RE Verse reading–Ezekiel 10:18-19, 11:22-23; 40:1-2; 43:1-9 (day four)
At least two things permeate this passage…the glory of God and His promise of hope. Ezekiel’s visions are of the indescribable majesty and glory of the Lord. Israel’s disobedience has separated them from God’s glory. It was Ezekiel’s job to deliver God’s message to His people. If Israel would put away their harlotry and repent of their iniquities, God would dwell among them forever. This was 25 years into their captivity of 70 years…it was the beginning of Passover. Passover was a celebration of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Here He was promising to do it again. All Israel had to do was repent and turn from their disobedience and God would live among them forever. Forgiveness from sin, eternal life…what a promise. Don’t you wish we could have a promise like that?
Tag: Israel
Many Waters
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 10:18-19, 11:22-23; 40:1-2; 43:1-9 (day two).
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. (Ezekiel 43:2 ESV) Last week we read how the Lord breathed the breath of life into the dry bones. The Spirit of God moved among them and filled them with life by the sweet life-giving breath. Now he speaks with a different voice. Have you stood on the beach and heard the mighty roar of the ocean before? Unrelenting, powerful, unequalled. He still speaks, but which voice will get our attention?
Ichabod
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 10:18-19, 11:22-23; 40:1-2; 43:1-9 (day one)
“And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, ‘the glory has departed from Israel.’ ” (1 Samuel 4:21) Old story. The daughter-in-law of Eli, upon hearing the news of a great defeat and the enemy capture of the Ark of the Covenant, kneels down and gives birth and dies. (On how many levels can sin be tragic?) Before death comes, she names the boy Ichabod, which means “the glory of God has departed.” Years later, it happens again. Not the birth, but the departure of God’s glory, God’s protection/power. Ezekiel sees it in a vision. “The glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple.” (10:18) Then later, “the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.” (11:23) Graphic. Sobering. It is what David dreaded, “Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11)
Hope for the Impossible
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 37:1-14 (day four) Ezekiel had a vision…God caused him to see all over the valley. There were bones everywhere. Verse 2 says “they were very dry”. God wanted Ezekiel to that there was no hope for the resurrection of these people…at least, in his power. It was inconceivable to Ezekiel that there was any hope for life, but he knew that he was dealing with the Creator of the Universe. In verse 3, God said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” and Ezekiel wisely answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Only the omnipotence of God could restore life to these very dry bones. There are times and events in our lives when it looks absolutely impossible. We cannot see any way out of our despair or predicament…the world seems too strong for us to survive, much less overcome. Read Matthew 19:26. We can have hope just like Ezekiel prophesied for Israel.
Dry bones
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 37:1-14 (day one)
It is a terrible scene, month (years?) after a bloody battle with so many casualties that no one even bothered to bury the dead. Dry bones are everywhere. In a vision, Ezekiel is transported to see it. An unexpected question is posed by God. “Son of man, can these bones live?” (v 3) “Only you know the answer to that question,” the prophet says to “the God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9). Three lessons are taught from this strange moment. The valley of dry bones symbolizes the resurrection at the end of time. Read John 11:24. The valley of dry bones symbolizes the resurrection of the nation of Israel. The valley of dry bones symbolizes the new life of believer who has been reborn–from death to life by the Spirit of God through the medium of the preached word. Can people and nations live again after a terrible defeat and years of spiritual deadness? Yes! Hallelujah!
Mercy
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 20:1-32 (day four)
“But who is keeping count?” God is! In this passage, God rehearses for Israel their rebellious history…a history that should have brought about their destruction. Verses 9, 14, and 22 tell us of God’s mercy…”But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations.” God preserved Israel, not because they deserved it, but to protect His name. God is jealous for his reputation and as His children, we should not do anything that would give cause for the world to profane His name. Aren’t we just like Israel? We continually fail to be obedient to God and don’t deserve His mercy. When we yield control of our lives to Him, He has promised to forgive and save our lives. It is not merit, it is His mercy and trustworthiness to keep His Word. What a great God we serve!
Prone to Wander
Re: Verse reading–Ezekiel 20:1-32 (day two)
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
If reading the account of the people of Israel shows anything it is that we have a penchant to sin, and the God continually shows us grace. No matter how often we are set on a path of blessing and fulfillment, when we get comfortable, we become ungrateful. Our hearts wander from the source of all blessings. There is a just answer to our sin, and that is judgement and death, but God through Jesus has provided for us victory. My prayer today is to not become comfortable in our blessing, but refined by the renewing Grace of God.
Unanswered prayer
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?
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!
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.