Ezekiel 18:1-19:14 + Hebrews 9:1-10 + Psalm 106:32-48 + Proverbs 27:10
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Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 18 is a powerful chapter! What we are seeing in this chapter is the Old Covenant – which I do believe was compassionate & “fair”, but different from the New Covenant, which I believe is compassionate & graceful (which may not necessarily be “fair” – but which is good news – Gospel – for us sinners!). Verse 30 is a good look at the Old Covenant: “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don’t let them destroy you!” Verse 4 of course stands out too with: “And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies.” You read this at a high level and you’ll get a bit nervous, no? 🙂 Indeed this is the Old Covenant: your actions will dictate your death or your life. It’s up to your actions. It’s up to you. You’ll get what you deserve. And this is certainly “fair.” However, this changes through Jesus Christ’s atonement for our sins once and for all on the cross. Under the New Covenant, through God’s gift of grace, we now simply need to have faith that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, died for our sins and rose from the dead. As we’ve been reading in Hebrews currently – we simply need to have faith in Christ as our High Priest. God’s grace and our faith becomes the key (regeneration). Not our actions on their own. This being said, after our salvation (justification) through grace and faith, God is very interested in our actions and wants us to live a life of holiness (sanctification). This is a lot of theology here… and more than I can blog on without goofing it up – actually I probably already have. 🙂 Check out a good overview of justification and sanctification (and regeneration!) on bible.org at this link. Also, I’ll copy this image below, which I found interesting. I may not agree with every point on this image, but overall I find this useful: (though, I’d say you could take a thick black magic marker and just write “Jesus” and “Grace” all over this image below too, and that would really be all you need to know 🙂
Verse 32 can be argued to be the single most important point in all of the book of Ezekiel – “I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!” This is a powerful verse. Think this verse shows us that God is compassionate? Think this might be the single most important point in the book of Ezekiel? Think this verse can apply to our lives today? Are their areas of sin in your life which God is calling you to turn back from? Calling you to turn toward true Life? And to be free from the slavery of sin? Will you turn back? Will you repent?
Ezekiel Chapter 19 is a funeral song and allegory about the land of Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the lioness and the lions are two of her sons, two kings – one who ended up trapped and deceived by Egypt and the other by Babylon. The last sentence of verse 14 is a sad one… “This is a funeral song, and it is now time for the funeral.” As we know, it is now time for the funeral for Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s time. However, of course, there is the redemption to come and the continuation of the house of David. The promise to Abraham won’t die here! There is another Lion of Judah yet to come…
New Testament – Hebrews chapter 9 is a fairly brief reading today on the Old Covenant rules for approaching God. We also read today about the ark of the covenant. Below are a couple of good images of the tabernacle, which you’ll recall details about from our readings in Exodus chapters 26 & 27 earlier this year:
One thing that stands out in my mind when reading this chapter today is that just after Jesus dies on the cross there is an earthquake, which shakes the Temple in Jerusalem where the Most Holy Place was located at the time of Jesus’ death. The curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the Temple is torn in two. This is incredible imagery that shows that no longer is the Most Holy Place and an earthly high priest the only way to God. Jesus has torn that veil in two and Jesus is our new and eternal High Priest ushering in the New Covenant!
Psalms – Psalm 106 verse 39 stood out to me today, speaking about the Israelites: “They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD’s sight.” I think this Psalm verse stands the test of time with our modern world today. Do you believe that we still defile ourselves with our evil deeds today? Do you believe that our love of idols is adultery in God’s sight? How can we stop defiling ourselves with evil deeds and stop loving idols in our modern world today? Who can save us from ourselves?
Proverbs – Proverbs 27:10 is interesting and not something I would think of on my own: “Never abandon a friend–either yours or your father’s. Then in your time of need, you won’t have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.” I would of course think it’s better to ask a distant relative for help than a friend. But, this Proverb tells us differently… Why do you suppose this is? I guess as I think about it, it is probably because when our “time of need” comes we will first turn to our neighbors in our local community – to call the fire department or call the police or call the paramedics or whatever the case may be. We’ll need our neighbors during that time of need initially. And then, longer term, yes we’ll need our relatives who live far away. But that unforeseen time of immediate need is just one more reason to live in loving community with our neighbors! And let us always be ready to serve our neighbors when they need us. Do you really know your neighbors? Are you a good neighbor?
