Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 20:1-32 (day one)
“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them. . .’I will not let you inquire of me.’ ” (v 3) In the seventh year of their exile, a strange and sad moment comes for the leaders of Judah in Babylon. After much adversity they are ready for spiritual help, only to find that God is unwilling to communicate with them. So long as the idols of Egypt are still secretly in their homes (see v 7), and so long as they remain resistant to the faithful participation in the covenant sign of Sabbath, He will be fiercely silent. Most of forget that repentance from sin is part of the faith equation. “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2) Why should God face us until we are willing to face ourselves and our sin?
Author: Don Guthrie
Don Guthrie is the Senior Pastor at FBCSA.
Is it a choice?
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 18:1-18 (day seven)
“Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is right. . .he will surely live. . . Suppose there is a violent son who sheds blood . . .he will surely be put to death.” (v 5,9,10, 13) One of the great moral debates of this generation centers around same sex attraction and homosexual behavior. Is it a choice? “No”, say those who advocate for societal acceptance. “This is the way God made me”. The scientific data is still indefinite. However, one thing is certain. Even within the variations of our attractions and sexual interest there are very real choices being made. Do I come to God with my sexuality? Do I subordinate it to His holy will or does it become an idol? Do I participate in impurity? NONE of us can control all circumstances of interior or exterior life. ALL of us have choices that either lead to freedom or bondage. In that sense, it is a choice!
Unlearning Old Proverbs
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 18:1-18 (Day 6)
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?’ As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.” (vs. 2-3). Ezekiel knew it. When God works in our lives, things change! What we think. What we expect. Even old proverbs (unchallenged and oft quoted statements of truth) are discarded. “God helps those who help themselves” is a modern example. Those of us who have experienced God’s grace would never say it. We are more likely to say, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” Just as Ezekiel predicted, encountering God teaches us new truths. Old proverbs unlearned, check! New ideas embraced, check!
Inner honesty
RE Verse reading–Ezekiel 20:1-32 (day six) “As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me.” (v 2) When the elders of Judah got a “no comment” response from God, it must have been a shock. Isn’t God supposed to “let bygones be bygones”? Isn’t He supposed to be available whenever we are ready to talk? Yes, but the condition for such a conversation is inner honesty. What God is not willing to do is have a conversation with people who avoid the long issues that impact the relationship. Idolatry, a pattern of disobedience, disregard for the Sabbath, address these issues and the heart of God will open in mercy. Pretend they don’t matter and hear Heaven’s silence. “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom”–Psalm 51:6. Facing the truth about ourselves is always the hardest task. We all avoid it, but God requires it. “Come, let us reason. . .”
New day. No victims.
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 18:1-18 (day one)
” ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge’. . . you are not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.” (v 2-3) It was radical thinking! After Jerusalem was destroyed, the people of Judah began to drift into despondent “national fatalism”. They felt helpless and hopeless because God was judging them for the sins of their parents. There was no way out! Very similar to a modern mistake. Many feel trapped by the mistakes their parents made, wounded, helpless to do anything about it. Ezekiel saw a different day coming. (He saw the day we live in now.) He saw a day when people could know the empowering presence of God through a personal relationship with Him by faith in His Son. We are not victims now! What our parents did or didn’t do, what our circumstances gave or didn’t give does not limit who we can be in Christ.
A “stand up” person
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 1:28; 2:1-10; 3:1-4 (day seven)
“Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” (2:1) We are not helpless, not without strength or duty. God instructs us to stand up. Makes it a condition for further communication with us. It requires courage. Large challenges are ahead. The Holiness of God and our consequent fear of failure will discourage us from trying. Even so, God does not want us to cower or retreat from Him or His holy assignment. He wants us to stand at attention and accept His commission. It was true for Ezekiel and Joshua and true for us. “Be strong and courageous. . .only be strong and courageous. . .Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-7.9) Most of us would rather take a nap. God commands us to stand and face a holy and demanding vision.
Stubborn and obstinate
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 1:28; 2:1-10; 3:1-4 (day six)
“I am sending you to. . . stubborn and obstinate children.” (2:4) It was more verdict than compliment. When God described the people of Judah, He focused on their pride, their resistance to change. I have recently become aware of this same stubbornness in my own life. I am slow to respond to the voice of the Spirit if the direction is not what I want. Unconsciously, habitually, I prefer my will over His, turning to Him as a “last resort”, only when I have tried everything else. Dangerous! The human heart is not naturally soft to the Spirit. Unless I HUMBLE MYSELF, my ego will stay unchallenged and in charge. James describes the painful process. “Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:9-10) Repentance from self is the painful grace of God.
Like a rainbow on a rainy day
Re: Verse reading – Ezekiel 1:28-3:4 (day one)
“As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. . .so was the glory of the Lord.” (1:28) Was Ezekiel surprised to see it? Maybe. The previous few years had been very discouraging for the people of Judah. They had been conquered and captured and carried away into exile. Ezekiel, himself, had experienced the loss of his youthful dreams. Did he ever ask, “God where are you?” The vision that God gave him provided the answer. God was still sovereign. Nothing had changed. He was seated on the throne, His glorious radiance forming a rainbow of hope. Does God shine this confidence in your heart today? No matter what you are facing, or what disappointments you are called to bear, can you see the Faithful and Glorious One sitting high above your circumstances, His promises still intact? On this morning after Easter, sing with me, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!”
Out of an earthenware jar
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day seven)
“Take these deeds. . .and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last a long time. For thus says the Lord, ‘Houses and fields . . .shall again by bought in this land.’ ” (32:14-15) Was it intentional? When the curriculum writers scheduled this reading for Easter Sunday, did they see the comparison? Jeremiah placed deeds of purchase into an earthenware jar. The disciples buried Jesus in a earthen tomb. Both resurrections (of Christ and of the nation of Israel) required a miracle. “Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power! Nothing is too difficult for Thee.” (Jeremiah’s prayer after making the deal–32:17) No one can shout “He is risen!” who does not believe in the miraculous power of God. Only God brings life out of dry ground. May the Lord do this same miracle in the cold clay of our hearts! Happy Easter, dear friends!
New Covenant
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day six)
” The days are surely coming”, says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel.” (31:31) At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke about “a new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25) It was not the first time the disciples had heard these words. Jeremiah predicted the same thing. He described a new, blessed relationship that would be made possible by the death of the Christ. This new chapter, new arrangement would be marked by 3 things. 1) an inner desire to obey the commands of God-v 33; 2) a personal knowledge of God-v 34; and 3) the forgiveness of sins-v 34 (the basis for the first two). Most of us do not appreciate how fortunate we are to live in this remarkable chapter of salvation history! The Lamb of God has paid the price for sin. Guilt is gone. He is risen. The Spirit has come and gives us a desire to obey. It is the new covenant!