"Dry Bones Listen!"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 37:1-39:29; Ezekiel 32:1-16

Scripture Focus

“Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!’” (Ezekiel 37:4 NLT)

Observation

Gotta love it—this classic passage from the prophet Ezekiel. But it seems especially powerful placed in its historical context.

Remember that the northern ten tribes of Israel have already been destroyed by the Assyrians, and now more recently, the southern two tribes of Judah have been conquered and deported by the Babylonians. Gedaliah, the man appointed governor of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, has been assassinated. God’s people are completely without land or statehood and have been scattered across the known world.

Honestly—can it get any worse for God’s people? Could the situation be any more bleak or hopeless? I don’t see how!

And in that context, Ezekiel has a vision and receives and instruction. The vision is of “a valley filled with bones…scattered everywhere across the ground and…completely dried out” (37:1-2 NLT). And it’s to *that* valley of dry bones that Ezekiel is to prophecy—to proclaim the message of God. “Dry bones, listen…! …you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD” (37:4,6 NLT).

So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. (Ezekiel 37:10 NLT)

The scene is powerful—imagine it! Bone joining bone, topped by flesh, filled with breath (spirit), and assembling as a might army! Wow! And it speaks to whatever situation you’re facing today. It speaks to every situation I’m facing today.

What I’m wondering today has to do with our willingness to speak the living word of God into our lifeless, hopeless circumstances. I know what most of us think—“That’s silly. What difference could repeating a few words make?”

Well…none, I think, if you’re chanting a mantra or repeating some magical incantation. But if, by faith, you’re declaring what God has spoken to your heart to declare…well, I think it could make all the difference in the world.

“Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!’”

***

"I Myself Will Search and Find My Sheep"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 34:1-36:38

Scripture Focus

I myself will search and find my sheep. (Ezekiel 34:11 NLT)

Observation

I admit—this was kind of a tough passage to choose a central verse to key in on for me. As a guy who always thinks I could have done better/worked harder/acted more wisely/etc., it’s tough to read of the Lord’s rebuke of leaders through Ezekiel. When Ezekiel begins with…

What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? (Ezekiel 34:1 NLT)

…I take that personally. And I ought to! I’ll stand before God someday and answer for my stewardship of the life and opportunities He’s given me…for the “sheep” with which He’s entrusted me. Of course, Ezekiel has a few words for those who are shepherded, too:

I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats. (Ezekiel 34:17 NLT)

But then, I know, it’s ultimately the Lord who separates the sheep from the goats and that doesn’t change my responsibilities much (though it does answer a few questions as to why some respond and others don’t!). My heart, then, finds a resting place in verse 11:

I myself will search and find my sheep. (Ezekiel 34:11 NLT)

I love the heart Jesus has for His sheep—because I am one! He *will* search me out…He *will* find me! There is something about recognizing again Jesus’ care for me that encourages my heart and strengthens my days. “Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love!”

***

"Let 'Yes' Mean 'Yes'!

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 42:1-44:30; Ezekiel 33:21-33

Scripture Focus

Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! (Jeremiah 42:5 NLT)

Observation

This is another one of those “shouldn’t-make-me-laugh-‘cause-it’s-not-funny-but-it-does-because-it’s-so-typical” stories from Scripture.

It was a bad enough day for the people of Judah when they were conquered and pillaged by the heartless Babylonians. Now Gedeliah, the governor that Nebuchadnezzar had left in charge of the land, has been murdered by Ishmael, and Ishmael and his men have fled into Ammon. Nebuchadnezzar is likely to be none too happy about the disposition of the fellow he’d left in charge and the handful of leaders who are left are rightfully concerned for their own safety. What reason would Nebuchadnezzar not have to simply come in and wipe the rest of the population out, washing his hands of the whole mess!

So these guys approach Jeremiah. “Pray to the Lord your God for us. …Pray that the Lord will show us what to do and where to go.” (Jeremiah 42:2-3 NLT). And then they boldly make this simple declaration:

“May the LORD your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! (Jeremiah 42:5 NLT)

Through Jeremiah, God says (in essence), “Stay put. Obey me in this and I’ll take care of you.” And *what*, pray tell…*what* is the response?

Well, bottom line, it’s anything but what they promised. They accuse Jeremiah of lying and not only do they refuse to stay where God said stay, when they head off to Egypt, they take Jeremiah with them by force! It’s remarkable… just not all that unusual…and no place I want to be. “Lord, when I make a promise, let it be a promise I keep. Let my ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and my ‘no’ be ‘no’—plain and simple.”

***

"The End of the Chapter..."

Scripture Passage

Lamentations 5:1-22; Obadiah 1:1-21; 2 Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 40:7-41:18

Scripture Focus

Restore us, O LORD, and bring us back to you again!
     Give us back the joys we once had!
Or have you utterly rejected us?
     Are you angry with us still?
                      (Lamentations 3:21-22 NLT)

Observation

Ya gotta love honest communication. At least, I do. So as painful as Lamentations is to read, I’m glad it’s in the Scriptures.

God doesn’t pull any punches in His Word. You see people at their best, and people at their worst. You see God in all His glory (well, at least as much as can be captured through pen and ink), in all His abounding love, and in all His holy judgment.

And so it is in Lamentations. God has challenged, rebuked, loved, beckoned, counseled, encouraged, warned and waited—giving His people opportunity after opportunity to return to Him, but they have persisted in their rebellion until God (have I said this before?) is left with no choice. Judgment comes.

