I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 41-43.

    At the end of yesterday’s passage Ezekiel began describing the dimensions of the new Temple which would be built after the Exiles returned to Jerusalem. It is not clear to me if this was meant to describe the Temple which was built after Cyrus ordered that the Jews be allowed to rebuild Jerusalem or one to be built in the time period when Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning Gog and Magog was fulfilled (or perhaps just figuratively). I am not really sure what purpose this detailed description serves. However, part way through the description Ezekiel describes God’s glory entering the new Temple. This is clearly in direct contrast to Ezekiel’s earlier description of God’s glory leaving the Temple. Which suggests that at least part of this description is written to contrast with his vision of the corruption and idolatry which was going on in the Temple before the fall of Jerusalem.

    In the description of God’s glory entering the new Temple we are given a little more information about the reason for Ezekiel’s detailed description of that Temple. The entire Temple mount is to be holy. In light of the fact that the New Testament tells us that our bodies are now the Temple of God, this sheds some light on what is expected of us. God has called us to be holy in all aspects of our lives. I think we pay too little attention to this because of our awareness of God’s forgiveness. As a Church today, we seem to put too much emphasis on God’s love and forgiveness. I find a real paradox in this, because our current overemphasis on God’s love and forgiveness is a reaction to an overemphasis by earlier generations on God’s judgment. On the one hand, overemphasizing God’s judgment leads us to focus too much on the mistakes (sins) we have committed in the past. On the other hand, overemphasizing God’s love and forgiveness leads us to not resist temptation sufficiently. We cannot change what we have done in the past, so it is important to accept that God will forgive us. However, that does not mean it is OK to repeat those actions.
    I want to note that there is also a theme in the New Testament that the Church is God’s Temple as well. While it may seem contrary to the idea that our bodies are God’s Temple to say this, that is not truly the case. The Church is composed of all of those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. As such, it is a Temple composed of many individual Temples. Therefore, the Church also should be entirely holy.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 39-40.

    Yesterday, I spoke about how Gog appears to be the ruler of Turkey and that current political circumstance makes the alliance and attack described feasible. In today’s passage Ezekiel describes the results of this prophesied attack. Gog’s forces will be overwhelming in size and armament. Their defeat will be just as overwhelming. Ezekiel tells us that after the battle the people of Israel will use the arms and armor (bows, arrows, spears, shields, etc.) as fuel for seven years. Over the years I have read many speculations about how that will be fulfilled, but I have no opinion on the answer to that question. However, a more understandable prediction in this prophecy is that it will take seven months to bury the bodies and clean up after the dead. The part which makes that so believable is that when Ezekiel describes the defeat of Gog he says that fire will rain down on his armies and on his allies, “who live safely on the coast”. That description could be fulfilled with many modern bombs or missiles, but suggests the use of nuclear weapons.
    Having said all of that, the key element of this prophecy is that God will, at some point, bring the people of Israel back to the land of Israel, establish them as a nation, and never allow them to be defeated again. I do not know if we are living in the times described in this prophecy by Ezekiel. There is one portion which has yet to be fulfilled as I would expect from reading this (although perhaps that is because my expectation is inaccurate rather than because it is unfulfilled). The people of the nation of Israel, and the rest of the world, do not yet acknowledge God to the degree i read this as predicting.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 37-38.

    I have been looking forward to today’s passage since I began reading the Book of Ezekiel this year. I really love Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones. We need to closely heed the message God gives us through Ezekiel here. Ezekiel was prophesying to the people of Israel who felt that the nation of Israel was dead and that it was just a matter of time until they ceased to exist as a people. Ezekiel prophesied to them that God was capable of breathing new life into dry bones. When I read this passage today I thought about several congregations I know which everyone thinks are dead and only still meeting waiting for the last members to die off. I believe that this is always a mistake. Those congregations may appear moribund and the congregants may seem to have become cold, but, as long as the word of God is given at least lip service there, God may breathe His Spirit on that congregation and light a fire for Him which will consume the entire nation. If you are part of a congregation which seems to have lost its fire and died, pray to God for guidance as to whether you should stay or move on. If God tells you to stay, pray that God breathe His Spirit upon the congregation and bring it back to life. If God can turn a valley of dry, scattered bones into a living army, He can bring light that congregation on fire for Him.

