Give Me Your Hearts.

Joel 2

Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. – Joel 2:12-13 NLT

Judgment was coming, in the form of a mighty army, that would destroy the people of Judah much like the locusts had destroyed all the vegetation in its path. Yet God balances His judgment with mercy. He invites the people to repent and return to Him. He pleads with them to turn while there is still time. He reminds them that He is "merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. (Joel 2:13 NLT). But their repentance must be real and heartfelt. He doesn't want outward signs of remorse and regret, but true inner repentance – where their hearts reflect a humble attitude that understands their guilt and relies on God's unfailing love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

The key is that the people must return to God. Not return to a list of ritualistic and religious observances. God wants their hearts, not their service. The very fact that God commands them to return to Him illustrates that they have strayed. Even while going about the sacrifices that God had commanded, they had let their hearts stray from Him. They were just going through the motions. Their hearts were not in it. Their affections were elsewhere. But the key to restoration is always repentance. God would not relent unless they repented. God would not restore them unless they repented. They would not experience renewal and revival without repentance. But if they truly humble themselves, God will restore them. "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT). Repentance includes a heart of humility that reveals itself in God-dependent prayer, a desire to see God, and a willingness to turn away from behavior that offends God. God wants our hearts. He desires our affections. And nothing less will do.

Father, You want my heart, not just my activities. You want me to want You. You want me to turn to You and away from all the other things I have allowed to replace You in my life. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, give me the strength to turn away from everything else and return to You in humility and dependence. I can't live this life without You. Amen

The Day of the Lord.

Joel 1

“The day of the Lord is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be!” – Joel 1:15 NLT

Joel is prophesying to the southern kingdom of Judah. And he starts off his message by using a recent natural disaster to get the attention of the people. A devastating plague of locusts had swept through the land, destroying all vegetation. Joel goes out of his way to describe the extent of the destruction by providing a detailed list of plants that were wiped out: grapes, grain, olives, wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, palms,, apples, and fruit. It was all gone. And this natural event had left the people in mourning. The drunks because they had no more wine. The priets because there was no grain or wine to offer as sacrifices to God. The farmers because they had no produce. The people because they had no joy. And so Joel calls for a day of fasting to the Lord – a time to cry out to Him for help. Only He could resolve this problem.

But then Joel changes gears and uses this natural disaster to warn the people of another event that was coming – the day of the Lord. As bad as the locusts had been, the coming judgment of God was going to be even more devastating. The hand of the Sovereign Lord was going to sweep over them like locusts, leaving devastation and destruction in its wake. If ever there was a time to mourn, it was now. The people needed to understand that a natural disaster was nothing compared to the power of God when it was unleashed as punishment for sin and rebellion.

In our lifetimes we have witnessed the incredible destructive power of tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, wild fires, hail, and tornadoes. We have seen the power of nature unleashed and the wake of death and destruction it can leave behind. And while it could be easy to say that is the hand of God falling on a wicked world for its sins, it is probably just the evidence of life in a fallen world. But these things should remind us of the awesome power of God, the one who made the winds, the water, and the natural world. His power is even greater than that of a force 10 hurricane. If He did unleash His power in judgment, the results would be devastating. When God acts in judgment, it is with the impact of the original flood that wiped out all mankind. God is a force to be reckoned with. And when He judges, He does so righteously or rightly. He never judges unfairly or with malice. His judgment is well-deserved and completely just. Natural disasters strike haphazardly and without forethought. They just happen. God's judgment comes after much warning and with perfect knowledge of what He is doing.

To appreciate the unbelievable forgiveness, grace, and mercy of God, we must fully comprehend the holiness and power of God. He hates evil, despises sin, and must deal with it righteously. And He has the power to do so. To understand and fear the righteous judgment of God is key to appreciating the grace and mercy of God provided through His Son Jesus Christ. The people of Judah had to understand that their God was greater than a plague of locusts, and that there was a day of reckoning coming that was going to be far more intense than anything they had experienced – unless they repented and returned to the Lord. God will forgive, but He will not overlook sin. He is a righteous, holy, just God who must deal rightly with wrong.

Father, use the book of Joel to let me see and understand Your awesome sovereignty so that I might better appreciate Your incredible compassion and offer of forgiveness. May more regular and ready repentance be my response to the sin in my life. Amen

It's All About God.

Ezekiel 48

The distance around the entire city will be six miles. And from that day the name of the city will be "The Lord Is There." – Ezekiel 48:35 NLT

The book of Ezekiel has finally come to an end. It has been 22 years since Ezekiel first saw his vision of God and received his commission as God's prophet to the people of Judah. His ministry began with an unbelievable glimpse of the glory of God. He was given a word to deliver from the very mouth of God, predicting the coming siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Temple and the deportation of the people of Judah to Babylon. In chapters ten, Ezekiel was shown the real tragedy of it all – the glory of God departing the Temple. The very presence and power of God was being removed from their midst due to their sin and rebellion. But two decades later, God gave Ezekiel another vision of a rebuilt Temple, a restored Jerusalem and a revived relationship with the people of God. The book of Ezekiel ends with the city of Jerusalem referred to by the name, "The Lord Is There," and if the Lord is there that means His glory has returned once again to the city. This book began with the glory of God and end with it. God will one day reestablish His permanent residence in the city of Jerusalem. The abiding presence of God is a powerful image with which to sum up this book. While God had to punish His people for their sins, He never abandoned them completely. He remained faithful and committed to His plan for them. Even while they were in exile, He sent His prophets to communicate His message to them. And ultimately, God returned them to the land. But there is a day yet future when God will complete His plan for the people of Israel and fully fulfill His promises to them. He will once again make His place among them, so that the city of Jerusalem can truly be called, "The Lord Is There."

Father, how amazing it is to think about Your faithfulness. To read about the sins of the people of Israel and Judah and to imagine how You, as a righteous and holy God, must have felt as they repeatedly proved themselves unfaithful to you is hard to imagine. Yet You remained faithful. And You will one day restore this rebellious people to a right relationship to You – not because they deserve it, but simply because You are faithful. Thank You for reminding me of just how faithful and trustworthy You are. Amen

River of Life.

