Bible in a Year Blog

Ezekiel 29:1-30:26 + Hebrews 11:32-12:13 + Psalm 112:1-10 + Proverbs 27:17
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

There are a lot of great teachings in today’s readings!  Particularly Hebrews is packed with good teachings! (and thus, get ready for a lengthy post here today… 🙂  Are you ready to learn from Jesus today?  And the Old Testament scrolls?  Below is an image of Jesus teaching from the scrolls of the Old Testament in the Temple:

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapters 29 & 30 are fascinating in that we are seeing God lay out the plans for Egypt’s transformation from being one of the most powerful nations in the world to one of the least powerful – but God does provide some redemption for Egypt after 40 years of hardship.  However, God says that Egypt will never again reach the heights of power in the world that it had under the Pharaohs.  Verse 14 in chapter 29 captures this: “I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom.”  Very interesting to reflect on this.

Verse 7 in chapter 29 stands out as to why God is unhappy with Egypt (in part – idols are another reason…)  – “Israel leaned on you, but like a cracked staff, you splintered and stabbed her in the armpit. When she put her weight on you, you gave way, and her back was thrown out of joint.”  God was not happy that Israel created an alliance with Egypt as we read earlier in Ezekiel – but at the same time, God was not happy with Egypt for bailing on the alliance when Babylon attacked Jerusalem.   Think God likes for us to keep our promises in our life?  Do you keep your promises in your life?  Are you careful to never make empty promises?

The end of chapter 29 is fascinating in that God decides to allow Babylon to take plunder from Egypt in light of its war against Tyre (see yesterday’s readings below).  We continue to see that God is using King Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon for His purposes – for a time.  We are reminded though at the end of this chapter in verse 21 – “And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive.”  God’s still got the redemption of Israel in mind…   Below is a map of how big the Babylonian empire is around this timeframe – (a map like this one below once again proves the amazing truth & history in God’s words and prophecies in the Bible…)

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 11 verses today finish out this chapter on “faith” strongly!  Please take a minute to re-read this entire chapter 11 if you can.  It is an amazing chapter of our spiritual ancestor’s faith.  How does reading about our spiritual ancestor’s faith speak into your life today?  Are there areas of your life where you can better live with faith?   Can you turn over your fears and anxieties to God, in faith?  Knowing, in faith, God will ultimately provide and thus there is nothing to fear or worry about today?

Hebrews 11 verse 38 stands out to me today: “They were too good for this world.”  I think it is helpful to remember that this current world is not our ultimate eternal home.  It is temporary.  We’re called to be saints and love others in this world.  But, we should not become too attached to it or what it offers.  God has a better home for us in mind at the end of our race – our journey through this life.   This verse says that our spiritual ancestors were too good for this world – and hence, many of them suffered.  But they suffered knowing it was temporary.  Impermanent.  I don’t think that this verse should make us conceited or arrogant in any way – being “too good” for this world – but hopefully it helps us realize that this life is not necessarily going to be easy in this world if we are truly living in faith….   In fact, sometimes I wonder that if our life is really easy if we are really living our faith?  I just hope we never get complacent and chill out and relax because “we are so saved”….  There is a dying world out there that needs us!  How are you truly living your life in faith these days?

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 is phenomenal to think about – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.”   I think sometimes we think that we are doing this Christian walk / faith thing alone.  We think we are in this alone – just us & God.  I think this verse helps remind us that there is a huge crowd of witnesses that are in this with us.  I like to think of this cloud of witnesses cheering us on in our walk!  They are rooting for us!  So – in light of knowing we have these saints rooting for us, doesn’t it make sense that we should strip away sin that hinders our walk?  Is there sin your life that is hindering your walk?  Will you allow Jesus to strip it away so that the cloud of witnesses can continue to cheer you on toward the finish line?  Below is an image of some of the “crowd of witnesses” to our life of faith – Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samson, and David:

How do we run this race toward the finish line well?  I think verse 2 tells us how – “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.”   Are your eyes on Jesus?  Constantly?   Does your faith depend solely on Jesus?   Is your faith as fresh today as when you first came to faith in Jesus? 

Verse 3 is a powerful reflection of Jesus’ passion…. “Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up.”  Think about what Jesus endured at the hands of the Roman guards.  Think about Jesus’ resolve.  He was running the race toward the finish line.  Can reflecting on Jesus’ passion help us resist becoming weary and giving up?  How often do you reflect on Jesus’ passion?

Verses 5 & 6 quote Proverbs 3:11-12 and the following verses then go into explaining this wisdom of this Proverb – “My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.” Do you believe this proverb to be true?  Is the Lord perhaps disciplining you in some way today?  Are you accepting or ignoring the discipline?  Do you believe that the Lord disciplines those he loves?  And that this “divine discipline” is ultimately good for you and everyone you come in contact with in your life?

Psalms – Psalm 112 is a great look at a godly person’s life.   Today in verse 1 we read: “Blessed is the person who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” Is fear of the Lord healthy? Why or why not? Is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? Are you blessed if you fear the Lord? Do you find great delight in God’s commands? What are God’s commands?

Verse 4 stands out – “When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.” This is encouraging.  When darkness overtakes us, if we stay true to God and Christ and faith, light will come “bursting in”!  I like that…  Know that the light is coming…  Below is a fresco from 1517 by Raffaello of God separating the light from the darkness –

And verse 9 is a great reminder – “They give generously to those in need.”  Are you doing something in your life to serve the poorest of the poor?   There are 1.2 billion people living in our world today on less than $1 per day.  Is there something you can do to give generously to those in need?  Below is an oil on canvas painting from 1611 by Bartolomeo Schedoni titled “The Charity” –

Proverbs – Today in Proverbs 27:17 we read: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”  This is such a powerful proverb to memorize, meditate upon, and put into practice in our lives!  Do you see the value in this proverb?  Are you “iron” in someone else’s life?  Is someone “iron” in your life? Are you being sharpened?  Why would you want to be sharpened? Is there some dullness spiritually in your life today? How will you seek to sharpen that dullness?  Will you seek to sharpen that dullness through involvement in a local church?  Do you think that a church community can sharpen you?  Do you think involvement in a weekly small group can sharpen you?

Worship Video:  Our Hebrews 12:5-6 readings today about discipline and Psalm 112:4 reminded me of Josh Turner’s fantastic song “Long Black Train.”  This song is basically a country & western worship tune! 🙂  “There is victory in the Lord!  Don’t go riding on that long black train!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyRZTAmcW7c

Have you experienced victory in the Lord?  Click here for Victory!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

Prayer Point:  Pray that you are running the race of life marked out for you, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. Pray in thanksgiving for the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds you in your race!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Vance:

These verses below make me realize that the flesh and the Spirit cannot coexist.
The Jealous Spirit of Holiness within desires to envelop us and kill the flesh.
The flesh (sin nature) always wants to rule in us, or to be allowed freedom.
We cannot follow the Holy Spirit without allowing Him to enable us to experience the death to sin that Jesus accomplished on the Cross!
To save us from ourselves, GOD WOUNDS IN ORDER THAT HE MAY COMPLETELY HEAL.
EZEKIEL 33:11 (CEV – Contemporary English Version)
Tell them that as surely as I am the living LORD God, I don’t like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites want to live, they must stop sinning and turn back to me.
HOSEA 6:1 (CEV – Contemporary English Version)
1
Let’s return to the LORD. He has torn us to shreds, but he will bandage our wounds and make us well.
2
In two or three days he will heal us and restore our strength that we may live with him.
3
Let’s do our best to know the LORD. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; he will refresh us like rain renewing the earth in the springtime.
Hosea 6:1
The Amplified Bible
COME AND let us return to the Lord, for He has torn so that He may heal us; He has stricken so that He may bind us up.
The New King James Version
Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
Hebrew Names Version of World English Bible
Come, and let us return to the LORD; For he has torn us to pieces, And he will heal us; He has injured us, And he will bind up our wounds.
Young’s Literal Translation
Come, and we turn back unto Jehovah, For He hath torn, and He doth heal us, He doth smite, and He bindeth us up.
Vance

====== Anka:

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons….well that picture of the crowd of winessness does bring a smile in the light of discipline…I have seen the effects of forgetting that we are not of this world.It’s all too easy to get so tangled in work and daily routine that it squeezes out the time we spend with God…When shedules go crazy I guess this word “you are not of this world”should come to mind….Time is so short and precious…it’s wisdom to fear the Lord and give him a huge part of our time…no matter the cost…May God keep our feet from getting weary..
God bless you all
Anka

