January 4, 2012
And God says: I will hold you accountable.
You were called "my people," yet you did worse things than those who did not claim to be my people. Even the people who don't claim me as God are better than you are. Ezekiel 16:52 - "Your sins were even more terrible than theirs." Your actions even made sinful people look good. In your pride, you humiliated others. But this was "before your evil was uncovered." Now your are humiliated and you no longer enjoy your place of honor. Ezekiel 16:58 - "Those around you hate you. This is your punishment for your terrible sins and for actions I hate, says the LORD."
I will keep my promises and you will know that I am the LORD. You will see truth... and you will be ashamed. Ezekiel 16:63b - "You will not open your mouth again because of your shame, when I forgive you for all the things you have done."
Like Uzzaih and Jerusalem, we need to understand that the Blessing of God is revocable. Life is not about "who" we are, it is about "whose" we are. It is not about "us" and "our" successes. It is about God and what He has given to us.
Thoughts from our Pastor:
1) "Success has ruined more people than failure."
2) It's not how well we start our walk—it's how well we finish.
3) Never underestimate your capacity for self deception.
4) Don't kill the "Nathans" in your life.
5) We are not indispensable. God will find someone who is faithful to do His work.
Ezekiel tells the story of the Eagle and the Vine. A story of disobedience and dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction (or discontent) is an uneasiness of the mind—never satisfied. Dissatisfaction is an insidious thing. "It could have become a fine vine." It could have been... but it wasn't. Obedience to God brings contentment. A refusal to obey brings an uneasiness of the mind—never satisfied.
Talking about Zedekiah's refusal to obey and submit to His plan, God says, "As surely as I live this is true: I will pay back... I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught... I will punish him for the unfaithful acts he did against me... then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken." (Ezekiel 17:19–21) I myself will build up and tear down. Ezekiel 17:24 - "Then all the trees in the countryside will know that I am the LORD. I bring down the high tree and make the dry tree grow. I am the LORD, I have spoken, and I will do it."
Ezekiel 18 talks about how God is a fair God. We reap what we sow. "The person who sins is the one who will die." Ezekiel 18:5-9 - "Suppose a person is good and does what is fair and right." He doesn't look to idols. He doesn't cheat. He does not mistreat others. He doesn't rob. He helps others. He doesn't use *usury, charging too much interest or trying to make too much of a profit in an effort to better himself while harming others. He keeps his hand from doing wrong. He treats others fairly. He lives by my rules. He obeys faithfully. Ezekiel 18:9 - "Whoever does these things is good and will surely live, says the LORD."
But, suppose this man's son does the opposite of what God just described. The son mistreats. He steals. He robs. He lends money for too much interest and profit. He refuses to return what was promised for a loan. Ezekiel 18:13 - "Will this son live? No, he will not live. He will be responsible for his own death."
But what about this son's son? If he does not do the evil and wrong things his father did, "He will not die for his father's sin, he will surely live. But his father took other people's money unfairly and robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. So he will die for his own sin."(Ezekiel 18:17-18)
19 "But you ask, 'Why is the son not punished for the father's sin?' The son has done what is fair and right. He obeys all my rules, so he will surely live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A child will not be punished for a parent's sin, and a parent will not be punished for a child's sin. Those who do right will enjoy the results of their own goodness; evil people will suffer the results of their own evil."
If the wicked stop doing what they are doing, and turn from their ways, and start following God's way, then they are forgiven and their sins forgotten and they will live. The opposite is true as well. If those who were doing good things and obeyed God with their hearts and lives stop doing good and instead do the wrong and hateful things the wicked do, then their good acts will be forgotten and they will die because of their sins.
