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?

August 22 - Jeremiah 46-48: God Shows the Godless Nations They Need Him

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 46-48

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would bring punishment on all the nations around Judah as well.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message to other nations:
"Egypt! Inside you shake with terror. You will not control the world. Exile will be your new home. Watch out—I'm going to show up your gods.
"Israel, however, I will return from exile. I'm not finished with you yet."
"Doom is coming, Philistines."
"Moab, your glory and your gods will be taken away. You will be an embarrassment to future generations. You laughed at Israel but were equally as bad. I will weep for you while I stop the sacrifices to your gods. Someday I will put things right; but first, punishment."

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

God would punish these "godless" nations to prove their gods impotent.

God wanted Israel and Judah to be lighthouses to the nations with hopes that they would give up their gods and follow the Creator. Instead Israel and Judah became examples of how not to follow God. Now God comes to each nation independently to prove their gods unable to save, just as Israel's gods were unable to save them. God is not being heartless and killing nation after nation. He is showing them they need a new god and Israel would be a great place to find Him. Everything God does is meant to set things right, even if it requires punishment.

Israel would be returned because God was not finished with them.

God comforts His Exiled People:

I’ll finish off all the godless nations
   among which I’ve scattered you,
But I won’t finish you off.
   I have more work left to do on you.
I’ll punish you, but fairly.
   No, I’m not finished with you yet. (46:28, The Message)

God is never finished with His Chosen People, even when they are finished with Him.

God would set Moab right.

Out of the three "godless" nations, Moab is the only one who receives a comforting message at the end. God would punish them because of their arrogance but he would bring them back in the end. God wants to set things right.

Are you finished with God?

August 19 - 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36: Judah in Exile; Their Land Rests

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we finish two books, 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles! This brings us to 26 books read. Only 13 to go in the Old Testament!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jerusalem was taken over by the Babylonians then ransacked later because Judah never learned from their mistakes.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Egyptians took Jehoahaz into exile after three months.
Jehoiakim unsuccessfully rebelled three years later.
Babylonians took Jehoiachin into exile after three months.
During Zedekiah's reign Nebuzaradan took the Temple's bronze to Babylon. Judeans were murdered indiscriminately—even in the Temple. Then they razed the city. Judah went into exile.
Manasseh's murderous sins doomed Judah. All of Jeremiah's warnings came true. The land at last had its Sabbath rest.
Gedaliah, Babylon's appointed governor, was killed by the royal descendent Ishmael.
Jehoiachin sat at the king's table later in life.
Cyrus, the Persian king, urged God's Chosen People to return.

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

Judah's fall did not happen all at once.

Judah did not go into exile all at once. They had multiple chances to repent and change but instead ignored Jeremiah's warnings.

Babylon's war crimes would eventually catch up to them.

God would not allow Babylon to go scot free from their crimes. These are the crimes Isaiah (twice) and Jeremiah mentioned when they spoke of Babylon's sin. Babylon was called by God to punish Judah for their sin but instead committed worse acts.

The land enjoyed rest.

God told Israel to give the land a year of rest to test Israel's faith. God also warned that if they did not allow the land to rest He would give it to their enemies and then the land would have all of its Sabbaths at once. Israel and Judah never gave the land its rest. So for 70 years the land rested to make up for lost time.

King Cyrus allowed Israel to return.

We will get into this in the next month. Since the Chronicles were written to a post-exilic community, this section helped to bridge the contents of those books to the post-exilic history. It also showed that God's promises would come true. God's Warnings and His Promises come true.

Do you see how God set things right even when Judah went into exile?