Lamentations 5:17 gives us a glimpse of Jerusalem's condition:

Our hearts are sick and weary,
     and our eyes grow dim with tears.
For Jerusalem is empty and desolate,
     a place haunted by jackals.

Lamentations 5:18 gives us a glimpse of God’s steadfastness:

But LORD, you remain the same forever!
     Your throne continues from generation to generation.

And verses 20-22 give the honest cry of the brokenhearted, suffering because they’ve ignored and rejected their God:

Why do you continue to forget us?
     Why have you abandoned us for so long?
Restore us, O LORD, and bring us back to you again!
     Give us back the joys we once had!
Or have you utterly rejected us?
     Are you angry with us still?

That's it. That's the end of the chapter. The end of the book.  But what a powerful way to close a book of Holy Scripture. What a powerful prayer for restoration! What an honest question from a longing heart! Nobody ever wants to be there—wondering when—if—God will show up again. But when we’re in that position, Lamentations lets us know we’re not the first—others have certainly been there, too.

And what we know from elsewhere is that the conclusion of Lamentations isn’t the conclusion of Scripture. The end of the book isn’t the end of the story. The point? Just because it feels like the end, doesn't mean it's the end of the story. It may just be the end of the chapter, and the opportunity for God to start a whole new book.

***

"New Every Morning"

Scripture Passage

Lamentations 2:1-4:22

Scripture Focus

The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
     His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
     his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
     therefore, I will hope in him!”
                    (Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT)

Observation

I’m thinking, today, of what Judah’s sins cost Jeremiah (the likely author of Lamentations). In spite of great persecution and in spite of great opposition, Jeremiah had remained true to his God, true to his calling, and true to his people. Now, destruction has come—as God justly promised it would—and Jeremiah is watching a destroyed people struggle for survival. Indeed, there’s no reason to believe that Jeremiah was exempt from that struggle himself.

Still, Jeremiah remains true to God, true to his calling, and true to his people. He mourns with them. He weeps over their losses. And he continues to find his strength in the Lord. What a remarkable declaration:

I will never forget this awful time,
     as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
     when I remember this:

The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
     His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
     his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
     therefore, I will hope in him!”
                  (Lamentations 3:20-24 NLT)

What a remarkable faith! What remarkable obedience! What a remarkable identification with those he’d been called to serve! I’m challenged in regard to my own faith, my own obedience, my own steadfastness. “O Lord, may I still dare to hope…in You!”

***

"Because You Trusted Me"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 39:11-18; Jeremiah 40:1-6; 2 Kings 25:8-21; Jeremiah 52:12-27; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Lamentations 1:1-22

Scripture Focus

“Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward.” (Jeremiah 39:18 NLT)

Observation

I’m not sure I always appreciate well the kind of perilous circumstances under which Jeremiah lived and ministered. Unthinkingly, I sort of imagine Jeremiah wandering about in a robe and beard, uttering oracles from God like the guy who wears a sandwich board announcing, “The End Is Near!”

But the truth is, there’s much more going on here than that. Jeremiah is actually a political prisoner who has suffered significant persecution because of his anti-government rhetoric. He’s been flogged, beaten, and imprisoned. And now the enemy army, of whom he’s spoken positively, has taken Jerusalem!

Not only is Jeremiah’s status “iffy”—so is that of his compatriot, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian. Remember Ebed? He’s the guy who pleaded with Zedekiah for Jeremiah’s rescue from the "empty-but-muddy" cistern, and thoughtfully sent rags down on a rope so that Jeremiah’s rescue didn’t do more harm than good. Ebed-melech, then, has served as an official under Zedekiah, but also sided with those who’ve suggested surrender to the Babylonians (i.e., Jeremiah). What’s to come of Ebed-melech now that the Babylonian’s have taken the city? Can you imagine how Ebed-melech must have feared for his own life? But here’s God’s promise to Ebed-melech through his prophet Jeremiah:

“Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward.” (Jeremiah 39:18 NLT)

There’s something about that I really like. Ebed-melech doesn’t have the “standing” Jeremiah seems to have. He’s likely of no particular value to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, though he’s stood with the King’s supporter, Jeremiah. He is of questionable value to Zedekiah—and may even be perceived as Zedekiah’s enemy, given his support of Jeremiah. What’s to come of Ebed-melech, the Nobody? Who will stand for one who did right at the risk of his own life—specifically, one who expressed tangible compassion for another human being who’d suffered as a result of expressing his own politically unpopular conviction?

God would. God would stand for Ebed-melech. “Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward.” (Jeremiah 39:18 NLT)

***

"An Uninhabited Ruin!"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 26:15-28:26; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52:6-11; Jeremiah 39:2-10

Scripture Focus

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will make Tyre an uninhabited ruin, like many others. I will bury you beneath the terrible waves of enemy attack. Great seas will swallow you. (Ezekiel 26:19 NLT)

Observation

Today is one of those days where it’s a shame that a cohesive section of Scripture has been arbitrarily divided between a couple of different days. With the opening verses of Ezekiel 26, the prophet begins a pronouncement of judgment on Tyre that continues in today’s reading. The thing to note from yesterday’s reading is that Tyre rejoiced in Judah’s demise, celebrating what she might gain from it.

“Son of man, Tyre has rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Ha! She who was the gateway to the rich trade routes to the east has been broken, and I am the heir! Because she has been made desolate, I will become wealthy!’” (Ez 26:2 NLT)

The thing that’s clear from today’s reading is that God won’t stand for Tyre rejoicing in Israel’s demise. In short, Tyre will fall and all the surrounding nations who looked to Tyre for support will collapse as well (26:15-18).

