "He comes whose right it is." Who has the right to be king? Jesus! There will be no king on David's throne until Jesus himself claims the throne. Even in this description of the coming horrible destruction, God slips in a reminder of the coming Messiah.

That's all for today. Keep reading!

Ezekiel 20:1-44 - A History Lesson for the Elders

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 20:1-44

BACKGROUND
When some elders of Israel came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord, God refused to listen to them and told them they had no right to inquire of Him. God refused to listen to their request because they were refusing to listen to Him with their hearts. They had no intention of listening to God and submitting to His instruction. We are told that the date of this encounter was August 14, 591 B.C.

God does, however, have a message for these elders. He begins with a history lesson from His perspective.

• I chose this people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vs 5).
  
• I brought them up out of Egypt and told them to put away their idols, but they rebelled and would not listen to Me and so kept their idols. I resolved to destroy them, but I held back for the sake of My name (vs 5-9).
• I brought them to the wilderness and gave them My law to live by. But they rebelled against Me and rejected My laws and profaned My sabbaths. Once again I resolved to destroy them, but for the sake of My name, instead of destroying them, I kept them in the wilderness while the next generation rose up (vs 10-17).
• I instructed their children not to be like their fathers but to keep My law. But they rebelled against Me by ignoring My ordinances and profaning My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, but then I withdrew My hand and for the sake of My name did not wipe them out (vs 18-22).
• Just before I took them into the land, I gave them the law again and knew they wouldn't keep it (even though they said they would). I warned them that when they disobeyed I would eventually scatter them from the land. I would disown them and make them desolate to show them that I am the Lord (vs 23-26).
• Once they were in the land, your fathers blasphemed Me by worshiping all kinds of idols and even sacrificing their sons to these pagan gods (vs 27-29).
• And now, you, you who are in exile because of idolatry, continue to worship idols. You live as the Babylonians rather than as I have commanded. You are just like your fathers, and I will not listen to you (vs 30-32).

Then God told them of a future time when He would be king over the nation of Israel. He will cleanse and purge them until the day when they will no longer serve idols but will listen to the Lord. All of Israel will serve the Lord, and the Lord will accept them. He will gather them from where they have been scattered, and they will truly understand that He is the Lord. Then they will truly repent and understand that God has dealt with them for His own name's sake. (vs 33-44)

The end of this chapter goes along with chapter 21, so we'll cover it tomorrow.

REFLECTION
God wants us to understand that He does what He does for the sake of His own name. Just like the Israelites, we often think God makes decisions and does what He does for our sakes. We humans have the tendency to think that the world revolves around us, don't we? But God is sovereign over all and is determined to show us that He is the LORD!

APPLICATION
As you go through your day today, talk to God about the decisions you make and the things you do. What are you doing that demonstrates your understanding that God is the Lord, and what are you doing that demonstrates your own self-centered view of life?

PRAYER
Lord God, you are truly Lord. You are the one true God and you really rule over all. Help me to shift the focus of my heart and mind away from myself and onto you. Your name will be exalted. May I be one who willingly exalts you with all my heart. Amen.

Psalms 136 & 137 - Praise and Lament

by Becky

We have extremes in the two psalms for today. We go from a worship song of exultation and thanksgiving to a lament, a song of mourning.

And God is there in both extremes. That is one reason I love the Psalms. We see those who love God responding TO the LORD they serve in the emotions that overwhelm them at the time.

LINK: Psalm 136

BACKGROUND

This psalm was probably used in worship and lends itself to being sung antiphonally. It’s pretty obvious what its theme is! One phrase is repeated over and over again, twenty-six times, to be exact:

For His mercy endures forever

That’s how it’s translated in some versions (New King James for one) . Here’s another way it’s been translated:

For His steadfast love endures forever

That is how the English Standard Version puts it. And yet another translation:

For His lovingkindess is everlasting

That is the way the New American Standard Version words it.

Has it sunk in yet?

The psalm alternates that statement with specific examples of God’s goodness.

God’s mercy and love are revealed in His works of creation (vv 4-9).

