January 05, 2012
Ezekiel continued to tell the Israelites that were already captive in Babylon what God was telling him. Their response was, "He is only telling stories." Ezekiel warned them that God was going to destroy Jerusalem and that God was going to use Babylon as His sword to do it. God laid out again why Jerusalem was to be destroyed—her disobedience and her sins against God. Ezekiel 21:24 - "Your sins are seen in all you do. Because of this proof against you, you will be taken captive by the enemy." Those who thought they were in control—the leaders—were going to be stripped of their power. Ezekiel 21:26 - "Things will change. Those who are important now will be made unimportant, and those who are unimportant now will be made important."
In Ezekiel 22 the sins of Jerusalem are again listed. And again, God uses usury as a benchmark to define wickedness. Ezekiel 22:12 - "You take unfair interest and profits and make profits by mistreating your neighbor. And you have forgotten me, says the LORD God." The NIV says it this way, "You take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion." The KJV says, "...greedily gained by extortion." Ezekiel 22:29 - "The people cheat others and steal." NIV - "...practice extortion and robbery... they oppress... mistreat... denying them justice." And God says, "I will shake my fist at you... Then you will know that I am the LORD."
God tells Ezekiel: Judgment will happen. The cup of fear and ruin will be drunk until it is empty, "Then you will know that I am the LORD God." Ezekiel 24:6,9,14 - "How terrible it will be... how terrible it will be... how terrible it will be... I, the LORD have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back punishment or feel pity or change my mind. I will judge you by your ways and actions, says the LORD God." God told Ezekiel to "write down today's date, this very date," because the king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem this very day. "This very date." God's plan of judgment is moving forward. God's will WILL be done.
God tells Ezekiel his wife whom he loves is going to die, "But you must not be sad or cry loudly for her or shed any tears. Groan silently: do not cry loudly for the dead." Do not go into deep mourning. Live your life. His wife dies the next day and Ezekiel does as God says. The people asked, "What do the things you are doing mean for us?" And God says, it is time for the destruction of Jerusalem to begin. The family you have remaining in Jerusalem will be destroyed as well. "When that happens," you are to go on living like Ezekiel has. He is to be an example to you. You must go on living. "You must not cry loudly" but you must look at your own lives and recognize and groan for your own sins. I will take away what has made them proud. You will hear the news, "then you will know that I am the LORD."
Ezekiel 24:2 - "Write down this date, this very day..." It was five years ago today that I met Jane E. Wolfe (Her Name Was Jane) for the first time. 1/5/07 continues to be a pivotal day in our lives. What a God-moment. What a life changing experience.
As I sit here this morning looking out over the snow covered landscape with the morning light just beginning to dawn, I marvel at the grace of God. My heart is full of joy and thanksgiving. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!! As I reminisce over these past five years—what a journey we have been on! This day five years ago started out with intense pain, shock, sorrow, and disbelief, BUT God turned it into a day where we saw His Hand at work.
The time spent with Jane is forever clearly etched into my mind. Her prayer of blessing on my life literally transformed me, forever making and marking a turning point in my life. I went from the pain, shock, sorrow, and disbelief, to all of that being GONE. Not only GONE, but replaced with a peace that passeth ALL understanding, a "holy numbness" which has protected me, and a quiet and gentle confidence in my LORD and Savior—Jesus Christ.
Mere words cannot explain. They just seem totally inadequate and disjointed. We had no way of knowing where "the storm" journey would take us or how long we would be on it. But God knew, and He has given us everything we've needed. Not just to survive—but to thrive. Our faith, hope, and trust is in HIM alone, and that is enough. MORE than enough. We will continue to trust Him—no matter what.
The Life Lesson for this section makes the following statement: God planned severe judgment for the Israelites because of their godless and immoral life styles. This was their last chance to repent.
Deuteronomy 7:2 - "The LORD your God will hand these nations over to you, and when you defeat them, you must destroy them completely. Do not make a peace treaty with them or show them mercy.
I Samuel 2:25 - "If you sin against someone, God can help you. But if you sin against the LORD himself, no one can help you!"
Isaiah 1:2–4 - "Heaven and earth, listen, because the LORD is speaking: "I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they have turned against me."
Matthew 3:10 - "The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
Romans 2:12–15 - "People who do not have the law and who are sinners will be lost, although they do not have the law. And, in the same way, those who have the law and are sinners will be judged by the law. Hearing the law does not make people right with God. It is those who obey the law who will be right with him. (Those who are not Jews do not have the law, but when they freely do what the law commands, they are the law for themselves. This is true even though they do not have the law. They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands. And they show this by their consciences. Sometimes their thoughts tell them they did wrong, and sometimes their thoughts tell them they did right.)"
The key is repentance. There must be a new heart and a new way of thinking. Ezekiel 18:30–31 - "Change your heart 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."
Addendum: 11/11/19 ~ Ezekiel 24:26–27 - "At that time a person who escapes will come to you with information for you to hear. At that very time your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the LORD."
"At that very time your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more..." Reading those words this morning brought tears to my eyes. There will come a time. There will come a time when "the storm" is over. There will come a time that we receive word that "You are Free to Go," and
can be released to the public and the words God gave me to write will no longer be held silent. The story of Jane E. Wolfe can be told; and "they will know that I am the LORD."
Oh LORD, may it be so. May it soon be so.
Addendum: Two months later—Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!
