Month: December 2018

Ezekiel 27 is a lament for Tyre. We read of the wonder, beauty, majesty and power of Tyre for verse after verse. They were seafarers without parallel in the ancient world. Many nations provided both their boatbuilders and boat workers. Other nations provided soldiers. Nearly all the known world of the day held trade partnerships with Tyre, because of her ability to travel throughout the Mediterranean. All that would be lost. The boats would travel to sea and be lost there. The people of Tyre would mourn, and the kings of many nations with them, because of Tyre’s influence. All of that was ending, because of Tyre’s idolatry.

Ezekiel 28 continues the prophecy and lament for Tyre, but this time it is specifically against the “prince” of Tyre. Because of the specifics of the lament, some consider the “prince” to be a spirit, perhaps a fallen angel. The LORD tells us the prince was wiser than Daniel, and considered himself a god, which is why the LORD was going to send men to kill him. The LORD asks, “Will you still consider yourself a god then?” It’s a question worthy of asking ourselves when we find ourselves filled with pride over some accomplishment. All wisdom comes from God. As Jesus’ apostle John tells us every good and perfect gift comes from God. Even our ability to work and earn wages is God’s gift to us. We must take a lesson from the prince of Tyre and remember there is one God, who is the LORD of all. Our worship must be for Him alone.  The chapter concludes with a brief prophecy against Sidon, and then a promise that the LORD will bring His people back together from all the lands where He has scattered them. At the end of the day, those who belong to the LORD will be shown mercy.

Ezekiel 29 is a prophecy against the Pharaoh of Egypt and the land of Egypt. Once again, because of Pharaoh’s pride in saying he formed the nile, the LORD will “hook” Pharaoh like a sea creature and cast him into the wilderness. Egypt will be left desolate. This will come at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and all the wealth of Egypt will be carried off by the Babylonians. The LORD does promise to restore Egypt after 40 years. They will be resettled in the land, but it will never again be a great nation, nor will it rule over other nations. Part of the reason for the judgment of Egypt is also, because they were a “broken reed,” which caused Israel to fall. Once again, at the end of the chapter there is a brief word of hope and promise for Israel.

As we return to Matthew 24, we read Jesus’ prophecy of the coming destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and also of Jesus’ return. Sometimes readers combine the two into one event, but it is clear because the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD that Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple was for the short term, while His prediction of His return was for the long term. The key point about Jesus’ return is we must be ready for it. Many spend their lives in seeking to determine when Jesus will return. They scour the books of prophecy and the Book of Revelation to determine where we are in history, so we can know when Jesus will return. The problem with that is Jesus told us no one knows the day and hour of His return. The key is to be ready. Jesus told us it will be as it was in the days of Noah when the flood came. Only Noah and his family were ready. Everyone else was going about life as usual. Then the flood hit and everyone died. In the same way, we must be ready, not surprised, when Jesus returns. Those who are ready will receive Jesus and the blessing of being with Him forever! 

In Ezekiel 24, the LORD tells Ezekiel to use a cooking pot as an example of what the LORD is going to do to the people of Jerusalem. Ezekiel is to cook random pieces of sheep meat in a pot, and to take them out at random. He is to burn the bones, and ultimately to heat the pot itself red hot on the fire, but nothing will take away the sin of the people, and the LORD is the fire that will destroy the people. Then the LORD told Ezekiel his wife was going to die, but he was not to mourn for her, but only groan inwardly. This happened the next night. When the people asked the significance of this, Ezekiel was to tell them they were to mourn in the same way when they were carried off into exile.

In Ezekiel 25, the LORD pronounces judgment agains Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Each in their turn had laughed at Judah’s destruction, and exile. Therefore, the LORD was going to cause each of them to suffer humiliation and destruction.

Ezekiel 26 records the LORD judgment against Tyre. In extensive detail the LORD tells Tyre that it will be torn apart, and the nations around it will mourn the loss. Tyre’s sins in addition to their idolatry included laughing at Judah’s destruction. The LORD planned to use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as His arm of judgment against Tyre, as he used him against Judah and so many other nations.