God’s mercy and love are revealed in His rescue of His people from slavery in Egypt (vv 10-15).

God’s mercy and love are revealed in His care of His people in the wilderness and in conquering enemies and giving His people the land of Canaan (vv 16-22).

The psalm ends with a summary: God cares for His people when they’re hurting, He rescues them from enemies, He feeds all that lives (vv 23-25).

The psalm ends with thanks:

Give thanks to the God of heaven.

And indeed, recounting all that God has done that reveal His mercy, does cause us to pause and give thanks to Him.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

As I pondered this psalm I couldn’t help but think about how the Lord has cared for me. He created an orderly and beautiful world for us to live in. He rescued me from the control of sin, through His death. He defeated those “enemies” of mine that war against me: fear and bitterness and envy (and more). He has given me a place of plenty to dwell in, a land full of His fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control.

I am going to write my own “psalm” today in the style of Psalm 135. I am going to be specific in it. I will name ways I have seen God’s steadfast love revealed in my own “history.”

Won’t you do the same thing?


LINK: Psalm 137

BACKGROUND

This psalm is a lament, a song of sorrow.

The Jews sang this psalm in captivity. Defeated and taken into captivity by the Babylonians, they were humiliated further by taunts. Jerusalem had been given to them by the LORD. It was where He wanted them to worship Him. But they no longer lived there. In exile, far from home, the Babylonians made fun of them and their faith and asked them to sing their songs of joy and rejoicing about Jerusalem, their home. The implication is clear: the Babylonians were asking, “So where is your great God now?”

But the Jews do sing! They sing a sad song to God. And as they sing they remember that God is still God. They remember what God did to His enemies in the past. Babylon will be destroyed in the same way it destroyed Jerusalem.

In a sense, this is a psalm of prophecy, for that is what happened to Babylon. It was ransacked and destroyed.

REFLECTION

Two main thoughts swirl around in my mind as I write this.

The first is that even in times of great trouble and anguish of heart we can sing to God. We are to sing what is in our hearts, though, not fake platitudes. God doesn’t want us to pretend. That is something that hit me many years ago when I was in college. I knew I should be a certain way and so I’d pretend to God that I was that way. One day, I realized how very foolish that was. God, after all, knows my heart. He knows me better than I know myself. So I began to pour out all the yucky stuff to Him. I began to be honest with God. And you know what? He began to work in me, to bring me back to Him, to give me understanding. He restored joy and peace to me.

The second has to do with that last verse, that curse. I don’t have any kind of definitive answer about it or special knowledge of why curses are included in the psalms. It is hard to read that verse. Here are my thoughts, about the violence of that curse (and by extension, others):

The Jews are crying for justice. They are asking God to punish the Babylonians in the same way the Babylonians hurt them. It’s easy for us, living in this age when we have seen little physical violence done against us and those we love, to deplore the violence of those curses. But we haven’t lived there.

We all want justice.

When someone wrongs me, my first reaction is to want them to pay for it, to be held responsible for their wrong. I have to go through a process to move from justice to mercy. I have to remember how I have so often put myself before the LORD, how I have sinned. He died to forgive that sin. Justice was satisfied. That is something that we often forget. We don’t get to mercy unless we go through justice first. When I remember that God gave Himself to die for me, that He loves me and forgives me, then for His sake I am able to forgive others. It’s not often for their sake that I forgive them! But if God can forgive me, then surely I can forgive others. I cheapen His gift to me if I don’t reflect what He has done to others. But justice is not an evil desire; it is a truth, and one that God recognizes. That is why He died. We cheapen grace when we forget what sin deserves.

APPLICATION

Has someone wronged you? Are you far from God and living in a “foreign land”?

Cry to Him. Sing a sad song to Him. Cry for justice. Return to worshipping Him.

Remember what He has done for you in your rebellion against Him. He satisfied justice and extended grace. Can you not respond to His love, reflect Him, and forgive someone else?

PRAYER

Father, we praise you for your steadfast love revealed over and over again to us. Help us to remember that when we are in a barren place or when we are wronged. Help us to turn to you when we are filled with joy and help us to turn to you when we are hurting. Give us honest hearts before you.

