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.
God Prepares & Encourages
Re: Verse reading – Ezekiel 1:28-3:4 (day five)
God begins to call/commission Ezekiel into service and ministry. In chapter 1, He “reveals” to Ezekiel His character and nature.
Windstorm (1:4) – Power – God is never helpless.
Throne (1:26) Sovereignty – God always is in control (even in difficult circumstances).
Fire (1:27) Holiness- God judges and punishes sin and disobedience.
Rainbow (1:28) Kindness and Mercy. Even in judgment, God remembers mercy.
Scripture is full of pictures, accounts, and experiences that, if we look and listen, can help us discover and understand more about the character and nature of God. Often times, God will “reveal” parts of His nature and character that will be of great value and insight to the heart of each believer in the midst of circumstances and preceding the future. Looking back, can you see how each one of these pictures Ezekiel sees, encourages and prepares him for the task that lies ahead?
May we be willing to ask God do the same in our hearts. (Scripture, Sermons, Prayer, Worship, Service, and Fellowship) What are you learning about the Lord?
Obedience to His Call
Re: Verse reading – Ezekiel 1:28-3:4 (day four)
The call of God is unmistakable! Verse 2 says, “As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.” Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, David, Habakkuk, Paul…the list goes on. When God spoke to one of His servants, things happened. Ezekiel heard from God and his life was set…he would be a spokesman for God. God expected obedience from Ezekiel. He said whether they listen to you or not…they are stubborn and obstinate and rebellious…they will know that a prophet has been among them. That is God’s command to us…we are to go and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20) We are not responsible for people’s response to our evangelistic efforts, we are only responsible for being obedient to go and tell. Just like He promised to protect Ezekiel, He will protect us when we are obedient. So what is keeping us from going?
Know
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 1-3 (Day Three)
“Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” God concerns himself with the likes of you and me; there are things that he wants us to know. That is evidence for love. When someone dear to us dies, we often think: Did he or she know what I thought or how I felt? We care about what our loved one knew or did not know. And so we determine to speak something to those loved ones still with us—something that will make life better. That is like God. And what we know from God not only makes life better, it makes life possible. There is something he wants you to know. Are you paying attention?
Ezekiel Saw De Wheel
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 1:28-3:4 (day two)
Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. (Ezekiel 1:15, 16 ESV)
Ezekiel saw de wheel, way up in the middle of the air
In the next few weeks will encounter the ministry of the Prophet Ezekiel and you will quickly recognize some of the texts as being the inspiration for African American Spirituals. As we conclude our journey through Jeremiah you might think this a curious choice for inspiration. Exile, suffering, dark chapters, but then again what better place to find hope. Slaves who had been removed from all they knew and loved, treated with contempt and lower than animals found solace in the words of these prophets. They saw how God, though having a hard word for the Israelites, always watched over them.
If a people with such a bleak and tragic worldview could find hope in these stories, can’t we?
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!