Worship Video: Today’s Proverb reminds me of JJ Heller’s song “What Love Really Means:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpVGiq3NssM
Do you know what love really means? Click here for LOVE!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you — better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.” Proverbs 27:10 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray that you will never forsake your friends when disaster comes their way. Pray that you will be a good neighbor. Pray that you won’t be forsaken by your friends and neighbors might disaster strike you.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Ezekiel 18-19:14
The list of things that a “righteous” man does runs the gamete from a life of purity to giving sacrificial to those in “need.” I find it interesting that there is no one thing that makes a person righteous. The pie of righteousness must be complete and whole, in entirety. So too the “unrighteous” person is not made unrighteous by engaging in just one of the many mentioned things.
I believe with all my heart that it is only by faith and through faith that anyone of us can live out Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 [Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”] because the attributes being described in Ezekiel 18:5-9 are things that can only be done naturally by way of faith and they are Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, we can make them a spiritual discipline but then we would be doing them by works, which comes by way of our flesh and not by way of the spirit.
I love the fact that God is not holding the sins of my ancestors against me nor is He holding my sins against my children. Each of us are capable of making our own choices of what we are to follow. In declaring that each person will pay for his or her own sin, God is saying that we have a choice. No longer can we use the excuse of family or peers pressure to explain why we have done a thing that God says is wrong. Tradition and ethnic or cultural norms will not be an acceptable means to escape culpability. We are accountable for our own actions and we cannot blame anyone but ourselves.
We are where in life because of our choices. If we don’t like the life we are living and its consequences we need to make different choices.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======== Jan:
Good morning Vance, this is what I have to say about your comment & repentance: Ezekiel 16:6 – Verse 6 in this chapter jumped out at me – “But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live!’”
The Zondervan commentary said this one word – Live! – is God’s basic desire for all humans. How powerful is that realization? How very beautiful… Live! Let us Live!
Jan
======= Pat:
Mike, I feel very differently about Ezekiel 18 than you do. Up to this point in the Old Testament we have been studying how the Old Covenant was applied. We saw time and again how sons were punished for the sins of the fathers down to three generations. We saw innocent children bearing atrocious punishment because of the sins of their fathers and mothers. The Old Covenant was based on actions and it was tribal. To me, Ezekiel 18 is the first real glimpse into how the New Covenant differs. We are now hearing that God will judge each soul individually instead of tribally. Neither will fathers be judged for the sins or actions of their sons nor sons judged for the sins or actions of their fathers, but each person will be judged according to their own righteousness or wickedness. I thank God continually that I was born under the New Covenant and not the Old Covenant given to Moses. I would hate to think that I would be punished for the sins of my great-great grandparents that I don’t even know or that my great-great grandchildren would be punished for my sins. I am so grateful that our Lord and Savior now gives to each person the opportunity to gain righteousness through their acceptance of Jesus Christ and that seeking Christ is now a personal experience and responsibility. No longer do we have to go through a priest to repent or hear the Word of God. Because Christ died for each of us, each of us now has open communication with our Lord and He will judge each of us accordingly. Christ died for our sins so that through the grace of God we could have a personal relationship with Him. I love Ezekiel 18 because I think it is very uplifting to know that God looks at and values each individual soul instead of placing the emphasis on the combined actions of a nation.
God Bless!
Pat
======= Mike:
Pat – GREAT points… you’re right. I thought about your points, but was a bit crunched on time last night when posting, so posted up what I did. But – you’re spot on. Next year I’ll get this one right. 🙂
Mike
======= Pat:
Mike, I think what you do is awesome! I taught a Sunday School class for years and prepared study sheets to hand out each week to supplement the books we studied from. I worked on it all week researching the Scripture and finding the correct artwork. To see the work you do on a daily basis just blows my mind! What a wonderful ministry you perform for the Lord and what an excellent job you do with it. This is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit. I just can’t thank you enough or adequately express my deep appreciation for the service you perform.
I sure was glad to hear you say “next year” as I started this study in the middle of the year and plan on continuing it next year.
With a big Christian hug and prayers for your life to be filled with God’s blessings!
Pat
======== Reuben:
Ezekiel 19
Lion = Judah?
first cub = Jehoahaz? (2 Kings 23)
second cub = Jehoiakim? (2 kings 24)
Reuben
======= David:
Today’s reading seem to be the most straight forward, one could use these readings to explain a lot of stuff to people who believe that the Bible is just full of a lot of metaphorical parables and stories.
David
======= Reuben:
Funny, I could hear the echoes of people nowadays, complaining of God’s unjust ways. And the same argument from Ezekiel would hold.
Reuben
======= Duane:
Reading from Ekekiel chapter 18 reminded me of how God looks at our lives each day. Yes we are saved by grace, but we must abide in that grace and not take our salvation for granted. I would not want to run this race and fall short because of sin. Its important for all of us to start each day renewing our love for the Lord and thanking him for our salvation and asking him to examined of us and as we do, God will reveal in us those things that need to be confessed. Its important that we continued to read his word and stay in fellowship with our local church and the brethen.As we stay connected to the vine,God will keep us and we will grow in our relationship with him.
