Ezekiel 14

WEEK  8                                        Ezekiel 14

SATURDAY  Reflections

If you ever watch a home being remodeled, it looks like a wreck. You may think that it will never come back together again. I have seen a number of homes on TV being remodeled. Though there seems to be no hope that it will ever be right by the end of the show, it’s beautiful. I’m amazed. It is at that moment you realize that all of the work was worth it.

 

This is what God says it will be like when he finishes with Israel. At that time it will all make sense, even though it doesn’t now. God’s harshness and apparent unwillingness to save will be understood.

 

“When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!" verse 23. 

Eze 14:1-23
(1)  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
(2)  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(3)  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
(4)  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
(5)  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
(6)  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
(7)  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
(8)  And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
(9)  And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
(10)  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
(11)  That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.
(12)  The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
(13)  Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
(14)  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
(15)  If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
(16)  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
(17)  Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
(18)  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
(19)  Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
(20)  Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
(21)  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
(22)  Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
(23)  And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

Micah 2

WEEK  8                                       Micah 2

FRIDAY  Reflections

The thought that all rich people are evil is just as wrong as saying all poor people are lazy. There are plenty on both sides because people are people. What is clear, though, is that money and power give people the ability to do more. If they are good, then good happens. If they aren't, well... then bad things happen a lot of them.

 

God has repeated the teaching: to whom much is given, much is required. Israel wasn't any worse than other nation-states. However, God was heartbroken with them because He had been given them so much. They were given the Law and His blessings, yet they wasted them.

 

God will move against the powerful and rich who abuse their gifts. They don't use what they have or work honestly to get more. They use oppression and violence. They also steal the heritage of families, the land which God gave specifically to families forever.  They also do not want to be told about the wrong they are doing. 

Mic 2:1-13
(1)  Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
(2)  And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
(3)  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
(4)  In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
(5)  Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
(6)  Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
(7)  O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
(8)  Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
(9)  The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
(10)  Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
(11)  If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
(12)  I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
(13)  The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

Photo by Max Kleinen on Unsplash

2 Corinthians 4

WEEK  8                                          2 Corinthians 4

THURSDAY  Reflections

Why would Paul tell the Corinthians not to lose heart (4:18)? 

Paul is telling the Christians this because when looking at situations, it sometimes appears things are going poorly. Paul reminds them that God's work is taking place on the inside, and what really matters isn't what we see but what we don't see. Troubles faced in this life are just temporary.

 

This being said, pain and troubles are painful and troublesome. Paul isn't saying, "Just get over it!" Paul is saying we need to keep it in perspective. Yes, this is bad. Yes, this is hard, but it will be worth it, like surgery to save your life. It may be painful now, but the reward is longer life; except with God it is everlasting life.

2Co 4:1-18
(1)  Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
(2)  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
(3)  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
(4)  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
(5)  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
(6)  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
(8)  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
(9)  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
(10)  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
(11)  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
(12)  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
(13)  We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
(14)  Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
(15)  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
(16)  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
(17)  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

(18)  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Psalm 101

WEEK 8                                                Psalms 101

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

We were taught growing up to be careful of the friends we keep. As much as we would like to say otherwise, people influence us. In this psalm, the writer makes it clear that he wants to keep himself under control and not be closely influenced by people who do wrong. This is wise advice.

 

I can hear some people already getting upset, saying, "We have to win the lost." We do, but we need to be sure that we are being more of an influence on them than they are on us. There is a line that we need to be careful with. The line is what amount of influence is too much for us. There are some who are stronger than others; one alcoholic might be able to go into a bar to get a friend out, and another would, on entering, fall into drinking too, just to list one example. The psalmist here has set his guidelines; what are yours?

Psa 101:1-8
(1)  A Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.
(2)  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
(3)  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
(4)  A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
(5)  Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
(6)  Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
(7)  He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
(8)  I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

Photo by Michael Discenza on Unsplash

Micah 1

WEEK  8                                         Micah 1

TUESDAY  Reflections

Micah's prophecy isn't just for Israel or Judah but for both. Micah says the sins of these nations are their capital cities. Which can cause someone to wonder how can a city be a sin?

 

The answer is that these are the places where the leaders of the nation live and rule. It is from here that the corruption in these nations is celebrated and encouraged. It is like when people in the USA say that the problems in the government come from Washington, D.C.

 

God holds rulers and leaders responsible for what they do. This doesn't mean that everyone else is off the hook. Each of us will answer to God for what we do in response to the rulings of those who lead us. 

Here is a video that may help you understand Micah: https://youtu.be/MFEUEcylwLc


Mic 1:1-16
(1)  The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
(2)  Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
(3)  For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
(4)  And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
(5)  For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
(6)  Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
(7)  And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
(8)  Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
(9)  For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
(10)  Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
(11)  Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
(12)  For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
(13)  O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
(14)  Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
(15)  Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
(16)  Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Photo by Jared Short on Unsplash