Ezekiel 47

Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.” – Ezekiel 47:8-9 NLT

What an amazing picture of God's faithfulness. Not only is He going to restore the land and the people to it, He is going to rebuild the Temple, reinstate the sacrificial system and renew their hearts. God is going to make it possible for the Israelites to serve Him faithfully so that they can remain in the land. He will give them new hearts and a new desire to serve Him faithfully.

For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. – Ezekiel 36:24-26 NLT

This entire vision give to Ezekiel is about what God is going to do in the future Millennial Kingdom. God is not only going to change the hearts of the people, He is going to change the nature of the land of Israel. In his vision, Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the Holy of Holies. This river will flow out from the Temple grounds and into the Jordan Valley, slowly growing larger and deeper as it makes its way to the Dead Sea. And as its waters flow into the Dead Sea it will transform this lifeless body of water into a fish-filled, tree-bounded paradise. This river of life will dramatically alter the topography of the land. Having been to the Dead Sea, the idea of this barren wasteland being transformed into a tropical paradise is amazing. Trees will grow where no trees exist right now. Fish will swim where no fish can exist right now. Life will flourish in an area known as the Dead Sea. That is a picture of the transforming power of God. He will make all things new. This river reminds us of another river that will exist in the eternal state. The apostle John was given a vision of it and he describes it in the book of Revelation.

"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." – Revelation 22:1-2 NASB

God is all about restoring life and bringing about healing, and these things flow from His throne. He is the source of life. Only through Him can men be restored to new life. He can take what was once dead and bring it back to life. He can transform dead lives and renew lifeless seas. That's the God we serve.

Father, thank You for life. Thank You for renewing my life and placing Your life-giving Spirit within me. You are renewing me daily, transforming me from dead self-righteousness to true righteousness. And it is ALL Your doing, not mine. Amen

Hindsight Is 20-20.

Ezekiel 46

Each Sabbath day the prince will present to the Lord a burnt offering of six lambs and one ram, all with no defects. – Ezekiel 46:4 NLT

God is giving Ezekiel a tour of the new Temple that will exist in the Millennial Kingdom. This is the period of 1,000 years after Christ's return when He will rule and reign in the city of Jerusalem – sitting on the throne of David. During this time, God will have the Temple rebuilt, the priesthood reestablished and the sacrificial system reinstated. But that begs the question, "Why?" If Christ died for sins once for all (1 Peter 3:18), then why would there be a need for a sacrificial system? If Christ's death on the cross paid the price for our sins once for all, there seems to no purpose for having the sacrifices reinstated during the Millennial Kingdom. But God is very specific in His description of what He will expect during those days. He describes in great detail what sacrifices will be offered and how they should be done. So God must have a purpose.

It is interesting that the two feasts God seems to emphasize are the feast of Passover and Tabernacles or Booths. Both of these events were associated with the Exodus and God's deliverance of the people from their bondage in Egypt. The Passover was instituted as a memorial celebration of God's miraculous deliverance of the people of God from the Death Angel that visited the land of Egypt and struck down the firstborn male of every household, as well as the firstborn male among the livestock. God spared the Israelites as long as they sacrificed an unblemished lamb and put its blood on the doorway of their homes. The Feast of Booths was a time when the people were to erect hastily built shelters to remind them of their wilderness wandering years. They were to be a symbol of God's provision and protection during those difficult years as they made their way to the Promised Land. All of these sacrifices and celebrations are reminders of God's grace, provision, and deliverance. They were all designed to point to God future provision and deliverance through Christ. They were representative of the future work of Christ. In the Millennial Kingdom they will continue to be representative, but more by way of reminder. They will be looking BACK, not forward. These sacrifices, once symbolic of Christ's coming and His future sacrifice on the cross, will be reminders of what Christ has DONE. He will be living among the people, reigning and ruling from the throne of David. They will be looking back, in retrospect, to Christ's redemptive work on the cross. So in that sense, they will be memorials and will probably have nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins. But God is very clear with Ezekiel that these sacrifices will be a part of worship in the Millennial Kingdom and they must be done according to God's exacting standards. It should remind us that God has a reason for everything that He does. The sacrificial system was not just a temporary requirement that lived out its usefulness and purpose. God has a reason behind all that He does and one day that same sacrificial system will be reinstated, completing its purpose of pointing men to Christ. The Lamb of God will sit on the throne in Jerusalem, and innocent, unblemished lambs will be sacrificed as a visual reminder of the redemptive work that Jesus did on the cross.

Father, we sometimes have a hard time appreciating what Your Son did for us on the cross. We find it hard to fathom the depth of the agony and pain He suffered on our behalf. When I think of the sacrificial system and the death of all those animals, I can't help but think how powerful a reminder that will be of Christ's blood being shed and His body being broken. Never let His sacrifice become old hat to me. Amen

Do What Is Just and Right.

Ezekiel 45

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign Lord.” – Ezekiel 45:9 NLT

As God continues to give Ezekiel a tour of the Temple in the future Millennial Kingdom, He reminds Ezekiel that things will be different then. Jerusalem will be under the reign and rule of the Messiah. He will sit on the throne of David and rule with righteousness and integrity. He will have a prince who rules under him who will be in charge of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple grounds. This prince will be holy, righteous and just. He will be honest and above-board, ethical in his behavior and just in his administration of his duties – unlike the princes that had ruled in Jerusalem in the years leading up to the nation's fall to Babylon. For hundreds of years, the leadership in Judah had been characterized by greed, corruption, immorality, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, and disobedience to the laws of God. Even in Ezekiel's day, the pattern continued. So God tells them, "I've put up with you long enough, princes of Israel! Quit bullying and taking advantage of my people. Do what's just and right for a change" (Ezekiel 45:9 MSG). They were guilty of embezzlement, fraud, graft, and all kinds of corruption. They were taking advantage of the helpless and hopeless. And the corruption of the leadership was infecting the people. Amos describes conditions among the people of Israel this way:

How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth! You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them. For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time. – Amos 5:10-13 NLT

Corruption is contagious. It spreads like a cancer and ends up infecting everyone it touches. Violence, greed, oppression, and injustice go hand-in-hand. A nation with lousy leadership is toxic to its people. And God points out that there is a day coming when lousy leadership will be replaced with righteous, godly leadership. No longer will the leaders take advantage of the people. Righteousness will reign. And God's point to Ezekiel and the leaders of his day seems to be, if that is the way it is to be in God's Millennial Kingdom, why not pursue righteous leadership now? Why not rule justly, honestly and righteously in the present if that is the standard for the future? God's vision of His future kingdom here on earth is a glimpse into His heart. It shows us what He desires. It reveals what is important to Him. Holiness, righteousness, honesty, order, compassion, obedience, responsibility, justice – all these things will exist perfectly in His future kingdom, but they are just as important to God NOW. And while sin and the presence of the enemy make it impossible to practice these things perfectly, we are to pursue them passionately. We are to "do what is just and right" each and every day within those areas over which we have responsibility. Our lives, as believers, are to be little kingdoms of righteousness in the middle of a very dark world. We of all people should be attempting to live holy and set-apart lives, doing what is just and right, so that the world might get a glimpse of what true justice, love and mercy look like. What is important to God in the future is important to God now. So let's make His priorities our priorities.