Duane
====== Jane:
Our Lord’s words to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5), have been given widely different interpretations. Perhaps the most dangerous of these has been, and still is, “baptismal regeneration,” the idea that the text is teaching that water baptism is necessary to salvation. But to insist that the new birth occurs as the result of water baptism makes regeneration a matter of external ritualism. Whatever Christ meant by being “born of water,” He most certainly was not referring to an outward ritual.
I’m finally getting it. It’s gotta be His word that we accept in our hearts. 1 Peter 1:23. Actually all of 1 Peter is good. Also we are baptized of the spirit. If we aren’t He doesn’t live in us. The whole commentary on regeneration, justification and sanctification really helped put things in perspective. It’s quite lengthy and deep but pretty self explanatory. Thanks for posting Mike. That I can share with others. I have so much to learn yet in so little time!
But only God saves. We plant the seeds.
I’m thankful for my Christian upbringing but that doesn’t save me! I’m finding more that no one is righteous! Not even my my inspiring mother who revered God. None of us is without sin. But Christ took it upon himself to be sin for us. 2 Corin. 5:21
Nothing better than having my Hoky Bible at my fingertips with the You version. And your blog on my IPad. Thank God for tech. And my 3 manual Bibles at my side!
Jane
======= Richie:
The Lord tells the Israelites that the one who sins is the one who will be punished. This shows how he lets anyone be purified if they follow God’s word.
Richie
======= Dee:
I too like Ramona am glad that my sins are not being place on my kids nor my ancestors causing me to be punished for them. We allale atomement for our owm sins but like Ramona says Through faith are we made righteous and in right standing..through belief in the Father and placing our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
Also, ch 19 gives a whole new meaning to the secular song “man eater” Wow..lol
Hebrews and their showmanship and a new way to the Father. When the earth shook, Jesus said, “It is finished. Into you God do I commit my spirit.” These verses reminded me of Hosanna..beautiful
Psalm 106 Only Jesus can save us from our sins if we let them.
Dee
======= Vance:
Atonement is what the “Holy of Holies” is for; the sacrifices in our place, for our sins.
“Salvation”, surrender” and “service” are the purposes for which we are saved from sin.
~~~
Thus, I want to submit this study I found EARLY this morning before I came to work. It is called CLEANSING FOR SERVICE – TO DO GOOD
2 Timothy 2:21
” If a man therefore purge
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for themaster’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
Purge
GREEK: Ekkathairo, pronounced
“ek-kath-ah’-ee-ro”
This means: to cleanse out,
clean thoroughly, to cleanse
***
A. Matthew Henry Complete Commentary,Whole Bible for 2 Timothy 2:21
“Now we should see to it that we be vessels of honour: we must purge ourselves from these corrupt opinions, that we may besanctified for our Master’s use…”
“Some dishonour the church by their corrupt opinions andwicked lives; and
others honour and credit it by their exemplary conversation…”
“Sanctification in the heart is our preparation for everygood work. The tree must be made good, and then the fruit will be good.”
***
B. Hebrew verb: Taher, pronounced ” taw-hare’ ”
Definitions:
a. to purify, be clean
morally, made clean
b. to be cleansed, be
pronounced clean
c. morally: to present
oneself for purification
***
C. Greek noun: Katharismo, pronounced
” kath-ar-is-mos’ ”
NOTE: from which we get English word “catharsis”
Definitions:
1. a cleansing from the
guilt of sins wrought by
the expiatory sacrifice
of Christ
***
D. Greek verb: Katharizo, pronounced “kath-ar-id’-zo”
Definitions:
1. In moral sense: to free
from defilement of sin
and from faults
2. to free from guilt of
sin, to purify
3. to consecrate by
cleansing or purifying
PRAYER: I present myself for Your purification, O Lord. I cannot do it
myself; I know, for I have tried. I know that I am notclean inside, where the “real me” is—not what others see.
Psalm 51:2 (NKJV)
Wash me thoroughly from myiniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
I John 2:2 (CEV)
Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the
world’s people.
PRAYER:
* Lord, I want to do good
for others—my family,
other people, and
society.
* Lord, I now realize that
I have been working
backwards: By trying to
help others, I find that
I am cannot. I unable to
help them, and I get
frustrated.
* Lord, I ask You to
cleanse me. I receive
Your death in my place
for forgiveness and
cleansing.
* Lord, I also now receive
Your life in me by Your
Spirit, to enable me to
do the good I am unable
to do on my own.
Vance
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