September 7 - Ezekiel 35-37: God Remains Wholly on Israel's Side to Show the Nations His Holiness

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 35-37

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would not restore Israel because of their righteousness but because of His Holiness.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"Ezekiel, Mount Seir thought Israel's and Judah's land could be theirs. I will demolish them.
"Tell Israel's mountains they will grow large populations and tell Israel's valleys they will give life again.
"Israel sullied My Reputation. I will rebuild My Reputation when the nations see that I give Israel a new, clean heart. Then everyone will regret years of disobedience."
God brought to life a valley full of human bones. Israel would likewise rise again.
"I will rejoin Israel and Judah to show the nations that I made Israel holy when I become the center of their lives."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God would stay wholly for Israel.

Mount Seir thought God's removal of Israel meant their land was free to anyone. So they attacked a vulnerable, weakened remnant and took over some of the land. What they did, though, was bring God's punish on themselves because they looted Israel's (abandoned) towns. God was not finished with Israel, though. He would give them the land again. God's punishment of a group of people does not mean they are abandoned forever. God is wholly for His Chosen People because God is Holy.

God gave Israel their land because of His Holiness, not theirs.

Israel dirtied God's Reputation from the time He saved them from Egypt. Isaiah also mentioned God's reason to restore Israel was based on His Reputation, not their merit. God wanted to reset His Defining Act from the Exodus to the return from the Exile. God wanted the nations to see His Holiness, Reputation, and Name. Restoring Israel would be how they would see this. God wanted to make sure Israel did not believe they earned their return. God's Chosen People are blessed to show the world God is Holy, not that we are holy.

The nations would see that God made Israel's and Judah's relationship right.

God would take Judah's and Israel's "unholiness" away. He would give them a new heart and His Spirit. Famine would be removed. All would be well. His Servant would reign in righteousness. United Israel would obey God and God would greatly bless Israel. God would return to His Place of Worship. All of this would show the nations how awesome He is. God wants to set our relationship right so the nations will see His Holiness.

God would retake His Place as the center of Israel's worship.

Israel's problem is their unwillingness to worship God alone. This brought in a host of problems ranging from bad worship acts to murder in the streets. God wanted to contrast that lifestyle with the one that has Him as the center. That lifestyle sets things right and makes people a lighthouse for the nations. When God is the center of our worship, His Promises come true! This is why Israel would regret their years of disobedience. It's not a guilt trip—it's sadness over a missed opportunity!

Is God the center of your worship?

September 6 - Ezekiel 32-34: God vs. Egypt, Silent Watchmen, and Israel's Shepherds

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 32-34

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Ezekiel cannot sit and watch God's warnings come true. He must act or be held accountable for Israel's punishment.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"Babylon will lead a nation of brutes to destroy Egypt. Egypt will be buried without honors."
"Ezekiel, a silent watchman pays for spilled blood. Tell Israel each person will be judged on how they live.
"Israel thinks they deserve land because they come from Abraham. How absurd. They must realize I make that decision.
"Ezekiel, prophesy doom to the shepherds of Israel who scatter My Sheep. They're fired! I will shepherd My Sheep and separate the sheep from the goats. The strong sheep will no longer wreak havoc on the weaker sheep. Then they will know I am God."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Nations who think more highly of themselves than they ought crash.

Today's first chapter finishes the part brought up in yesterday's reading. God does not rejoice over Egypt's downfall. He laments. The reason Egypt, Assyria, Edom, and Meshech-tubal were destroyed was because their pride took control and made them believe they were greater than they really were. They experienced success that went to their head. Beware success—it may lead to the fatal idea that you are self-sufficient.
Unfortunately, Israel was not immune to this pride. They believed their ethnic identity guaranteed possession of Canaan. What they did not understand is God's Blessings come to those who set things right, not those who live under the Promise of Abraham. Silly Israel. It's a good thing we do not think like this.
Okay, so we do. How many people do we know who go through the motions (or fail to worship God at all) simply because they have been baptized and feel entitled to God's blessings? We are not guaranteed God's Blessings because we are one of God's Chosen People. We are guaranteed God's Blessings when we submit ourselves to His Way and set things right!