Father, one day You will bring justice and righteousness back to the earth. You will set up Your kingdom here on earth. But in the meantime, help us as Your children to live lives that are examples of what it means to do what is just and right. Help us to be living examples of Your kingdom here on earth. Amen

We Have Our Work Cut Out For Us.

Ezekiel 44

They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean. – Ezekiel 44:23 NLT

God reminds Ezekiel that the priests who served within the new Temple would have the same job descriptions and responsibilities that they had in the old Temple. And one of the most significant roles they were to play was that of instructor. They were to teach the people of God the difference between what was holy and what was common or ordinary. One of the ways there were to do this was through the example of their own lives. By keeping God's regulations concerning the sacrifices, they would be showing the people what a set-apart life looks like. Their lives were to be living examples of holiness or set-apartness. And today, according the Peter, we have inherited that role as followers of Jesus Christ. He tells us, "for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9 NLT). We are priests in the kingdom of God and we have a responsibility to model a life of holiness to the world. We are to teach others the difference between the holy and the ordinary. And there should be a difference. Our lives should not blend in with the world around us. We should be distinctive in more than just name or religious affiliation. We should not have to TELL someone we are a Christian. It should be evident by the way we live our lives. Peter describes the kind of life we are to live this way: "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'” (1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT).

They say the best lessons are caught, not taught. The most effective form of teaching is still modeling. It is in the way we live our lives that we convey the true difference between that which is holy and that which is common or ordinary. When we live as if we have been set apart by God for His use, we will be living holy. When we live for His glory and not our own, we will be living holy. When we put His will ahead of our own, we will be living holy. When we seek the good of His kingdom instead of our own, we will be living holy. When we love others more than we love ourselves, we will be living holy. People were attracted to the distinctiveness of Jesus. The early church grew in the book of Acts because of the distinctiveness of the apostles and the unusual way in which they lived their lives. Holiness is attractive when modeled correctly and lived out sincerely. As priests of God, we are here to teach the difference between that which is holy and everything else in this world. We are to be different, distinct, and set-apart – holy unto the Lord.

Father, continue to show me how to live a holy life, a life that is truly set apart and distinctive from every other life around me. I don't want to blend in, but stand out as a priest in Your kingdom. I want my life to be a shining example of holiness for the world to see. Amen

The Gravity of God's Grace.

Ezekiel 43

Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them. – Ezekiel 43:10-11 NLT

As New Testament believers, we revel in the reality of God's grace. We appreciate the fact that God has given us something incredible which we never could have earned on our own – eternal life and a restored relationship with Him. Yet, I sometimes think we take grace for granted. I love what Dallas Willard says: “We have a problem today in Evangelical circles. We’re not only saved by grace, we’re paralyzed by it.” We have allowed grace to become a one-dimensional concept that is tied solely to our salvation. We talk about the idea of being saved by grace. It is a priceless gift, unearned and undeserved. But the grace of God should have a long-lasting influence on our lives. There is a future element to grace that I must never lose sight of, because the reality is that I can no more earn my coming glorification than I could my salvation. A day is coming when I will be made complete and whole. I will like Christ, with no more sin nature and an ability to live righteously – completely and permanently. Future grace is a great motivator for present behavior. The future grace of God and the reality of my guaranteed place in His presence for eternity should have a tremendous impact on the way I live my life now.

The same was true for the people of God in Ezekiel's day. God had given Ezekiel a glimpse of His future kingdom, complete with a newly constructed Temple, occupied by God Himself. God tells Ezekiel to remind the people, "this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died" (Ezekiel 43:7 NLT). God then instructs Ezekiel to describe to the people the details of the Temple he has just gotten a tour of. They were to study its plans and go over every specification. Why? Because this was a real place that was going to exist in real time in the future. It was a picture of the future grace of God as He promises to reestablish His presence among the people of Israel. In spite of all they had done to offend God over the years, He was going to extend them grace in the future, and the proof of it was this vision of the rebuilt Temple as given to Ezekiel.

When Dallas Willard says that sometimes we are paralyzed by grace, I think he means that we can easily allow the "grace alone" message to lull us into a sense of spiritual stupor or laziness. God does it all, so we have nothing to do. But grace is opposed to earning, not effort. The knowledge of God's grace reminds me that I can do nothing to earn His favor. But awareness of His grace should cause me to make every effort to serve Him gratefully and joyfully. By hearing the detailed descriptions of the future Temple, the people of God should be shamed by their own unfaithfulness as opposed to God's faithfulness. The reality that I have a place reserved for me in heaven should make me want to live my differently here on earth. During their lifetimes, the people of God had desecrated the Temple of God time and time again. And ultimately, God had it destroyed. Today there is no Temple in Jerusalem. In its place sits a mosque. But God has promised that the day is coming when the Temple will be rebuilt. Not because the people of God deserve it, but because God has promised it. It's presence will be a proof of God's grace. He will restore the people of Israel – in spite of themselves. That future reality should change their present behavior. And one day God is going complete His work of sanctification in our lives – glorifying us and transforming us into the likeness of His Son – completely and permanently. Awareness of that future grace should shame me when I consider my present behavior. He has done and has promised to do so much for me. How can I live in disobedience and sin when God has such an undeserved future reserved for me?

Father, thank You for future grace. I am grateful for the cross, but never let me lose sight of the reality of heaven. No matter how hard I try, I can't make myself more holy. I can't transform myself into the likeness of Christ by sheer effort. But You will one day finish what You have begun. You will glorify me, making me like Your Son. That future promise should have an impact on my present reality. Amen

Set Apart.