As we return to Matthew 23, we find Jesus pronouncing seven “woes” against the Pharisees. This is a serious matter, as the Greek word recorded is “ouai” which literally means “damn you.” Jesus spoke of many of the religious rituals and actions the Pharisees carried out, and condemned them for them. He tells His listeners they will eventually be turned over to rulers and authorities by the religious leaders, as they continue to serve Him. Jesus makes it clear that He is our Lord and leader, and that we aren’t to use titles such as teacher or father to lord over others, because He is our teacher and God is our heavenly Father. He reminds us the life of following Him is a life of humility. The chapter is a difficult one to read because it reminds us how important it is not to turn our life as Jesus’ followers into a religion, but always keep our relationship with Him as the priority.

In Ezekiel 21, the LORD tells Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on Israel and Judah. The message is repeated: The sword of the LORD is coming, and its destruction will be total. The “sword” is Babylon. The LORD will use this sword to totally destroy the nation.  The people will think it’s a false message, because of their treaty with Babylon, but the Babylonians will remind the Israelites they have rebelled against them.  Ezekiel then turns to Babylon and tells Ezekiel to tell its leaders not to rely on the omens of their magicians to determine whether to attack Jerusalem or the Ammonites. The road will fork in two directions. The LORD’s command is to take the road that leads to Jerusalem. Lest the Ammonites think they are off the hook, the final message of the chapter is for them. The LORD tells Ezekiel to tell them they will be utterly destroyed and their memory erased from the face of the earth.

In Ezekiel 22, the LORD returns to His pronouncements against Jerusalem. He tells us the people are murderers, adulterers, rapists and thieves. They abuse the widows and orphans. They continuously do evil before the LORD. For that reason, He calls them the “slag” that is left after smelting metal. He will refine them and they will be “melted” like metal. Then the LORD returns to condemning the people, but this time His main condemnation is for the leaders of the people. They are the worst of all, and even the priests join in the wickedness. Therefore, the judgment will be quick and the people will be scattered.

In Ezekiel 23, the LORD portrays Israel and Judah as two sisters, and graphically portrays them as prostitutes and then adulteresses. They were adulteresses, because the LORD took them as His wives. While at first it was Israel who turned away from the LORD by worshiping the idols of the Assyrians, later the people of Judah did even worse things, by worshiping the idols of the Assyrians, and the Babylonians and offering their children to their false gods as sacrifices. The judgment pronounced against both is justified for the intensity of their sin was so great.

As we return to Matthew 22, Jesus continues with the telling of parables, by telling a parable about a man who scheduled a great wedding feast for his son, but the invited guests wouldn’t come. (This would be the people of Israel.) The man then invited anyone who would come, the good and the bad. At the feast one man didn’t have on wedding clothes, so he was cast out. This man represents those who are unprepared to receive the offer of welcome (salvation) from the LORD.  Following this parable, the Pharisees and Sadducees attempted to go on the offensive by asking questions they thought would trap Jesus in His words. They were wrong. First, they asked Jesus whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. They believed no matter what Jesus answered, they could condemn Him, because if He said, “Yes,” they would say He was a traitor against Israel, but if He said, “No,” they would turn Him into the Romans. Jesus didn’t say yes or no. He told them to give to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s. Next, the Sadducees attempted to trap Jesus with a theological question. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, so they told Jesus about a man who was married, but died before having any sons. Therefore, his brother married him according to the law of levirate marriage. This brother died, and another brother married him. This went on until seven men (all brothers) had married the woman and died. Then the woman died. The question was, “Which man would the woman be married to in the resurrection, because she had been married to each. Jesus responded they erred, because they knew neither the Scriptures, nor the power of God. He proceeded to tell them in heaven we are neither married, nor given in married, but are like the angels in heaven. He then gave the example of God saying He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when He spoke to Moses in the burning bush.  This shows that God is the God of the living, not the dead. Finally, the Pharisees asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses. Jesus answered the greatest commandment is to love the Lord completely, and to love one’s neighbors as oneself. No one could argue with this. For good measure, Jesus asked the religious leaders a question, “Whose son is the Christ?” The question is difficult, because King David called the Messiah his Lord. After this no one dared ask Jesus anymore questions. After all, He had demonstrated that He could answer any challenge offered to Him, and had questions of His own that no one could answer!