    The other prophecy in this passage I want to touch on is the one concerning Gog and Magog. When I was growing up most students of prophesy thought that it applied to the Soviet Union. It made sense because north of Israel there were really only four countries: Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and the Soviet Union. Lebanon could hardly be considered the “far north” since it sat on Israel’s northern border, besides which Lebanon would have been known to Ezekiel by that name. Syria was known to Ezekiel as Aram, so he would not have called it Magog. So, we were really only left with two candidates, Turkey and the Soviet Union. At the time, Turkey was closely allied with the West against the Soviet Union and was one of the few Muslim countries which had diplomatic relations with Israel. Further, a historical study of the nations which Gog is listed as ruling over suggests that Meschech and Tubal could refer to lands which were then part of the Soviet Union (there were also people who associated Meschech with Moscow because of the similarities between the two words).
    However, for all of that, the best historical evidence places Magog, Meschech, and Tubal in what is now Turkey. And if we look at the areas which were part of the Soviet Union and could possibly be Meschech and Tubal, we discover that they are now former Soviet states which are majority Muslim. The frightening thing is that current political alignments make this interpretation of the prophecy something not hard to see happening. The allies which are listed seem feasible: Libya, Ethiopia, Persia (Iran). And those warning against such an attack seems plausible as well. Sheba and Dedan are the nations of the Arabian Peninsula and they are currently seeking closer relations with Israel as a counter balance to Iran. The “merchants of Tarshish” is vague, but could conceivably apply to the United Kingdom and the United States. I am simplifying the parts about those advising against because I have already spent more time on this than I like.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 34-36.

    Today’s passage begins with a condemnation of the leaders of Israel. In my initial reading of it I took it to be referring to the spiritual leaders, and in doing so thought of some of the items in the news today. Ezekiel condemns the leaders of Israel for drinking the milk, wearing the wool, and eating the meat of the flock, but allowing the flock to starve and not tending the sick. The leaders used the flock to satisfy their own desires and pleasures with no concern for the well-being of those placed in their care. This made me think of some of the things that have been in the news lately. The allegations that officials of the Catholic Church at the highest levels covered up the abuse of power by bishops and cardinals. It is clear that even if the specific allegations are not true that the general thrust of them must be, individuals high in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church are complicit in protecting members of the clergy who have abused their position. There is another incident in the news which shows this is not restricted to the Catholic Church. At Aretha Franklin’s funeral, the pastor moderating the event was caught on video groping Ariana Grande. I am using these two news items to illustrate the point, but they are merely a representation of a widespread problem. I want to mention that once I thought about this passage and these examples, I realized that Ezekiel was not condemning just spiritual leaders. He was prophesying about leaders from all walks of society.

    Before we start to feel complacent because we are not in a leadership position we need to say what Ezekiel says next. He condemns those who are not leaders who not only take all of the best things for themselves, but destroy that which is left over. Ezekiel condemned the leaders for not seeking out those who were lost, but here he condemns those who were not leaders for running them off in the first place. This goes back to what I wrote yesterday. Yes, God has called us to warn sinners about the consequences of their sin, but we are still to love them with God’s love. Our job is not to run them off because they are sick/injured/broken. Our job is to bring them to the Shepherd so that He can care for them and heal them. Just because our leaders are abusing their position does not let us off the hook for doing God’s will.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 32-33.

    Ezekiel continues his prophecy against Egypt at the beginning of today’s passage. The only thing I will add to what I wrote there is that the downfall of world powers becomes inevitable when their rulers start to believe that they do not need to answer to God. Ezekiel lists off other world powers which had suffered the same fate as the one he is prophesying for Egypt. Ezekiel’s warnings should be taken to heart by those who are in political leadership (but probably won’t be).

    Once again God tells Ezekiel that he has been called to be Israel’s watchman. I believe that we too are called to be watchmen (and women) for the people around us. God has called us to give His message to those around us. He has made us responsible to warn them of the consequences of their sins, but note that he has not made us responsible for changing their behavior. Some of us will be given the ministry of speaking to those who have rejected God. Some of us will be given the ministry of speaking to those who have lived righteous lives up until now. Our message is the same in either case. If those who have sinned turn to God from their sin and allow Him to transform them, God will redeem them. If those who have walked with God turn from Him and begin to sin, He will send destruction upon them. If we fail to tell sinners that God is calling them to change their ways, we may as well have joined them in their sin. If we give them God’s warning and they do not change their ways, God will not hold us accountable. But think of the joy if we give them God’s warning and they repent of their sins!
    I want to focus on the main point of the watchman metaphor. God does not expect us to change people’s behavior. He expects us to warn them of the consequences of their behavior and allow them to make up their own minds. It is not my job to convince others of God’s truth. It is merely my job to tell them of it.

