Jeremiah Chapter 32 is intriguing. God asks Jeremiah to buy land – even though all of the land of Jerusalem will soon fall under captivity. Jeremiah is – once again – obedient. God goes on in this chapter to indeed confirm that Jerusalem will fall – but that God will eventually restore the Israelites back to Jerusalem and buying and selling of land will occur again. Interesting chapter. The call to Jeremiah to buy land was to set the stage for reminding the Israelites that they will soon lose this ability, but it will come back to them again eventually. I like this example. What about you in your life today – is there anything God is asking you to be obedient in? Even if you perhaps won’t see an "immediate" return on your investment of your obedience, will you obey God? Is the eternal return on your investment of obedience worth it? Below is an image of Jeremiah in the court of the prison buying his kinsman’s field from today’s readings:
Today in our readings we get the famous Jeremiah 33:3 verse: “‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” (NIV) Verses 15 & 16 are powerful Messianic verses, harkening back to Jeremiah 23:6 (The Lord Our Righteousness): “In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.”
Verse 22 is a great verse echoing the covenant promises to Abraham: “I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.”
Verse 18 threw me for a loop initially, trying to figure out how this could still be – “nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’” I wondered – where are the Levites today? Fortunately, I read a commentary that set me straight – Jesus is fulfilling this ministry for us today! Jesus is our Levitical priest standing before God continually. Beautiful, eh? Do you consider Jesus to be your High Priest?
Worship Video: Jeremiah 33:3 in today’s readings reminded me of the Third Day song “Call My Name:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
An important note from our readings in Ezekiel chapter 24 today is that Ezekiel’s wife dies on the exact same day the Temple is Jerusalem was burned! August 14, 586 B.C. As I read these verses about Ezekiel’s wife and the Temple I am reminded of a verse in the book of Job – 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Though Ezekiel’s wife dies and though the Temple burned, the Lord still instructs Judah in verse 23: “You will not mourn or weep”. The Job situation is of course different in that Job was righteous and Judah was not at this time. And there is not clear hope for Judah at this time – though there ultimately is redemption for Jerusalem. However, again, look at Job’s faith in the midst of all he was going through: “yet I will hope in him.” When times are bad – or times are good – do you hope in Him? No matter what, will you hope in Him?
In Ezekiel chapter 25 today we begin reading God’s oracles against the nations surrounding Israel. We’ll read 7 oracles over the next few days through chapter 32. It’s noteworthy that frequently in the Old Testament God’s words of judgment against Israel through the prophets is often accompanied by oracles of judgments against the nations. Below is a map that shows the oracles against the nations we read about in chapters 25 & 26 today and through chapter 32 in the coming days. This map is helpful to see where Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon and of course Egypt are all located in comparison to Jerusalem:
Jeremiah chapter 34 is interesting with the freedom for the slaves – and then the reversal of that decision. Could this story remind us of our lives at times? Do we sometimes promise God that we’ll do something he wants us to do? Maybe even start to do it? And then change our minds? Why are we not consistent with what we tell God we will do? Let us pray for consistency in our spiritual walk!
In Jeremiah 21 we’re getting close to the point of the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. as King Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon are getting close. The prophecies Jeremiah has been preaching in the past 20 chapters are coming to fruition. A verse that encapsulates all of this is 21:10 – “For I have decided to bring disaster and not good upon this city, says the Lord. It will be captured by the king of Babylon, and he will reduce it to ashes.’” Do remember that in our readings over the past few days that God does intend to bring the Israelites back to Jerusalem eventually. There is hope! Even though Nebuchadnezzar (pictured below) is soon to come into Jerusalem… there is still hope in the midst of the despair… there is still redemption to come…
Verse 7 in chapter 29 of Ezekiel stands out as to why God is unhappy with Egypt (in part – idols are another reason…) – “Israel leaned on you, but like a cracked staff, you splintered and stabbed her in the armpit. When she put her weight on you, you gave way, and her back was thrown out of joint.” God was not happy that Israel created an alliance with Egypt as we read earlier in Ezekiel – but at the same time, God was not happy with Egypt for bailing on the alliance when Babylon attacked Jerusalem. Think God likes for us to keep our promises in our life? Do you keep your promises in your life? Are you careful to never make empty promises?