In Ezekiel 18, the LORD lays out for Jeremiah a new application of His law to the people. It had been said that the fathers “ate sour grapes,” and the children’s “teeth were set on edge.” Now, the LORD said the one who lived righteously would live, and the one who sinned would die.  If a man lived righteously, but his son lived in sin, the son would die. If a man lived sinfully, he would die, but if his son lived righteously, he would live. The illustration is taken to the third generation to show if the next generation after a righteous man lived sinfully, that generation would die. The LORD also noted that within a generation if a man was sinful, but repented and became righteous, he would live. The LORD’s point is twofold: He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and His desire is their repentance and return to righteousness, and each person is responsible for his or her own life.  This does not say that generational curses have no power. Certainly, a family that lives in sin, will model that to their children, and the tendency will be for that sin to be passed to the next generation. The good news is that is not necessarily the case. Each generation has the opportunity to break the curse and live in righteousness!

Ezekiel 19 compares the princes of Israel to two young lions, the first was captured by Egypt and the second by Babylon. Each in turn was put in a cage, so that its splendor was no more.  Then Israel is compared to a vine that bore much fruit. Eventually, though, it was burned and it was no more. These illustrations show us how the power, strength and beauty of Israel were subdued and overcome. It doesn’t mention this was because of her turning away from the LORD, but with all we’ve read so far, that is certainly the point.

Ezekiel 20 starts with a recollection of the sin of Israel and their fathers, from the time they were in the land of Egypt, through their wilderness journeys and then into the promised land. In each era of Israel’s history they rejected the LORD and His laws and worshiped idols, nature, and even offered their children as sacrifices to the false gods. For that the LORD punished them and would continue to punish them. Yet, in the latter portion of the chapter, the LORD promises to restore Israel, to bring them back from the lands where He scattered them. In that time, He would act according to His righteousness and not according to their sinfulness. That is always a necessary reality in our lives.  We are fallen, sinful people. It is our nature to sin. That means we rely on the LORD’s righteousness. In our case that comes from the righteousness of Jesus. He lived a perfect life in our place. He died in our place. He rose from the dead to show that we, too, may live with Him here and now and for eternity.

As we return to Matthew 21 , Matthew records the “Triumphant Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem. As Jesus enters the town, the people praise Him. He overturns the tables of the money changers in the Temple, and then heals many sick people. The religious leaders tell Jesus to have the people stop offering Him praise, but Jesus tells them it was the LORD’s will for this to happen. After all this, Jesus returns to Bethany for the night. The next morning, as Jesus and the twelve walked back to Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry. He reached out to a fig tree, but it had no fruit. Jesus cursed the tree and immediately it shriveled up. The disciples were amazed and asked Jesus how He did that. Jesus response was if we have faith and do not doubt, we can say to a mountain, be cast into the sea and it will happen. He followed with this principle:  Ask whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. In other places, such as John’s gospel, Jesus adds when we ask “according to my name.” That’s a helpful qualifier, because God is not a genie who grants us our wishes. Our prayers are to be aligned with His will, so they are offered to advance not just our personal desires, but the purposes of God’s Kingdom.

As Jesus returned to the Temple area, He was questioned by the religious leaders about what authority He had to perform the miracles He performed. Jesus responded with a question: Was John the Baptist’s authority from heaven or from men? The question put the leaders in a bad position. If they said from heaven, Jesus would ask why they didn’t follow Him? If they said from men, the people would attack them, because they believed John was a prophet. They said, “We don’t know.” Jesus told them He wouldn’t tell them where His authority originated either.

