November 6, 2016
The word of the Lord came to the prophet Ezekiel describing the way He had taken Israel as His bride when she was still weak and in the wilderness. As Boaz “spread the corner” (Ruth 3:9) of his garment over Ruth, so the Lord took Israel as His wife and redeemed her as His own. Yet, she did not remember their wedding “covenant” at Sinai. Instead of returning His love and commitment, she “played the whore” (v.15) with the idolatrous nations surrounding her. So God removed His protection and gave her over to those same nations for judgment. However, God does not “retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (Micah 7:18). He sent His only begotten Son to be as a Boaz Redeemer that He might purchase for Himself a bride from both Jew and Gentile those that would believe on Him.
November 4, 2016
Ezekiel saw a vision that exposed the sin and idolatry of God’s people and the resulting departure of God’s glory. He witnessed the glory of the Lord moving out from the Holy of Holies, out of the Temple, and departing out through the Eastern gate to the top of the Mount of Olives. The holy God will not share His glory with another. “Ichabod–– the glory has departed” (1 Sam. 4:21). His glory and grace departed, so that His judgment and wrath might fall. Even so, Ezekiel saw God’s glory pause at the threshold of the Temple and at the Eastern gate, giving His people time to repent, but they did not. Yet someday, the glory of the Lord will return (Ezek. 43), the Messiah will come back through the Eastern gate to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
November 24, 2015
Ezekiel spoke of a time when life-giving waters would flow from the temple down the valley towards the Dead Sea, bringing life and healing to the land of Israel. Not only is this temple larger and more spectacular than any ever built in Israel, even the terrain of the land is changed by it. There is currently no life in the Dead Sea. But there is coming a day when fruit bearing trees will line both sides of this river of life as it flows down past En Gedi to the lowest point below sea level, and changes the saline content of the Dead Sea, so that fish live there in abundance. For those who believe in a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel, this is a description of Israel during the Millennial Reign of Christ.
November 20, 2015
The temple that was revealed to Ezekiel by the divine messenger with the measuring rod has never been built. When Ezekiel prophesied, Solomon’s temple had already been destroyed and Zerubbabel’s (which Herod improved upon) had not yet been built. Besides, the Ezekiel temple is much larger in dimension and more grand than either the first or the second temples. This leaves the temple prophecy unfulfilled for now. Some view Ezekiel’s temple prophecy metaphorically and see its fulfillment in the Church, which Scripture describes as God’s “holy temple” (Eph. 2:21). Others take Ezekiel’s prophecy literally and believe that it will actually be built, referring to it as the temple as described by the apostle John (Rev.11:1). How one views this prophecy will determine how one will view most of the other yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies in the Bible. For me, Ezekiel’s language and description of the temple are too detailed and specific for metaphor, therefore I view it as a temple that will one day be built. Whether it is a third temple that stands during the Tribulation or yet another temple that stands during the Millennium, I believe Ezekiel’s temple will one day be built.
November 18, 2015
When we see bones, we assume life is long past being possible. But Ezekiel had learned something about God: Nothing is ever too dead for God to give it life. So, Ezekiel preached to the bones and the bones took on flesh and came to life! The Word still brings life to dry bones. It is the Word proclaimed and believed that changes the walking dead to spiritually alive children of God.
November 16, 2015
Amidst His words of divine judgment, God gave Israel a promise of a coming shepherd who would lead and feed them as God’s own flock. This shepherd was to be none other than God’s own “servant David,” who would be both shepherd and “prince” (Ez.34:24). This was one of the clearest Messianic prophecies given to Israel. Yet, when Jesus, Son of David, Son of God came, they rejected Him, turning Him over to be crucified on a Roman cross. Jesus the Servant has already come. Jesus the Prince will soon come again.
November 11, 2015
The Ezekiel passage today about the two adulterous sisters graphically illustrates how God (as the covenantal husband to Israel) felt about the idolatry of Israel (Samaria) and Judah (Jerusalem). After the death of King Solomon, Israel became a divided kingdom. The Northern kingdom called Israel moved its capital to Samaria. They were later conquered by the Assyrians. The Southern kingdom called Judah continued some years after the fall of Israel. The Babylonians conquered Judah whose capital city was Jerusalem. Ezekiel was among those deported from Jerusalem to Babylon during the second deportation. He prophesied that even though Jerusalem had witnessed Samaria’s sin, it didn’t hinder her idolatry. So, God would judge her as He had Samaria.
November 9, 2015
Ezekiel was frustrated by Israel’s elders who belittled his message, accusing him of speaking in “parables,” rather than speaking plainly. He expressed his feeling to the Lord, repeating their whispered words back to God. The Lord responded to Ezekiel, whom He called, “Son of Man,” by giving him a more plain word of prophecy (Ezekiel 21). When Jesus came preaching, He often referred to Himself with the same title, “Son of Man,” and often preached in “parables” (Matt.13:13). Then, afterwards He would privately explain the parables to His disciples. The key to understanding the Word of God is believing the Son of God and receiving the Spirit of God that makes things clear. As the apostle Paul explained, those without the Spirit can’t understand the truths of God (1 Cor. 2:14), for they are “foolishness” to them. Yet, those who have the Spirit, also have the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), and are able to understand God’s Word. It is Christ and His Spirit that gives us “ears to hear.”
November 5, 2015
Rising up in the morning, Ezekiel is filled with the Word. No internet, no morning news, no ESPN updates, or emails, no personal plans… the Word. The Word came to him and there was no room for anything else. His day was decided because the Word had come to him. How’s your morning so far?
November 2, 2015
God called Ezekiel to be a prophet and a “watchman” for Israel. A “watchman” was to keep watch over the camp during the night to sound a warning should danger appear. Ezekiel’s “watchman” duties however, were to keep watch to warn his people of sin and judgment, and to give them the sure Word of God that they might repent. This was a sober calling. God warned Ezekiel that if he was silent and failed to warn someone, that not only would that person die in their sin, but their blood would be upon Ezekiel for staying silent. But while God made Ezekiel responsible for preaching to them, He did not hold him accountable for their response. If he warned them and they didn’t repent, their blood was on them. Who are the “watchmen” of this generation that God has called? What is their accountability to proclaim His Word to others?