I think Ezekiel chapter 31 starts out with a trick question from God to Egypt in verse 2: "Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his people: "To whom would you compare your greatness?"" The proper answer to this question is probably somewhere along the humble lines of, "no one – I am not great at all. I wouldn’t dare compare myself to others. Everything I am and have comes from you God." Think Pharaoh would answer the question in this humble way? 🙂 Better yet – maybe we should ask ourselves this question today as well. And think about how we would answer it. What if someone stops you on the street tomorrow and asks you this question. What would be your reply? Here it is. I ask this of you now: "To whom would you compare your greatness?"
Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Josiah Queen’s song “The Prodigal:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Once again in verse 30 of chapter 22 of Ezekiel we see God’s compassion and God seeking an opportunity to stop the coming judgment: "I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one." No one was found… This verse makes me think about this – sometimes I think we tell ourselves, "What difference does it make? What difference does it make if I’m good or bad? What difference does it make if I serve and love others in need?" Check out verse 30 above again. Think one person could have made a difference then? What about now? Will you make a difference today? Will you stand in the gap?
Ezekiel chapter 23 is interesting in its use of prostitution and lust as the metaphors for Israel’s political alliances with neighboring lands. My thoughts here are that we live in a "sexualized" world in so many ways today – and perhaps things weren’t so different back then. Sex is obviously something that was created as a good by God – but can so quickly and easily be twisted into something that is not good. Sex is good in the right context of marriage. Detrimental in the wrong. It seems to me that lust and the selling of sex was as prevalent back in Ezekiel’s today as it is in ours. To which we may need to remember well Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:18 – "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." And of course James 4:7 – "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Is there an area of our lives related to sex that you must flee from? Will you flee?
Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Mountain People Worship’s song “My Heart Wants You:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Ezekiel chapter 20 verse 12 stands out to me today: “And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I, the LORD, had set them apart to be holy, making them my special people.” I like learning this – the Sabbath days of rest were given as a sign between God and his people. How are you doing on taking a day of rest each week? Would taking a day of rest each week – a Sabbath day – benefit your relationship with God? And with others? Would it benefit perhaps the other 6 days of your week? Below is a great painting titled “The Sabbath Rest” by the Jewish Polish painter Samuel Hirszenberg from the year 1894:
After verse 12 above, we read this from God in verse 13: ““But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my laws there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the desert.” The thing that stood out to me in this verse was “they also violated my Sabbath days.” I don’t get too caught up on which day of the week we take a Sabbath – as some may work weekends and have Mondays off, for example. Whatever the day is for you – do you have 1 day a week that you consider a Sabbath? Why might this be a smart thing to do? A healthy thing to do? A faithful thing to do?
In Ezekiel 20:40 we read: “There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.” What are your offerings, choice gifts and holy sacrifices to the Lord? Your life, your thoughts, your finances? Do you give a percentage of your income to your local church, ministries, and nonprofits? Would this perhaps be a “holy sacrifice” if you did so? Would this be a bold act of faith?
In Ezekiel chapter 21 today we read about the Lord’s sword of judgment! Which, in this case is Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar. I did not realize until today that there is actually a "sword song" in the Bible – a song that warriors may have sung and even danced to before going out to battle. Unfortunately, this sword song in verses 9 through 11 was being sung for Jerusalem because of her many sins… "A sword, a sword is being sharpened and polished. It is sharpened for terrible slaughter and polished to flash like lightning! Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power! Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for the executioner."
Okay, so Ezekiel Chapters 21 & 22 are the types of chapters where you might you think about stereotypes of the Old Testament – a "grouchy/mean" God perhaps one might say about these two chapters… However! – context of course is key to keep in mind. We must also know the book of Jeremiah or Ezekiel prior to these chapters. God has been slow to anger, compassionate, asking – no, begging – people to repent. And they have not. And things just keep getting worse and worse and worse. Check out chapter 22 verses 1 through 16 for how bad the sins of Jerusalem have gotten… All of this reminds me that the consequences for sin are very real. Let us never forget the truth of Romans 6:23 – "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Ezekiel chapter 17 is a great story of the two eagles! This is basically a story of the city of Jerusalem’s vacillating foreign policy between Babylon and Egypt. The first eagle is King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the treaty Jerusalem makes w/ Babylon is in the story. Then, the second eagle represents a pharaoh from Egypt, whom Jerusalem makes another treaty with subsequently, which goes against Babylon. The bad part of this is that the Babylon treaty was sworn to by the king of Jerusalem/Judah in the Lord’s name – then broken. This is a very bad idea to swear something in the Lord’s name and then not uphold it… Below is a map to give you a quick snapshot of the Babylonian empire, Judah, and Egypt at this time:
The close of this chapter is phenomenal when it takes a Messianic turn, foreshadowing Jesus in verses 22 and 23: “And the Sovereign LORD says: I will take a tender shoot from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. It will become a noble cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter beneath its branches.” Do these verses sound like Jesus to you?