Jesus then told a parable about a man with two sons. He asked each to go out and work in the fields. One said he would but didn’t. The other said he wouldn’t but did. Jesus asked which did the will of his father?  The leaders said it was the one who said no but then did what his father wanted. Jesus’ punchline was the tax collectors and prostitutes would go to heaven before them, because they believed in Jesus.  Jesus followed up this parable with the parable of the tenants, about the vineyard owner who left his vineyard under the care of tenant farmers. When the harvest came, the owner sent representatives to collect his portion of the harvest. They mistreated and killed the owners representatives. At last, he sent his son, because he thought they would respect him, but they killed him, too. Jesus said the owner would punish these men severely. The religious leaders recognized Jesus was talking about them, so they wanted to arrest Him, but they were afraid, because the crowd held Jesus to be a prophet. We must always remember Jesus gives us a great deal of freedom and we must never abuse it, by misrepresenting Him or even mistreating Him. We don’t want to be found in the category of religious leaders who say we are following God, but end up being the very ones who attack Jesus through our actions!

Ezekiel 15 is brief. In it the LORD compares Jerusalem to the wood of the vine, which was good for nothing but fuel for fire. Nothing could be made from it, not even a peg to hang things. The only purpose of the wood of the vine was to make fire. Even so, the people of Jerusalem would be subjected to the fire.

In Ezekiel 16, the LORD compares Jerusalem to an unfaithful wife, who turned from Him and became a whore.  This would be bad enough under any circumstance, but the LORD saved her from death as an infant when she was cast off by her parents. He nurtured and cared for her. He adorned her with beautiful clothing and silver and gold. The LORD indulged her and showed her great love. Yet, she rejected Him, and worshiped idols. She sacrificed her children to false gods. She not only played the prostitute with many nations, but she paid her suitors to have sex with her. The depth if Jerusalem’s sin surpassed that of Sodom and Samaria. After recording this account of Jerusalem’s sin and her deserved punishment, the LORD turns to redemption. Always. Redemption is the final word. The LORD promises the redemption of some even from Sodom and Samaria, and also Jerusalem.

In Ezekiel 17, the LORD tells the parable of two eagles and a vine. Unless, He had provided the interpretation, we would be left utterly confused, but the LORD tells us the eagles represent Babylon and Egypt, and the vine represents Judah. The point is the LORD gave Judah into the hands of Babylon, and there they would have been protected, but they turned to Egypt for help, which would only mean more destruction.

As we return to Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable of a landowner who hired workers each hour throughout the day. The first workers hired were told they would be paid a denarius, which was a typical day’s wage for their work. Each of the other workers were told they would be paid what was right. At the end of the day, the landowner paid the workers who had only worked one hour first. He gave them a denarius. When the workers who had worked all day were paid, they also received one denarius. They were upset at the landowner, but he asked them why there were? He had agreed to pay them a denarius, which is what they were paid. Then the landowner asked whether he had the right to be generous with his own money? The first workers hadn’t seen it that way! Then Jesus closed by saying, “Many who were last will be first.” The order of the Kingdom is not the order of the earth. We will all be rewarded and we will not be jealous for what others receive. It would be good for us to learn to celebrate the blessings of others, because that will be the way in heaven!

Next, Jesus told the disciples once again that He would be arrested, convicted, crucified, and would rise from death. This time the mother of James and John asked Jesus if He would let her sons sit at His left and right when He came into His Kingdom? Jesus said those positions weren’t for Him to give. When the other ten disciples heard what happened they were angry. Why? We can conjecture it was because they had been left out of the jockeying for position in Jesus’ Kingdom. Jesus pointed out that the way of the Kingdom is not the way of the world. The greatest in the Kingdom is not the one with the “highest” position, but the one who serves.