Ezekiel 19 - A Funeral Dirge for Judah's Leaders

LINK: Ezekiel 19

BACKGROUND

This is the first of five laments or dirges in the book of Ezekiel (26:17-18; 27; 28:12-19; 32:1-16). A lament was a funeral song that was recited to honor the dead person. This one is about Israel and her leaders. Three of the other laments concern Tyre, and the fourth (32:1-16) concerns Egypt.

The time was 592 B.C., five years before the fall of Jerusalem, and Zedekiah was king. The "lioness" symbolized the nation of Judah. The first cub was King Jehoahaz who reigned after Josiah and was taken captive to Egypt in 609 B.C. by Pharaoh Neco II (2 Kings 23:31-33). The second cub was King Jehoiachin who reigned only three months before he was taken into captivity to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar for 37 years before he was released (2 Kings 24). He did not return to Israel.

In verses 10-14, Ezekiel spoke of King Zedekiah. Judah was the fruitful vine that was to be uprooted, thrown, stripped, and consumed by fire. The "east wind" (know as a sirocco) in verse 12 refers to the mighty Babylonian army.

After Zedekiah was overthrown, there would be no Davidic king to replace him until Christ's return with a "ruler's scepter".

Stay tuned. Christ is coming in 46 days!

Have a great "Keep Reading" day!

PRAYER

We praise You God that You have sent us our King, Jesus! Amen.

Ezekiel 18 - Repent and Live!

LINK: Ezekiel 18

BACKGROUND

The proverb quoted in vv. 1-4 must have been popular because Jeremiah quoted it (Jer. 31:29-30). The gist of its meaning was that Jerusalem thought they were suffering because of their parents' sin and God was punishing them for no reason except that he had stated that he would punish the children to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5). The people were blaming their ancestors and denying their own sin!

We are all individually responsible to God for our sin. Ezekiel used three examples of a grandfather, father, and son to get this point across and prove the fallacy of the proverb. Each is individually responsible before God; "The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him" (v. 20).

There was still hope for the wicked man if he "turns away" (v. 21) from his wickedness and follows God! "None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him . . . he will live" (v. 22). Why? It is because God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked! That is a phenomenal truth about God. It is also true that if a righteous man turns to wickedness, there is no hope for him.

In all of this God said that He was just and the people were unjust.

Bottom line message of this chapter:

Repent! Turn away from all of your offenses;

then sin will not be your downfall . . .

for I take no pleasure in the death of anyone,

declares the Sovereign LORD.

Repent and live!

Ezekiel 18:30b-32

REFLECTION

He who conceals his sins does not prosper,

but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Blessed is the man who always fears [the consequences of sin],

but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble (Proverbs 28:13-14).

God wanted repentance from His people so that they could live the life He had intended for them, but they passed the blame for their sin to their ancestors and continued to live in bondage to their sin. God was standing there in His mercy asking them to "Repent and live!" Sadly, they would not take Him up on His offer. It was their loss and the consequences were serious.

I couldn't help but think about the people of Jerusalem when I was reading the chapter entitled "Life Beyond Regret: The Practice of Confession" in the very simple book called The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by John Ortberg. He writes:

To confess means to own up to the fact that our behavior wasn't just the result of bad parenting, poor genes, jealous siblings, or a chemical imbalance from too many Twinkies. Any or all of those factors may be involved. Human behavior is a complex thing. But confession means saying that somewhere in the mix was a choice, and the choice was made by us, and it does not need to be excused, explained, or even understood. The choice needs to be forgiven. The slate has to be wiped clean.

They thought their suffering was because of their parents' sin, but God was saying, "Take responsibility for your own sin!" He doesn't want repentance because He is a "cosmic kill joy" and wants to limit us. Quite the contrary, He wants to free us from its tight grip on our lives. He wants to heal us and change us so that we might truly live!