Watchmen who do not speak are held accountable.

This is the second time God used the image of a watchman to remind Ezekiel of his job. God tells His Chosen Messenger to warn Israel and Judah of their coming punishment. If they would not listen to him, their blood would be on their heads. If he did not tell them, their blood would be on his head. If you have a person within your sphere of influence whom you do not warn that their actions would bring punishment you will be held responsible. Remember, this is not about convincing them to change; it is about warning them of punishment to come.

God does not enjoy punishing the wicked.

Although I mentioned this earlier, I believe this point is important enough to repeat. God wants everyone to set things right. Because God wants to set all things right, He will respond in-kind. A good person who sins will be punished. A bad person who sets things right will be rewarded. If we cannot get our heads around that, we will miss God's entire Message throughout Scripture.

God would punish Israel's shepherds.

God's anger against Israel's shepherds comes as a result of their unwillingness to promote righteousness and their willingness to oppress others. They were unwilling to do what God called them to do and therefore God would punish them. Leaders are responsible for setting the proper example of setting things right.

God would become Israel's Shepherd.

God would go after them. God would rescue them. God would bring them home. God would feed them. God would protect them from predators. God would not allow the strong to bully the weak. If God wants to set all things right and leaders set the example most people follow, God will be the leader to set an example of setting all things right. God wants to be our Shepherd and set things right in our flock.

Do you want God to be your shepherd?

September 5 - Ezekiel 28-31: Tyre and Egypt Realize God is (g)od

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 28-31

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God must convince these nations that He is god and not them.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"Tyre, your money and fortune has made you believe you are a god. Try to argue that with your assassins.
"Sidon, you need to learn who I am.
"Israel will be freed from her nagging neighbors. She will live in safety."
Later God came to Ezekiel again, "Preach against Egypt. They think the Nile belongs to them. They will soon know I am God. Egypt's downfall will bring encouragement to Israel and terror to their allies. They will never again dominate the world.
"Tell Pharaoh, 'Who do you think you are? I created everything. Your big nation will crumble.'"

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Tyre and Egypt thought they were gods and not God.

Tyre's blessings, mentioned in yesterday's reading, came from trade. Instead of blessing God for their great riches, they considered themselves in control. Egypt had a similar issue, though they still had a temple full of gods. God would show both of them who the real god was.

God's punishments were meant to show who He was.

One phrase that continues to come up in Ezekiel is a form of "they will know (or realize) I am God". It came up 12 times in today's reading alone. God's purpose for punishing Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt (alongside Israel, Judah, Assyria, and Babylon) was because they had either not given full respect to God or thought they were gods themselves. God is not a wrath-filled Spirit who angrily punishes people because He cannot get His Way. God uses His Punishment to remind the world who He is.

Do you act like God is god?

September 4 - Ezekiel 24-27: God Prevents Israel's Mourning; Punishes Judah's Neighbors

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 24-27

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The people who laughed at Israel and Judah would be punished, too.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"Ezekiel, Jerusalem's murderers have stoked my vengeance. I will purify the city—no more compassion.
Ezekiel's wife died. People asked why he was not mourning. "You will be unable to mourn when God destroys the Temple and your children are murdered."
"When that day happens, Ezekiel, I will allow mourning and through that they will see I am God."
"Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia laughed at Judah and their plight. They treated My Chosen People without mercy. They will be punished. Tyre cheered Jerusalem's downfall. Nebuchadnezzar will smash them into a bare rock. Ezekiel will hold a funeral for them."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God would not allow Ezekiel to mourn the loss of his wife to show Jerusalem how bad life could be if they did not surrender.

