God's people were so enamoured with evil that they were consumed by it. In graphic terms, God describes the lewd behavior of His people. Their idolatry manifest itself as adultery in a variety of forms, and they would suffer physically and spiritually for their sin.

Peter knows he will die soon, so he writes this letter to keep his sons and daughters in the faith true to their Lord and Savior. The foundation of our faith is Christ and His Word. Peter begins by building them up in God's holy promises and the words of the prophets. He then encourages his readers to put these holy words into practice.

In this chapter, we hear echoes of Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is He Who comes in the NAME of the Lord." This is the psalm sung over Jesus on Palm Sunday. This powerful prophecy, and the type of Christ we discover at the end of the chapter show us, yet again, that God had everything planned for His Son to accomplish for over salvation, as Ezekiel describes it six hundred years in advance.

Some mistakenly think that God takes pleasure in punishment and the death of the wicked. This is not the case! God is a God of love, Who in love welcomes all into His family. But when people stubbornly reject Him, they reject His offer of love and mercy. God did not choose this for them. They will suffer eternally because that is what they've chosen for themselves. 

Peter's letter of encouragement to Christias who were suffering for the faith ends with a great promise for us. "Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you!" Even when we don't feel it, God cares for us and will deliver us ultimately from all that assails us.

The parable of the twig that grew to be the tallest of all the trees in the forest reminds us of Jesus' Parable of the Mustard Seed. Both Ezekiel here, and Jesus with His parable, describe the rise of the Church. Imperfect as she is, Christ's Church has grown to become the largest and most influential institution in human history.

When someone takes mercy on another, and rescues them from a difficult situation, we would expect the one rescued to reciprocate with love. When someone adopts a pet or a child, they hope for a warm relationship. God had rescued and redeemed Israel, but instead of loving Him in return, they betrayed His love, earning His wrath.

If we suffer for doing wrong, we're simply getting what we deserve. If we suffer for being a Christian, God is glorified in us, and we, in turn, are blessed as His witnesses. Knowing there is a reward for righteousness, let us suffer gladly for the One who, for the joy set before Him, endured even the cross for our salvation.

Worthless. That one word describes how God's people had degraged spiritually. Weaker than a charred vine was their faith.

In these chapters, false prophets are said to be, "hunting souls." This is the opposite of being "fishers of men." Those who seek to kill are the hunters of souls. Those who give life by bringing hearers into the Christ's kingdom are fishers of men.