====== Mae:

I loved reading Hebrews today! I always love to read the Psalms … but today I was in awe reading Hebrews. It defenitly made me stronger reading it, cause God raises me like no one else can ever raise me. I don’t have to be afraid if He corrects me or tells me that I’m doing something wrong. The reason why He can make things harder for me from time to time is only cause He loves me. That’s just an amazing thought! We have to trust Him, we have to realize that He’ll take care of us, He’ll raise us, He’ll make sure that we’re gonna be fine and have/get everything we need! He’s got a plan and all we have to do is trust Him and give him the chance to furfill His plan with us.
This gives me so much strength and faith!
I’m so lucky to be His child!
Mae

======= Jenny:

Yep, regarding empty promises, i dont think anyone likes to be left dangling. that goes for not being a flake too. As Christians especially, we should keep our promises and let our yes be yes and are no be no. Its so discouraging when, especially believers, constantly back out of things…cant really be counted on. then there are ppl true to their word and never say yes unless they mean it and follow through! God bless those ppl!! (ie, my dad!!! <3)
Those men of faith are unbelievable. I mean, being sawed in half, being eaten by lions? Could I go through that? I live in the US and the worst persecution I suffer is maybe being mocked or excluded from things, big deal, that’s nothing!!! I mean, there are people in other countries today, like Sudan…believers being tortured and put to death for their devotion to Christ everyday! Those are the ppl too good for this world! There’s a great book, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs if anyone wants to see what real persecution looks like. But of course, Christ is our ultimate example!
Hebs 10:10-11 is great, talking about God’s discipline. I need it!
I too love Ps. v.4 “When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.” thats such a beautiful and comforting word!
and i love Prov too. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” There are certainly people in my life that have fulfilled this role for me! Of course my Pastors, but some other very special people. I think its wonderful when believers can sit and share with each other and sharpen one another. We need that! Its not good to try to go at this alone…we need others. Its not just ‘me and God’, though I think a lot of us have felt this before. Others have insights and wisdom that we can really learn from. Let’s all strive to encourage one another, build each other in the faith, and sharpen each other.
Jenny

====== Tim:

I just want to thank you for all these postings. Yours is my favorite blog yet, & I’m subscribed to a lot. I started reading the Bible daily these last couple of months with a daily reading plan from my church. But yours is great, with commentary & great pics & diagrams. I have always loved Hebrews, but Ezekiel I have just started learning about, & your commentary helps. & I love a Psalm & a Proverb to go along with an Old & New Testament reading. I found a great church over a year ago, where iron sharpens iron, the word on The Word is awesome, twice on Sunday & midweek, & other small groups. I have a new life now in Jesus & my church, who’s name is New Life Assembly.
I pray that God will bless you & keep you in Christ’s love!
Tim

====== Art:

Thanks so much for the pictures and illustrations. They very much emphasis the point being made!
How wonderful it is to see the fresco by Raffaello with a white-haired, bearded God dressed so beautifully in red with a cape…hands spread apart holding back darkness and separating it from light. Ps 112:4 in action!
Art

====== David:

Hi,
I could not have commented yesterday but I commented on yesterday’s readings today. To further my comment on marriage,today’s proverb quite sums up what marriage does to the person. Before marriage I thought I was an OK guy and quite a catch but after marriage I realized I had a lot to learn. What I learned during marriage I could not have understood outside of marriage. Likewise my wife learned from me. Sometimes God uses the same paths and vocations we choose to discipline us. If you struggle through the discipline you become a better person. If you cop out you loose out.
David

====== Reuben:

I have lately told several people what a blessing this web site has been to me over the past few years. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Reuben

====== Art:

I once took a ride on That Long Black Train! Once? Shucks, I was on that train for years! One day I decided to get off; to clean up my act. My so-called buddies dropped me like a hot potato! No calls, no more invites! Like you, Jenny, excluded! Through the years I’ve counted that as a blessing. Those pals were good ole boys, but they were up to bad behavior. ask them about church, about God, and they would give a mocking laugh. I have been saved from that environment. Saved from myself. saved for the Lord!
Art

====== Karen:

Ezekiel continues to lay out God’s sovereignty over the earthly kingdoms. They rise and fall within His realm of providence. With how chaotic this country and this world has become, it is comforting to know He is still in control for His purposes.
Hebrews also punctuates the hall of Faith with several instruction for its audience: throw away so sins that hinder, run with perseverance, fix our eyes on Jesus as our ultimate example. He went on to go in depth about God’s discipline of His children to affirm to the believers that it is an act of a loving father who wants the best for us. Perhaps he knows the road of faith is paved by many trials and tribulations and we are prone to fall and face disciplines from the Lord; but it is up to us to have the right attitude when being disciplined so that we would not lose heart and fail to continue on the race. It is a timely reminder indeed.
Karen

====== Tom:

I don’t know how or why Josh Turner’s “Long Black Train” was selected for the Bible Blog for tonight’s reading but you need to know I think it was an answer to prayer (at least for me)… You see, I lost my father tonight as he lost his battle against COVID tonight. But you need to know the last time we were all together as a family before my dad had COVID we were celebrating with him and we asked him what some of his favorite songs were. “Long Black Train” was 1 of 2 songs he picked that we played for him that night… and I added it to my Spotify play list because it reminds me of him… So you can imagine as I was reading this Bible blog tonight coming across that song in the blog, well – it had extra meaning for me tonight. Sometimes I think God sends us a message that he’s got our loved ones in his loving care. I think having this song in this blog tonight was that for me.
Tom

====== Dee:

Keeping promises is so important. Trusting God and staying the course. It is important what side we are on amd not ride the fence and not bail when the going gets tough.
I love the faith chapter. So much wisdom and strength in those sections. So many courageous men and women walked the earth paving the way through their faith.
Godly people and fear of the Lord..it’s a blessing to see a Godly person and how they love the Lord. Precious
It’s nice to have good people building each other up. Iron sharpens iron. Yes amen
Dee

Ezekiel 27:1-28:26 + Hebrews 11:17-31 + Psalm 111:1-10 + Proverbs 27:15-16
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel Chapter 27 indicates that Tyre was certainly good at business and trading!   This was in large part due to Tyre’s prime real estate location, which you can see in the two maps below:

 

However chapter 28 tells us that there was also a lot of pride associated with these business skills & wealth.  Verse 5 tells us: “Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud.”  This verse definitely stands out to me.  How often in our lives does something in our lives make us proud?  Verse 2 in this chapter says this: “In your great pride you claim, `I am a god!” If we get prideful enough, might we even consider ourselves a god??  Do you hear others in our culture today telling us that we are gods?  Good idea or bad idea here….?

Verse 11-19 in this chapter are very interesting.  It is tough to discern if these verses about the king of Tyre or Satan or both?  Commentators hedge on these verses.  Perhaps, indeed, when we let pride get the best of us and think we are a god then we risk interweaving our life story with Satan’s?  I don’t know.  Scary stuff to think about though – jump down to the Psalm 111 verses for a good antidote to all this pride stuff…

New Testament – Hebrews 11 verses 25 & 26 today tell us so much about the character and faith of Moses! “He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him.”  Do these verses speak to us today as well?  Will we share in the oppression of God’s people?  Or do we enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin?  Do we suffer for the sake of Jesus?  Or would we prefer to chill out and hang out with our luxuries in life?  Do we look ahead to the great reward that God promises?  Will we pursue the character and faith of Moses in our own lives today?

Psalms – Psalm 111 is a wonderful Psalm of praise!  I love the way it ends in verse 10: “Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.  The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!” Do you believe that reverence for God is the foundation of true wisdom?  Do you believe that there are rewards of wisdom if you obey God?  Will you praise his name forever?

Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 27 verse 16 is a great teaching that it is tough to try to stop the wind or hold something with greased hands… How’s that for avoiding the real point of this Proverb?  🙂 I’m newly married, so I’ll punt to you veteran married folks to give commentary from here about that dripping analogy in verse 15!  🙂

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the Third Day song “Your Love is Like a River:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5we53hdPA

Is God’s love like a river within you?  Click here for His love!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. “ Psalm 111:10 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you fear the LORD. Pray that you are pursuing wisdom in your life. Pray that you are gaining understanding. Pray that you will be praising God eternally!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Jeff:

Thanks for the map of Tyre — very helpful for visualizing their fortuitous location for trading.
Jeff

====== Brian:

Hebrews Chapter 11 and 12 are two of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. My church is doing 40 days of Faith. A pastor in my town wrote a 40 day devotional that is the same set up as Rick Warren’s book. We have met in small groups where we watch a DVD of this pastor and have a small group discussion. It is has solidified my faith and has made it stronger.
God bless 🙂
Brian

====== Mae:

Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!”
Do I believe that there are rewards of wisdom if I obey God?
My answer is without a doubt: YES! He gives me pure wisdom, I’m sure He does! When I find myself in a situation and I’m not sure what the best thing is to do, I just turn myself to Him. I take a moment for myself and Him and I get answers! Not that He whispers them in my ear or something like that (how cool would that be though LOL), but somehow I just know the right thing to say or the right thing to do. And what about the Bible? Now THAT’S a big Book of wisdom! I’ve learned so much from the Bible and even passages that I remember I can use daily. I absolutely feel wiser with God! I was blessed with intelligence, I’ve always been a good student, a straight A student, cum laude etc … but those things don’t mean a lot to me anymore. Sure, I’m thankfull that I can learn things quickly and had a chance to get my PhD. But my personal opinion is that I’ve found my true wisdom in the Lord and not in my books.
Mae

====== Laura:

One of the greatest rewards of obedience is JOY! To those that truly listen and apply God’s Words to their lives–their is wisdom, but even greater is THE JOY OF THE LORD! The Joy keeps us strong, alive, motivated, on-fire, and it is unspeakable/undescribable and full of glory! He wants to bless us so much if we would just surrender to doing things HIS WAY! So many people think they can do things their own way but what He has shown me is that their are only two ways! HIS Way or Satan’s way. It’s a deception to think that we have discovered our own way. When we discover THE JOY, then obedience is no longer a chore!
Laura

===== Jenny:

Pride indeed comes before the fall. One of my fave songs is: “humble thyself in the sight of the Lord…and He shall lift you up! higher and higher and He, shall lift you up”. Humility/meekness is indeed a wonderful virture! and pride is so very destructive.
I love the example of Moses. Think Moses is regretting his decision now? to forsake the pleasures of the world and follow God? ha! Lets focus on the eternal! this life will pass away!
I’m not married either, regarding Provs, but if God’s will for my life is to marry, may I be a blessing and joy to my husband, not a quarrlesome, constant drip. (and vice vs!). But, Paul did say it is better to remain single. 😉 My dad is a widower and some of the women he has dated, he’s sure glad he didnt marry them…and i remember him quoting this Prov, haha (and I have to agree!!!)
Jenny

======= David:

The worst kind of pride for me is the pride of the Pharisees and the Hypocrites which I see some Christians have. This can be seen in the false way some of them talk in church and you wonder if they are for real. As for me I have to remain humble or else I will get thorn in the side syndrome just like Paul. I am not comparing myself to Paul but I know exactly what he means by having a constant reminder of where you came from least you forget, God or someone else would remind you. Sometimes our own imperfections give us away.
By the way, marriage today is a modern test of pride. Don’t get married if you are a prideful person. Anyone who is full of pride and says that they have a happy marriage over a period of years is lying. If you were prideful before you are married, then marriage is the place to lose it. It is easier on the emotions to remain single. In many ways I was happier before I was married. When I became married I was tested to the full extent of my Christianity and I became a man. Marriage today is difficult, and easy to cop out if you want to. You either become mature or you suffer. Those who are happy with their wedding ring also wear their suffer ring well. I am happily married sometimes; most people have to be content with that. I am committed to my wife and children, and this gives me a sense of importance, and a purpose for being.
David

====== Art:

I love the comments you make, Jenny, on today’s Scripture. Keep posting!
Art

===== Jane:

Hebrews 11:25-36. Suffer for the sake of Christ. That’s a big calling. We want to be friends of the world right? How far do we go to take a stand!? I guess thinking of sometimes I feel like a stranger in this world even among my own family. Is that what it feels like? I watched the movie hacksaw ridge. My friend dragged me and I didn’t know what was in it!! She said oh it’s a Christian movie. Yeah right. When they got to the killing I almost walked out and screamed inside! I am a CO! Why did you bring me here ? Til the end there was a message, convictions are not a joke , they are a way of life. Gods calls us to. So think on this, how far do we go to suffer for Christ.? Does our pride get in the way?
Jane

====== Alan:

I had pride many years ago and was quite a ways away from God, He took away my reason for pride and brought me down, not as far as Tyre, but by His Grace, I am again His, an awesome God of second chances. When we have much we can get prideful, when we have little, it’s easier to depend on God. Thanks be to God. I’d rather be where I am now than when I had more and was away from Him .I appreciate the important things and people in my life so much more.
Alan

====== Karen:

In light of the suffering of my home in the hands of tyrant, the prophetic words against Tyre are incredibly comforting. The modern day Tyre who considered themselves God will be mer by His judgment in due time. I pray even in the midst of suffering, God will continue to advance His gospel.
Karen

======= Robert:

Proverbs 27:15
Quarrelsome Wife
At first I thought I am not going to touch that with a 10 foot pole. As I reflected further I considered I would share my experience with this theme. My wife and I were in a place about 10 years ago where Satan started to work on us. Both of us were dripping faucets. Prayer, counseling, books were rife. Nothing really helped for 2 years. The wind and oil thing were authentic. Somewhere in this process that God wanted us, I came to a place that was hard for me but went to the core of who I was. I had to swallow my pride and wash her feet.
Praise the teacher Jesus.
Robert

====== Pam:

God is faithful and His promises are true.
I returned from a trip in Israel on October 19 and God is bringing the Jewish people back to the promised land. The land itself is being restored.
“Thus says the Lord : When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards.”https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek.28.25,Ezek.28.26&version=ESV
Pam

====== Dee:

Tyre was a strong fortified city but what can stand against the Lord. You are either for him or against him. Dont let pride and haughtiness get in the way of true worship and belief in the Anointed One.
Hebrews : 11 wow love all the faithful men especially Moses..what a testimony. What an extraordinary person and his parents kept him (the Lord) saved him for such a time as that.
Psalm 111 Praise the Lord..any chapters where we get to praise the Lord is a successful and happy time
Proverbs 27: 15-16 drip …drip…drip.. that would be like tap tap tap..on desks at school annoy me. I get it. I get it when the pressure if on the husband as head of the home. We should be their help mate not their task master.
Dee

Ezekiel 24:1-26:21 + Hebrews 11:1-16 + Psalm 110:1-7 + Proverbs 27:14
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – An important note from our readings in Ezekiel chapter 24 today is that Ezekiel’s wife dies on the exact same day the Temple is Jerusalem was burned!  August 14, 586 B.C.  As I read these verses about Ezekiel’s wife and the Temple I am reminded of a verse in the book of Job – 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.”  Though Ezekiel’s wife dies and though the Temple burned, the Lord still instructs Judah in verse 23: “You will not mourn or weep”.  The Job situation is of course different in that Job was righteous and Judah was not at this time.  And there is not clear hope for Judah at this time – though there ultimately is redemption for Jerusalem.   However, again, look at Job’s faith in the midst of all he was going through: “yet I will hope in him.”  When times are bad – or times are good – do you hope in Him?  No matter what, will you hope in Him?

In Ezekiel chapter 25 today we begin reading God’s oracles against the nations surrounding Israel.  We’ll read 7 oracles over the next few days through chapter 32.  It’s noteworthy that frequently in the Old Testament God’s words of judgment against Israel through the prophets is often accompanied by oracles of judgments against the nations.  Below is a map that shows the oracles against the nations we read about in chapters 25 & 26 today and through chapter 32 in the coming days.  This map is helpful to see where Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon and of course Egypt are all located in comparison to Jerusalem:

New Testament – Today we read Hebrews Chapter 11, which is a great reflection of the faith of our spiritual ancestors in the Old Testament! Some call this chapter the “Hall of Faith” – as in the Hall of Fame.  🙂  I would encourage you to read this chapter entirely today – and again tomorrow in its entirety. Chapter 11 opens with this critically important verse for us to memorize and take to heart: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Are you sure of what you hope for? Are you certain of what you do not see? As you read through this chapter, do you see the value in the faith of our spiritual ancestors? In what area of your life might God be calling you to step forward in faith?