The chapter ends with Jesus healing two blind men. The significant point of the healing is Jesus tells the men, it was according to their faith that they were healed. Sometimes Jesus tells people it was their faith that was the key. At other times, He makes it clear He heals to glorify the Father. We must be clear that our healing or lack of it is never about us, even though our faith can play a part. Jesus is the healer, not us!

In Ezekiel 12, the LORD tells Ezekiel to pack his baggage as for exile, and to go to the city wall in the evening and dig through it. When the people ask what he is doing, Ezekiel is to say this is what will happen to the prince and to his troops. They will be carried away into exile after they have dug through the wall in attempts to escape. The prince will die in Babylon, and many others will be scattered to the wind. But…a remnant will be preserved! This is the “good news” we find in the midst of bad news throughout God’s word. The LORD also tells Ezekiel to eat his food and drink his water with quaking, to symbolize the people will eat and drink in this way as they are being taken to exile. The final point of this chapter is the LORD tells Ezekiel to let the people know the time of the exile is soon. The vision is not for a time that is far off, but will be fulfilled in the near future.

In Ezekiel 13, the LORD tells Ezekiel to call out the false prophets who proclaim “Declares the LORD…” when the LORD had not spoken. The chapter is rather long, but it says the same thing over and over: you false and lying prophets will be destroyed for leading the people astray.

In Ezekiel 14, 5h3 LORD condemns the elders of the city who have practiced idolatry. As the false prophets ought to have spoken only the truth, so the elders ought to have remained faithful to the LORD, but because of their unfaithfulness, they will be destroyed. In the remainder of the chapter, the LORD tells Ezekiel that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the city of Jerusalem at the time of the coming judgment, only they would be saved. Their goodness would not save anyone else. Think of that: three of the greatest men in the history of Israel could not influence the LORD to preserve more than themselves in this time of destruction!

As we return to Matthew 19, the Pharisees come to Jesus to ask them whether a man can divorce his wife for “any reason”? Jesus asks them what the Law of Moses says about it? They say Moses said it was okay. Jesus tells them that was because of their hardness of heart, but from the beginning it was God’s intention that a man and woman would be united in marriage permanently. He condemns the practice of divorce except for reason of marital unfaithfulness. Next, Jesus blesses children who are brought to Him to be blessed, even over the disciples’ objections that Jesus doesn’t have time for such activity. Jesus reminds them once again that the Kingdom of heaven is made up of such as them. Finally, in the chapter, a rich, young man comes to Jesus to ask what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus tells him to obey the commandments in the Law. The man tells Jesus he has done so. Jesus tells him he lacks one thing: to go sell all he has, give it to the poor, so he will have riches in heaven, and then come and follow Him? The man turns down the opportunity, because he couldn’t give up his wealth.  The disciples were astounded, but not because the man wouldn’t give up his wealth. Jesus’ request astounded them. They thought wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, but Jesus told the man it was what was getting in the way of his discipleship. Jesus told the disciples this was so as well. We must never let material wealth get in the way of our spiritual wealth. That is the key to following Jesus. When we recognize that every material blessing belongs to Him, and is to be held lightly, even given away if Jesus asks us to do so, we can follow Jesus wherever He calls us. But when we cling to the “stuff” of life, we can’t go where He calls, or follow where He leads.

Ezekiel 8 has the LORD showing Ezekiel the blatant sin of Judah’s officials in the Temple as they worship idols, the sun, and other pagan deities even as they stand in the Temple. The LORD tells Ezekiel this is why His judgment is being poured out on the land.

Ezekiel 9 is a gory depiction of the LORD’s judgment on all those who have committed idolatry before Him. He has one of his messengers mark all those who have sinned, and then His destroyer comes behind and slays them. Ezekiel asks whether He will kill the entire remnant of His people? No answer comes as the chapter ends.

Ezekiel 10 recounts the departure of the LORD from the Temple. In great detail, Ezekiel describes the cherubim who are in the Temple, and the commands given to the man clothed in linen to take hot coals from he altar and spread them all over the city. Then the LORD and His entourage leave the Temple. Consider the symbolism: The LORD has never been bound in a building, from the time King Solomon constructed the first Temple to this very day, but He has always dwelt among His people. But here, He tells Ezekiel He is departing. He will have nothing to do with this sinful group of people who have abandoned Him totally.