APPLICATION

Place yourself in God's loving hands today and ask Him to reveal any thoughts, words, or deeds that might not be pleasing to Him. Then take responsibility for your sin by acknowledging it to God. Ask God to reveal to you why you sinned and ask Him to get to the bottom of it.

You may have sinned against another person and need to ask them for his or her forgiveness. Lastly, resolve, with God's help, to change.

PRAYER

Tender, merciful God. We praise You that "As far as the east is from the west. So far have You removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). We thank You that You are a forgiving God. You are a God of grace, and "You long to be gracious to us and wait on high to have compassion on us" (Isaiah 30:18). We ask that You will search our hearts and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin so that we might confess and walk in the light of Your grace and mercy today. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 17 - Eagles, a Vine, and a Tender Sprig

LINK: Ezekiel 17

BACKGROUND

The first eagle in this allegory symbolized King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (v. 12) who went to "Lebanon" (Jerusalem) and clipped off the top (King Jehoiachin, 2 Kings 24:8-16) of a cedar tree (Davidic dynasty) and replanted that top bough in a city of traders (Babylon). This occurred in 597 B.C.

The eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) took some of the seed of the land and planted it by abundant water, and it grew into a spreading vine. After Jehoiachin died in captivity, Nebuchadnezzar "planted" King Zedekiah as a vassal king in Jerusalem. This meant he was in a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar and under oath. He and Jerusalem would grow and prosper as long as he kept his side of the bargain.

He didn't. The vine (Zedekiah) stretched out toward a new eagle (Pharaoh of Egypt) in order to receive water (protection) and forgot the oath of allegiance made to the first eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) and rebel against it. When Ezekiel prophesied this in captivity (sometime between 592 and 591 B.C.), this final revolt had not yet happened in Jerusalem (588 B.C.). Jeremiah prophesied the same thing in Judah (Jeremiah 2:36, 37; 38). Isaiah had preached it over a century before (Isaiah 31:1; 36:9).

The results of this rebellion was a disaster. The vine would not thrive. Zedekiah was not only rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar but also against God (vv. 19-21). Nebuchadnezzar captured Zedekiah, killed his sons, blinded him, and took him captive to Babylon, where he died in captivity (Ezekiel 17:16; 2 Kings 24:17-25:7; Jeremiah 52:1-11).

Ezekiel's prophecy does end in a ray of hope. God said he would take a sprig (Jesus) from the very top (Davidic line) of the cedar and plant it on the mountain heights of Israel. It will prosper and provide shelter for all who come to it. Jesus came from the stem of Jesse and will one day establish His kingdom on earth (Isaiah 11:1-10; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-17; Zechariah 6:12-13) and all other kingdoms will fall.

REFLECTION

How often do we in our human wisdom try to trade the abundant, life-giving water of the Lord for "foreign" water that can do nothing to quench our thirst? The treaty with Babylon was God's protection for Judah, but they didn't drink.

Where is your water source?

APPLICATION

Meditate on Psalm 1 and talk to God about where you are getting your water these days.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to drink deeply from Your living water. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 16 - Jerusalem the Prostitute

LINK: Ezekiel 16

BACKGROUND

God likened Jerusalem to an abandoned child who had been thrown off ("cruel practice of infanticide was prevalent in the ancient world. Unwanted and deformed children were cast out at birth and left to die" according to The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 1255) because she was a product of the union of two wicked Canaanite cultures: Amorites and Hittites.

God noticed this "struggling infant" and helped her to thrive like a jewel in the field. She grew into beautiful womanhood and God made a covenant of marriage with her. He clothed her like a queen whose fame spread throughout the world (this may allude to the time of David and Solomon's reigns in 1 Kings 10:4-5). Sadly, she trusted in her fame and beauty and used it to become a prostitute to other gods (this began in Solomon's reign [1 Kings 11:7-13] and continued until the Babylonian Captivity). By Ezekiel's time, child sacrifice was practiced openly (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 32:35).