    Finally, let us be well aware that many of them will be laughing at us. When we warn them that God will bring judgment upon them for killing their innocent children in the womb, they will laugh at us. They may come to us and ask us to speak solely so that they can be entertained by the “ridiculous” things which we believe. Nevertheless, let us be faithful and continue to give them the message which God gives us. When the results which God has told us come to pass, they will know that we spoke God’s words. And some of them will see the truth in time and turn to God. Remember, God does not desire that the wicked should perish, or even suffer. He desires that they turn from their sins and do good. We should desire the same.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 29-31.

    In yesterday’s passage Ezekiel prophesied against Tyre and Sidon. In today’s passage he prophesies against Egypt. The rulers of Egypt had become convinced that their geographic advantages were a result of their inherent superiority to others, rather than a blessing which they had been given. They believed that their advantages were a result of their greatness rather than the other way around. They failed to believe there was a power greater than themselves. Ezekiel told them that because of this God would bring disaster upon them so that their people would know that there was indeed a higher power. Further, Ezekiel prophesied that never again would Egypt be a world power. Never again would the people of Israel be tempted to rely on Egypt rather than on God.

    This is a warning to every nation, every people, and every organization: both you and your leaders are answerable to a higher power. I read an article about the scandal embroiling the Catholic Church. In the article the author, a practicing Catholic, stated that the problem the Catholic Church is experiencing is more about power than about sex. He is correct, but it is more than that. The Catholic Church is facing this problem because its leaders (or, at least some significant fraction of them) have forgotten that they are no more than stewards of God’s work. They have come to believe that they are somehow superior to others and need never answer to a power greater than the organization of which they are a part. They have come to believe that since they have gained control over the levers of power in the Catholic Church they will not be held accountable.
    The root of the problem in the Catholic Church is that its leaders (or, at least some significant fraction of them) believe that they are the source of their own authority. They do not believe that the Bible is truly authoritative. Because if they believed that the Bible Was authoritative they would see the messages which God sent to the people of Israel and recognize that they apply to them as well. This is not a problem which is unique to the Catholic Church. A look around will quickly show you that every organization of man is subject to this temptation. There are other Church bodies which have leaders who have made the same mistake. God will, in His time, make sure that people know that He is the final authority.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 27-28.

    Ezekiel continues his prophecy against Tyre in today’s passage. He spoke of the many advantages which Tyre had and the good decisions made by its rulers. All of which resulted in great wealth coming to the city. However, the rulers of Tyre became arrogant and believed that they had god-like powers. The city of Tyre had trade with every nation on earth. They thought that that trade made them immune to attack. Further, they thought it made them unaccountable for their sins. Other cities and nations relied on military strength for security, Tyre relied on economic power. The lesson we learn here is that economic power does not provide security. The only source of sure security is relying on God. Anything else we put our trust in will fail us in God’s time.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 24-26.

    Today’s passage begins with two visualizations for Ezekiel’s audience. The first one is a renewal of a metaphor for Jerusalem which those claiming Jerusalem would be fine used previously, comparing Jerusalem to a cooking pot. It is not clear to me from the passage if Ezekiel actually performed this metaphor or merely spoke it. He compared Jerusalem to a cooking pot where all of the cuts of meat of a sheep had been placed together in the pot and brought to a boil with heavy spices. After a short period of time, there is no distinction between any of the cuts of meat. I am not certain that I am reading this correctly, but it seems like Ezekiel was to use too many spices in preparing this dish. All of the meat was ruined. Further, he left the pot on the fire until the water had all boiled off and the things remaining in the pot burned to the pot. The point of this metaphor was that all of the people in Jerusalem had become indistinguishable. Specifically, I believe that his message was directed at the elites who thought that when Jerusalem fell that they would receive special/better treatment from the Babylonians. When you look throughout history you see this theme repeated time and again. The elites of a city or nation believe that they will not face the consequences of their failure to protect everyone else but when things fall apart the ensuing tragedy falls on everyone equally.