Ezekiel 11 starts with more judgment for the leaders who have led the people astray to idols. They are told they will die, and their leader does. But then, the chapter takes a turn and the LORD tells Ezekiel a remnant of the people will be preserved from those who have gone into exile and will return to Jerusalem. The LORD will be with them, but once again He reminds those who have turned from Him and committed on going sin will be destroyed. As always, the LORD’s mercy is evident even with a people who have been so completely filled with idolatry. Those who repent will be redeemed.

As we return to Matthew 18, the disciples ask a vital question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Jesus doesn’t answer with the name of a specific person, but says whoever turns and becomes like a child will be the greatest.  This raises the important matter of the distinction between childlikeness, which Jesus affirms here, and childishness, which He does not affirm. The childlike traits that makes us great in God’s kingdom are trust, love, joy, and being “all in.” Little children have a natural (supernatural?) exuberance and joy for living that often gets trained out of them as they grow. Jesus warns that any who lead one of His little ones astray will face severed punishment. He also points out how precious every single person is, when He compares it to a shepherd looking for one lost sheep, even though He has 100 sheep. In the same way, the LORD is not willing for even one of His little ones to perish.

As we move on, Jesus offers the process for us to follow when someone sins against us. The process is simple, but not always easy to carry out in life. First, we go to the person and confront the situation. If the person repents, we receive him or her back. If not we take a couple of the elders or mature members of the church and confront again. If the person repents, we receive him or her back. If that doesn’t work,  we bring the person before the entire church and ask him or her to repent. If that doesn’t work, the person is to be  cast out and treated as a “tax collector.” Peter followed up these instructions by asking Jesus how many times we must forgive someone who sins against us? He asked if it were up to seven times? Jesus answered that it wasn’t seven times but seventy times seven. Jesus then told a parable about a master who forgave the massive debt of one of his servants, because the servant begged him to do so. But afterward, the servant had a fellow servant thrown into prison for a small debt. When the other servants told the master about this, the master brought the servant back in, called him wicked, and then had him cast into prison for not forgiving as he had been forgiven. Jesus’ punchline was: My Heavenly Father will also treat you the same way if you do not forgive those who sin against you. Forgiveness is the core of our faith. Jesus forgave us the sin that had condemned us to hell. That means we must forgive one another, regardless of the weight of the sin. That doesn’t mean we say the other person was right. It means we release the other person to the mercy of God!

Ezekiel 5 pronounces specific judgment against the city of Jerusalem. The LORD tells Ezekiel to cut his hair and beard with a sword and then to divide it into thirds. One third of the hair he is to burn in the midst of the city, another third he is to take around the city and cut with a sword, the final third he is to scatter to the wind. This is the way the city will be judged: one third will die of pestilence; one third will die by the sword, and one third will be scattered to the wind. The situation will be so bad that fathers will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. The LORD tells Ezekiel nothing like this will ever happen again, that is the extent of the judgment to come.

Ezekiel 6 pronounces judgment against the mountains and hills of Israel. Specifically, judgment is pronounced against the people for their worship of idols. The LORD compares Himself to a husband and the people have been “whoring” against Him with the idols of the other nations. Once again we’re told that people will die by famine, sword, and pestilence. But a remnant will remain, so they can remember what the LORD has said, and so they will one day return to worshiping Him.

Ezekiel 7 pronounces the judgment of the Day of the LORD, a day of wrath against the people. This is more of what have been pronounced in the previous chapters. The day is coming and the people in the fields will die by the sword, while the people in the city will die of famine and pestilence. Some will remain alive and will be witnesses of the fierce judgment of the LORD for the evil the people did against Him.

