September 4, 2012

Judgment Against the Nations (9/4)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 24-27.

After prophesying about judgment against God’s people for their sins, Ezekiel reveals the coming divine judgment against the surrounding nations. In Ezekiel 25, the prophet mentions four nations: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. In each instance, he explains why judgment was coming.

“And say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the sons of the east for a possession…”‘” (Ezekiel 25:3-4).
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September 2, 2012

"I Acted for the Sake of My Name" (9/2)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 20-21.

In Ezekiel 20, the Lord presents a summary of the history between Him and the people of Israel.

“And say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when I chose Israel and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God, on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all the lands. I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, I am the Lord your God,’ But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness“‘” (Ezekiel 20:5-10).

This pattern is repeated throughout the history of God’s people. It shows how God extends His grace to man.
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September 1, 2012

Learn From the Sins of Others (9/1)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 18-19.

People often want to blame others for their shortcomings. It is common for one to blame their parents or the way they were raised as the reason why they engage in sinful behavior as an adult. While circumstances in one’s past surely have an influence on one’s present and future, those past circumstances do not dictate one’s actions. Each one of us has a choice to either do right or wrong.

This point is illustrated with an analogy God described to Ezekiel of three generations – a righteous man, his wicked son, and his righteous grandson. Notice what the text says of the righteous grandson (the wicked man’s son).

“Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise” (Ezekiel 18:14).

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August 31, 2012

"You Did Not Remember the Days of Your Youth" (8/31)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 16-17.

“But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing. You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, which should never come about nor happen. You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them. […] Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire” (Ezekiel 16:15-21).

The people of Jerusalem had become completely entangled in idolatry to the point in which they were even sacrificing their own children. How could they get to such a point? They forgot their past.
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August 29, 2012

Those Who Sigh Over All the Abominations (8/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 9-12.

“Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, ‘Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.’ Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

“Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. The Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.‘ But to the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.’ So they started with the elders who were before the temple” (Ezekiel 9:1-6).

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August 28, 2012

"The Lord Does Not See Us" (8/28)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 5-8.

When the people of God sinned with their idols, they justified their actions like many try to justify their sins today – they convinced themselves that God would not notice or pay attention to their sin.

“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, “The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land”‘” (Ezekiel 8:12).

Because God did not do what they thought He should do, they concluded that He had forsaken the land and would not see their acts of idolatry. People today have many ideas about what they think God ought to be doing. When He does not do those things, they reject God. They then act as they please, believing that God will not see their evil deeds. Yet the vision revealed to Ezekiel makes it clear that God does see. Other passages make this point as well:
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August 26, 2012

Why Should Any Man Complain in View of His Sin? (8/26)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Lamentations 3:37-5:22.

The people of God were suffering rightly for their sins. God gave them His law, showing them what they should do; yet they rebelled against Him. God then sent His prophets to warn them to return or face punishment, yet they refused to listen. They were to blame for their sins and the suffering they were enduring as a result.

Yet man often has a tendency to complain that circumstances that exist in life are not fair. Even when he is suffering for his own actions, he will often complain that his actions did not warrant the consequences he is now facing. Jeremiah warned the people not to have this attitude as they faced God’s punishment for their sins.

“Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:39-40).

When we sin, we are in no position to complain about the consequences and punishments that come as a result of our sin.
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