Now, I’ve said it before: I’m not enough of an Old Testament scholar to get especially worked up about the destruction of an ancient people I know so little about. However, Tyre’s situation does remind me, today—because Tyre apparently felt so secure in her position and in need of nothing and no one else—of a story Jesus tells as recorded in Luke 12.

A man concerned about getting his share of an inheritance has interrupted Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ reply is to the point. "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15 NIV). Then Jesus tells the story of a man who enjoyed a bountiful harvest one year—a harvest he must not have needed, for all his barns were already full. Thinking of no one but himself (like Tyre thought nothing of Judah), he determined to build bigger barns and store up all the excess “for a rainy day.” In the story Jesus tells, God announced the man would never need all the goods he’d selfishly hoarded. “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?“ (Luke 12:20 NIV)

“This is how it will be,” Jesus says, “with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21 NIV).

I’m not saying the parallels between the destruction of Tyre and the losses of the “successful” farmer are exact. I’m only saying the former reminds me of the latter. Those who share our Father’s compassion for others find themselves “rich towards God.” Those who don’t—well, today’s reading suggests that tightfisted insensitivity comes at a painful price.

***

"A Bad Investment? A Great Promise!"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 32:1-33:26; Ezekiel 26:1-14

Scripture Focus

“This is what the LORD says: Just as I have brought all these calamities on them, so I will do all the good I have promised them. Fields will again be bought and sold in this land…" (Jeremiah 32:42-43 NLT)

Observation

These passages sure are easier to read when there’s at least a bit of hope tucked away somewhere among the verses! And so it is today, with especially rich promises in Jeremiah—promises of the restoration of the people of God and of a descendant from David forever on the throne (e.g., Jeremiah 33:15-18).

In today’s reading—as an object lesson for the people of God—Jeremiah buys a field. Specifically, God lets Jeremiah know that his cousin will be approaching him to sell him a piece of family property—and God lets Jeremiah know that he’s to buy it!

Now, the remarkable thing about that, of course, is that the land of Judah is being utterly ravaged by the Babylonians. Jerusalem is under siege, Jeremiah himself is under arrest within the city, and the piece of property in question is in an area described as “desolate” with no people or animals (33:12)!

All of this makes Jeremiah’s purchase a really bad investment from a purely human perspective. But God has made a promise—the promise of the restoration of God’s people to the land He’d given them. And because of God’s promise, God’s people can be sure that “Fields will again be bought and sold in this land” (32:43). Because of God’s promise, Jeremiah can make what looks like a foolish investment from any other perspective and be confident that it’s going to pay off richly in the end.

There are huge investments made by God-honoring people that don’t make much sense from any other perspective. This world’s “experts” could find plenty of fault with the time and energy and money that believing Christians invest in Kingdom of Heaven priorities. The notion, for example, of honoring God with the tithe has to seem as foolish to most as Jeremiah’s seventeen pieces of silver “invested” in a worthless piece of land. But for the believer, God’s promise trumps everything else. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).

***

"You Will Mourn Privately"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 24:15-25:17; Jeremiah 34:1-22; Jeremiah 21:1-14; Ezekiel 29:1-16; Ezekiel 30:20-31:18

Scripture Focus

Then you will do as Ezekiel has done. You will not mourn in public or console yourselves by eating the food brought by friends. Your heads will remain covered, and your sandals will not be taken off. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins. You will mourn privately for all the evil you have done. (Ezekiel 24:22-23 NLT)

Observation

Let’s be honest—again today there’s not much to leave a reader jumping up and down with joy. Today’s reading speaks repeatedly of the ways in which God’s justice will be seen in His judgment—not just on Judah, but on Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Egypt, as well.

But the strength of the blow of judgment against Judah in particular is seen in this strange paragraph from Ezekiel 24. Ezekiel is to prophecy the death of his own wife—someone dear to him like no one else—and then, when it happens, Ezekiel is forbidden any public signs of mourning!

The death of Ezekiel’s wife happens just as he has prophesied, and Ezekiel obeys the command of God not to publically mourn. The people, understandably, question why. And Ezekiel makes it clear that all of this is an object lesson for them. When God’s judgment strikes, they, too, will mourn—but without any of the support that others are able to offer in a time of great loss. “You will mourn privately for all the evil you have done” (Ezekiel 24:23 NLT).

If you’ve ever walked through a significant loss like the loss Ezekiel experienced here, you know one of two things: You know how valuable the support of others was to you…or you know how deeply you missed what others could have supplied if they would have. Judah’s mourning at the time of their destruction by Babylon would have been bad enough—but how painful must it have been to walk through that loss without the kind of support from others that makes such losses bearable? And how severe and persistent their rebellion must have been for God to deem such judgment necessary.

Again today, my only response is to cry out, “God—never…never let me grow so calloused or insensitive to your voice…toward your holiness…that such judgment is necessary in my life. Thank you that, in Jesus Christ, what judgment I have deserved has been borne for me. Let my life always invite your blessing, never your judgment!”