God says: "I am fair." Each one is held accountable for their current actions. When good people stop doing good and do wrong—they will be held accountable. When the wicked stop being wicked and do what is fair and right—they will save their lives. 30 "So I will judge you, people of Israel; I will judge each of you by what you do, says the LORD God. Change your hearts and stop sinning so sin will not bring you ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get yourself a new way of thinking. Why do you want to die, people of Israel? I do not want anyone to die, says the LORD God, so change your hearts and lives so you may live." Cross Reference Ezekiel 11:19 - "... a new way of thinking."
God gets no pleasure in the destruction of the people that were called His own. None. Three times in Ezekiel 20 God says he "acted for the sake of my name so it would not be dishonored... I will get rid of those who refuse to obey me and who turn against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are now living, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD." Eight different times throughout Chapter 20, God says what has become a theme throughout the entire book of Ezekiel—"Then you will know that I am the LORD."
*Usury—God used the example of usury as a measuring stick for whether a person does hateful and wicked things throughout Ezekiel 18.
Ezekiel 18:30–32 - "I will judge you by what you do... change your hearts and stop all your sinning so sin will not bring your ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking..."
Usury cross-references from Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV:
Exodus 22:25 - "If you lend money to one of my people who is poor, do not treat him as a moneylender would. Charge him nothing for using your money."
Leviticus 25:3–37 - "Do not charge him any interest on money you loan to him, but respect your God; let the poor live among you. Don't lend him money for interest, and don't try to make a profit from the food he buys."
Deuteronomy 23:19 - "If you loan your fellow Israelite money or food or anything else, don't make them pay back more than you loaned them."
Nehemiah 5:7 - "After I thought about it, I accused the important people and the leaders, "You are charging your own brothers too much interest."
Psalm 15:5 - "They do not charge interest on money they lend and do not take money to hurt innocent people."
Addendum: 8/7/16 ~ God's word is VERY clear. The cross reference verses I listed all refer to the intent behind loaning money to someone who knows they are borrowing money. What is a big deal to God should be a big deal to us.
Next Entry: Ezekiel 20:45 – 24:27
And God says: I will hold you accountable.
- I will gather people against you.
- I will strip...
- I will punish...
- I will destroy...
- I will hand you over...
- I will tear down...
- I will tear off...
- I will take away...
- I will burn down...
- I will put an end to your sins...
You were called "my people," yet you did worse things than those who did not claim to be my people. Even the people who don't claim me as God are better than you are. Ezekiel 16:52 - "Your sins were even more terrible than theirs." Your actions even made sinful people look good. In your pride, you humiliated others. But this was "before your evil was uncovered." Now your are humiliated and you no longer enjoy your place of honor. Ezekiel 16:58 - "Those around you hate you. This is your punishment for your terrible sins and for actions I hate, says the LORD."
I will keep my promises and you will know that I am the LORD. You will see truth... and you will be ashamed. Ezekiel 16:63b - "You will not open your mouth again because of your shame, when I forgive you for all the things you have done."
Like Uzzaih and Jerusalem, we need to understand that the Blessing of God is revocable. Life is not about "who" we are, it is about "whose" we are. It is not about "us" and "our" successes. It is about God and what He has given to us.
Thoughts from our Pastor:
1) "Success has ruined more people than failure."
2) It's not how well we start our walk—it's how well we finish.
3) Never underestimate your capacity for self deception.
4) Don't kill the "Nathans" in your life.
5) We are not indispensable. God will find someone who is faithful to do His work.
Ezekiel tells the story of the Eagle and the Vine. A story of disobedience and dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction (or discontent) is an uneasiness of the mind—never satisfied. Dissatisfaction is an insidious thing. "It could have become a fine vine." It could have been... but it wasn't. Obedience to God brings contentment. A refusal to obey brings an uneasiness of the mind—never satisfied.
Talking about Zedekiah's refusal to obey and submit to His plan, God says, "As surely as I live this is true: I will pay back... I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught... I will punish him for the unfaithful acts he did against me... then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken." (Ezekiel 17:19–21) I myself will build up and tear down. Ezekiel 17:24 - "Then all the trees in the countryside will know that I am the LORD. I bring down the high tree and make the dry tree grow. I am the LORD, I have spoken, and I will do it."