Ezekiel 42

Then he said to me, "The north and south rooms adjacent to the open area are holy rooms where the priests who come before GOD eat the holy offerings. There they place the holy offerings--grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. These are set-apart rooms, holy space. After the priests have entered the Sanctuary, they must not return to the outside courtyard and mingle among the people until they change the sacred garments in which they minister and put on their regular clothes.” – Ezekiel 42:13-14 MSG

I find it really interesting that in the middle of all the detailed descriptions of the layout of the future Temple complex, Ezekiel's "guide" points to a set of rooms and describes them as "holy." Wouldn't the entire Temple be holy? The whole structure would be dedicated to the worship of God, so wouldn't the entire structure be holy? Well, in a sense, yes. But the use of the word "holy" in this context gives us another important aspect of its meaning. It simply means "set-apartness or separateness." These rooms were dedicated or set apart for a distinct purpose. "Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings" (Ezekiel 42:13 NLT). These rooms would also be used to store the grain, sin, and guilt offerings. Even within the Temple complex, there was going to be a place "set apart" and made distinct. It would be dedicated for a specific purpose and was not to be used for anything else. When the priests were done ministering in the sanctuary, they had to leave the clothes they wore in this room and change into "street" clothes, because even the garments they wore were holy or set apart. Before they could enter the rest of the Temple or go into the more public or common areas, they had to remove their "holy" clothes, because those clothes had been dedicated to God.

All this makes me think about how we have been set apart by God for His use. We are His people. We have been made holy or set apart by the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. We belong to God. "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12 NLT). God set us apart for a purpose. We are now dedicated to Him and should be used only in the way that He sees fit. We no longer belong to ourselves. The priests could not use the holy garments any way they saw fit. They couldn't use the holy rooms for any purpose they came up with. Those things belonged to God. We belong to God. We are only to be used for His purposes, not our own. When God commands us, "You must be holy because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16 NLT), He is telling us that we must be set apart, distinct and different, just as He is. We must reflect His holiness. We must remain dedicated to His use. To take what is holy and set apart and use it for some other purpose would be to profane it. When we use our bodies for purposes other than those for which God has set them apart, we profane them and fail to remain set apart for His use. "And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God" (1 Peter 2:5 NLT).

Father, You have set us apart for Your use. We belong to You. But we regularly profane ourselves by taking what You have dedicated and set apart and re-purposing it for our use. Forgive us and remind us daily the reason You have set us apart through the sacrificial death of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen

The Holiness of God.

Ezekiel 41

All the walls were decorated with carvings of cherubim, each with two faces, and there was a carving of a palm tree between each of the cherubim. One face—that of a man—looked toward the palm tree on one side. The other face—that of a young lion—looked toward the palm tree on the other side. The figures were carved all along the inside of the Temple, from the floor to the top of the walls, including the outer wall of the sanctuary. – Ezekiel 41:18-20 NLT

Everything in God's future Temple will have a purpose and a reason for its existence. There will be nothing left to chance. Every detail has been worked out beforehand by God. Every measurement has a reason behind it, whether we can see it or not. Even the width of the doors leading from the outside into the vestibule, then into the Holy Place, and then into the the Holy of Holies are sized increasingly smaller for a reason. Like the divine designer He is, God is focusing the attention of the worshiper onto the most important room in the entire building – the Holy of Holies. Everything points to that place. Everything in the Temple reinforces the Holy of Holies and the One who will dwell there. The entire Temple is about the holiness, the set-apartness of God. The walls inside the Temple will be covered in wood paneling, carved with alternating cherubs and palm trees. Each cherub will have two faces, the face of a man and the face of a lion, one looking left and the other right. These creatures were there for a reason. We can see elsewhere in Scripture that cherubim were used by God to protect His holiness. In the book of Exodus, in the instructions given by God for the construction of the Tabernacle. we are told of the two golden cherubim that were to be placed on top of the Ark of the Covenant, their wings spread out over the Ark. "The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it" (Exodus 25:20 NLT). In the Tabernacle, the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was to have cherubim embroidered on it. In this future Temple, the paneled walls will feature a repeated pattern of cherubim and palm trees. The cherubim represent protection and security. The palms represent life and prosperity. In God, both come together as one. Holiness, health, and happiness – all are realized in God. There is no real life or prosperity apart from Him. And it is His holiness or set-apartness that makes it all possible. Only God can provide true life and prosperity. And in the future kingdom that Ezekiel is getting a glimpse of, God will rule and reign through His Son Jesus Christ and His holiness will permeate everything. He will have protected His holiness all the way until that day, preserving His name and His integrity and insuring that His divine plan is fulfilled so that we might have life and prosperity in Him. The key to it all? His holiness. There is no other god, but Him. He alone is God.

Father, some day the Temple we see described here to Ezekiel will be built. And when that day comes, it will mean that Your plan has been fulfilled. Your program will have been completed. And Your holiness will fill the world. There will be no more gods, no more unfaithfulness, and no more sin. I look forward to that day. In the meantime, help me remember just how holy You are and that it is Your holiness that makes life and prosperity possible, even now. Amen

Order. Symmetry. Balance.

Ezekiel 40

He said to me, "Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.” – Ezekiel 40:4 NLT

The book of Ezekiel began in chapter one with a vision of God's glory. Then we read the sad account of the departure of God's glory in chapters 8-111. Now as we close the end of the book, God is going to give Ezekiel one last glimpse of His glory. He transports Ezekiel from Babylon back to Israel via a vision in order to give him a look at future events. God has already promised to restore His people to the land and to a right relationship with Him. He is going to rebuild the city and the Temple, and now He is showing Ezekiel what it all will look like. These last nine chapters are designed to provide hope to the people of Judah, even as they live in the less-than-ideal conditions of their captivity. God has a plan and that plan is highly specific. The amount of detail that God gives Ezekiel regarding the layout and measurements of the Temple seem designed to provide confidence in the concrete nature of this vision. It is not a dream, but a reality that is yet to come. And central to that reality is the rebuilt Temple, the center-piece of God's future kingdom. It is the place where God's glory departed (Ezekiel 8-11). With the completion of this new Temple, God's presence will once more dwell among His people. But this vision has yet to be fulfilled. It is a future event waiting for God to bring it about. The Temple built by Nehemiah and Ezra did not meet these descriptions. The Temple built by Herod failed to live up to these plans. And at present, there is no Temple. So what Ezekiel sees has yet to be built. And it will not be built until Jesus establishes His kingdom here on earth. When He returns He will reign in Jerusalem and a new Temple will be built according to the exacting plans and specifications God provides in these passages.