As we return to Matthew 17, we read the record of Jesus being transfigured with Moses and Elijah before Peter, James, and John. The event is recorded in similar fashion to that of Mark’s gospel, but in Matthew Jesus is more explicit about the significance of the event, that it is foreshadowing His crucifixion. He also tells them clearly that John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come. After this the four of them return to the bottom of the mountain, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, which the nine remaining disciples of Jesus couldn’t heal. The detail is limited, as Matthew tends not to be as explicit in showing the short-coming of the disciples as Mark is, perhaps because Mark was not one of them. In any case, Jesus simply tells the disciples this kind of demon can only be cast out through prayer and fasting. Following this Jesus announces once again that He was going to be killed, and the disciples were filled with grief. In Mark’s gospel, we’re told that following this announcement, they argued among themselves about who would be greatest. Finally, Jesus has Peter catch a fish that has a coin in its mouth that permits Peter to pay the Temple tax for Peter and Jesus. This is one more case of Jesus fulfilling all righteousness.

Today, we turn to the Book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was both a priest and a prophet. He served for more than twenty years, from about ten years before the people of Judah were carried off into exile, until well after they were in living in Babylon. His message started as one of impending judgment, and then turned to a message of hope for the future, including the famous vision of Israel and the valley of dry bones. As we read this prophet’s message, it will at times seem like a replay of Jeremiah, but overall Ezekiel offers more hope than the “weeping” prophet.

Ezekiel 1 offers us one of the most spectacular visions in the entire Bible! Ezekiel sees a “creature” who seems like four different creatures, who has heads with the facets of a person, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. The creature also has wheels under it, and all four of the creatures move in synchrony wherever the Spirit leads. This creature has an expanse above it, and fire flows from it. We see by the end of the chapter that the creature is the LORD.

The LORD calls Ezekiel in chapter 2, and we read repeatedly that he is to speak the words message to a “rebellious” people and he is to continue to present the message whether they receive it or whether they don’t. At the end of the chapter the LORD gives Ezekiel a scroll, and as he reads it he finds words of lamentation and woe.  As with Jeremiah, Ezekiel’s message will be a message no one wants to hear.

In Ezekiel 3, the LORD gives Ezekiel a scroll to “eat” and as he does it tasted sweet in his stomach. The meaning is the message was pleasing to him. The LORD said the message would be easy for the people to understand, but they would not listen, because they are a rebellious people. As the LORD’s message continues the creature picks Ezekiel up and takes him to Tel-Abib as he does he is so overwhelmed he is unable to speak for seven days. The message Ezekiel receives is that he is to be the LORD’s “watchman.” He offers Ezekiel a principle: if the LORD pronounces condemnation on the one who sins, but Ezekiel doesn’t present the message, the man shall die in his sin, and Ezekiel will be held accountable for the man’s blood, but if Ezekiel tells the man of his sin, and he does not repent, the man will die, but Ezekiel will be innocent of his blood. In the same way if a righteous man is turning to evil, but Ezekiel doesn’t correct him, he will die, and the blood will be on Ezekiel, but if Ezekiel warns him and he sins anyway, the blood of the man will be on himself. This is a key principle, which the Apostle Paul picks up on nearly 600 years later when he tells the Ephesian elders he has been faithful to tell everyone the message of salvation in Jesus and is therefore innocent of “every man’s blood.” The chapter ends with the LORD telling Ezekiel he is going to be bound, and will obviously be mistreated, because his tongue will stick to his mouth so he won’t be able to speak for a time. Then he will be able to speak again, but the people won’t hear, because they are a rebellious people.

In Chapter 4, the LORD tells Ezekiel to make a brick and put it in front of himself. He is to place “siege works” against it, and to put a skillet before it to show it is under siege. Then he is to lie on his left side for 390 days to symbolize Israel being exiled for 390 years. Then he is to lie on his right side for 40 days to symbolize Judah being in captivity for forty years.  While he is doing this, he is to eat sparingly, and drink sparingly to show the hardship of the people during their times of captivity.