***

"You Will Remain In Your Filth"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 22:17-23:49; 2 Kings 24:20-25:2; Jeremiah 52:3-5; Jeremiah 39:1; Ezekiel 24:1-14

Scripture Focus

I tried to cleanse you,
     but you refused.
So now you will remain in your filth
     until my fury against you has been satisfied.
                                (Ezekiel 24:13 NLT)

Observation

I’m back to a kind of “it doesn’t get any sadder than this” response to today’s Scriptures. Israel/Judah had every chance. God had done everything necessary for their redemption—and done it all out of who He was…out of His own graciousness…and not at all because Abraham’s descendents in any way deserved it. Yet they rejected Him utterly…flaunting their rebellious ways and disdaining His great and bountiful expressions of love toward them. They’ve pushed past the point of no return, and (I think I wrote this not long ago) have left God with no real choice. He cannot remain true to who He is…to the character that makes Him a God worthy to be served…and continue to delay judgment for Israel’s sins. Through Ezekiel, God says this:

I tried to cleanse you,
     but you refused.
So now you will remain in your filth
     until my fury against you has been satisfied.
                                (Ezekiel 24:13 NLT)

Parents (or at least “parenting experts”) often talk about “love and logic”—responding to disobedient children in love but with logical consequences. Hey, for all the questions as to why—if God is truly good—people still suffer, this suffering, at least, seems pretty loving and logical to me. The logic part, I think, is clearer—God is simply carrying out the terms of the covenant that He and Israel had agreed to. The love part is less easily seen, but how loving would it be if God let the sinful, hurtful behavior described in today’s reading go unchecked? That would actually be unloving—towards Israel as the perpetrator of evil deeds, and towards all those who suffer as a result.

I’ll say it again: I never want to be there. I never want to be the object of God's fury. “Lord, soften my heart and strengthen my will so that you never have to ‘leave me in my filth until your fury has been satisfied.’”

***

"Do I Need To Draw You A Map?"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 20:1-22:16

Scripture Focus

Destruction! Destruction!
     I will surely destroy the kingdom.
And it will not be restored until the one appears
     who has the right to judge it.
Then I will hand it over to him.
                         (Ezekiel 21:27 NLT)

Observation

There’s an almost laughable (if it weren’t so serious) moment in today’s reading, and a remarkable promise from God.

In Ezekiel 21, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, has a quandary. He’s camped on the outskirts of town at a crossroads, deciding whether to march his army “to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah” or “to Judah and fortified Jerusalem” (21:20). Even Nebuchadnezzar’s diviners are busy bees, “shaking arrows from the quiver” and “inspect[ing] the livers of animal sacrifices” (21:21). Still, in spite of the best efforts of Nebuchadnezzar’s best magicians, confusion reigns supreme—until Ezekiel shows up. God sends Ezekiel with a hand-drawn map pointing Nebuchadnezzar towards Jerusalem, where he will fulfill God’s purpose by bringing further judgment on God’s rebellious people. Wow. Do I need to draw you a map?

More remarkable is what follows in verse 27. In the thick of a passage full of the proclamation of continuing and increasing judgment—in the middle of a book that details again and again how the people of God have rejected their Redeemer and suffer because of it—God promises restoration…through “one…who has the right to judge [the kingdom]!”

Tucked away in Ezekiel is the promise of Jesus, our Redeemer!

Makes me wonder what promises of Jesus’ redemption are present in my dark days…in my difficult times. Makes me wonder what I might see that I don’t now see…that I’m somehow missing…if I just paid a bit more attention to the still, small whisper of God.

“Give me ears to here, O Lord, what the Spirit is saying!”

***

"Wow..Look! An Eagle!"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 17:-19:14

Scripture Focus

“So now the Sovereign LORD asks:

Will this vine grow and prosper?
     No! I will pull it up, roots and all!
I will cut off its fruit
     and let its leaves wither and die.”
                           (Ezekiel 17:9 NLT)

Observation

Ezekiel is one of Scripture’s most abstract writers. Visions of four-faced cherubs and wheels within wheels are perhaps some of the most familiar of Ezekiel’s visionary images, but today’s passage threatens to be just as difficult to bring down to earth. A person has to read with an eye (ear?) for the poetic—not exactly a strength of mine!

Still, the basics are clear enough. Ezekiel creates an allegory involving two equally remarkable eagles. The first represents Babylon exiling King Jehoiachin and Israel’s upper crust and installing Zedekiah as regent over Judah—the “seedling from the land…placed…beside a broad river” (17:5). The second eagle Egypt, with whom Zedekiah made an alliance in an attempt to break away from Babylonian domination.

King Zedekiah’s plan failed, but not simply because it was somehow an ineffective plan. Zedekiah’s plan failed because God promised to see to it that it failed! And God made that promise because—in allying with Egypt—Zedekiah broke the covenant he’d sworn to keep with Babylon (17:18).

Apparently, God takes covenants—and the violation of them—very seriously. (Duh!) It was the violation of Israel’s covenant with God that got them in this pickle in the first place. Seems rather foolish for Zedekiah to think that he could have broken yet another covenant without any consequence whatsoever.

To some degree this makes today’s challenge sound/feel a bit like a broken record. I've certainly declared this challenge before, but here it is: I'm in a covenant agreement with God. I've made covenant promises to God.  I must walk in covenant integrity with God or face consequences I'll simply regret having to deal with! But isn’t that the ongoing challenge of faith? Isn’t that the ongoing challenge of responding with full obedience to what God has done for us through Jesus Christ our Lord? “Today, God, I will walk in covenant integrity with You!”

***

"Unbelievable!"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 14:1-16:63

(It's not photoshopped!)