One important part to remember as we read this section is that Ezekiel is not prophesying alone. Jeremiah is prophesying at the same time to the same people. Jeremiah's message is to surrender and survive. Since Judah cared little for God they were unwilling to listen and God was forced to punish them to the fullest extent. But at the moment they were completely defeated, God would allow Ezekiel and Israel to mourn.

The surrounding nations would be punished for not helping their ailing neighbor.

Most of my life I assumed God only cared for Israel during the Old Testament's time. Little did I realize how much the surrounding nations were mentioned. If God wants to set all things right on the earth, then all nations are rewarded or punished for their actions. Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre would be taken over because they would not help Judah and laughed at God because Judah was taken into captivity.

Do you rejoice at the downfall of your hated neighbor or do you try to help first?

September 3 - Ezekiel 22-23: Jerusalem's Crime Bosses will be Punished

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 22-23

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God's Chosen People have forgotten how to set things right in their community.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God told Ezekiel to judge the city, "Jerusalem's inhabitants outdo each other in crime. They will soon know I am God.
"No one will stand up to the bad priests and excuse-making preachers; therefore, they will see my wrath."
God's message: "Two sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem) became whores in Egypt. Oholah wanted Assyrian men but they brutally killed her.
"Oholibah slept with Babylonian men and later abandoned them. Now her jilted lovers will have revenge."
"Ezekiel, these sisters sacrificed children to idols then waltzed into My Temple to worship Me! I must make an example out of them."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jerusalem has forgotten God.

The leaders compete to be the crime boss of Jerusalem. There is no court immune from their evil schemes. Anarchy reigns. Worst of all, they have forgotten God. The god that once saved collective Israel from captivity is now only a cultural symbol to the only remaining tribes. Beware of idols, they will make you unable to see God as He is.

God's punishment is meant to remind Jerusalem who their god is.

Jerusalem has a major problem with other idols. They cannot stop worshiping them. So God will come and forcibly remove their idols so they can see their god and return to Him. God's punishments are meant to remove barriers to seeing Him, not to make us feel bad about our lives.

God's Message through Ezekiel gets more explicit as it goes.

Earlier I wrote on how Israel wanted to keep their sexual pleasures more than their god. Ezekiel's message in chapter 23 would be considered "R-rated" by most Christian sensors. What we must remember as we read these sections is that God (or Ezekiel) is using metaphors which relate to Israel and Judah's sin. They have cheated on God by going to sex-and-religion shrines. They offered their children to their sex-and-religion idols and then entered the Temple in Honor of God to worship Him as though nothing they did mattered. So he uses metaphors which closely resemble their actions—prostitution. If you feel uncomfortable or blush at these sections—good! They are not meant to be feel-good texts.

What does God need to remove to help you see Him as He is?

September 2 - Ezekiel 20-21: Israel Wanted to Control God, not Obey Him

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 20-21

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God's Chosen People have always survived because of God Amazing Grace.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God, through Ezekiel, spoke to Israel's leaders. "I wanted Israel to be wholly Mine. But they kept their Egyptian no-gods. I held back my anger to save My Reputation.
"I gave them My Law including the Sabbath to rekindle our relationship. They ignored My Sabbaths. I held back my anger to save My Reputation.
"I gave land to their children—who also abandoned Me—who became filthy like their gods.
"I will never be controlled.
"I will burn both dead and green trees.
"A sharp sword is ready against Jerusalem. I will lead your enemy to you, Zedekiah."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Israel never became wholly God's.

The most disappointing part of Israel's existence is that they had ample opportunity to get rid of their gods but chose not to. They never became holy. Later they became as filthy as the gods God wanted to destroy.

God gave us the Law to help us set things right and point us to Him.

Israel never understood why God gave them the Law. God wanted them to use this Law to set things right within their borders and to be a lighthouse to the nations to help them see God as well. The Sabbath was meant not only for a day of rest but for a day to connect with God. God gives His Law because He loves us and wants to set things right.