Ezekiel 18 talks about how God is a fair God. We reap what we sow. "The person who sins is the one who will die." Ezekiel 18:5-9 - "Suppose a person is good and does what is fair and right." He doesn't look to idols. He doesn't cheat. He does not mistreat others. He doesn't rob. He helps others. He doesn't use *usury, charging too much interest or trying to make too much of a profit in an effort to better himself while harming others. He keeps his hand from doing wrong. He treats others fairly. He lives by my rules. He obeys faithfully. Ezekiel 18:9 - "Whoever does these things is good and will surely live, says the LORD."
But, suppose this man's son does the opposite of what God just described. The son mistreats. He steals. He robs. He lends money for too much interest and profit. He refuses to return what was promised for a loan. Ezekiel 18:13 - "Will this son live? No, he will not live. He will be responsible for his own death."
But what about this son's son? If he does not do the evil and wrong things his father did, "He will not die for his father's sin, he will surely live. But his father took other people's money unfairly and robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. So he will die for his own sin."(Ezekiel 18:17-18)
19 "But you ask, 'Why is the son not punished for the father's sin?' The son has done what is fair and right. He obeys all my rules, so he will surely live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A child will not be punished for a parent's sin, and a parent will not be punished for a child's sin. Those who do right will enjoy the results of their own goodness; evil people will suffer the results of their own evil."
If the wicked stop doing what they are doing, and turn from their ways, and start following God's way, then they are forgiven and their sins forgotten and they will live. The opposite is true as well. If those who were doing good things and obeyed God with their hearts and lives stop doing good and instead do the wrong and hateful things the wicked do, then their good acts will be forgotten and they will die because of their sins.
God says: "I am fair." Each one is held accountable for their current actions. When good people stop doing good and do wrong—they will be held accountable. When the wicked stop being wicked and do what is fair and right—they will save their lives. 30 "So I will judge you, people of Israel; I will judge each of you by what you do, says the LORD God. Change your hearts and stop sinning so sin will not bring you ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get yourself a new way of thinking. Why do you want to die, people of Israel? I do not want anyone to die, says the LORD God, so change your hearts and lives so you may live." Cross Reference Ezekiel 11:19 - "... a new way of thinking."
God gets no pleasure in the destruction of the people that were called His own. None. Three times in Ezekiel 20 God says he "acted for the sake of my name so it would not be dishonored... I will get rid of those who refuse to obey me and who turn against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are now living, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD." Eight different times throughout Chapter 20, God says what has become a theme throughout the entire book of Ezekiel—"Then you will know that I am the LORD."
*Usury—God used the example of usury as a measuring stick for whether a person does hateful and wicked things throughout Ezekiel 18.
Ezekiel 18:30–32 - "I will judge you by what you do... change your hearts and stop all your sinning so sin will not bring your ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking..."
Usury cross-references from Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV:
Exodus 22:25 - "If you lend money to one of my people who is poor, do not treat him as a moneylender would. Charge him nothing for using your money."
Leviticus 25:3–37 - "Do not charge him any interest on money you loan to him, but respect your God; let the poor live among you. Don't lend him money for interest, and don't try to make a profit from the food he buys."
Deuteronomy 23:19 - "If you loan your fellow Israelite money or food or anything else, don't make them pay back more than you loaned them."
Nehemiah 5:7 - "After I thought about it, I accused the important people and the leaders, "You are charging your own brothers too much interest."
Psalm 15:5 - "They do not charge interest on money they lend and do not take money to hurt innocent people."
Addendum: 8/7/16 ~ God's word is VERY clear. The cross reference verses I listed all refer to the intent behind loaning money to someone who knows they are borrowing money. What is a big deal to God should be a big deal to us.
Next Entry: Ezekiel 20:45 – 24:27
No comments:
Post a Comment