Scripture Focus

You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? (Ezekiel 16:16 NLT)

Observation

Ezekiel 16 is a powerful allegory depicting Israel’s history with God. Ezekiel portrays Israel’s beginnings as that of a discarded baby—that’s right; a female infant perceived as worthless, tossed aside into a field, and left for dead. (Believe it or not, such an action was not particularly uncommon in ancient times.)

God “discovered” baby Israel, helpless and kicking about in her own blood. God had a word for that child: “Live!” (16:6). And live she did. Israel became a beautiful young woman—at which point God made her His bride, clothed her in His finest, and supplied all that she needed and more. And how did Israel respond to this rich graciousness on God’s part?

You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? (Ezekiel 16:16 NLT)

God’s question is my question—but my question is not about Israel, it’s about me! I spot this kind of heinous inconsistency more easily in others—I see plainly how America’s prosperity under God has actually resulted in her citizens loving the blessings more than the Blesser. But I see it in myself, as well. I know that I have often taken God’s blessings for granted and—in spite of how good He’s been to me—lived in ways that have neither reflected His character nor contributed to His glory.

Today’s reading puts me in a repentant frame of mind. I do not want to suffer the Lord’s rejection. While I do not need to live in fear of Him, I do long to always live in awe of Him. “Teach me Your ways, O Lord.”

***

"A Sanctuary Even In Exile"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 10:1-13:23

Scripture Focus

“Therefore, tell the exiles, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I have scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a sanctuary to you during your time in exile. I, the Sovereign LORD, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.’ (Ezekiel 11:16-17 NLT)

Observation

These are harsh, difficult chapters filled with word after word of divine judgment. Though Ezekiel is in exile in Babylon, he lives with a supernatural awareness of activities in Jerusalem, including a vision in which the presence of God Himself rises and departs from the Temple!

Remember Moses’ prayer to God in the wilderness?

"If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:15-16 NIV)

What Moses so rightly feared has now come to pass! The single most significant defining characteristic of the people of God—the Presence of God among them—has departed from among them. They are no longer unlike any other people on the face of the earth. They have become quite ordinary.

But even these moments are not without promise. While the inhabitants of Jerusalem continue blindly without God’s presence, God makes a promise to those in Babylonian exile:

“Although I have scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a sanctuary to you during your time in exile. I, the Sovereign LORD, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.” (Ezekiel 11:16-17 NLT)

This is a remarkable promise of restoration, but my heart is captured today by the promise of God’s continuing covering even as His people await the fulfillment of His promise. Today I am an exile of sorts—waiting in a strange land for the full restoration of my place and privileges as a child of God. And God has not only promised that restoration, but He has promised His abiding presence in the interim. He remains my sanctuary until His promise is fulfilled!

***

"Piles of Gold...or Purity of Heart?"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 5:1-9:11

Scripture Focus

“They will throw their money in the streets,
     tossing it out like worthless trash.
Their silver and gold won’t save them
     on that day of the LORD’s anger.
It will neither satisfy nor feed them,
     for their greed can only trip them up.
                               (Ezekiel 7:19 NLT)

Observation

How reluctant God is to bring judgment! How hesitant God is to destroy what remains of the once glorious nation of Israel!

I marvel at the greatness of God, who does what He wants with the nations of the world and does not require humanity’s cooperation to accomplish it! But I’m thinking, today, as I read the words of one more prophet…one more servant (among many) sent by God to warn His people of impending judgment…of how very much God does not want to “drop the hammer.”

Still—as a just God bound by covenant to Israel…a covenant that includes both the promise of blessing for obedience and the assurance of punishment for rebellion…God ultimately has no choice. He must be true to Himself and to His covenant with Israel. And perpetual rejection of His warnings serves only to increase the intensity of coming judgment. There is now very little hope for anyone. Indeed, as judgment is poured out…

“They will throw their money in the streets,
     tossing it out like worthless trash.
Their silver and gold won’t save them
     on that day of the LORD’s anger.
It will neither satisfy nor feed them,
     for their greed can only trip them up.
                                  (Ezekiel 7:19 NLT)

With all the warnings these days of impending trouble for the United States of America…and with all the pundits pushing preparation for the troubled days to come (“buying gold” at the top of the list)…it’s interesting that God warns the remnant in Israel that even “their silver and gold won’t save them on that day of the Lord’s anger.”

It will neither satisfy nor feed them,
     for their greed can only trip them up.
                            (Ezekiel 7:19 NLT)

Three observations:

1. It doesn’t matter how prepared you might try to be, you’ll not fend off judgment that God sees as necessary.

2. Neither “being prepared” nor “not being prepared” seem to be as significant in survival as purity of heart. For these Israelites it’s not their lack of preparation but “their greed” that trips them up.

3. Purity of heart, then, might be a characteristic God could honor in time of trouble, perhaps by supplying for the distressed what even silver or gold cannot.

“Lord, even as I live circumspectly in light of current realities, let my first and greatest attention be on You. Help me to live as one whose hope is in You alone.”

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"The Yoke's On You!"

Scripture Passage

Ezekiel 3:16-4:17; Jeremiah 27-28:17; Jeremiah 51:59-64

Scripture Focus

“Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but you have replaced it with a yoke of iron.’” (Jeremiah 28:13 NLT)

Observation

Today’s readings—both Ezekiel and Jeremiah—give a glimpse at what creative communicators these men of God were. It’s kind of funny to think about Ezekiel making a little clay model of Jerusalem under siege—but here we are centuries later still pondering his message! And in one of the last prophetic acts of his ministry, Jeremiah makes and dons a wooden yoke. Then he shows up at a meeting where King Zedekiah is hosting representatives of five neighboring nations.