Ezekiel chapter 18 is a powerful chapter! What we are seeing in this chapter is the Old Covenant – which I do believe was compassionate & “fair”, but different from the New Covenant, which I believe is compassionate & graceful (which may not necessarily be “fair” – but which is good news – Gospel – for us sinners!). Verse 30 is a good look at the Old Covenant: “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don’t let them destroy you!” Verse 4 of course stands out too with: “And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies.” You read this at a high level and you’ll get a bit nervous, no? 🙂 Indeed this is the Old Covenant: your actions will dictate your death or your life. It’s up to your actions. It’s up to you. You’ll get what you deserve. And this is certainly “fair.” However, this changes through Jesus Christ’s atonement for our sins once and for all on the cross. Under the New Covenant, through God’s gift of grace, we now simply need to have faith that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, died for our sins and rose from the dead. As we’ve been reading in Hebrews currently – we simply need to have faith in Christ as our High Priest. God’s grace and our faith becomes the key (regeneration). Not our actions on their own. This being said, after our salvation (justification) through grace and faith, God is very interested in our actions and wants us to live a life of holiness (sanctification). This is a lot of theology here… and more than I can blog on without goofing it up – actually I probably already have. 🙂 Check out a good overview of justification and sanctification (and regeneration!) on bible.org at this link. Also, I’ll copy this image below, which I found interesting. I may not agree with every point on this image, but overall I find this useful: (though, I’d say you could take a thick black magic marker and just write “Jesus” and “Grace” all over this image below too, and that would really be all you need to know 🙂
Verse 32 can be argued to be the single most important point in all of the book of Ezekiel – “I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!” This is a powerful verse. Think this verse shows us that God is compassionate? Think this might be the single most important point in the book of Ezekiel? Think this verse can apply to our lives today? Are their areas of sin in your life which God is calling you to turn back from? Calling you to turn toward true Life? And to be free from the slavery of sin? Will you turn back? Will you repent?
Ezekiel Chapter 19 is a funeral song and allegory about the land of Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the lioness and the lions are two of her sons, two kings – one who ended up trapped and deceived by Egypt and the other by Babylon. The last sentence of verse 14 is a sad one… “This is a funeral song, and it is now time for the funeral.” As we know, it is now time for the funeral for Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s time. However, of course, there is the redemption to come and the continuation of the house of David. The promise to Abraham won’t die here! There is another Lion of Judah yet to come…
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Ezekiel 17 reminded me of this song by Brandon Heath called “Love Never Fails:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Ezekiel 14 verse 3 I believe can definitely speak to us today: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that lead them into sin.” This is scary to think about… Have we set up idols in our hearts? Have we embraced things that lead us into sin? Think this is a good idea… ? Can we turn these idols in our hearts over to the Lord? It is my hunch that an idol set up in our hearts is one of the toughest things to get rid of. We need Jesus in our lives to free us idols. Will you let Jesus remove any idol that is in your heart this very day? Please don’t let that idol hang around in your heart any longer…
I am fascinated by God’s words in Ezekiel chapter 14 verses 13 & 14 today: “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals. Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.” The first thing these verses tell us is that God’s judgment upon Jerusalem at this time was certain. Even the righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job couldn’t change that – only these 3 men would have been saved. However, this got me thinking. Is it possible that sometimes today we try to build up our own righteousness to ensure our own salvation and basically do nothing to try to build up others righteousness and help them toward their salvation? Meaning, do we sometimes retreat into a “Christian bubble” and ignore the rest of “the world.” Leave them to their own devices. It just made me think when reading about Noah, Daniel, and Job that my hunch is that these 3 would not just chill out and relax in the glory and certitude of their own righteousness. My hunch is that they would get out there on the streets and try to save others. So, what about you and me? Are we just cocooning in our own righteousness and salvation, or are we taking salvation to the streets? Are we retreating from the battle for others’ salvation or are we engaged in it? What say you?