Also, she [Jerusalem] became promiscuous with other nations like Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. This alludes to not only new foreign gods to worship but also alliances with these countries. God judged Jerusalem by giving her over to the Philistines (2 Chronicles 21:16-17; 28:16-19) who were even shocked at Jerusalem's wickedness. God's judgment would include God using her "lovers" to destroy her by stone and sword. Deuteronomy 13:15-16 states that if a city in Israel became involved in idolatry, its people were to be killed by the sword and the city was to be burned. This is exactly what happened in Jerusalem's fall to the Babylonians. The root of Jerusalem's sin was her failure to "remember the days of [her] youth" (v. 43) when God bestowed favor on this abandoned child. God also referred to Samaria and Sodom as Jerusalem's north and south sisters. Not even Sodom, with its terrible sins (Genesis 19:24, 25), was as depraved as Jerusalem's!

Verses 53-63 end in hope. God promised to restore all three sisters. The captives in Babylon would be restored. God would establish an everlasting covenant (37:26; 2 Samuel 23:5; Isaiah 55:3) and reunite the Northern Kingdom of Samaria and the Southern Kingdom of Judah under the Messiah. In fact, we know from our study of Isaiah that "all nations" will be united under the Messiah (Isaiah 2:2,3). The "New Covenant" was prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and Ezekiel (11:18-20; 36:26-28; 37:26-28) and began when Jesus paid for the sins of all mankind by his death on the cross (Hebrews 10:8-10)!

No REFLECTION or APPLICATION today. This chapter was longer than usual!

PRAYER

Lord, my heart is grieved over Jerusalem's ungrateful idolatry when You had been so good to them and had blessed them. Help us to be grateful for Your many blessings of love and protection. Help us to be conduits of that blessing to the world rather than becoming involved in the world's idolatry. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 14 & 15 - Idolatry and Vines

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 14 and Ezekiel 15

BACKGROUND

CHAPTER 14

Some men who were supposed to be the leaders of Israel came to Ezekiel to see what he had to say. Clearly, these were not godly men who were true spiritual leaders for Israel. God revealed the idolatry that filled their hearts. He also made it clear that each one would be held responsible for his own personal sin of idolatry. But at the same time, God was giving them the opportunity to repent. If they didn't repent, then they would bear the punishment (their removal) so the house of Israel would no longer be led astray by them.

God went on to describe the four judgments that He would send on Jerusalem: famine, wild beasts in the land, war, and pestilence. And even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in their midst, these righteous men would not be able to prevail upon God to relent.

People might wonder if the people of Jerusalem really deserved such punishment from God. But God said that there would be survivors in the city. They would live through the siege, survive the famine, not be killed by wild beasts, and not die from the diseases that will be rampant in the city. They will see it all first hand then be carried off by the Babylonian army. Yet, they will not repent. They will continue in their sinful ways, and everyone will know that God had good reason to judge them.

CHAPTER 15

Israel was a vine that God had planted and tended. But the vine was not producing fruit and so was worthless. And what good is a vine that doesn't produce any fruit? If it had been a tree, it could be cut down and the wood made into something useful. But a vine can't be made into anything at all. Its only usefulness is to be fuel for a fire. God sent fire (judgment) that charred the vine, making it even less useful (if that were possible). And He will soon send further fire that will consume the vine. "Then you will know that I am the Lord."

REFLECTION
Anything that ranks higher than God in my heart is an idol, and I must guard my heart against this form of idolatry. One way to do this is to consciously abide in the true vine - Jesus. (John 15:1-9). If I remember that He is my source of life and ministry, and I draw my strength from Him, then I will bear fruit. If I try to draw my life and strength from any other source, I will dry up and be fruitless, good for nothing except to be thrown in the fire.

APPLICATION
Let's examine our hearts today for any hint of idolatry. Do I love anything more than I love God? Money? Career? Clothes? Jewelry? Entertainment? Praise from others? Anything else? Confess it to God and abide in Jesus.

PRAYER
Lord, you know my heart better than I do. I want to abide in you and keep you first in my heart. Show me any areas where I do not have you in first place. Lead me, Lord, that I may draw ever closer to you and be filled with the sap of your true vine. May it ooze out through me, producing fruit for you, in the name of Jesus, amen.