It’s possible that King Zedekiah had called this meeting to strategize with these nations about forming an alliance to rebel against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. If so, Jeremiah’s message would have been completely unwelcome.

…you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the LORD. I will send war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it. (Jeremiah 27:8 NLT)

It’s not long before an opposing voice speaks. Hananiah offers an “alternative prophecy” that within two years, Babylon’s yoke will be broken—and he illustrates his point by breaking into pieces the wooden yoke Jeremiah had created. God responds:

“Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but you have replaced it with a yoke of iron.’” (Jeremiah 28:13 NLT)

In other words, “You’ve announced things will get better—and made them worse. The yoke of Babylon will be even more severe and more enduring than before!” Jeremiah’s words are validated by the death of Hananiah within two months.

All this makes me wonder how much my own persistent rebellion—or, at the least, persistent resistance to the Lord’s discipline—only makes matters worse. We used to understand better, I think, that discipline was a necessary part of growth. “Stand up and take your medicine like a man,” we’d say (or something like that). Today we look to delay or avoid what’s ultimately unavoidable—and add “penalty and interest” in the process. Hebrews comes to mind as a fitting challenge…

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
     and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
     and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
                                         (Hebrews 12:5-6 NIV)

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"Rags With His Rope"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 37:11-38:28 Ezekiel 1:1-3:15

Scripture Focus

Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.” Then when Jeremiah was ready, they pulled him out. (Jeremiah 38:12-13 NLT)

Observation

I’m indebted to my dad for what I’m thinking about this morning—it’s a thought he preached on years ago.

Sometimes we read through Biblical accounts and don’t really capture what’s said, but in Jeremiah 37 the prophet's life is at stake. He’s been arrested, flogged, and imprisoned. I invite you to imagine his frail physical condition.

This imprisonment was no “3 hots and a cot” like today’s American prison population enjoys. This was most likely an imprisonment where Jeremiah would be dependent upon friends and family for medical care and even daily food. Jeremiah’s physical survival was at risk. His condition is so severe that, at the end of chapter 38, Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah that “he not be returned to the dungeon.” His request was granted. Instead of the dungeon, he was “imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace” and “given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city” (38:21).  Hey, well there's an improvement!

As Jeremiah continued to speak the (unpopular) word of the Lord, however, his enemies once again appealed to the king: “Sir, this man must die! This man is a traitor!” (39:4) Once more the king agreed (just how spineless was Zedekiah anyway?), and Jeremiah was lowered into an empty, mud-bottomed cistern. “Jeremiah sank down into it” (39:6) and was left to die.

Ebed-melech—an Ethiopian member of the royal court—had compassion on Jeremiah and begged the king for permission to pull Jeremiah out of the cistern. The king agreed. But before Ebed-melech pulled Jeremiah out of the cistern, he found “some old rags and discarded clothing…and lowered them to Jeremiah on a rope” (38:11).

Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.” Then when Jeremiah was ready, they pulled him out. (Jeremiah 38:12-13 NLT)

Think about that and consider this challenge for today: Ebed-melech not only initiated and accomplished Jeremiah’s rescue, but he did so with particular sensitivity to Jeremiah’s condition and needs. Sometimes my compassion (by contrast) is not all that compassionate, as I bark out answers and pass out advice. Sometimes my words and actions lack a necessary gentleness and wisdom to the particulars of the wounded ones involved. I risk creating damage even while I’m trying to help!

“Lord, give me sensitivity—as I lower the ropes—to find a little padding to ease the pain of the pull. Give me the heart of Ebed-melech, who supplied rags with his rope.”

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"Stubborn Isn't Always Good"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 51:15-58; 2 Chronicles 36:10; 2 Kings 24:10-17; 1 Chronicles 3:10-16; 2 Chronicles 36:11-14; Jeremiah 52:1-3; 2 Kings 24:18-20; Jeremiah 37:1-10

Scripture Focus

Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.  (2 Chronicles 36:13 NLT)

Observation

Judah is in the final stages of collapse as a nation. Judah’s king, Jehoiachin, who had been granted the throne of Judah by the king of Babylon, has now been deported to that foreign land and replaced on Judah’s throne by his uncle, Zedekiah. Along with Jehoiachin, another wave of commanders, soldiers, craftsmen and artisans has been taken from Judah to Babylon. The temple itself—an unbelievably opulent structure when built by Solomon—has been completely picked clean of anything and everything of any value. Can you imagine the condition Judah must have been in?

Still, the new king Zedekiah refuses to have anything to do with Judah’s covenant God, Jehovah, or His spokesman, Jeremiah. “He refused,” the Bible says, “to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the Lord” (2 Chron 36:11 NLT). In fact, the Bible describes Zedekiah like this:

Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.  (2 Chronicles 36:13 NLT)

I don’t know what makes some people so stubborn toward and hardened against the voice of the Lord. Surprising to me is that Zedekiah is described this way so young—he took the throne at age twenty-one and only ruled for eleven years, so even at the close of His reign he was only thirty-two years old. How could a guy in his twenties with so much responsibility on his shoulders and so much evidence of a desperate need for God’s help all around him refuse “to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel”?

Even as I write those words, I am reminded of my own stubbornness—my own desire to “do it myself”…to fix whatever’s wrong without having to ask anyone else to help. I suppose in that sense I’m not a very good team player and not all that different from Zedekiah. The trouble is, I’ll never succeed in those things that require God’s help (which pretty much covers the whole of life, I think!) trying to do it on my own.