Ezekiel chapter 14 verse 23 tells us today: “When you meet them and see their behavior, you will agree that these things are not being done to Israel without cause, says the Sovereign LORD.” I think sometimes we can read some select verses in the Old Testament out of context and think God is being harsh. God here reminds us that he is not being harsh without cause. And we’ll see more of the cause in chapter 16 today… Below is an image of Ezekiel prophesying to the elders who visited him in chapter 14 verse 1:
Ezekiel chapter 15 is an interesting one for me today, where God basically calls Jerusalem a useless grape vine. In reading this I am also reminded that Jesus in John 15 uses the grape vine analogy again saying “I am the vine and you are the branches.” This tells me that Jesus redeems even useless grape vines! 🙂 However, using this Ezekiel analogy, are we growing in our lives like trees or like vines? How thick are your roots? How solid is your core?
Ezekiel chapter 16 is a fascinating and sad look at the city of Jerusalem. This is the first time I have really spent a little bit of time with this chapter. The question I find for myself in reading this chapter is this: has God blessed us similarly in some ways that he blessed Jerusalem? Have we, perhaps, in some ways used the blessings that God has given us in improper ways? Verse 6 in this chapter stood out to me: “But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live!’” Bible commentaries suggest that this one word – Live! – is God’s basic desire for all humans. How powerful is that realization? How very beautiful… Live! Let us Live!
Worship God: Ezekiel 16:6’s call to “Live!” reminded me of Casting Crowns wonderful worship tune called “Lifesong.” Let this be our prayer today – “Let my lifesong sing to you!”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Ezekiel’s vision of the Lord in Jerusalem continues today in chapters 10 and 11 as the glory of the Lord first leaves the Temple and then leaves Jerusalem completely! This is a big deal as the glory of the Lord had pretty much been in the Temple since it’s construction. We are also visited by the cherubim again in these chapters – check out the November 1st readings calendar link below/left for more commentary on the cherubim. I really like this artwork by Priscilla Silver called “The Four Faced Cherubim” –
Today in chapter 11 verse 13 we read – “While I was still speaking, Pelatiah son of Benaiah suddenly died. Then I fell face down in the dust and cried out, “O Sovereign LORD, are you going to kill everyone in Israel?””
Chapter 11 verses 19 & 20 stood out to me today, with a message for the exiles in Babylon – “I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey my laws and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.” How are our hearts today? Are they tender? Single in their focus on God? Do we have a new Spirit within us?
Ezekiel chapter 12 today reminds me that sometimes in my own life I believe God sends some signs and warnings and I, like the Israelites in exile in Babylon, can be a rebel. I ignore the signs and warnings or think – oh, that won’t come to pass for a long time… Do you suppose this is wise? Is there a sign or a warning God may be sending your way in your life currently? Will you listen and obey? Will you pay attention to God’s warning signs in your life?
I love the story of Ezekiel packing up his pack in broad daylight and leaving through a hole in his house during the evening in chapter 12 today! In verse 7 we read – “So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the darkness with my pack on my shoulder.”
It is interesting that in chapter 12 God says three times: “Then you/they will know that I am the LORD!” Why do you think he repeats this three times in this chapter? Should this be a statement we should consider in our own lives? Who is the Lord of your life – yourself or God? Do you know that God is the Lord? Is God consistently in the very center of your life?
Ezekiel chapter 13 verse 2 stood out to me today: “Son of man, speak against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Tell them to listen to the word of the LORD.” Do we see this in our world today? People inventing their own prophecies? Inventing their own religions? Picking and choosing what philosophies they like the best? Do we do this? Should we be listening instead to the Word of the Lord? Are you actively involved in a church where the Word is clearly taught and Jesus is clearly the cornerstone?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Ezekiel reminds me of the importance of the message in the Kutless song “Sea of Faces:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Ezekiel chapter 5 today gets into God’s signs of the coming siege and judgment of Jerusalem and Israel. The thing that went through my mind when reading all of this was the 3rd commandment from Exodus chapter 20, verses 4-6: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." The term in these verses "jealous God" did come to my mind when reading Ezekiel 4 and 5. And not in a bad way. But, just in the way it was. God commanded no idols. Israel/Jerusalem created idols and did not repent after repeated warnings. God was "jealous" of all of this, and the siege and judgment came.
