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

My lovely wife married me 22 years ago on the 23rd of this month.  So I am going to wish her Happy Anniversary every day from now until then.

Happy Anniversary, Darling!

Usually when I read today’s passage God’s comparison of Ezekiel to a watchman who must give the people warning of impending danger is the part which strikes closest to home for me.  However, today I was struck more by two other things in this passage.  First is something which I have touched on when mentioned elsewhere.  If someone whom God has praised and blessed for their righteousness begins to do evil, God will withdraw His blessing and allow them to suffer the consequences of their evil.  On the other hand, if someone whom God has promised to send punishment for their evil, stops committing evil acts and begins to live righteously, God will withdraw the promised punishment and bless them.  If you seek the benefits of righteous behavior you must continue to behave righteously.  On the other hand, when you recognize the wickedness of your actions it is never too late to change.

Second, I was struck by God’s warning to Ezekiel that most of those coming to listen to him prophesy were merely doing so for entertainment’s sake.  They had no intention of acting on what he said to them.  It struck me as something we must be careful to avoid today.  It is all too easy for us to attend worship for what I get out of it, for my entertainment.  And, it is all too easy to conduct services which entertain people rather than inspire them to change.  I would also like to point out that Ezekiel was a true prophet of God, yet God told him that those who came to listen to him has no intention of acting on the words which he spoke.  So, while if we are the one speaking we must be careful to make clear that we are calling people to change, the onus of this passage is on those of us who are the audience when God’s word is spoken.  We must listen to God’s word and change our behavior and we must not allow ourselves to select where we choose to listen to God’s word because it entertains us sufficiently.

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