Ezekiel 13 - Prophecy against False Prophets

by Katrina

LINK: Ezekiel 13

BACKGROUND

Verses 1-16

One of the reasons the people didn't believe the prophesies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah was that there were so many other prophets telling a different message. These false prophets spoke of visions and inspirations from God, but God never gave them messages or visions. They made it all up and lied.

True prophecy was a spiritual protection for the people, like a strong wall surrounding a city. True prophecy always came from God and called His people to repentance and a deeper relationship with Him. But these false prophets were building a weak wall that would fall down. Its foundation wasn't sturdy because it was based on lies. They were giving the people false hope based on these lies.

The false prophets covered their weak walls with whitewash to make them appear to be sturdy. They covered up the fact that their words were lies by candy-coating them. They told the people what they wanted to hear -- that there would be peace and that Jerusalem would be protected from harm.

God laid out His judgment for these counterfeit prophets in verse nine. They would be removed from their prominent offices, removed from citizenship, removed from the land (either by death or exile), and not be permitted to return to the land.

Verses 17-23

Not only were their false prophets among the people, but there were also lying sorceresses. They claimed to be prophetesses, but practiced magical arts which were forbidden to the Jews (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). They made "magic charms" for people to purchase and wear on various parts of the body. These would supposedly protect them from evil.

Ezekiel compared them to birds of prey, hunting and killing the weak. These women preyed on the fears of the people and gave them false hope. They encouraged those who were wicked to continue in their wickedness and disheartened the righteous.

Their end would be similar to that of the false prophets. God would strip them of their charms and would not let them return to the land.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION
This chapter made me think how we need to be careful who we listen to. Sometimes it's just easier to listen to what we want to hear and think everything's okay. It's nice to hear reassuring words. We like to be told that we're doing alright. But sometimes what we need to hear isn't so comfortable. We may need to hear that we're doing something wrong or have a bad attitude about something. And whatever we hear, we need to search the scripture and test the message against it, rather than to jump on a bandwagon because it feels good. We need to make sure that the people we listen to are well-grounded in scripture and not getting carried away with their own ideas.

PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for giving us your word and your Holy Spirit. Help us to discern which messages we hear are really from the world and which are your word to us. Amen.

Psalms 134 & 135 - Blessings and Hallelu-jahs!

LINK: Psalm 134

BACKGROUND

This psalm is the last in the “Songs of Ascent” and seems to have been part of the worship service at the temple. The theme of the psalm certainly makes it a fitting close to worship. The psalm centers on those who remained in the temple to care for it (the Levites), bidding them to do it in worship of God. Then the psalm turns and invokes the Creator God’s blessing on those who worship. Perhaps it was spoken from the people to the Levites, a continuation of their previous words or perhaps it was a response from the priests to the people.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

My service to God is a form of worship to Him. Am I serving Him – doing those tasks He has given me, some perhaps mundane and boring – with reverence and joy? Do I desire to bless the Lord through them?

How do I do those tasks? What is the quality of my work? Does my work reflect my LORD's work?

Those are the questions I’m asking myself this morning as a result of thinking about this psalm. I hope you’ll ask them yourself, as well.

I love the last verse! No matter how much we want to bless the LORD, He is the one who gives more. He, the Creator of heaven and earth, has infinite resources with which to bless us.

LINK: Psalm 135

BACKGROUND

Does this psalm remind you of any other scripture passages? It should! It pieces together verses from other places into a patchwork quilt of thoughts that form a cohesive whole. You will find parts of Psalms 134, 116, 95, 115, and 136 in it; as well as verses reminiscent of Deuteronomy 7:6 and 32: 36, Jeremiah 10:13, and Exodus 3:15 . Check it out!

The psalm also begins and ends with Hallelu-jah – praise to Jehovah God!

REFLECTION

So let’s look at what’s between the Hallelu-jahs!

There is a list of reasons for praising the LORD:

Praise Him for His goodness in choosing us. We as believers are grafted into the vine of Israel – we are His special treasure.

