I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I am sorry if my posts are not posted in a timely fashion for the next little while. Well, I have my power back, but I am still not able to get online in my normal routine because my Internet service has not been restored. I am able to post by using either the Internet at a friend’s house or by going to someplace that has free Wifi access. I am going to try to get something closer to my normal routine by writing down the passages for the next day and writing the blog offline. In addition, I usually compose these on my desktop PC and typing them on my laptop is a different experience. Please bear with me until I get back into my usual routine.

     Ezekiel’s vision continued with the man in linen, who had marked those people selected for salvation, given coals from the presence of the Lord. The man in linen was instructed to spread the coals over the city of Jerusalem. Then Ezekiel saw the presence of the Lord depart from the Temple.
     The Spirit of the Lord than carried Ezekiel to the east gate of the Temple and showed him 25 leaders of the people of Jerusalem, two of whom Ezekiel names. Ezekiel tells them that they have been guilty of sins against the people of Jerusalem and of speaking false prophecies. Ezekiel tells them that they will be driven from Jerusalem and killed. While Ezekiel is prophesying against these men, one of them dies. Ezekiel then cries out to God, asking if Him if He will destroy even the remnant remaining of Israel.
     God replies that those who have been already been sent into exile are also Israel. God tells Ezekiel that He will gather the exiles back to His land. God will put a new spirit in them and they will remove the vile images and detestable idols from the land. God says that He will replace their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. Have we allowed God to replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh? Do we look at those around us still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and desire to help them in whatever way we can? Or are we content that we have power and seek after the pleasures that are available to us?

     The writer tells us that now he will move on from basic teachings to meatier ones. He then goes on to tell us that those who have tasted of God’s glory who turn away from God can never be brought back to repentance. I am not sure what he means here, but I will interpret it in light of my experience. I do not believe he is talking about those who profess faith and then for one reason or another drift away from the faith. Rather I think he is talking about those who profess faith and then consciously reject it.

     The psalmist recounts how God sent Joseph into Egypt as a slave, shackled and beaten. But Joseph was faithful and God raised him up to become ruler over all of Egypt, second only to Pharoah. Then Jacob and Joseph’s brothers and their children came to Egypt and lived there. Until they became numerous and the people of Egypt felt threatened by them. Then the Egyptians enslaved the people of Israel. God sent Moses and Aaron to free them, bringing judgment on the Egyptians in the form of the plagues.
     Are we faithful in our sufferings as Joseph was? Are we willing to be God’s messengers as Moses and Aaron were?

     Do not boast of the great things you are going to do in the future, because things may happen to change your plans. Recognize that all of our plans for the future will only come to pass insofar as they are God’s will. In addition, do not tell others how wonderful you are, let them see for themselves and let them tell others what they think of you. How many times have you heard someone who is constantly telling you all the good things they do for others, people who you never see doing any of these good things? When someone tells you of the wonderful things they have done, don’t you have a tendency to wonder if they are like those people? Let our actions speak for us, if we receive no recognition from people, we will still receive recognition from God.