Next Entry: Ezekiel 25:1 – 32:32
Ezekiel continued to tell the Israelites that were already captive in Babylon what God was telling him. Their response was, "He is only telling stories." Ezekiel warned them that God was going to destroy Jerusalem and that God was going to use Babylon as His sword to do it. God laid out again why Jerusalem was to be destroyed—her disobedience and her sins against God. Ezekiel 21:24 - "Your sins are seen in all you do. Because of this proof against you, you will be taken captive by the enemy." Those who thought they were in control—the leaders—were going to be stripped of their power. Ezekiel 21:26 - "Things will change. Those who are important now will be made unimportant, and those who are unimportant now will be made important."
In Ezekiel 22 the sins of Jerusalem are again listed. And again, God uses usury as a benchmark to define wickedness. Ezekiel 22:12 - "You take unfair interest and profits and make profits by mistreating your neighbor. And you have forgotten me, says the LORD God." The NIV says it this way, "You take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion." The KJV says, "...greedily gained by extortion." Ezekiel 22:29 - "The people cheat others and steal." NIV - "...practice extortion and robbery... they oppress... mistreat... denying them justice." And God says, "I will shake my fist at you... Then you will know that I am the LORD."
God tells Ezekiel: Judgment will happen. The cup of fear and ruin will be drunk until it is empty, "Then you will know that I am the LORD God." Ezekiel 24:6,9,14 - "How terrible it will be... how terrible it will be... how terrible it will be... I, the LORD have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back punishment or feel pity or change my mind. I will judge you by your ways and actions, says the LORD God." God told Ezekiel to "write down today's date, this very date," because the king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem this very day. "This very date." God's plan of judgment is moving forward. God's will WILL be done.
God tells Ezekiel his wife whom he loves is going to die, "But you must not be sad or cry loudly for her or shed any tears. Groan silently: do not cry loudly for the dead." Do not go into deep mourning. Live your life. His wife dies the next day and Ezekiel does as God says. The people asked, "What do the things you are doing mean for us?" And God says, it is time for the destruction of Jerusalem to begin. The family you have remaining in Jerusalem will be destroyed as well. "When that happens," you are to go on living like Ezekiel has. He is to be an example to you. You must go on living. "You must not cry loudly" but you must look at your own lives and recognize and groan for your own sins. I will take away what has made them proud. You will hear the news, "then you will know that I am the LORD."
Ezekiel 24:2 - "Write down this date, this very day..." It was five years ago today that I met Jane E. Wolfe (Her Name Was Jane) for the first time. 1/5/07 continues to be a pivotal day in our lives. What a God-moment. What a life changing experience.
As I sit here this morning looking out over the snow covered landscape with the morning light just beginning to dawn, I marvel at the grace of God. My heart is full of joy and thanksgiving. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!! As I reminisce over these past five years—what a journey we have been on! This day five years ago started out with intense pain, shock, sorrow, and disbelief, BUT God turned it into a day where we saw His Hand at work.
The time spent with Jane is forever clearly etched into my mind. Her prayer of blessing on my life literally transformed me, forever making and marking a turning point in my life. I went from the pain, shock, sorrow, and disbelief, to all of that being GONE. Not only GONE, but replaced with a peace that passeth ALL understanding, a "holy numbness" which has protected me, and a quiet and gentle confidence in my LORD and Savior—Jesus Christ.
Mere words cannot explain. They just seem totally inadequate and disjointed. We had no way of knowing where "the storm" journey would take us or how long we would be on it. But God knew, and He has given us everything we've needed. Not just to survive—but to thrive. Our faith, hope, and trust is in HIM alone, and that is enough. MORE than enough. We will continue to trust Him—no matter what.
The Life Lesson for this section makes the following statement: God planned severe judgment for the Israelites because of their godless and immoral life styles. This was their last chance to repent.
"...This is serious beyond description because people are responsible beings who must stand before God and give an answer for their sins. No evasions, no postponement, no tricky defense lawyer. Just man and God and a multitude of sins. But one thing we need to remember: God can "put away sin"; "hide it in the depths of the sea"; "remove it as far as the east is from the west"; and "remember it no more." All because Christ's sacrifice for sin is applicable to all who come to Him in repentance and faith." ~ From Getting into God by Stuart BriscoeJudgment references:
Deuteronomy 7:2 - "The LORD your God will hand these nations over to you, and when you defeat them, you must destroy them completely. Do not make a peace treaty with them or show them mercy.
I Samuel 2:25 - "If you sin against someone, God can help you. But if you sin against the LORD himself, no one can help you!"
Isaiah 1:2–4 - "Heaven and earth, listen, because the LORD is speaking: "I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they have turned against me."
Matthew 3:10 - "The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
Romans 2:12–15 - "People who do not have the law and who are sinners will be lost, although they do not have the law. And, in the same way, those who have the law and are sinners will be judged by the law. Hearing the law does not make people right with God. It is those who obey the law who will be right with him. (Those who are not Jews do not have the law, but when they freely do what the law commands, they are the law for themselves. This is true even though they do not have the law. They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands. And they show this by their consciences. Sometimes their thoughts tell them they did wrong, and sometimes their thoughts tell them they did right.)"
The key is repentance. There must be a new heart and a new way of thinking. Ezekiel 18:30–31 - "Change your heart 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."
Addendum: 11/11/19 ~ Ezekiel 24:26–27 - "At that time a person who escapes will come to you with information for you to hear. At that very time your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the LORD."
"At that very time your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more..." Reading those words this morning brought tears to my eyes. There will come a time. There will come a time when "the storm" is over. There will come a time that we receive word that "You are Free to Go," and
and
can be released to the public and the words God gave me to write will no longer be held silent. The story of Jane E. Wolfe can be told; and "they will know that I am the LORD."
Oh LORD, may it be so. May it soon be so.
Addendum: Two months later—Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!
Next Entry: Ezekiel 25:1 – 32:32
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