Israel wanted a god they could control instead of a God they would obey.

God gets to the heart of the matter—Israel was not interested in God because He demanded obedience. The other gods were subservient to Israel's every wishes. Israel could do whatever they wanted and invent a god to honor it. This is why God's Law was ignored and despised: Israel wanted to control their lives, not obey God.
In reality, we all want a god we can morph into our image instead of the other way around. Much of theology is trying to get around the simple meaning of the text. We want to limit the Scripture to suit our lifestyles, our wants, and our desires. However, we will eventually understand God's Way is the best way. We must not control God. We must obey God.

Do you want a god that can serve you or do you want to serve God?

September 1 - Ezekiel 18-19: God Does Not Enjoy Punishing Evil

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 18-19

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would not punish children for their parents' sin or parents for their children's sin.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message:
"Every person will be punished for their mistakes. A person who sets things right will live. A person who makes mistakes will die. Parents and children are neither punished nor rewarded for the other's actions. Guilt will not transfer from generation to generation.
"I don't take pleasure in the death of wicked people! I do not keep a list of good or bad acts. It depends on life now. So stop rebelling against Me!"
Sing Israel's blues: Two prized cubs from a great lioness were drug away by angry villagers. A vine grew great branches that all dried.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Parents do not pass on their sin; children's mistakes are not the responsibility of the parent.

Israel felt God punished them and took them into exile because of their ancestors' sins. They did not want to admit they were the cause of their exile. So God needed to set them straight—sin is not inheritable and guilt does not travel up generations. Each tub must sit on its own bottom, to use my grandmother's old saying.
Although the teaching came much later than Ezekiel, he rather convincingly refutes the idea of original sin, one of the central tenets of Calvinism (some of John Calvin's teachings came from Augustine but bear Calvin's name because he brought them all together). I bring this up—it is only the second time I have brought up a contemporary doctrine (at least I think)—because it is so pervasive in Christianity today. It informs many churches, many mission trips, and much of our evangelism. Once we understand we are not condemned from birth we begin to see our mission differently. Once we see babies born outside the influence of Christianity are not automatically condemned we change our evangelism. It also takes away one of the major issues people have with the teachings of evangelicalism (although I do not call myself "Evangelical", I do have much in common with them). Sin is not inherited from your parents.

God does not delight in punishing anyone.

In what may seem strange coming from the god who has made His Chosen People go into exile and would punish many nations to come, God does not want to kill anyone. He wants to set everyone's relationship right! It may sound strange to us to hear, but to a group of people who feel they have been abandoned by God while watching hundreds of their neighbors die of disease, famine, wild animals, and war it would sound wonderful—maybe even too wonderful. God does not want to kill or punish you. He wants to set your relationship right!
To continue my discussion from the last point, understanding that God does not take pleasure in punishing anyone—even wicked people—takes aim at another tenant of Calvinism: predestination or unconditional election. Many defenders would claim that God does not choose for people to be punished but instead knows they will be punished. That seems like a poor alternative; in fact, I would hazard to say it is a distinction without a difference. Why would God create people who were destined for punishment?

God does not keep a ledger of our good deeds and our bad deeds.

Israel wanted to play "balance the good and bad" because they thought God kept a list of good and bad things. If your bad deeds exceeded your good deeds you were punished. If they didn't, you were blessed. That misses the point of holiness! God does not want us flirting with wrong. God does not want us balancing right and wrong. God wants us to be wholly His and to set all things right.
On the flip side, though, God would not keep a list of our wrongs. If a person changed their life and set things right, God would bless the person—no strings attached. God can forgive anyone that changes their life. There is no amount of sin that would prevent God from forgiving and blessing a person who changed their life. This is why God's message to Israel is,

So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won’t drag you down. Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! (18:30-31, The Message)

How awesome is God's fairness!