Praise Him for His power revealed in nature. He is in charge of every bit of this world, from the depths of the seas to the atmosphere that surrounds the earth. “Whatever the LORD pleases He does.”

Praise Him for His power revealed in history. He worked miracles to get His people out of Egypt. He judged those nations who refused to recognize Him, to fear Him.

Praise Him for His unchanging character. He is the same forever. That is something to hang onto in this changing world!

Praise Him for His compassion for His people. He judges us with compassion!

Praise Him for His trustworthiness. He, unlike idols, sees and hears. He isn’t made by man. (Whenever I run across something in God’s word that is impossible to understand, I am comforted, because it is a sign to me that God, who is greater than man, authored it. What man would write something impossible to understand?)

The psalm closes with a repeated invocation for all His people to bless the LORD.

If you fear Him, bless Him!

APPLICATION

So do it!

Then make a list of ways you have seen God’s goodness, power, faithfulness, compassion, and trustworthiness exhibited to you in your own life.

PRAYER

Hallelu-jah! We praise you, LORD, for your power and love. Either of those without the other would diminish you. Thank you for giving us hearts to love you and hands to serve you. Help us to reflect your faithfulness and constancy – both to you and to those around us.

Ezekiel 12 - Backpacking into Exile

LINK: Ezekiel 12

BACKGROUND

God told Ezekiel to pack his bag for exile and dig a hole through the wall of the city in order to communicate to His rebellious people that punishment was certain. The escape at night with a cover over Ezekiel's face was to predict Zedekiah's attempt to escape through a break in the city wall followed by his capture. This was fulfilled in 586 B.C. After an attempt at escape, Zedekiah was taken to Nebuchadnezzar, forced to watch his sons slaughtered, and blinded (alluding the veil over Ezekiel's eyes as he left in the dark). He spent the rest of his days in prison (2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52:10,11).

The few exiles who were spared would be scattered among the nations and eventually come to "know that [He] is the LORD" (key repeated phrase: vv. 16,20).

Ezekiel was also to tremble as he ate food and shudder . . . as he drank drank water (v. 18) to illustrate the terror that the people of Jerusalem were about to experience.

Exile was inevitable, and Ezekiel delivered five messages between 12:21-14:23 with two of them being in this chapter. They were meant to leave no doubt in the people's mind that judgment was coming and to destroy their false optimism.

The first message (vv. 21-25) was given to combat the false proverb that the people were quoting that said "The days go by and every vision comes to nothing." A proverb was "a terse expression of a commonly held or self-evident truth" (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 1250). This proverb was the exact opposite of the truth. The false prophets were wrong (I suppose that is why they are called false prophets)! God said, "The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled."

The second message (vv. 26-28) was given to combat against the statement that the prophesies were in the distant future, but God combated this by saying that "None of My words will be delayed any longer" (v. 28).

God was true to his word, Jerusalem was destroyed less than six years later!

REFLECTION

Ezekiel walking out into the night with the pack on his back reminded me of the show, Survivor.

On this show, contestants who think they might be voted out by their fellow tribe members pack their bags and bring them to Tribal Council. Some don't pack their bags because they are confident that they won't be voted out only to be "blind-sided" through tribal trickery and deception. Most pack their bags though because you "never know" in the game of Survivor.

When a contestant is voted out, his or her torch is extinguished and the host, Jeff Probst, proclaims "The tribe has spoken. It is time for you to go." The familiar, sad music plays; and most of the time, the ejected member walks off in stunned silence into the darkness carrying his or her pack.

Unlike Survivor, there is no trickery or deception. God's words through Ezekiel were plain and clear: "They will go into exile as captives." It was time to pack their bags . . .

Yet, they still would not listen.

APPLICATION

This Old Testament study and the confirmation of history should assure all of us that ALL that God says is sure to happen.

