259th Week, Ezekiel Chapters 5-9 (Click on title for Video Intro)

 

Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Ezekiel Chapter 5

Ezekiel 5

Verse 12

Delores Little

Verse 12:  A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with a drawn sword.  

THOUGHT

Today as we read chapter 5, God uses Ezekiel’s hair for telling a message to God’s people.  I noticed he used a sword to cut his hair off and then took a set of scales to weigh it and divide it up.  He split it into thirds and then gave instructions about what to do with it.   

1. Burn a third of the hair inside the city.

2. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city.

3. Scatter a third to the wind.

4. Tuck the few strands remaining away in the folds of his garment. 

5. Take a few strands and throw them into the fire. 

The fire will spread to the whole house of Israel.

God is really trying to get the people to notice what they have been doing wrong, and He is using things differently than before with Ezekiel.  If we think the people thought Noah was strange building an ark on dry land, the people most likely thought Ezekiel was very strange also.  Would we obey God like he did? We fall so short in doing what He asks of us each day.

In verse 12 we see what the ‘thirds of the hair’ was about.

1. A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you.

2. A third will fall by the sword outside your wall.

3. A third will be scattered to the winds and pursued with a drawn sword.

In this chapter God says in verse 5 about Jerusalem being in the CENTER of all the nations.  That city is the center of our world even today. God is to be our CENTER in this world everyday of our lives. Look how unruly the USA has become. I know we have had our wars and hardships.  We have done things that were not well thought out in the past.  They are trying to take our Christian rights away from us, and this never used to be. 

The Lord’s wrath is coming on them in this chapter.  It is not a pretty thing to read about. As we read this book, we will see how mightily God uses Ezekiel as his spokesperson to God’s people.

PRAYER

Father, forgive us when we don’t do what we are to do for You. Put a fire into our souls and hearts to go forth for You. Bless us all this day with Your wisdom and knowledge of the Word and how to share it with others.  Fill us each day with the Holy Spirit.  In the Name of Jesus.  AMEN

Tuesday, Ezekiel Chapter 6

Ezekiel 6

Verse 8

Jane Jones

Verse 8: “But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations.” 

THOUGHT

A ray of light did appear in this chapter and prophecy of darkness.  God would spare a remnant of people, but only after they had learned some hard lessons. I can still remember growing up at 305 Pleasant Drive, Hudson, with Mom and Dad and Jeanie and Gare.  The basement in our house would take on water when it rained hard from the creek rising in the backyard.  Well, one of the times that water came in, and I mean came in badly, a lot of our family possessions were ruined because of the water damage. But I can still remember that my Tiny Tears Doll was spared because I had put her upstairs in my bedroom. Mom was so devastated with the damage and loss. It was so heartbreaking, but there were a few special things spared.

God sometimes has to break a person in order to bring him or her to true repentance. The people needed new attitudes, but they wouldn’t change until God broke their hearts with humiliation, pain, suffering and defeat.  Does your heart long for God enough to change those areas displeasing him? Or will God have to break your heart?

PRAYER

Dear God, forgive us when we fail to surrender to You totally. May You not grow weary waiting for us to place things at the foot of the cross.  We appreciate the wonderful things You do for us. In The Name of Jesus.  AMEN

Wednesday, Ezekiel Chapter 7

Ezekiel 7 

Delores Little

THOUGHT

WOW!!! This is a chapter about judgment in Israel and the effect on the whole world.  Verse 2 reads, ‘The end has come upon the four corners of the land.’  God is trying to make them realize THAT HE IS, “I AM THE LORD”, and not the idols and all they have been worshipping. No matter if they call out to Him He will not listen. He has had it. (Read Matthew 24 and see how Jesus is speaking of the end times.)

Don’t mess with what God tells us to do in His Word.  We are to follow Him no matter what the cost.  There has been many times in my life that when He spoke to me I didn’t do it.  I tell you I paid the cost of me not doing it. God’s people now were going to be taken to Babylon.  No matter what they did, it was going to happen.  Many lost their lives thinking they could do it their way. They died by the sword or died of the plague or famine.