    The other metaphor in today’s passage was a personal tragedy for Ezekiel. He was told that his wife, the love of his life, would die and he was forbidden to publicly mourn for her. The meaning of this is abundantly clear. The people of Jerusalem would experience even greater tragedy but be unable to spend any time mourning for their losses. Their loved ones would die, their valued possession would be taken or destroyed, and they would be unable to spend any time mourning their loss. Those who survived the destruction would need to go on about their lives without spending any time on what they had lost if they hoped to survive.

    The passage ends with a series of warnings against the nations surrounding Jerusalem who saw its fall as being good tor themselves. Ezekiel told them that they were mistaken. By seeking to benefit from the fall of Jerusalem they would hasten their own demise. Ezekiel’s warning is a lesson for everyone. The nations mentioned did not take the fall of Jerusalem as a warning to avoid the mistakes made by the people of Jerusalem. Instead they merely saw it as an opportunity for themselves. When our competitors fall, rather than rejoice at the opportunity we should be chastened and seek to see whether we do any of the things which led to their downfall.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 22-23.

    Ezekiel once again received a message of condemnation and warning for the people of Jerusalem. God will be pouring out His judgment on the city because its leaders were bent on murder, oppressing the widow and the fatherless, and mistreating the foreigner. The people make false accusations against others and are obsessed with immoral sex. The religious leaders fail to make a distinction between what is holy and what is unholy. The leaders destroyed peoples’ lives for money. At one time there had been a wall of righteous people around the land. A wall which kept people from straying too far from righteousness. God had looked for people to stand in the gaps in the wall and turn others back to righteousness. He had not found enough of them.

    I see a similar situation today. Our society is obsessed with sex. It defines people by their sexual behavior and has normalized immoral sexual acts. People are encouraged to blame their unhappiness on the way in which they were created. Our leaders tell lies about people and destroy them in order to advance their own power and wealth. Certain groups within our society have intentionally torn down the walls of righteousness which provided guide rails to those just learning to navigate through life. And God is seeking those who are willing to stand in the gaps in those walls, those willing to take the abuse that will be dished out to those who point others towards righteousness. Are you willing to take the risk to stand in the gap and declare that sin is sin? Am I?

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 20-21.

    The leaders of Israel came to Ezekiel requesting a message from God. It appears to me that they had a specific issue for which they were seeking guidance. God refused to give them an answer to their question. Instead God gave them a message calling out their sin. Ezekiel catalogued how the people of Israel had broken their covenant with God generation after generation and now this current generation was doing the same. In particular, Ezekiel confronts them over offering sacrifices to idols in little ways and sacrificing their children to those idols.

    I have tried to avoid controversial topics in writing this blog because I do not want to allow the emotions of partisanship to interfere with the word of God. However, I have become convicted that abortion in the U.S. (and probably most countries of Western Civilization) represents the same sort of sacrificing of our children for which the Old testament prophets condemned the people of Israel. When Ezekiel talks about the people of Israel of his day offering gifts to idols, he is talking about them doing things like standing for the national anthem and facing the flag with their hands over their hearts while knowing full well that the government that flag represents supports people sacrificing their children with abortion. I want to state in no uncertain terms that you cannot serve God and be “Pro Choice”. However, I want to also be clear that most of those who oppose abortion are just as guilty of idolatry. Rather than calling upon the Holy Spirit to change people’s hearts, to convict people of the sinfulness of abortion, they turn to the government to outlaw abortion. That is a form of idolatry as well.
    My position on abortion is that abortion is a sin. Killing a child, whether it is still in the mother’s womb or not, is wrong. I do not care what the law says on the issue. The government does not determine what is wrong and what is right, God does. I do not want women to not have abortions because it is illegal. I want them to not have an abortion because the Holy Spirit has transformed them to value that child. I do not want people to not perform abortions because the government will punish them for doing so. Once again, I want people to not perform abortions because God has transformed them into people who truly love others and recognize the harm an abortion will do to both the mother and the child. While I think it is the government’s place to make abortion illegal, I am not going to campaign for the government to change its laws. Instead, I will beseech God to transform people’s hearts and minds so that no one will desire to have or perform an abortion. If God’s answer to my petition is to call me to take action, I will do as He commands.