Enoch in verse 5 is an intriguing example of faith coming from Genesis chapter 5’s genealogy from Adam to Noah (see Genesis 5:24 at this link): “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—”he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.”  Below is a painting of Enoch being taken up to heaven by the Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734):

Verses 13 through 16 I think are four of the most amazing verses we’ve read in Hebrews and I think each of us should really meditate on what these verses might mean in our lives today:  “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.  But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”  What do you think of these verses?  If these heroes of our faith died still believing what God promised them – even though they did not receive what was promised here on earth – do you think that perhaps you and I should always be faithful in our lives to God no matter what we may think we’re not “receiving” here on earth?  If we’re not receiving perfect health.  If we’re not receiving a perfect job.  If we’re not receiving a perfect family.  If we’re not receiving a perfect mental state.  If not, if not, if not….  will we still believe what God promised us?  Will we still believe that God is not ashamed to be called our God?  Will we still believe that God has prepared a heavenly city for us?  Let us believe!

Psalms – Psalm 110 is a powerful Psalm today!  It is considered Messianic and some say the most prophetic of all the Psalms.  Verses 1 & 4 are the 2 verses that are believed to be most prophetic of Jesus and both verses are referenced in the New Testament, most often verse 1. 

Verse 1 –
“The LORD said to my Lord,
        “Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies,
        making them a footstool under your feet.””

Verse 4 stands today, with very similar teachings to what we’ve just been reading about this in Hebrews this past week or so!
“The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow:
       “You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek.””

Bible.org’s commentary on Psalm 110 titled “David’s Lord” is at this link.

Proverbs – Proverbs 27:14 today makes me laugh: “If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse!”  This reminds me of my visit to the coffee shop in the morning before I’ve had a chance to drink my coffee…  those people behind the counter are already wired on their espresso shots and are just way too pleasant first thing in the morning!  🙂  Any other coffee addicts out there…?  Coffee may be an idol for me that I need to not worship anymore…  really…

Worship Video:  Today’s readings in Psalm 110 reminded me of Third Day’s fantastic song “King of Glory”!  Below is a live version of this song.  Watch this to the 2:15 remaining mark to hear Mac Powell leading an awesome reflection/prayer on the power of Jesus’ name.  Who is this King of Glory!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ExnRvGk9ZA

Do you know the King of Glory?  Click here for Glory! 

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you are living by faith. Pray that you are sure of what you hope for. Pray that you are certain of what you do not see. Pray that you are living by faith in Christ alone!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Jenny:

So we were studying that last sunday night at church, ‘they died without receiving the promise’. If you get deep into the Word, it doesnt just imply they didnt receive the promise on earth, but when they died, they didnt descend into heaven right away. They were kept in kinda a ‘holding room’ if you will. Like in Luke 16 when it talks about Lazarus dying and being comforted by Abraham. He was being comforted in the fact that Jesus was to come and they would enter into heaven’s glory. This place was called Paradise, not heaven until Jesus died and rose and got the victory. it also speaks about Paradise when Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “today you will be with me in paradise”. (i always thought he had meant heaven…not so). The righteous were in one chamber and the unrighteous, (ie. the rich man who died after Lazarus) in another. There was a gulf seperating the two but they saw each other, that is why the rich man in torment, cried out, Send Lazarus here that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. But Abraham told him Lazarus could not cross the gulf, (nor could those in torment cross the golf).
Christ’s resurrection, His provision into heaven was the Promise. Jesus Himself didnt descend into heaven til after His resurrection. 
Jenny

======= Robert:

Thinking about giving up coffee? My sister in law observes Lent, and she gives up coffee during that period. She says that because she fasts in in coffee consumpsion, she is not as irritable in the morning before her cup of coffee. You might think about fasting coffee for three months out of the year. I am not a coffee drinker, but this seems to help my brother’s wife.
Robert

======== Zenimah:

Proverbs 27:14
If you are yelling at some one for any reason very early in the morning is really bad, and it is equally bad if you are coming to some one’s house every day every early in the morning, ringing their bells. That truly is upsetting to me.
Zenimah

======= Andrew:

Thank God for coffee. I wonder if there is some deep significance regarding the passing away of the wife and the Temple on the same day. hello scholars????
ohhh . . . its ok . . . i see it now . . . the Temple was “the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection.” just like the wife.
so the temple had become an idol, a replacement for God.
sometimes our successful church structures and ministry programs also become idols . . .
makes you think . . .
nahhhhhh . . . surely not . . gimme some more coffee!!! 🙂
Andrew

======== Wendy:

Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified)
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
I really like this verse in the Amplified Bible. Verse 6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.” In our world today there is so much that appeals to our natural senses and I guess it has always been so in different ways. Faith is not seeing with our natural eyes but rather knowing beyond doubt that if God says it, that’s it. No questions, no reasoning, just believing. Knowing that God will do what He has promised, His Word never fails. Let us set our minds on our heavenly calling and remember this place is only our temporary residence. Let us look with eyes of faith.
Wendy

======= Donna:

Reading Hebrews 11 today, gave me great joy! It has been a long time since I have read this passage. When reading it today it was like reading it with new and fresh eyes. My soul stirred and I felt happy and encouraged!
Thank you for the Bible reading site. I love it.
Blessings~Donna

====== Reuben:

There is some good aplogetic on the internet about the veracity of Ezekiel’s prophecy, and the extent to which Nebuchadnezer or Alexander the Great played roles in the desctruction of Tyre; unusual passages such as the debris of the city going into the sea and the waters of the deep covering up the city are described. I think Ezekiel 26 switches emphasis from the mainland to the island city of Tyrer, much as the inhabitants did.
It is cool that the OT saints had to look forward to receiving the promise via some future event, and that the NT saints (including ourselves) look backward to Jesus’ death amd resurrection for receiving our promise. It’s also cool that Heb. 11:2 mentions the importance of faith to believe in a created world rather than one that came about all by itself.
Reuben

====== Billy:

I love Hebrews 11:1, what a powerful verse and definitely one I will memorize and meditate on.
Billy

======= Daniel:

I really needed the faith passage today. I’ve recently been facing a real struggle and am just now coming around to the realization that if I’m going to exercise faith in the situation, I’m going to have to ignore the “seen” and rely completely on the “unseen.” I can’t wait to see what God does in and through this ordeal!
Daniel

======= Rob:

Hi Mike, always good reading along with you and Ramona. In response to your coffee fix, this is a problem for many of us. 50 yrs ago it was cigarettes, today its coffee. I looked into it and what what one doctor recommended is to drink one cup of water first before your coffee. I tried it and it really helps, not just in breaking what we all know is a habit but with my overall mental and physical health. hope this helps, blessings to all: )
Rob

======= Joyce:

Mike and everyone,
Today this verse stands out to me,
Hebrews 11:6 The Amplified Bible –
“6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.”
encourages me I need to earnestly and diligently seek God every day.
also want to share this quote:
“We don’t need to listen to the speculations of world-famous thinkers to find answers to the big questions of life. We just need to humbly and reverently study the Word of God. There we will find rest for our mind and peace for our soul. —Vernon C Grounds”
Thank you Mike for your faithful serving on this blog!
May our Heavenly Father bless that this blog will bring God’s Word to far corners of the earth, and will raise many’s interest & motivation to read, meditate, and obey His Word.
May God be glorified!
God bless,
Joyce

======= Karen:

Love the faith passage today! It’s encouraging to know many of them were challenged with not seeing the promises come to pass and yet kept believing till their death. Perhaps that’s the key thing to keep in mind that God simply demands our faithfulness and obedience. Leave all the results to Him.
Karen

====== Robert:

I really like the way The Message Bible describes Faith
Hebrews 11
1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 2 The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.
Sometimes God asks us to go somewhere new or to stay where we are. What grace do I need to respond to this call? Hebrews 11 mentions lots of people that displayed this faith. God has opened a door for me and my family to go serve in an impoverished land that needs help. Do I stay or do I go?
What is the worth? The process of living by faith builds strong character and apparently there are “great prizes!”
Proverbs 27:14
Mike you really hit the nail on the head! Your take on this proverb is me. (I can even substitute wife for neighbor). Some have said coffee is a drug of choice. Yeah, I know, I know. Idol worship. However, some of the best conversations in my life, (even with God), have been over coffee.
Robert

======= Dee:

I want to say I praise the Lord when things are good and thinga are bad however I know many times I slip just like Judah and don’t stay the course. The wonderful thing is that in the end: God wins..matter what we think our story is..when we do connect ourself with the Father..his ending is our ending..have you read the end of the book? God wins! So do we..when we trust in Jesus
The faith chapter! So glad I didn’t miss and came back to today! Such good stuff. Love hearing about these men and women and the faith they had in things that were to come but yet in their children and children’s children lifetime. Also they knew that this was not their home. God has eternal place to forever stay.
Very priestly Psalm today. In the line of a great King of course! I love when the Lord speaks in figurative language..The Lord said to My Lord..He is stating his claim and his authority on heaven and earth! Beautiful 😍
I used to work 38 miles away from home and did Herbalife. So before work I would either have exercised or had energy tea and shake and was too pleasant to some rather unpleasant people. I remember one of my coworkers telling me one time: don’t poke the bear! So true
Dee

Ezekiel 23:1-49 + Hebrews 10:18-39 + Psalm 109:1-31 + Proverbs 27:13
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 23 is interesting in its use of prostitution and lust as the metaphors for Israel’s political alliances with neighboring lands.  My thoughts here are that we live in a “sexualized” world in so many ways today – and perhaps things weren’t so different back then.  Sex is obviously something that was created as a good by God – but can so quickly and easily be twisted into something that is not good.   Sex is good in the right context of marriage.  Detrimental in the wrong.  It seems to me that lust and the selling of sex was as prevalent back in Ezekiel’s today as it is in ours.  To which we may need to remember well Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:18 – “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”  And of course James 4:7 – “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  Is there an area of our lives related to sex that you must flee from?  Will you flee?

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 10 today is amazing!  In verse 22 we read: “Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”  Great stuff!  The last few words of this verse remind me of the blessing of Baptism – as an outward sign of our inner transformation and faith in Christ. Verse 24 is just pure joy & goodness: “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” Outbursts of love & good deeds indeed!  Who are you encouraging these days to outbursts of love and good deeds?  Can you think of some ways to do this?  And verse 25 reminds me of the importance of finding a church community to do life with together: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.”  Do you meet together with others in a local church?  Have you found a small group, community group, or prayer group that you can spend some quality time with outside of regular church services?  A group where you can encourage, warn, and pray for each other? Verse 26 and the following verses are strong reminders of the one option we have for our faith – the one true God to follow: “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins.”  Is there another sacrifice besides Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that will cover our sins?

Psalms – Today in Psalm 109 verse 4 in the NIV we read these words of David – “I am a man of prayer.”  Wow. I like that. And I’m not sure I can honestly say that about myself right now. Sure, I will roll out of bed and offer up some prayers. Yeah, I’ll try to say a prayer before meals. And yes, I’ll pray briefly before going to sleep. Oh yeah, maybe in church once a week too I’ll offer up some prayers. But, for me to say “I am a person of prayer” would probably not be truthful. Ouch. Don’t worry – I’m not beating myself up too badly over it. But – if I really want to realize that God is holy and a Rock and if I really want to love God and other people, then I have a hunch that being a person of prayer is a critical part of the equation. I don’t think that prayer is so much talking to God as it is really slowing down and listening to God. Sure, it’s a conversation, but I think in our fast pace world today we would do well to really slow down in prayer and listen to God. Listen for that still small voice within our hearts leading us to God’s kingdom and glory and peace. It’s there. I think it takes prayer to really hear it oftentimes. How about you? Are you a person of prayer? Do you want to be a person of prayer? When you pray, do you talk more or listen more to God? Do you want to live your life as a person of prayer?

Bible.org’s commentary on Psalm 109 titled “A Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked” is at this link. 

Proverbs – Proverbs 27:13 today teaches us: “Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.  Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.” This is a great simple but important reminder to get collateral or security on debts!  Particularly if the guarantee is for someone you don’t know – though I’d recommend a guarantee on family loans too…  🙂  Otherwise you may see your money “fly away” from you…

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Psalm 109 reminds me of Third Day’s song “Call My Name:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEXXUdU–Zg

Have you called on Jesus’ Name?  Click here and call on Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you are spurring on others in your life toward love and good deeds each and every day. Pray that you meet together with Christ’s body, the church, regularly. Pray that you are encouraging others and being encouraged as the Day of Christ’s return is approaching!

Comments from you – What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 23:1-49
The following is one of the passages that truly caught my eye and imagination:
For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians satisfied their lusts with her and robbed her of her virginity. (Verse 8-NLT)
The phrase, “For when she left Egypt,” implies to me that this “prostitution” this idolatry was a “seed” implanted in Jacob/Israel long before she got to Egypt. Sin is so very insidious and we can think we have uprooted it when we have only mowed the lawn and cut it back. Could this have entered into the household when Rachel stole her father Laban’s household gods? (Genesis 31:19)
We just don’t roll out of bed one morning and commit a sin. We don’t just begin sacrificing our children on our altars of self-interest, expending our children to satisfy the things we brought into existence because of our own lusts. The seeds of our idolatry, the seeds of every kind of deviant behavior we can think of, the seeds of our “little” sins lie hidden in our hearts.
We can pull out our little lawn mowers, place chemicals around the “plant” and try to burn it out; however, if even one little speck of the root remains, it will grow back—in time. When it appears above the surface we are shocked and amazed and justify it away, but it has always been there.
The images from the Books of the Law dealing with the removal of “leprosy” or leaven from the home before Passover, clarify to me how diligent one must be to rid our “temple” and homes from sin. Once it is found it must be swept out and examined, then reexamined over time to check for recurring outbreaks. (Leviticus 13-14)
We must remember that a seed and its eventual root system is underground and we never know it’s there unless we have planted it. What is under the surface looks nothing like the mature plant. To find the true root of our sin we need prayer, revelation and trust that God is working things out in our lives.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======== Rachel:

Your comments on prayer made me think. I think it is good to have time in the morning and evening for prayer – personal prayer – that’s biblical. Often in the psalms we read about David doing that. I admit that that regular disciplined prayer is something I find hard sometimes. But a friend of mine suggested that I look apon it as ‘Making an arrangement with Jesus.’ I’d be thrilled and excited to go on a date with a guy I’d been keen on for a while. It should be even more thrilling and wonderful to prepare for meeting with the Lord Jesus – to have a regular, meaningful arrangment or date with him. My father also told me that prayer can simply be a continual breathing, communication with God. It’s like this story of the Highland Kitchen maid who was asked by a pastor ‘What do you think Pray without ceasing means?’ and she talked about how when she cleaned her face in the morning she asked God to cleanse her from sin, when she ate her breakfast she asked God to feed her from his word, when she threw out the rubbish she asked God to get rid of her sin.
I do need to pray more and make regular, quality times of prayer – but I also need to step into that place where talking to God is like breathing, where I see a flower and I praise him for making it, where I think of a child and ask him to make me like one, when I make a plan, think a thought and automatically include him in everything I do. I’m looking forward to meeting him now! It makes you long for heaven doesn’t it!
Rachel

===== Pat:

Ezekiel 23: I think to truly appreciate the message in Ezekiel 23 we have to go back and remember what has happened with the Jewish nations. The Jewish people had been divided into two nations, Judah and Israel. God blessed each of them, made them strong and rich, and offered them His protection. Both Israel and Judah committed the same sins with other countries. Assyria and Babylon sent representatives to visit with the Jewish leaders and both acted in the same manner.
Sin number one: The Jewish leaders proudly showed them all of their treasures including the gold and silver vessels that were used by the priests during worship services. They strutted their wealth and said, “Look what wonderful things I have.” They wanted to impress the foreign dignitaries with their possessions. They claimed the wonderful things God had as their own. They didn’t have anything because God had told them many times before that they and everything they had belonged to Him!
Sin number two: Because Assyria and Babylon were great Arab warring nations with many victories under their belt, the Jewish leaders and people were in awe of their success to the point that the Jews actually paid Assyria and Babylon to protect them from their enemies. Here were God’s people who had been chosen by God, protected by God, and blessed by God, paying nations that did not even recognize God to protect them and God’s treasures! They sold out God’s protection in preference of the protection of what they saw as strong, handsome earthly Arabs.
What did the Assyrian and Babylonia representatives do? They went back home and reviewed the situation. The Jewish nations had presented themselves as nations loaded with silver and gold who were so weak that they were willing to pay for protection. The Arab nations decided that they wanted more than the protection money they received – they wanted it all. They wanted all of the gold and silver they possessed and they also wanted these weak Jewish people to serve them as slaves and take care of their menial needs. The Jews did indeed prostitute themselves. They strutted “their stuff” just as a lady of the night struts herself to capture the attention of a John on the street corner. They were willing to sell out the protection of their faithful husband who was God in return for laying with first one nation and then another nation for the rewards they had to offer. Time and time again God tried to bring the Jewish “ladies” (Judah and Israel) back home where they belonged and time and time again the “ladies” returned to work the street corners of the world instead of relying on God. Finally God just gave both of these “ladies” to the Johns they preferred and let them suffer the consequences of their sins. They lost it all – they lost their beauty and wealth and they lost God’s permanent protection – for a few brief romps with the joys sin had to offer. There is a strong message here for people today. All that we are and all that we have is because of God’s love for us and the only way for our soul to receive permanent protection, which will allow us to walk on the golden streets of the Kingdom, is through the acceptance of Jesus Christ. If we offer ourselves as prostitutes to Satan for the enjoyment of worldly sinful thrills then we will eventually not only lose everything we have today and will also lose delight in the Kingdom of all tomorrows.
Psalms 109:6 is a very interesting verse, “Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.” In this psalms David is calling out BIG-time for God to take revenge and punish those that are giving him so much grief. However, David is not asking God to arrange for him to execute the revenge himself and David is not asking God to allow other righteous people to execute the revenge. Instead David is asking God to arrange for another evil one to execute the revenge against the evil ones attaching him. This is worth thinking about. Revenge belongs to the Lord and we should not neither seek to take revenge ourselves nor encourage another Christian to act in a revengeful manner.
My apologies for this being so long but for two hours God has told me to write down what He has been talking to me about this morning so finally I just gave in and let Him be the boss.
God Bless!
Pat

======= Jenny:

haha…I love that running man figure! Flee from sexual immorality, reminds me of how Joseph did that when the king’s wife tried to force herself on him. she said, no one will know, but He said, God will know! and he literally ran! Of course she caused all kinds of drama but I think he’s such a great example. We arent animals without self-control and if will fall into that, we need God’s help!
I too love Heb 10:24 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”. Thats so beautiful…wouldnt the world be so much better if we all strived to be like this? Instead of all the hate, jealousy, and revenege people plot, let’s love one another and another very crucial thing we MUST do, we who are of God’s love, forgive one another! Dont hold grudges. If someone wrongs you, go out of your way to be kind to them (not just to heap hot coals on their head) but to please the Lord.
For instance, road rage, who doesnt get it? Our sin nature response is to curse or whatever…I caught myself and got in the habit of blessing them. now if someone cuts me off or flips me off or whatever, i smile and wave and say God bless you! Even if they cant hear me, it pleases God. I get myself into the habit, so it becomes a natural response for me….I really mean it in my heart too, and not being condescending….it takes some time tho 😉
I too could use a boost in my prayer life, for sure! In one sense, i’m always talking with the Lord, all day. But to stop amidst it all and devote all my time to the Lord, slow down, hear Him…I definately need to improve there! Its a hard thing to slow down in life, but I know our enemy loves to give us that excuse, because prayer is the ultimate defeat for satan!
Jenny

======= Romayne:

That reading today was JUST what I needed to hear – about how we can come boldly before God to talk to Him about our needs. I’ve been going through a phase lately of feeling we do that too easily – somehow I think too many of us treat God as a ‘buddy-buddy’ figure, or otherwise disrespect Him, and I’m so ultra-wary of doing that, I’m almost hesitant to come before Him at all at times, so this was a boost of encouragement to hear. Again, ironically, on prayer – I’ve been listening to a lot of sermons on the topic lately, because like Miss, I feel I talk to God all day long in many ways, but on review, what I discovered was that I was treating God disrespectfully and in fact at times almost flippantly by asking Him to just let me rant and rave about everything in my day and throw it His Way to make me feel better. An example in question would be watching the News and invariably something come on about someone from a certain false religion that makes a lot of headlines these days, and I’d start criticizing their viewpoint (to God)or saying something rather unloving and having a monologue with God about how I see them and being very judgemental etc. However, I’ve recently come to feel that not only is my viewpoint errant to start with, but the way I bring it to GOd doubly so. I think if we could get a balance somewhere between how the Orthodox Jews revere Him, and how we as redeemed, justified Christians are supposed to revere Him, we’d be doing well. Ultimately I now try and ensure I give Him time to talk to me by listening to more of His Word than I provide Him with words of my own, and sitting quietly before Him even if only for 5 mins or so. Interestingly a pastor I listen to a lot said recently about how he’d noticed that the only time they discovered he didn’t have time was when they wanted to pray. Suddenly it would be the LAST thing he’d want to do, and yet if it was some other task or someone else he wanted to talk to, finding the time was never an issue, and I also find that to often be the case. Shows just how important it is, when Satan kicks in at the outset to try his best to prevent us even starting off. So I think all in all, the most important thing is to remember it IS a relationship, and to perhaps not think of it as a duty, but as necessary as breathing (I’m hearing that one a lot lately too)!! As Max Lucado put it (and possibly someone before him), “Pray without ceasing – if necessary, use words!” Blessings,
Romayne

======= Art:

Thanks so much for the Bible Blog. I began starting in June and I regret missing so much. Today it is my daily web page and I’m looking forward so much for next year’s edition. The COMMENTS section has also provided so many blessings to my thinking. Thank you and may God Bless You!
Art

====== Angie:

I read through the bible reading kind of too fast.But what caught my heart was the “being a person of prayer part”.I really like it and it sounds very much like me.
Angie

====== Theresa:

I enjoyed the reading for today. The part that stands our for me was being a man ,(woman) of prayer. Prayer is so important in relationship with our heavenly father. Many times I e to remind the children of the importance of communication with the father. And the Awesome thing about the communication is hearing God talk back to me…………What a relationship; when two hearts come together. I love you daddy God, not so much for what you’ve done but for who you are.
Theresa

====== Bonnie:

I used to have trouble with sexual sin and I prayed and asked God to help me not be so tempted. God answered me with a thought, “Then don’t be a temptress. It made me realize that I needed to change my wardrobe, which had never occurred to me as a new Christian. When I started dressing differently, I did not get the “looks” from the opposite sex that tempted me. I was glad I listened to hear His answer. It was a life-changer for me, and now I can conscentrate on my prayerlife and not feel tested every day. It was such an easy solution, but not one that would have occurred to me. I thank God that He cares enough for me to communicate with me! Thanx for this site.
Bonnie

======== Luch:

Hebrews 10:19-25 are the “lettuce’ verses of the bible–let us draw near, let us hold fast, let us encourage….and the focus in all of this is to towards faith, hope and love, the great virtues of our Christ centered faith. It’s interesting that in our drawing near to God, we are told to not forget our brothers and sisters. We can become so wrapped up in a vertical focus of worship that we forget that ‘encouraging one another’ is also ‘part of the worship service’…
Luch

====== Wendy:

Can I say, “I am a women of prayer”?? I always looked at others and tended to consider them as prayer giants and myself as anything but that. I have now run two Suzette Hattingh Prayer Schools, one of her comments is, “It is not how much you pray, how you pray …, BUT that you pray.” How freeing is that comment! It is not about you just talking and talking to God, but rather that we pray what is on His heart, which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. By doing that we are praying what Jesus is already interceding for! Being available to pray anywhere at any time is so important. Prayer can be reading God’s word and allowing Him to speak to you, singing songs, anything that is focusing on Him. It’s about relationship, partnering with Him, worshipping Him always. Don’t you love Him enough to do that?
Wendy

======= David:

Ever wonder why Israel would go so deeply into sin? There is a form of depression that all children of God have to face when one has to leave the sinful life and become Holy and separate from the things of this world. A kind of loneliness sets in. Also the temptations of this world get stronger as the Devil begins to over compensate for the fact that he may be losing his grasp on the child of God. The Devil acts like a wolf, attacking the weakest and the loneliest. Christians really do need to help each other along the path to righteousness or else there may be little hope. Depression and loneliness is a powerful tool used by the Devil and it attacks especially those who are in any form of leadership. It can be a private hell on earth for those who are sincerely trying.
David

====== Reuben:

I think the passage about Samaria’s love for the gods of Egypt can also be traced back to 1 Kings 12, when Jeroboam replaced temple worship with golden calf worship for the kingdom of Israel. For all of the kings of Israel after that, it is noted that under their reign, worship of the gloden calves continued.
The reference to harlotry with Babylon reminds me of Hezekiah inviting the Babylonians to Judah in 2 Kings 20. God was clearly unhappy with this, and through Isaiah, tells him so. But it was obvious to me what was wrong, and if it was just a pride issue for Hezekiah, why that meant Judah was over. But this passge inn Ezekiel puts the visit in a spiritual context, where maybe part of the visit involved religious/cultural exchange that resulted in worship of Babylonian gods by Judah.
Reuben

====== Elizabeth:

If we don’t pray, than who prays for the millions of precious persecuted Christians all over the world?…
It is painful to hear about them but, so sweet to pray God’s word over them.
shalom, Elizabeth

======= Karen:

Ezekiel demonstrated the ultimate act of being God’s vessel when he obeyed His command even in the midst of his most personal pain – loss of his wife. It’s incredible simply to think about it. By his example, God was able to use it to amplify His message to His people when He would take away the delight of their eyes. Obedience comes before personal needs. The Hebrew faith passage is such a sweet reminder of generations of faith bearers and even they did not get to see their fruits in their lifetimes; yet they reminded faithful. May it be an encouragement to me in times of despair in life situations.
Karen

====== Dee:

God, I pray for our nation and our children. I pray for enemy to stay at bay. No weapon formed against me will prosper. You are good Lord
Dee

====== Vance:

EZEKIEL 23 (CEV – Contemporary English Version)
25
I am angry with you, so I will let them be very cruel. They will cut off your nose and ears; they will kill your children and put to death anyone in your family who is still alive.
26
Your clothes and jewelry will be torn off.
27
I will stop your wickedness and the prostitution you started back in Egypt. You will never want to think about those days again.
28
I, the LORD God, am ready to hand you over to those hateful enemies that you find so disgusting.
29
They will cruelly take away everything you have worked for and strip you naked. Then everyone will see you for the prostitute you really are. Your own vulgar sins
30
have led to this. You were the one determined to have sex with men from other nations and to worship their idols. 31
You have turned out no better than your older sister, and now you must drink from the cup filled with my anger.
32
I, the LORD God, gave your sister a large, deep cup filled with my anger. And when you drink from that cup, you will be mocked and insulted.
33
You will end up drunk and devastated, because that cup is filled with horror and ruin.
34
But you must drink every drop! Then smash the cup to pieces and use them to cut your breasts in sorrow. I, the LORD God, have spoken.
35
You have completely rejected me, and so I promise that you will be punished for the disgusting things you did as a prostitute.
46
So I, the LORD God, now say to these sisters: I will call together an angry mob that will abuse and rob you.
47
They will stone you to death and cut you to pieces; they will kill your children and burn down your houses.
48
I will get rid of sinful prostitution in this country, so that women everywhere will be warned not to act as you have. 49
You will be punished for becoming prostitutes and for worshiping idols, and you will know that I am the LORD God.
HEBREWS 10 (CEV)
19
My friends, the blood of Jesus gives us courage to enter the most holy place
20
by a new way that leads to life! And this way takes us through the curtain that is Christ himself.
21
We have a great high priest who is in charge of God’s house.
22
So let’s come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let’s keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water.
23
We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us.
38
The people God accepts will live because of their faith. [ NOTE ] But he isn’t pleased with anyone who turns back.”
39
We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved.
[ NOTE ]
The people God accepts will live because of their faith
Or
The people God accepts because of their faith will live.
MY NOTE:
I tire of people I know who constantly repeat, in their own words, this false idea: “God in the OT is not the same as
Jesus Who is Merciful in the NT.” Or, they will say something like this: “The OT does not apply to us because Jesus established a new covenant. The God in the OT is angry; Jesus in the NT is full of grace.”
It is certainly true that in John 1 (CEV) God says:
17
The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth.
Yet to interpret that verse as “God of OT as separate from, as different from, Jesus of the NT” is wrong. Why? Because of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself.
John 10 (CEV)
30
and I am one with the Father.
31
Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus.
32
But he said, “I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?”
33
They answered, “We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!”
So, the anger that the Father feels against persistent, consistent, “determined refusal to listen” sin is the SAME feeling that the Lord Jesus has. For Jesus and the Father are one and the same!
However, the opposite is also true. God the Father sent many, many people—prophets, judges, leaders—to warn His people. He even warned them Himself by His Manifest Presence of Glory. He is a very longsuffering and patient God. So it is with the Lord Jesus!
The difference is that Jesus paid for all of our sins on the cross. The mercy we have in the Lord Jesus is available to all—no matter how bad they have been or are at this time. All people must repent and receive His Goodness.
2 Corinthians 5 (CEV)
18
God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
19
What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace.
I like verse 19 in the Amplified Bible:
19
It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).
Finally, about following the Holy Spirit. There is the fact of the holiness of God and the price of disobedience.
I heard this meditation on Romans 8:5-8 that really blessed and challenged me:
God and the Holy Spirit have the same objective in mind: to kill you.
The devil has come to “steal, kill, and destroy” you. When the Holy Spirit deals with you, He will kill the flesh, and He will not apologize. If you are determined to be attached to your flesh, He will wound you.
The mind set on the flesh is death. The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.
He will not stop bothering you, because He loves you too much. He will harass you in the nicest possible way, but He will harass you. If you ignore all of that—what He will do, He will just leave you to all of your own devices. So He will just say, “Fine, time is on My side. I will just go on vacation for a year. See you in 12 months. See you in 6 months.” He just leaves you alone.
The thing is, if you don’t respond continuously to the Holy Spirit, what you are saying is: “I would like to be left alone.” And of course, being the gentleman that He is, He will say, “OK. How does 3 months sound?”
If you don’t respond, you are always saying something to God.
Vance

Ezekiel 21:1-22:31 + Hebrews 10:1-17 + Psalm 108:1-13 + Proverbs 27:12
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Old Testament – In Ezekiel chapter 21 today we read about the Lord’s sword of judgment! Which, in this case is Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar.  I did not realize until today that there is actually a “sword song” in the Bible – a song that warriors may have sung and even danced to before going out to battle.  Unfortunately, this sword song in verses 9 through 11 was being sung for Jerusalem because of her many sins… “A sword, a sword is being sharpened and polished. It is sharpened for terrible slaughter and polished to flash like lightning! Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power! Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for the executioner.”

Okay, so Ezekiel Chapters 21 & 22 are the types of chapters where you might you think about stereotypes of the Old Testament – a “grouchy/mean” God perhaps one might say about these two chapters…   However! – context of course is key to keep in mind.  We must also know the book of Jeremiah or Ezekiel prior to these chapters.  God has been slow to anger, compassionate, asking – no, begging – people to repent.  And they have not.  And things just keep getting worse and worse and worse.  Check out chapter 22 verses 1 through 16 for how bad the sins of Jerusalem have gotten…  All of this reminds me that the consequences for sin are very real.  Let us never forget the truth of Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And, once again, in verse 30 of chapter 22 we see God’s compassion and God seeking an opportunity to stop the coming judgment: “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.” No one was found…  This verse makes me think about this – sometimes I think we tell ourselves, “What difference does it make?  What difference does it make if I’m good or bad?  What difference does it make if I serve and love others in need?”   Check out verse 30 above again.  Think one person could have made a difference then?  What about now?  Will you make a difference today?  Will you stand in the gap?

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 10 is powerful today!  I did come across a great learning, which I hadn’t really picked up before.  In verse 9 we read this about Jesus: “He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second.”  At first glance you might think, wow, the old / first covenant is over.  Things like the Ten Commandments don’t matter anymore.  Well, not so fast!  Tyndale’s One Year Bible companion tells us that this verse refers to the doing away (canceling) of the system of sacrifices contained in the ceremonial law.  However, this does not mean canceling / eliminating God’s moral law (the Ten Commandments).  Only through faith in Christ we can fulfill the moral law, as Jesus lives in us.  Good to know, eh?  I’d never really picked up this distinction before of Jesus canceling the ceremonial law but not the moral law.  Do you see this distinction?  As I’ve done some more reading on this, I realize this is a bit of a contentious point for many Christians.  Check out this great overview of the Mosaic Law in light of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection – including a disagreement on my point above about the moral law – at bible.org at this link.

Psalms – I love Psalm 108 verse 1 today: “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my soul!”   Is your heart confident in God?  Do you sing God’s praises?  Is your soul awake?  Or does your soul need a wake up call?  Where do you suppose you can find that wake up call for your soul?  The Bible?  Jesus?  The Holy Spirit?  God?  Will you answer the call today?  Will your soul wake up?