Ezekiel chapter 6 continues along the lines of chapters 4 & 5 – with judgment against the very land of Israel because of the pagan shrines. Verses 8 & 9 stood out to me in this chapter: ""But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how grieved I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for other gods. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their wickedness." Here we see that God will preserve the Davidic line – and that the Israelites will eventually repent, and the nation will eventually be restored (as we know in hindsight now). Verse 10 in this chapter also seems to sum up a lot of what’s going on in God’s mind in today’s readings in Ezekiel: "They will know that I alone am the LORD and that I was serious when I predicted that all this would happen to them." Do we know that God is alone the Lord in our lives today? Do we trust his Word and his predictions without a doubt?
Ezekiel chapter 7 has a line that repeats twice in verses 4 & 27: “Then you/they will know that I am the LORD!” We are seeing here that God is not happy with Israel in large part because they do not realize that he is the Lord. They have sold out to other gods and idols and sin and don’t really think God will do much about it. Well, God opens this chapter with strong words in verse 1: “The end is here!” God’s patience has run out. But, keep in mind that God kept trying to get the Israelites to repent over and over and over again. They wouldn’t. Do we sometimes test God’s patience? If so, will we repent in the areas of our life where we test God’s patience?
Ezekiel chapter 8 reminds me of a lawyer making a case in court! And God absolutely puts forth a strong case for why the end arrived for Jerusalem in the 5th/6th century B.C. It is so sad to see these sins take place in and around the Temple. In chapter 9 we see six angels of God appear from the north gates – where one of the major idols was located. In this vision, these 6 angels are carrying out God’s judgment on Israel. Verse 7 gives us a hint that God is preparing to leave the Temple completely: “”Defile the Temple!” the LORD commanded.” We’ll pick this up in tomorrow’s readings… Below is an artist’s interpretation of Ezekiel’s visit to Jerusalem: (I realize this is one of the more “unique” pieces of art I have posted up – just wait until we get to the book of Revelation! 🙂
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminds me of Blessing Offur’s beautiful song “Brighter Days:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
In Ezekiel chapter 3 today God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel! This might sound pretty good at first… but there are some serious ramifications for Ezekiel to follow through with what God asks Ezekiel to do. My thoughts based on this chapter – Are there times in our lives where God asks us to do something that may sound good at first, but then turns out to be harder than we initially thought it would be? With potential some serious ramifications? If so, do you quit? Or do you forge ahead with what God asks of you? Will you stay within God’s will for your life – even when the going gets tough? If God calls you to be a watch-person, will you be obedient to the call?
Jeremiah Chapter 27 seems to be a chapter of “obedience” to me. Jeremiah is called once again to be obedient to preach – and to wear an ox yoke this time! And the people of Judah are called to be obedient to the Babylonian conquest. Let it happen. Be exiled. And eventually you will return. Fight this call to obedience – and you will die. I know obedience is not a very popular term in our culture today. But, I do think it is still so relevant to our relationship with God. In what area of your life is God calling you to be obedient? Will you be obedient? Below is a portrait by Guy Rowe of Jeremiah’s obedience of wearing a yoke from today’s readings:
Jeremiah chapter 28 has a good lesson for us in the false prophet Hananiah. I think we need to be careful when we use words like, “God says”, or “this is God’s will”, or “I know God will do x, y, and z.” Hananiah was using words like this… and he may have really thought this to be true… but he was wrong big-time. And paid a big price. I’m thinking in our lives it might be better to say, “God-willing, this hopefully will happen…” or “I believe God is leading me this way. I pray I’m right” – and then be prepared to adjust if we realize it wasn’t quite the right way. I’m sure most of us are seeking God’s will for our lives. We maybe should be cautious on making declarative statements on precisely what God’s will is for our lives? Let us instead simply try to follow God’s lead in our life each and every day and trust that his lead will take us where he wants us to go.
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “Do Everything:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
We read about some very interesting dynamics in Jeremiah chapters 37 & 38 today… Jeremiah goes from dungeon to prison to cistern to prison to being the king’s confidant. Being a prophet is quite a life!!
I continue to admire Jeremiah’s boldness in speaking the truth in these chapters. 37:17 stood out: "Later King Zedekiah secretly requested that Jeremiah come to the palace, where the king asked him, "Do you have any messages from the Lord?" "Yes, I do!" said Jeremiah. "You will be defeated by the king of Babylon." Jeremiah goes right to the truth… no beating around the bush! And then 3 verses later he asks Zedekiah – "Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don’t send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there." He speaks a harsh truth to Zedekiah and then asks for a favor. I like that! Do we speak the truth in our lives? Even if we know we’ll need to ask for a favor of someone later, will we still speak the truth? Or will we default to the un-truthful position of "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil…."