This new Temple will be glorious. It will be a showcase of symmetry, balance and order. It will reflect the perfection of the very God whose dwelling place it is. There is nothing left to chance. No detail is left to the imagination of man. This future Temple will be a glorious structure, beautifully appointed and featuring a perfect blend of balance and symmetry. The detailed measurements and descriptions are designed to give Ezekiel and the people living in exile hope for the future. They will never live to see this construction project started or completed. But they can rest in the knowledge that their God has a plan for the future restoration of their nation. He is not done with them yet. Ezekiel was to play close attention to what he saw and share it with those with whom he lived and to whom he had been delivering God's message of doom and destruction. Punishment was coming, but so was restoration. The Temple had been destroyed, but the day was coming when it would be rebuilt. Just as God had given Moses detailed plans for the Tabernacle in the wilderness, God was giving Ezekiel a detailed description of the Temple grounds that were yet to come. God's plan is not yet complete. He is not done yet. But He will bring it about – down to the last detail.

Father, when I read this chapter, I can get lost in all the details and measurements. They don't see to serve any point and tend to become just a blur of numbers, measurements, and descriptions. But they are there for a reason. Every room, wall, brick, board, and ornament will have a purpose. The order, balance, and symmetry described in these chapters are a reflection of the God this building is to represent. You are perfect and balanced in every way. You are complete in every detail. You are going to fully accomplish what You have started. Right down to the last detail. Amen

You Are For Me.

Ezekiel 39

I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation! – Ezekiel 39:25 NLT

As I read the words of the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Judah, I can't help but hear God speak to my heart. He was telling His people that He was for them. He was on their side – that in spite of their disobedience and unfaithfulness, He was going to redeem and restore them. He said, "Everything will happen just as I have declared it" (Ezekiel 39:8 NLT). God was going to destroy all their enemies – those who ultimately stood against Him. He was going to renew and restore their relationship to Him. God was going to great things that would prove once and for all to Jew and Gentile alike just how great and majestic He really was. "I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. That day of judgment will come, says the Sovereign Lord. Everything will happen just as I have declared it" (Ezekiel 39:7-8 NLT).

The faithfulness of God is not some ethereal concept that has no reality in everyday life. God is constantly faithful. There is never a time when He is not faithful. It would be outside of His character – His very nature – to be anything but faithful. We can learn so much about our God as we read about Him in the Old Testament. We can glean so much about His character as we watch how He interacts with the people of Israel. He is holy and just. He is patient and forgiving. He can be both wrathful and merciful – at the same time. His wrath always has a purpose. His anger is always justified. God punishes justly and restores graciously. He is on our side. He is for me, not against me. He cares enough for me to discipline me. He loves me enough to send His Son to die for me in order that He might forgive me and restore me. What He plans to do for the people of Israel, He has already done for me.  "Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!" (Ezekiel 39:28-29 NLT).

All of this reminds me of a song I heard recently. It was sung at my niece's wedding by the young lady who wrote and recorded it. The song is called You Are For Me and the words reflect the character of our God. He is for us, not against us. He is faithful, constant, loving and true. He is powerful in all He does. And He is constantly trying to reveal to us just how incredibly unique He is. The amazing thing is that this transcendent, all-powerful, unknowable God has chosen to make Himself known to us. How well do you really know Him today?

So faithful. So constant. So loving and so true. So powerful in all You do.

You fill me. You see me. You know my every move and You love for me to sing to You.

I know that You are for me. I know that You are for me. I know that You will never, forsake me in my weaknesses

I know that You have come now, even if to write upon my heart. To remind me who You are.

So patient, So gracious, So merciful and true… So wonderful in all You do. You know me. You see me. You know my every move. You love for me to sing to You

Lord, I know that You are for me. I know that You are for me. I know that You will never, forsake me in my weaknesses. I know that You have come now, even if to write upon my heart.

To remind me that I know that You are for me. I know that You are for me. I know that You will never, forsake me in my weaknesses. I know that You have come now, even if to write upon my heart. To remind me who You are.

I know that You are for me. I know that You are for me. I know that You will never, forsake me in my weaknesses. I know that You will come now, even if to write upon my heart. To remind me of who You are.

Father, I want to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are for me. I want to know, from daily experience, just how much You love me. I want your love, constancy, power, love, mercy, grace, and abiding presence to be real in my life through the ups and down of life. I want to know and believe that You really are for me. You will never forsake me – even in my weaknesses. Amen

God Versus Gog.

Ezekiel 38

But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will boil over! In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day." – Ezekiel 38:18-19 NLT

Too often we read the Old Testament as if it was simply ancient history. We tend to look at books like Ezekiel as prophetic only in the sense that they contain detailed descriptions of what God was going to do against Israel and her enemies, and that He has already done. They are past-tense, filled with old news that has little impact on us today, except for any insights they may provide regarding God's character. But in Ezekiel 38 we are given a prophecy that has yet to fulfilled. We have described in this passage a situation in which Israel finds itself back in the Land of Promise, experiencing God's rich blessing, and prospering in an atmosphere of peace and abundance. God says that in that day, which has yet to happen, a mighty nation will rise up with thoughts of plunder and plans take advantage of seemingly defenseless people of God. "On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army. You will advanceagainst my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth" (Ezekiel 38:14-16 NET).

They will rise up against Israel, but totally unaware that God is about to use them as a visual lesson of His holiness and wrath. God then describes a scene filled with earthquakes, plagues, bloodshed, hailstones and burning sulfur. It is a vivid description of God's final judgment on all those who oppose Him and His people here on this earth. "In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 38:23 NLT). But when will all this take place? When will this event finally be fulfilled? We are given a clear answer in the book of Revelation.