Verse 26:  “Calamity upon calamity will come, rumor upon rumor. They will try to get vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders.” No matter where they turned, they would not get what they wanted.  It was seventy years later when they could come back. Many stayed in Babylon and learned their ways.

As I read the books of the Old Testament I do see the USA doing many things that are so wrong. We are not praying ‘In the Name of Jesus”.  We do not witness to others the way that we should.  What I see is the poor job we Christians are doing in not getting out there on the front lines in the first place wherever we live to share the gospel of Christ.

PRAYER

Father, we ask forgiveness of the things we have not said or done for You in sharing the Gospel with the people outside the church doors. Move us like You did Your apostles to take the Gospel out. Thank You for the ones who do it now.  Put Your Shield around them daily to keep them safe from harm. Heal the sick.  Heal the broken marriages.  Be with our men and women overseas and here in our country and keep them safe.  In Jesus Name We Pray. AMEN

Thursday, Ezekiel Chapter 8

Ezekiel 8

Jeanie Boldt

THOUGHT

Exodus 20:5 reads, “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”

Chapters 8-11 of Ezekiel constitute a vision God gave to Ezekiel of the defilement of the temple, the destruction of the people, and the departure of God’s glory from His house. What happened in the temple was indicative of what was happening in the nation: it was given over to the worship of idols. Some worshipped out in the open and others in the dark. All of them were guilty. 

Our God created us because He wanted to be with us and enjoy us. When he sees us reach out to worship other Gods, He becomes angry and very jealous. That is why I chose the verse I did. It came to mind the whole time I was reading this. Have your actions ever made God jealous? Are there things in your life that are more important than believing and knowing God, glorifying God, feeling satisfied by God, experiencing Him on a daily basis and enjoying His presence?  If other things come in the way of any of the above in our lives, we need to identify them, confess them and begin to worship God more.

Sin brings violence to our land (our country needs to be screaming out to God for help) and has removed God’s glory in most government writings and buildings and businesses. What a price to pay for sin. We are giving the devil the victory and not God. When sin comes in at the door of a person’s

life, it eventually moves to the inner chambers and takes over. That is why Proverbs 4:23 is so very important to remember: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Where are we in this world? I want to be with God in His Glory.

PRAYER

Father God, we believe in You and want to learn more so that we will experience the peace, satisfaction and joy that You want us to have through Your grace and mercy. Take all the idols out of our lives and please forgive us when we put those before You. Help us guard our own heart so that we may remain on the pathway that You have set for us. We are so glad that You desire to be with us and love us with the BEST LOVE there is.    In the Name of Jesus.  AMEN

Friday, Ezekiel Chapter 9

Ezekiel 9

Jeanie Boldt

THOUGHT

This is a chapter on Idolatry.  The spiritual leaders of Israel blatantly promoted their idolatrous beliefs, and the people abandoned God because they were entrusted with the task of teaching the truth.  When they prevent the truth they can lead countless people away from God and even cause a nation to fall.  It is not surprising then, that when God began to judge the nation, He started at the temple and worked outward.  How sad it is that in the temple, the one place where they should have been teaching God’s truth, they were teaching lies. 

The Lord becomes angry when we worship other Gods.  He is a jealous God and will judge us all in the end.  We read how He handled ones who did wrong in this chapter.    The people said that the Lord had forsaken the land and wouldn’t see their sin.  People have many convenient explanations to make it easier to sin: “It doesn’t matter.” “Everybody’s doing it.” or “Nobody will ever know”.  Do you find yourself making excuses for sin?  Rationalizing sin makes it easier to commit but rationalization does not convince God or cancel the punishment.  

Remember to live a righteous life that is spoken of in the Word of God.  When we sin, we have the gift of forgiveness through our Lord and Savior.  Repent, and begin again.  He will walk beside you.

PRAYER                                                                   

Father God, forgive us for hurting You time and time again.  Guide us in using Your Word so that we can live a righteous life and be an example for all to see.  Forgive us for how we hurt You.  In the Name of Jesus.  AMEN