Today we begin the book of the prophet Ezekiel! Ezekiel is a prophet whose name means “God strengthens” – which is clearly a good thing for those in the prophet business. We’ve recently wrapped up the book of Jeremiah and are well aware of the challenges facing a prophet. The interesting thing to note is that Jeremiah was prophesying in Judah, whereas Ezekiel was prophesying in Babylon to the exiles from Judah. These two were doing their work at about the same time, but in different geographies. Ezekiel gets his call to be a prophet in probably his 30th year of life – the age when most of the priestly line were called to be priests. Instead, Ezekiel was called to be a prophet – which, is probably a good thing because he is living in exile in Babylon – so wouldn’t have been able to perform the priestly duties at the Temple in Jerusalem. Ezekiel’s call comes in 593 B.C., which is 7 years prior to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Ezekiel’s ministry goes until 571 B.C., at the age of 52. (which is 2 years beyond what most priests would have served – from ages 30 to 50). Below is a portrait of Ezekiel by artist Guy Rowe:
~ Ezekiel ~ Author: Ezekiel Date: Sixth century B.C. Content: Ezekiel, who grew up as a priest, was carried off to Babylon with the Jewish exiles deported in 597 B.C., and there he became a prophet of God. His message was one of coming judgment for those remaining in Jerusalem, but his preaching was not well received by the Jews who were with him in captivity. When his dire predictions came true in 586 B.C. with the destruction of Jerusalem, the people listened then on with great earnestness. His message changed at this point from being one of unbending judgment to one of comfort and hope for the future. The worst had come; it was now time to make plans for beginning again. Ezekiel saw himself as a shepherd and watchman over Israel. As a shepherd, he was to protect the people, but as a watchman, he was to warn of danger ahead. Theme: The message of Ezekiel is based upon the unchangeable holiness of God. This is both a promise and a warning. It is a warning because God has promised to remain faithful to his people and this will not change. The book of Ezekiel shows God’s unbreakable promise fulfilled in both respects: the city fell according to promise because of Judah’s sin, and the city would be restored according to promise because of God’s faithfulness. The lives of God’s people determined how God would treat them. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” p. 14) A wonderful commentary on the book of Ezekiel by Bob Deffinbaugh isat this link. Below is a sculpture of Ezekiel by German sculptor Johann Josef Christian (1706 – 1777):
In today’s readings, chapter 1 is an incredible vision and call that Ezekiel receives! Obviously the flying creatures with 4 faces and wings are a highlight of this vision. What is up with these you ask? Good question. They are called “cherubim” later in the book of Ezekiel (chapter 10) and are also thought to be the creatures in Isaiah called seraphs – and they show up again in the book of Revelation. If you get a vision, and you see these creatures, you know something big is going on… 🙂 The interesting thing about these creatures is that their four faces representing a human, lion, ox and an eagle have many interpretations, which all basically relate to the nature of God. An interesting interpretation I read was that these 4 represent the 4 Gospels – Matthew being the lion, Mark being the ox, Luke being the human and John being the eagle. You’ll have to pick up a commentary to read more on why these analogies have been made…. (just trying to get everyone to dive into books beyond this blog… 🙂 Below is the artist Rafaelo’s oil painting of “The Vision of Ezekiel” from the year 1518 (Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence)-
Ezekiel Chapter 2 is God’s Call and Commission of Ezekiel. Don’t we all wish that God could be this clear with us about the purpose of our lives sometimes? 🙂
Ezekiel Chapter 3 has the great narrative of Ezekiel eating the scroll of God. And it tasting like honey – even though it had words of doom upon it. In Ezekiel 3:3 we read: “Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.” Can we eat of the Word of God? Does the Word nourish us? How does the Word nourish us? Is the Word nourishing you today? Is it as sweet as honey? Is the Word literally spiritual food? Will you eat of God’s Holy Word, the Bible, today – and every day of your life?
Then, in Ezekiel 3 verse 15 ends with a very appropriate line I believe- “I sat there among them for seven days, overwhelmed.” Think you’d be overwhelmed if you experienced chapters 1 & 2?? Whew. I am looking forward to us starting the book of Ezekiel! Thanks for joining me on this journey! Below is one final image of Ezekiel from the artist Michelangelo. This one’s in the Sistine Chapel in Rome:
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Ezekiel reminds me of the wonderful Selah video and song “You Raise Me Up:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
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