Nowwhen the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceivethe nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.Theywent upon the broad plain of the earthand encircledthe campof the saints and the beloved city, butfire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.And the devil who deceivedthem was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,where the beast and the false prophet aretoo, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever. – Revelation 20:7-10 NET

Christ will have returned as the conquering King and set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David. He will have fulfilled God's promise to give David a descendant who would sit on his throne and rule in righteousness forever – for a period of 1,000 years. At the end of that time, Satan, who will have been imprisoned for all those years, will be released and wage one last war against God. He will deceive the nations and cause them to rise up against God in an attempt to remove Christ from the throne. This vast army will attack Israel, but fail miserably. God will defeat them once and for all, making Himself known to all the nations of the world through His infinite, unmatchable power. Then everyone will know that He alone is God. Case closed.

The book of Ezekiel is not ancient history. It is a glimpse into the eternal plan of the Sovereign God of the universe. His plan is not yet complete. His work is not yet done. But that day is coming because His Son is returning. Which assures us that the victory is certain.

Father, thanks for reminding me that You are not done yet. Help me keep my eyes on the future. You are far from ancient history. You are alive and well, and active in our day today. You are working Your plan and one day it will be fulfilled completely and successfully. Amen

One Nation Under God.

Ezekiel 37

I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms. They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful backsliding. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. – Ezekiel 37:22-23 NLT

Ever since the end of Solomon's reign, the kingdom of Israel had been split in two, Israel to the north and Judah to the south – the result of a God-ordained rebellion brought on by Solomon's worship of other gods. "The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. So now the Lord said to him, 'Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants' (1 Kings 11:9-11 NLT). And that's exactly what God did. Jeroboam rose up and rebelled against Solomon taking ten of the tribes of Israel with him and creating the northern kingdom of Israel. Solomon's successor, Rehoboam became king of the southern kingdom of Judah.

But for years the two kingdoms remained divided, with Israel creating their own gods and places of worship. Eventually, God would punish them by sending them into captivity in Assyria. Not long after that the southern kingdom would follow their example by worshiping false gods, and they too would find themselves taken into exile by the Babylonians. The land of promise would be decimated and the Temple of God destroyed. But even as Ezekiel prophesies to the exiles in Babylon, God is giving Him a word of good news. He is telling them that their condition is not permanent. They will one day be restored to the land of promise and to a right relationship with God. The two nations will be reunited. They will once again have one King and one God. In spite of Israel's failure to remain faithful to God, He would remain faithful to them. And He will one day restore them and fulfill all His promises to them. That day has not yet happened. Israel is back in the land, but they do not have a king, a Temple and they do not have a restored relationship with God. But God says that day is coming. There is a future day in which they will be completely restored to the land and to fellowship with God, and they will have His Son, the Messiah as their King. God will restore, renew, and rejoin the nation of Israel. He will breathe new life into them through His Spirit. He will be their God and they will once again be His people. The magnitude of their sin will not stand in the way of the mercy and grace of God. Now that's a God worth worshiping!

Father, You are truly amazing. What You intend to do to and for Israel should be a constant reminder of the grace and mercy You extend to me on a daily basis. It should remind me of the free gift of grace You made available to me through the death of Your own Son. Like Israel, I was dead in my sins, unable to change, and held captive by my enemy. But You reached down and released me from by captivity, giving me new life and restoring me to a new relationship with You. You are truly an amazing God! Amen

The Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 35-36

"But remember," says the Sovereign Lord, "I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done!" – Ezekiel 36:32 NLT

Over and over again in this book, God refers to Himself as "the Sovereign Lord." And it is usually in reference to something He is about to do. He begins each declaration of intent with the phrase, "The Sovereign Lord says…" It is a statement of certainty based on the authority and power of God. He is the ruler of all things and everything is under His control. His words are always true. His predictions as good as done. All because He is sovereign. Associated with His claim to be the Sovereign Lord are His repeated promises that begin with the words, "I will…" In the case of Judah and her enemies, He says, "I will…" To Edom God says, "I will raise my fist against you to destroy you completely" (Ezekiel 35:3 NLT). "I will demolish your cities and make you desolate" (Ezekiel 35:4 NLT). To the land of Israel He says, "I will greatly increase the population of Israel" (Ezekiel 36:10 NLT). "I will bring people to live on you once again" (Ezekiel 36:11 NLT). "I will make you even more prosperous than you were before" (Ezekiel 36:11 NLT).

To the people of Israel He says, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations" (Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT). God repeatedly says that He will do these things and that they will happen. All because He is the Sovereign Lord. He is in control. What He says, will happen. And it will happen in spite of all that Israel has done to offend Him. He will do all these things in order to protect the holiness of His name, not because of anything Israel has done to deserve it. God is not only the Sovereign Lord, He is the Holy One. His name has value and worth. It is an extension of His character and He will protect the integrity of His name. He says, "I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 36:23 NLT). He tells the people of Israel, "I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations" (Ezekiel 36:22 NLT). God will do what He has promised, not because anyone deserves it, but because His holy name requires it. He must be true to His name, to His character. He is a faithful, promise-keeping God. He had chosen the people of Israel and set them apart as His own. He had made promises to them that He is bound to keep. But when He does, He wants it to be known that He is doing so because of His name, not because of any worth or merit on the part of Israel. He will because He is – holy, just, righteous, faithful, and true. He will because He is – sovereign, powerful, mighty, and Lord of all.

God is the Sovereign Lord. He is in control. He will show us mercy. He will extend to us His grace. Not because we deserve it, but because He is holy, righteous, just, loving, merciful, kind and ultimately, fully capable to do what He has promised to do.

Father, never let me forget that You are the Sovereign Lord – as much today as You were during the time of Ezekiel. You are powerful and capable of doing all that You have promised to do – for Israel and for me. When You say, "I will," You will. Because You can. Amen

The Good Shepherd.

