THE PLAN
Every Monday I will post the reading for the week ahead. It will be about 10 chapters a week. You might want to read a chapter or two a day, and catch up at weekends. If there is a verse that especially spoke to you, a question that you have, or a thought that struck you, please share it with your fellow travellers by making a comment.
8 comments:
I can't say I understand so much of this Book, but one Meassage really hit home to me,
''Then they will know that I am the Lord''--I've underlined 13 today, also that the Lord God is Sovereign.
I was very challenged by chapter 18 v 30 & 31 ''Repent! Turn away from all your offences: then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offences you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit''. Thanks be to our Sovereign Lord, who took all that sin upon Himself in order to give us a new heart and spirit.
I'm useless with this technology &,pressed wrong button as ever. Above written by me.
Good spot Ruth
That phrase "then they will know that I am the Lord" comes around 70 times in Ezekiel. The fact of its being repeated so often gives us a massive clue about the burden of the book. A world that doesn't know Him will one day know Him.
Have just read Ch 16 (am a bit behind) and have to confess I am finding the descriptions of the depth and extent of God's wrath quite overwhelming. I know there are glimpses of mercy and lots more at the end, but it is very uncomfortable reading and I'm not quite sure what to do with that. Any advice?
One question I have off the back of ch 16, which I guess applies to how we read the whole book, is how much am I like Jerusalem/Israel, and is this how the Lord feels about me and my sin? I'm assuming the answer is 'a lot' and so my only option is to go to the foot of the cross and soak up his mercy shown there, but what do I do with v 62 (ch16) "when I make atonement for all you have done you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the sovereign lord"?
And v32 after your verse above is so reassuring Ruth - that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, not wanting any to perish. We have been warned. He is as patient as He can be without compromising His very nature. Amazing.
I suspect we are meant to feel deeply uncomfortable. His righteous judgment of His people’s sin is the dark backdrop against which His promise of atonement and new hearts shines. Ezekiel is a book of extremes. Very low lows and very high highs. I think we’re meant to feel those extremes.
Struck this morning by the repetition in ch20 of how the Lord doesn't treat His people as they deserve 'for the sake of (his) name in the eyes of the nations'. There is no higher or more wonderful goal or cause worth living for than the glory of His name.
Along similar lines, really struck by 20:41. The Lord shows his holiness through his people. Our life together is testimony to his holiness. A bunch of sinners saved by grace are testimony to his holiness. Amazing
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