“Lord, challenge and soften my stubborn, hard heart. Give me a readiness to always and quickly rely on you!”

"Turn Me Again and Restore Me"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 31:15-40; Jeremiah 49:34-51:14

Scripture Focus

I have heard Israel saying,
‘You disciplined me severely,
    like a calf that needs training for the yoke.
Turn me again to you and restore me,
    for you alone are the LORD my God.”
                        (Jeremiah 31:18 NLT)

Observation

Prophetcially, at least, God’s people are beginning to turn the corner. In today’s reading, Jeremiah speaks of that coming day when Israel’s punishment will be past as Babylon receives the punishment they are due. God’s people will return wholeheartedly to the Lord and God will return them to their promised land.

God is always looking for the opportunity to restore those who return to Him. I love the heart of God expressed in Jeremiah 31:20…

“Is not Israel still my son,
    my darling child?” says the LORD.
“I often have to punish him,
    but I still love him.
That’s why I long for him
    and surely will have mercy on him.”
                      (Jeremiah 31:20 NLT)

But I also like what Israel prays in verse 18…

“Turn me again to you and restore me…” (Jeremiah 31:18 NLT)

…because with those words Israel recognizes that even repentance (turning away from sin and towards God) requires God’s help! This prayer reminds me of my own brokenness…my utter helplessness…and expresses the harsh reality of my condition. I can’t even repent without God’s help! (Reread that last sentence—more slowly this time.)  And so I pray…

“O God, even as I turn towards you

turn me again to you

and restore me.”

***

"Hope in a Strange New World"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 23:33-24:10; Jeremiah 29-31:14

Scripture Focus

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Observation

When I was a youngster (I know, I know—every day it’s more incomprehensible that such a time existed!) John 3:16 was the Bible’s golden verse. No verse, I think, was ever quoted more.

That’s changed these days, and among the verses most quoted today has to be Jeremiah 29:11. I hear it all the time. I quote it all the time. But I am reminded again today that the context in which these encouraging words were spoken isn’t exactly the context we think about when we recite it to one another.

The best of God’s people have been deported—taken captive from Jerusalem and the surrounding area to Babylon! The royalty, the artisans, and the craftsmen—all those perceived to be useful in building a better, more beautiful Babylon—have been deported to that foreign land, and only the scrubs, bench-warmers, and rabble-rousers are “left behind.”

Under God’s direction, Jeremiah writes a letter to those who have been deported, affirming that they’re not coming home anytime soon—that it will be seventy years before God begins to return His people to their land. “So stay put,” Jeremiah says. “Marry. Have kids. Pray that God would bless that pagan nation of which you have been made a part, ‘for its welfare will determine your welfare’” (Jeremiah 29:7 NLT).

In *that* context—writing to a people in a land not their own, with no liberty of their own, and with no hope of any of that changing in the foreseeable future—Jeremiah writes to say…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Wow. Even in a strange land, full of strange customs, with a strange language, God still affirms that He’s up to something good. Even when homesick deportees learn they’re going to be there a good long while—far longer than they want—God is still up to something good.

Perhaps in our strange land—when culture changes more quickly than we can acclimate or understand, when the ground beneath our feet (so to speak) seems terribly unstable—perhaps even in our strange land, God is up to “plans for good…to give [us] a future and a hope.”

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"The Global God"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 49:1-33; 2 Kings 24:5-7; 2 Chronicles 36:6-8; 2 Kings 24:8-9

Scripture Focus

“This message was given concerning the Ammonites…”
“This message was given concerning Edom…”
“This message was given concerning Damascus…”
“This message was given concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor…”
                                       (Jeremiah 49:1,7,23,28 NLT)

Observation

Every time I read a passage like this I have to “re-read” my “re-search” in order to “re-discover” what I cannot seem to “re-call.” “Who were the Ammonites, again? Where is Edom, exactly? Is Kedar a place or a people?” I confess to having hard time keeping the specifics intact.

Even without (last time, I promise) “re-newing” that knowledge, today’s passage reminds me of how “global” my God is. As an American—more than that, as a mid-western American who’s always lived within 200 miles of my own hometown—it’s easy to forget that God’s heart is for the whole world and the whole of history; that the 200+ years of my nation’s history is hardly a drop in the bucket on God’s scale; that nations rise and fall as God orchestrates the affairs of humanity for His good pleasure and in His good purpose.

I listened this week to a believing Chinese economist describe his nation’s return to prominence on the world stage. In his mind, China’s minimized standing over the last few hundred years was nothing more than a blip on the radar screen of history and, outside of that anomaly, China has always been a nation and people of world significance. He went on to describe the growth of the church in China and made me wonder to myself—given all the concerns in our country about the precentage of US debt held by China and the trade deficit and...—if it wouldn't seem terribly ironic to Americans were God to hand our declining-in-righteousness nation over to a Chinese nation where people are increasingly numbered as His!

None of this in any way reduces my love of our great country or my appreciation for the privileges of being here or the sacrifices of those who’ve made it great. I’m only acknowledging that “He’s got the whole world in His hands”—with emphasis on the “whole”! The wonder is that even as my God directs the course of nations, He speaks, as well, to me—filling my moment-by-moment, day-by-day existence with His path and purpose, in order that my life might matter in the global orchestrations of the God of the Ages. Re-markable!