Ezekiel 34

You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken! – Ezekiel 34:31 NLT

Sheep are not the brightest of animals. They have a herd mentality, rarely thinking for themselves. They tend to wander, are virtually defenseless, susceptible to disease, easily frightened, injury-prone, and without proper care, can become filthy, matted, and insect-infested. That's why they need a shepherd. And throughout the Old Testament, God refers to His people as sheep and their leaders as shepherds. God appoints leaders to shepherd His flock. He expects them care for and protect His people. But instead, they tended to fend for themselves and take advantage of the people, leading them into sin and causing them to stumble spiritually. Their lousy leadership was devastating to the nation. We saw it over and over again in the history of the kings. Godless men leading the people astray, causing them to seek sustenance and safety from false gods. Even the spiritual leaders proved to be more harmful than helpful to the well-being of the people. And God was going to hold them all accountable. Ezekiel 34 is God's indictment against the shepherds of Israel who had failed to do their jobs. He tells them, "You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty" (Ezekiel 34:4 NLT). He goes on, "you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve" (Ezekiel 34:8 NLT). They had failed to do their job. They had left the sheep defenseless and helpless. So God said He would step in and do what the shepherds had failed to do. Over and over again He says, "I will…" He will search, rescue, feed, care for, tend, bandage, rescue, judge, and set over them a true shepherd who will care for them properly. "And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Ezekiel 34:23-24 NLT). God sent His Son to be the Good Shepherd. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep" (John 10:11 NLT). But not only did Christ come to die on our behalf, one day He is coming again to set up His kingdom and reestablish the kingdom of Israel on earth. He will bring back the flock of Israel, which has been scattered all over the face of the earth, and resettle them in the land of promise. He will fulfill His covenant promise to them. "They will no longer be prey for the other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them" (Ezekiel 34:28 NLT). The Good Shepherd will do what the shepherds of Israel all failed to do. He will fulfill the desire of His Father and bring the people of Israel back into the fold of God, safe, secure, and whole

Father, thank You that You do what no man could ever have done. You provide a way for men to have fellowship with You and it is always through the work of Your Son Jesus Christ. One day I was like a lost sheep wandering on my own, but You sent Your Son to find me and rescue me. He restored me to fellowship with You. And You are going to do the same thing with Your people Israel. You are always faithful, just and true. Amen

The Watchman On the Wall.

Ezekiel 32-33

Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. – Ezekiel 33:7 NLT

In ancient days, most of the significant cities were surrounded by walls to protect them. On those wall were posted sentries or watchmen, whose responsibility it was to look out and watch for potential threats. Day and night, as long as they were on duty, they had to keep an eye out for possible enemy attack. When they saw trouble on the horizon, they were to issue a warning to the people. They were to sound the alarm to let the people inside the walls know that danger was imminent, and appropriate action was needed. In God's eyes, Ezekiel was just such a watchman. While he wasn't standing high on the wall of a city, he was prominently placed in the middle of the exiles living in Babylon and given the role of being God's spokesman. He had a unique vantage point that allowed him to see the future and warn the people of God what was going to happen. His warnings were not idle threats, but God-given predictions of coming disaster. And his job came with obvious dangers. The most prominent one being that if he failed to sound the alarm and warn the people, he would be held responsible for their subsequent captivity. But God makes it clear that if Ezekiel does his job and warns the people of coming destruction, but the people fail or refuse to listen, then he is absolved of any responsibility. He would have done his job.

Today, as in Ezekiel's day, God is issuing warnings regarding the apathetic, almost flippant way in which many of God's people are approaching their lives in this world. He is speaking through men today warning His people of their need to wake up and wise up to the dangers around them. But as believers we sometimes take the wonder of God's grace so far that we seem to view it as some kind of immunity giving elixer that protects us from all harm. We seem to believe that because we are saved, we are immune to any kind of danger or ramifications for our sinful behavior. God has called us to live holy lives, set-apart and distinctively different from the rest of the world around us. We are to pursue Christ-likeness with a passion. We are to live under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit. We are to put to death the deeds of the flesh and put on Christ daily. We are to die to self and take up our crosses each and every day. We are warned regularly to take our spiritual health seriously and to refuse to fall in love with this world and all that it offers. Granted, some of the watchmen today are failing to do their jobs. Things are not much different than they were back when Paul penned these words to Timothy:

"I solemnly warn you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." – 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NLT

God even warned Ezekiel that there were people in his day who would come to hear what he had to say, pretending to be interested, but having no intention of doing what he said. "You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't act on it! (Ezekiel 33:32 NLT). But Ezekiel was still required to warn. He had to keep sharing the message of God. Paul told Timothy the same thing. "Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching" (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT). And we must continue to do the same thing today. Faithful watchmen are still needed today, to warn the people of God by speaking the truth of God, faithfully and unapologetically.

Father, I want to be a faithful watchman. Give me boldness to speak Your Word in season and out of season. Don't let me alter it to make it more palatable or acceptable. Don't ever let me be an ear-tickler or an entertainer. The times we live in are dangerous and the truth of Your Word is more needed now than ever. Amen

The Peril of Pride.

Ezekiel 30-31

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "Because Egypt became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, with its top reaching to the clouds, I will hand it over to a mighty nation that will destroy it as its wickedness deserves. I have already discarded it." – Ezekiel 31:10-11 NLT

God hates pride in all its forms. And His hatred of pride is expressed throughout the Scriptures.

"Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall" – Proverbs 16:18 NLT

"Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom"  – Proverbs 11: 2 NLT

"But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" – James 4:6 NIV

All throughout the Old Testament, God speaks of Israel's arrogance and pride. He blasts them for their extreme self-importance and attitude ofinsufferable self-worth. God hates pride in His people, but He hates in the nations. Pride is what caused Satan's fall. Just before God cast him out of heaven, Satan's attitude reflected his unparalleled pride and arrogance. "For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High'" (Isaiah 14:13-14 NLT). He wanted to be like God. It was the same thing he tempted Adam and Eve with in the garden. "The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil'" (Genesis 3:4-5 NASB).

At the root of pride is self-reliance and independence. We begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We begin to believe our own press and think that we are something special. Our seeming successes only act to feed our insatiable thirst for recognition, credit, and self-sufficiency. We even begin to take credit for what God has done or what He has made possible for us to do. You see this reflected in the words of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as he stood gazing over his royal capital from his palace balcony. "Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor" (Daniel 4:30 NLT). That very moment, God took away not only Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, but also his sanity. And it wasn't until he looked up and acknowledged the rule and reign of God, that his sanity returned.

In today's reading, we see God's anger expressed toward Egypt for her pride and arrogance. Even nations can be guilty of having an inflated self-worth and a bloated ego. In Egypt's case, they really were great. God compares them to a majestic tree with beautiful, shade-giving branches that provided safety and shelter to others. It had deep roots, providing stability and sustenance in times of drought. It was just like Assyrian HAD been. Assyria had once been beautiful, strong, self-reliant and the envy of the nations. But Assyrian had fallen. And so would Egypt. Both failed to recognize that their beauty and greatness were God's doing, not their own. God had given them their lofty position, and He could remove them from it. God would use another great nation, Babylon, to knock the props our from under Egypt - just like He did Assyria. Why? "Because Egypt became proud and arrogant" (Ezekiel 31:10b).

