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September 3rd - Day 246
Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472
September 3rd
The Bible reading today is in Ezekiel chapters 22,23.
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.”
Ezekiel 22:1-2 ESV
Ezekiel seems to have borrowed the phrase, “bloody city” from the prophet Nahum. Years before now, Nahum declared that Nineveh, the capital of the pagan nation of Assyria, was the city called bloody. Yes, God was calling Jerusalem bloody, like evil Nineveh. Not a good testimony to be sure.
That causes me to remember Matthew 5:16 where Jesus taught his disciples that the testimony of their lives mattered much.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 ESV
Judah and Jerusalem had spouted words that associated them with their covenant God. But their actions were not consistent with the ways and will of their God. Instead of glorifying God with their everyday lives, they profaned the Name of their God with their daily deeds.
Lord, help us as Your covenant kids, Your chosen disciples, to practice what we preach...so that our lives will be an earthly reflection of You, Jesus.
God told Ezekiel to speak the sins of Israel...out loud...in public...there in Babylon. Oh, friends, that must have been embarrassing, convicting, and condemning. But remember, God’s Spirit had been dealing with these promised land people for generations. And still, their stubborn hearts were unmoved.
It was after then that God spoke publicly of them and to them, in order to bring them back to Him.
Some have asked, “Where did Jesus get His Matthew 18 formula for dealing with unrepentant disciples? Or in other words, “Where did we get church discipline from?”
From the same wisdom and love that God displayed toward Judah and Israel through the prophet Ezekiel.
For chapters in our reading, we have heard declared the sins of the Babylonian exiles in very plain and sometimes blushing language. Why? Because God’s Spirit would not only privately “wooo” the hearts of Judah but would also “wound” the heart of his wayward kids in order to get their attention and turn them back toward Him.
At this point in the history of Israel, Jerusalem is no longer the “beautiful city”. No longer the “holy city”. Jerusalem is the “bloody city”, for her many crimes against the sanctity of life...especially the lives of God’s prophets.
Remember Stephen, who preached Jesus in Jerusalem after the death and resurrection of Christ, and was stoned by the religious leaders in the city of David. Listen to him with me...“Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute, O Jerusalem? You, like your fathers, have killed those who announced the coming of the Righteous One...(like John the Baptizer)...you have even murdered the Messiah...
Now that was direct, wasn't it...? “Courage in truth and love”...even if it cost him his life.
Acts 7:52
Two more things that especially caught my attention...“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; (unusable to Me)...Now all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead (they are all valuable to Me) So....I've put them in the furnace...(where I might purify them and make them fit for My use again)...For sadly, they are dross (silver filled with impurities...”)
Ezekiel 22:18 ESV
Oh Lord, we want to be made fit for the Master’s use again...even if that means trial by fire...so be it...for You will be the 4th man in the fire with us.
And finally...one of the saddest verses in the Bible...
“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”
Ezekiel 22:30 ESV
God looked for a man for a particular life saving assignment...an intervention...an intercession...And “He found none”.
Even Ezekiel couldn't claim to be that man...(though I would say that he and Jeremiah could certainly be that man.) So what would be the answer? The Messiah...Jesus...He would be that man to save us...even if it cost him his life...Thank You Jesus!
Have a great day
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By Michael McCracken
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Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472
September 3rd
The Bible reading today is in Ezekiel chapters 22,23.
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.”
Ezekiel 22:1-2 ESV
Ezekiel seems to have borrowed the phrase, “bloody city” from the prophet Nahum. Years before now, Nahum declared that Nineveh, the capital of the pagan nation of Assyria, was the city called bloody. Yes, God was calling Jerusalem bloody, like evil Nineveh. Not a good testimony to be sure.
That causes me to remember Matthew 5:16 where Jesus taught his disciples that the testimony of their lives mattered much.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 ESV
Judah and Jerusalem had spouted words that associated them with their covenant God. But their actions were not consistent with the ways and will of their God. Instead of glorifying God with their everyday lives, they profaned the Name of their God with their daily deeds.
Lord, help us as Your covenant kids, Your chosen disciples, to practice what we preach...so that our lives will be an earthly reflection of You, Jesus.
God told Ezekiel to speak the sins of Israel...out loud...in public...there in Babylon. Oh, friends, that must have been embarrassing, convicting, and condemning. But remember, God’s Spirit had been dealing with these promised land people for generations. And still, their stubborn hearts were unmoved.
It was after then that God spoke publicly of them and to them, in order to bring them back to Him.
Some have asked, “Where did Jesus get His Matthew 18 formula for dealing with unrepentant disciples? Or in other words, “Where did we get church discipline from?”
From the same wisdom and love that God displayed toward Judah and Israel through the prophet Ezekiel.
For chapters in our reading, we have heard declared the sins of the Babylonian exiles in very plain and sometimes blushing language. Why? Because God’s Spirit would not only privately “wooo” the hearts of Judah but would also “wound” the heart of his wayward kids in order to get their attention and turn them back toward Him.
At this point in the history of Israel, Jerusalem is no longer the “beautiful city”. No longer the “holy city”. Jerusalem is the “bloody city”, for her many crimes against the sanctity of life...especially the lives of God’s prophets.
Remember Stephen, who preached Jesus in Jerusalem after the death and resurrection of Christ, and was stoned by the religious leaders in the city of David. Listen to him with me...“Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute, O Jerusalem? You, like your fathers, have killed those who announced the coming of the Righteous One...(like John the Baptizer)...you have even murdered the Messiah...
Now that was direct, wasn't it...? “Courage in truth and love”...even if it cost him his life.
Acts 7:52
Two more things that especially caught my attention...“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; (unusable to Me)...Now all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead (they are all valuable to Me) So....I've put them in the furnace...(where I might purify them and make them fit for My use again)...For sadly, they are dross (silver filled with impurities...”)
Ezekiel 22:18 ESV
Oh Lord, we want to be made fit for the Master’s use again...even if that means trial by fire...so be it...for You will be the 4th man in the fire with us.
And finally...one of the saddest verses in the Bible...
“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”
Ezekiel 22:30 ESV
God looked for a man for a particular life saving assignment...an intervention...an intercession...And “He found none”.
Even Ezekiel couldn't claim to be that man...(though I would say that he and Jeremiah could certainly be that man.) So what would be the answer? The Messiah...Jesus...He would be that man to save us...even if it cost him his life...Thank You Jesus!
Have a great day
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