Jesus is going to return for His bride. Are you ready? (Rev. 19:7)

PRAYER

Lord, we know in all our hearts and all our souls that not one word of all the good words which You have spoke concerning us will fail; all will be fulfilled for us, not one of them will fail (Joshua 23:14). Help us to walk by faith and not by sight and protect us from false teachers. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ezekiel 11 - Vision of God's Glory Departing: Part II

LINK: Ezekiel 11

BACKGROUND

As God's glory hovered before its final departure, Ezekiel is transported to the eastern gate facing the Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives where 25 elders are meeting. The gate of a city was the place where important social and political decisions were made. It was the city's "courthouse." Some commentators believe that "Jaazaniah son of Azzur" was the son of the man named in Jeremiah 28:1, a false prophet and opposer of Jeremiah.

As Jerusalem's leaders, they were planning evil and wickedness and leading the people away from the Lord. They claimed they were the "meat" safe in the "cooking pot" of the city. Nothing could be further from the truth! So, God turned that word picture on its head by stating that the slain people would be the "meat"! They were dead meat and cooked!

God's judgment by the sword (vv. 10-11) was fulfilled when the captives of Jerusalem were deported to Riblah in Syria and killed (2 Kings 25:18-21; Jeremiah 52:8-11, 24-27).

For the second time, Ezekiel pleaded for the Sovereign LORD's mercy (9:8; 11:13), and God showed him that a remnant would not be destroyed and his "brothers in exiles" (better translation than "your blood relatives" in v. 14) would be saved for a future time when they would return to the land. On the return, idolatry would be purged, and God would replace their hearts of stone and give them a "heart of flesh/undivided heart and new spirit." Many commentators believe that this "new spirit" would be the Holy Spirit who now indwells all believers. With these new hearts, they would be His people, and He would be their God (14:11; 36:28; 37;23, 27; Hosea 2:23).

But for now, God would have to judge them for their devotion to "vile images and detestable idols" (11:21). Sadly, the glory of the LORD departed and, taking one last stop over the Mount of Olives, would look to a future time when the glory of God would return via this same Mount of Olives (43:1-3) where Christ will ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9-12) and promise to return to the same place (Acts 1:11; Zech. 14:4). That is another "Scarlet Thread of Redemption" passage!

REFLECTION and APPLICATION

God wants an undivided heart. How our hearts get divided all over the map these days with TV, Internet, movies, texting (or SMS for you international readers), etc. at our beck and call! I am convinced that technology has made us too busy to really see and hear God!

We need to stop the insanity and return to our first love.

Leave your cell phone at home and take a walk out in God's wonderful creation and worship HIM! Ask Him to show you His glory (remember Moses in Exodus 33:18). Make this a regular habit.

PRAYER

God, forgive us for our divided hearts! Show us Your glory and make our hearts one with You. Amen.

Ezekiel 10 - Vision of God's Glory Departing: Part I

LINK: Ezekiel 10

BACKGROUND

My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another (Isaiah 48:11).

Ezekiel saw the throne chariot of chapter 1 with more details: the cherubims' bodies were completely full of eyes (Rev. 4:8). Many commentators believe this means divine omniscience. There is one discrepancy between the two descriptions. The face of an ox in Ez. 1 is the face of a cherub in Ez. 10. In Akkadian literature the kuribu (cognate of "cherub") appear to have nonhuman faces. Perhaps the face of a cherub looked like an ox. We don't know!

The radiance of the glory of the LORD in the form of a cloud filled the threshold of the sanctuary (Ex. 33:9-10; 1 Kings 8:10-11; is. 6:1-4). The angelic scribe was to scatter the burning coals between the wheels and cherubim (1:13; is. 6:6) over the city starting in the temple and moving outward.

Because God would not share His glory with the gods His people were worshiping, Ezekiel saw God's glory begin to depart from His polluted temple as the wheeled cherubim throne rose upward, but they paused and God's glory hovered. Before God's glory totally departed, Ezekiel received a message of judgment and restoration.

To be continued . . .

APPLICATION

I have been curious to really understand God's glory. So, I did a Bible search for the word "glory". My word! God says quite a bit about His glory! Here is the list that you are free to download:

GLORY BIBLE SEARCH (some are verses that talk of other applications of the word, but most are about God)

Meditate and let it lead you into worship of our glorious God!

PRAYER

Glory to the King! Amen!