Humility is a rare commodity these days. Even among believers. We tend to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We tend to take credit for things that are the work of God, not us. We tend to compare and contrast ourselves with others, looking for those with whom we compare positively. We want to come out on the winning side, so we look for those with more flaws and weaknesses than we have. We celebrate their failures and revel in our own successes. But Paul warns us, "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us" (Romans 12:3 NLT).

Egypt's pride was going to be its downfall. Its arrogance would bring about its demise. Because God hates pride. But He loves to extend His grace to the humble. When we refuse to life ourselves up, and instead, give Him the credit, we receive His grace. He exalts us at the proper time and in the proper way. Peter put it this way: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6 NIV). It is far better to humble ourselves than to be humbled by God. It is far healthier to let God exalt us when He and how He sees fit, than to attempt to exalt ourselves. Because God hates pride.

Father, continue Your patient work of removing pride in me. It is an ongoing project that is at times painful, but always beneficial. I never want my pride to rob me of the benefit of Your amazing grace. Amen

The Holiness of God Revealed.

Ezekiel 28-29

Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign Lord: “I am your enemy, O Sidon, and I will reveal my glory by what I do to you. When I bring judgment against you and reveal my holiness among you, everyone watching will know that I am the Lord." – Ezekiel 28:22 NLT

We tend to struggle with a lot of the imagery and words used in a book like Ezekiel. In it, we get a glimpse of God that tends to make us a little bit uncomfortable. He appears angry, vindictive, violent, using His power like a neighborhood bully. After a steady diet of the more attractive version of God we seem to get in the New Testament, this image of God can come across as a bit overwhelming and difficult to reconcile with the loving, forgiving, merciful and grace-giving God we have come to know and love. But in the book of Ezekiel we are given a complete and holistic view of God. Yes, He is at time angry and wrathful. Yet He is patient and forgiving. He punishes, but He also protects. He destroys, but He also restores. And in each and every case, all that He does is so that the world might know that He alone is God. Every action God takes is aimed at revealing who He is. He is constantly displaying His power. But He is also revealing His holiness. He makes this clear in His message to the Sidonians: "Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign Lord: “I am your enemy, O Sidon, and I will reveal my glory by what I do to you. When I bring judgment against you and reveal my holiness among you, everyone watching will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 28:22 NLT). God's judgment of the people of Sidon and His destruction of them would reveal His holiness. How? In its simplest form, God's holiness refers to His set-apartness, His uniqueness. He alone is God. There is no one or nothing else like Him. He is distinct and unmatched in all His attributes. He is not a God among gods. He is the ONLY God. And when God acts against evil and punishes sin, He is revealing His distinctive nature. He is proving His holiness. Yet God also reveals His holiness through His kindness. In the same chapter, God says, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people" (Ezekiel 28:25 NLT). God was going to reveal His holiness, distinctiveness and set-apartness, by restoring His people to their land and to a right relationship with Him. He is a promise-keeping God. He would not abandon His people. Yes, He was going to punish them for their sins, but He was also going to forgive and restore them. "They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God" (Ezekiel 28:26 NLT). God reveals His holiness, His unmatched, unparalleled, distinctiveness in all that He does. His wrath and restoration both reveal His holiness. There is no other god like Him. There is no other god BUT Him.

Father, You are holy and unique in all Your actions. Whether You are punishing sin or restoring the wayward, You are holy. All that You do proves just how unique and distinctive You are. Forgive me for trying to make You into a one-dimensional God who I can be comfortable with. Thanks for reminding me that You are holy in all that You do. Amen

When Affluence No Longer Has Any Influence.

Ezekiel 26-27

Everything is lost— your riches and wares, your sailors and pilots, your ship builders, merchants, and warriors. On the day of your ruin, everyone on board sinks into the depths of the sea. – Ezekiel 27:27 NLT

In this section of the book, Ezekiel gives oracles or judgments against seven nations that surround Israel and Judah. In them he states what God is going to do to these nations for the roles they have played in Judah's destruction or for having tried to prosper from their situation. In these two chapters, he concentrates his attention on Tyre, a wealthy and powerful seacoast nation that stood to benefit greatly from Judah's fall. Over and over again Ezekiel seems to highlight two indistiputable facts: Tyre's extreme wealth and God's sovereignty. Tyre was a highly prosperous nation that benefited from diverse trade relationships with a variety of nations. They had taken advantage of their ideal location along the coast and had become a focal point along the trade routes of that day. They traded in everything from slaves to silver, wine to white wool, ivory to iron, and cloth to carpets. Their warehouses were filled to the brim and their ships were loaded with goods from all over the known world at that time. They were rich, prosperous, and as a result, powerful. Their army was large and made up of mercenaries from around the world. And now, because Judah was suffering under the hand of God, the nation of Tyre was salivating at the chance to take over their trading relationships and prosper because of their demise.

But Tyre's wealth was no match for God's sovereignty. In fact, each of these nations were going to be destroyed by God as a reminder of God's covenant with the people of Israel. God may be punishing Israel at this moment, but He had still promised to restore them to the land. God was not about to let these foreign nations profit from Israel's situation. He would keep the land for them and protect it in order that they might return when He deemed it appropriate. These seven oracles would have been words of hope to the exiled Israelites. In spite of their unfaithfulness, God would remain faithful to them, keeping the land safe for their eventual return. Tyre was wealthy and stood to profit from the fall of Jerusalem, but God was not going to let that happen. In fact, God was going to bring destruction on the nation of Tyre, allowing the Babylonians to conquer and destroy them. Over and over again, Ezekiel writes, "Yes, the Sovereign Lord has spoken!" None of these nations were any match for the power of Almighty God. No nation can stand against God. They may do so for a time, but the day is coming when God will bring judgment on all the nations. China, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Cuba, South Korea, and yes, even America. God's will is going to be done. And no nation will be able to stand against it. He is going to accomplish what He has promised and there is no power in the world that can prevent it. Our God is great, and He is in complete control of ALL things.

Father, You are sovereign and Lord over all, including all the nations of the world. I can rest in the fact that there is no power like Yours. No nation can compete with You or prevent You from accomplishing Your divine will. Thanks for that reminder today. Amen