As we return to Matthew 16, The Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus and ask Him to show them a sign. Jesus responds that an evil generation seeks a sign, and the only sign they will receive is the sign of Jonah. That sign is just as Jonah was three days in the belly of a great fish, so Jesus will be three days in the tomb.  After this Jesus told His disciples to beware of the “leaven” of the Pharisees. At first, the disciples thought Jesus was reprimanding them for not bringing any bread, but then Jesus reminded them how he had fed thousands of people twice with only a few loaves of bread. Then they realized Jesus was talking about the teaching of the Pharisees as their leaven.  Next, Jesus and the disciples went to Caesarea Philippi and Jesus asked them who people said He was. Then who did they say He was? Peter answered that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God. Jesus affirms Peter for this truth, which was revealed to him by the Heavenly Father. Then, He tells the disciples not to tell anyone. Next, Jesus tells the disciples He is going to Jerusalem where He will be arrested, and ultimately crucified, but then He will rise again. Peter rebukes Jesus for saying such a thing. Then Jesus rebukes Peter for being “Satan,” and for thinking of things from a human perspective rather than God’s perspective. This shows us that a person can be mightily led by the Lord in one moment, and then turn the opposite direction the next.

Lamentations 4 offers explicit details about the devastation of the nobles and priests in Judah during the time of their overthrow. They were once dressed in purple. They are “stones of gold,” but not have become black and shriveled. The writer tells us the people of Sodom were better off, because they were destroyed in a moment. Those who were killed by the sword were better off, because they didn’t suffer. But these who waste away with hunger and disease, bear their suffering, and nothing  and no one is there to help them. The LORD is the one who did this, because of the people’s rejection of Him, because of their sin. One hint of hope comes at the close of the chapter when Edom is condemned. We’re told there will be no redemption for Edom, but the house of Zion will return. No additional information is offered, but at least some hope for the future remains.

Lamentations 5 is a cry to the LORD to restore the people. The writer recounts the heavy burdens the people endure. Women are raped, boys stagger under heavy loads, princes are hung by their hands, and the elders are shown no respect. The writer asks if the LORD will forget them forever. He calls on the LORD to restore them, but the book ends without a response from the LORD. We know from history the LORD answered this cry. Israel was restored on more than one occasion, and now the nation of Israel is a sovereign nation once again. When we experience the heavy burdens of life, let’s remember to call out to the LORD, to call on His mercy and ask Him for deliverance and restoration.

As we return to Matthew 15, we find the religious leaders coming to Jesus with a complaint about His disciples: they eat with out the ceremonial washing of their hands. Jesus responds by asking them why they break the command of God to uphold their traditions. Here Jesus makes a distinction between the actual commands of God, and the traditions human beings fabricate to “interpret” the commands, or make them easier to follow. Jesus points out how they fail to honor their fathers and mothers, by taking money that would have been used to support them and giving it as offerings.  Jesus then makes a powerful statement. It is not what goes into a person that brings defilement, but what comes out. The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus meant. His point is clear: what we eat doesn’t defile us. What we say does. Jesus said the words that come out of our mouth reflect the content of our hearts. That is what we must handle with care, not the food we eat.

Following this interaction, Jesus withdrew with His disciples for a time of rest, but while they were walking a Canaanite woman came and asked Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first Jesus didn’t respond, but later when the woman gave Him a strong answer to His point about not “throwing the children’s bread to the dogs,” He healed her daughter.

The final episode in Matthew 15 is the feeding of the 4,000. Jesus had been healing and casting demons out of people all day, and He knew they were hungry. He had already been providing for their spiritual and physical health by healing and casting out demons. Now, He met their basic physical need for food, by taking seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and turning it into enough food to feed thousands of them. As we consider Jesus’ role in our lives, we must always remember while He is first and foremost our Lord and our God, He also wants to provide for our needs whether they be physical or spiritual. As you go about the day, worship Jesus as Savior and Lord, and call on Him as the faithful provider He is!