***

"What Choice Did God Have?"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 16:1-18:23; 35:1-19

Scripture Focus

The wonderful possession I have reserved for you
     will slip from your hands.
                           (Jeremiah 17:4 NLT)

Observation

Again, seen for what it is, this is heartbreaking. God had so much planned for His people—God had so much provided for His people—and it was slipping from their hands. Not because God had somehow failed to come through on His promises…not because of “unforeseen circumstances” or “technical difficulties.” Every blessing God had supplied and wanted to supply—including the provision of His “holy mountain”—was to be given into enemy hands (please note—“given into enemy hands” not “taken by enemy hands”).

There would be something particularly poignant about this specific loss. Nothing was—or is—more sacred to Abraham’s descendents then Mt. Zion, the site of the capital city of Jerusalem and Solomon’s glorious temple. The significance of this location parallels the significance of the “Twin Towers” and the Pentagon for Americans—remember what you felt when both targeted for destruction by terrorists on September 11, 2001?

But the sins of God’s people had become so great and their stubborn rebellion so persistent that God’s hands are tied, as it were. Please—what choice did God have? His love and mercy abound, to be sure, but so does His justice! And who would want it any other way? Would we want a crooked, corrupt God who tolerated the injustice of sin indefinitely? No! As much as God sent necessary judgment, Judah chose it!

And so do we. Some protest that a truly loving God could never send anyone to a place of eternal punishment. But the truth is, anyone I’ve ever heard make that protest knew enough of the gospel message to be responsible before God for having rejected it. The reality for people who make that protest is that, if they spend eternity apart from God, He hasn’t made that choice for them—they have made it for themselves. Tell God to go away and leave you alone often enough…and eventually He will.

I can’t imagine a sadder report—for Judah, to be sure, but for us, all the more…

The wonderful possession I have reserved for you
     will slip from your hands.
                              (Jeremiah 17:4 NLT)

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P.S. It’s not the point of this blog to preach. This blog is simply a record of my devotional thoughts from day to day. But if I can serve you in any way…if perhaps “the wonderful possession God has reserved for you is slipping from your hands” and you’d like to reverse course…contact me here, please.

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"Roaring Like a Lion"

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 12:1-15:21

Scripture Focus

My chosen people have roared at me like a lion of the forest,
so I have treated them with contempt.  (Jeremiah 12:8 NLT)

Observation

There’s not much encouraging about today’s reading—okay, really, there’s nothing! It seems that God’s people have ignored and rejected Him for the last time—that they have moved past the point of no return.

Their behavior is inexplicable. Through Jeremiah, God says…

My chosen people have roared at me like a lion of the forest.
                                                     (Jeremiah 12:8 NLT)

I read that and thought of children I’ve known whose parents had “bent over backwards” (that’s a phrase my dad used to use a lot) to supply not only every need but many “wants.” Remarkably, however, instead of gratitude and respect, the attitude of the child is often to roar at the parent "like a lion of the forest!" What possible explanation could there be?

Well, this is where I would offer an explanation—if I had one! It’s inexplicable, but this single phrase describes Judah’s actions again and again. No wonder God is at the place where—no matter what—judgment will be meted out. Can you blame Him?

I never want to be there. I never want to be at the place where God says to someone about me what He said to Jeremiah about Judah…

“Do not pray for these people anymore. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.” (Jeremiah 14:11-12 NLT)

I don’t ever want to be at the place where, even when I pray a prayer as beautiful as…

LORD, we confess our wickedness
    and that of our ancestors, too.
    We all have sinned against you.
For the sake of your reputation, LORD, do not abandon us.
    Do not disgrace your own glorious throne.
Please remember us,
    and do not break your covenant with us.
                       (Jeremiah 14:20-21 NLT)

…God basically says, “Too bad…so sad…I'm done with you.”

“Lord, sensitize my heart to your voice…to your correction and, yes, rebuke…so that always I’m quick to respond and obey.”

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"Let Him Who Boasts..."

Scripture Passage

Jeremiah 8:4-11:23

(Interesting MLK Quote, I thought)

Scripture Focus

But those who wish to boast
     should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD.
                                         (Jeremiah 9:24 NLT)

Observation

What a remarkable passage today, huh? Even birds know when it’s time to return (migrate), but God’s people don’t have the sense to return to Him (8:7)! Stop reading the stars for your future (10:1) and fearing false gods (10:5)! And what about God’s words to Jeremiah—“Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress” (11:14). Can you imagine a situation so severe that God says “stop praying”?

But the kingpin passage has to be Jeremiah 9:23-24…

This is what the LORD says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
     or the powerful boast in their power,
     or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
     should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD
     who demonstrates unfailing love
     and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
     I, the LORD, have spoken!
                                (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT)

There’s the thing to boast in! Of course, when your “boast” is that you “know God”…that you understand that Jehovah is “the Lord”…then your boast is in Him and who He is, and not at all about who you are…not at all about what powers, wealth, or wisdom you might possess. (Paul says something similar in 2 Corinthians 10:17—“Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”)

And the boast is to include celebrating specific ways in which God’s actions reveal His character—that He “demonstrates unfailing love,” “brings justice and righteousness to the earth,” *and* that He “delight[s] in these things.” I take that to say that He delights not just that He does these things, but that He delights when His people do these things—He delights to see unfailing love extended and justice and righteousness expressed through those who belong to Him.

The question for today, then, becomes “How can I demonstrate God’s unfailing love and express His justice and righteousness?”

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