 

Proverbs – Proverbs 27:12 reminds us that it’s good to be a defensive driver on the roads!  🙂  “A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”  Honestly, I do think that we do well when we are “defensive” drivers or defensive walkers or defensive workers or this list could go on.  I am afraid that all too often we can drive or walk or work like we are #1 and there is no one else in this world…  well, guess what?  The person you crash into with your car, or get in a fight with when you walk, or get in an argument with when you work is thinking the exact same thing – except they are thinking that they are #1!  This is where Jesus wisely encouraged us to consider others before ourselves.   Imagine if our world operated this way – in Jesus’ way of humility and service to others – instead of everyone thinking they are #1?  How would our world be different if this was the case?  Are you helping our world be different?  Are you humbling yourself to be a #2 or #3 or #4 instead of being #1 all the time?  Think this is prudent?  A good way to foresee the dangers ahead?  And a good way to take precautions?   Or are you going on blinding as a #1 and suffering the consequences?  (I have to admit – this kiddo below does appear to be #1 in his household at this very moment… and suffering any consequences is probably not going to happen in this case!  🙂

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Hebrews reminds me of the Big Daddy Weave song, “What Life Would Be Like:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdbPynNI9Xo

Do you know what life would be like with Jesus?  Click here to find out!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.” Psalm 108:1 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that your heart is steadfast for God. Pray that you sing and make music with all of your soul for Jesus!

Comments from you – What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 21-22:31
Am I a person of my word? Do I fail to watch over my word to perform it and then expect others to do what they have promised? How often do I expect from others what I fail to do, judging others by a different standard? We don’t keep our promises to God, to friends or family. We will even at times struggle to keep our word to strangers before we honor our own with what we have sworn to do for our family, husbands, wives and children.
The 23rd verse of chapter 21 speaks of Jerusalem thinking that an attack by Babylon must be a mistake because she had a treaty with her; however, she didn’t keep her side of the contract. When two parties enter into a contract, if one side or both don’t uphold the terms of that contract, the agreement, the treaty becomes null and void. Thus Jerusalem should not have been surprised when the other party to her contract, Babylon, showed up to collect.
For the king of Babylon stands at the fork of the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens; he shakes arrows, he consults idols, he inspects animal livers. Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem. He sets up battering rams, to give the signal for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall. But they will view it as a false omen; they have sworn solemn oaths. However, he will accuse them of guilt and capture them.
(Ezekiel 21:21-23 NET.)
God has given us His Covenant, when we violate that Covenant we suffer the consequences, a simple cause and effect. If one violates the laws of gravity, one will die if they believe they can walk or fly off a twenty-story building. You can cry out all you want as you descend, “I didn’t know that I couldn’t walk off the building,” you will be a stain on the pavement, grass or dirt when you hit the ground. However, unlike a contract, a Covenant remains in effect even when violated. Maybe that is why God hates divorce so much. Marriage is not or should not be a contract between two people it is a Covenant. We need to be a people of our word, like our Father God.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Jan:

Ramona, you are so right on with the Covenant. I don’t think any of us existing today…even know what or how to keep a covenant. BUT…when we are with Him, we then will see all in Truth…especially the Covenant.
Jan

====== Rachel:

They repair cracked walls with whitewash!
This line makes me think about the church somehow. Do you think that we try and cover up the serious cracks or problems we have with the whitewash of socials/meetings and activity levels? I think congregations sometimes make the mistake of thinking that the bigger the list of after church activities the better condition the church is in. I think instead that this can be (not always) a covering up of the spiritual problems. Spurgeon said the power house of a congregation is the prayer meeting. That is probably a better reflection of spiritual health than anything.
Just another ramble from the readhead.
Regards
Rachel

====== Jan:

Rachel, I agree with you totally on your deduction & I sent/forwarded you a great article to your personal email address, hope you enjoy it & confirms your revelation(s).
jano
BTW: great response to the whitewash…remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees…whitewashed tombs…outside & you know what on the inside!!! 🙂
Jan

====== Jeff:

Today, Mike says:
However, this does not mean canceling / eliminating God’s moral law (the Ten Commandments). Only through faith in Christ we can fulfill the moral law, as Jesus lives in us. Good to know, eh? I’d never really picked up this distinction before of Jesus canceling the ceremonial law but not the moral law. Do you see this distinction?
Yes, Mike. And I agree with it 100%. I confess that I was troubled by your comments just 3 days ago (Nov 7th) when you said:
The Abrahamic covenant still stands today – the Sinaitic covenant is now out of date and ready to be put aside because it was completed by the new covenant of Jesus Christ. Our High Priest.
The moral law (10 Commandments) is an eternal requirement by God. By the grace of God, we can willingly, joyfully fulfill them by (as Jesus said), loving God with all our heart and mind and strength, and loving our neighbors as we do ourselves.
Note: You’re becoming more Presbyterian every day. (In my mind, that’s a good thing)
Jeff

====== Art:

Ezekial 22:30, one of my very favorite verses in the Bible! In all areas of life, I continue to ask myself if I am willing to stand in the gap in the wall of rightiousness.
Can one person make a difference, even in the face of overwhelming odds? God thinks so!
Art

====== Elsa:

Im very touched about the readings of being a humble not think that i am in # 1 always im very thankful of the Lord’s word for today and thanks also for sharing it God Bless you richly!
Elsa

====== David:

We read today about how God punished the Jews because they sucked at being God’s people, but in a little while we are going to read Hebrews 10:26-31.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 A man that hath set at nought Moses law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
This is a more scary punishment for those who call themselves Christian and yet fail to be children of God!
David

====== Terri:

Your blog has made my daily Bible reading something I look forward to each day and not just something I have to “get through” for my devotions. Thank You!
Terri

====== Erica:

I really like Hebrews 10:15-18 about the Holy Spirit coming inside to be in us. I just started reading a book that my husband recommended called “Loving God Up Close”. So the fact that I stumbled across this reading today confirms that God wants me to know more about the spirit.
Erica

======= Bob:

Erica has given us a reminder that we should be in tune with what comes across our desk, computer, reading, conversation, actions, feelings, all may be signs for us to listen. What is God saying? Mine right now has to do with battle. Our church is studying Joshua, strength and courage. A senior pastor fainted during the sermon, fighting a strange ailment yesterday. The battle song in Ezekiel today reflects Rememberance Day in Canada. All signs to be aware!
Bob

======= Pat:

Mike I am so glad to read your comments each day on Ezekiel. Without those I would be lost. I have a confession to make. Even though I pray over the scripture before reading it I get very little out of Ezekiel. To me it just seems to go on and on and on repeating itself.
Pat

====== Robert:

Hey Pat;
Ditto (Smile). Thanks for being honest. If it wasn’t for other people’s comments, interpretation, and insights, I would be left out in the dark too. I like how you pray for help. I will pray for you too. Let’s hang in there together.
Robert

======= Karen:

“I have come to do your will, my God.” What simple and yet succinct way to summary the purpose of our lives, Jesus demonstrated perfectly on the cross. May we not give in to all the distractions of the world that feed us endless selfish desires, but ask the spirit to constantly reveal Andy help us focus on knowing and doing His will.
Karen

====== Shirley:

Ezekiel 21+22
It’s just sad, just like Jeremiah, Ezekiel is delivering God’s messages of judgement. His people again, were doing despicable acts right before his eyes. And, the prophets were still lying and leading the people to sin.
21:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel 3 and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.
I am beyond, thankful and grateful to Jesus the only ultimate sacrifice.
Heb 10
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
Ps.108
3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Shalom 🙏🏼
Shirley

======= Dee:

I want to stand in the gap and be sincere for the Lord. However I can relate to Jerusalem and when the sin is apparent. Why is it like Paul says, when you want to do good, you don’t, and you crucify the flesh daily. Thank the Lord that he forgives again again and again.
I love how Jesus and His laws amd his judgement came to extinguish the law of Moses. However, Jesus said I did not come to do away with the law but that the law be established through him and By Him all things made new.
Yes wake up my soul! Yes..love this! I pray tomorrow will be a good day!
Proverbs: being prudent and disciplined..trying to be safe..on roads, at work and in life
Dee

======== Vance:

I have been setting aside time early in the morning to seek the Lord. I have been listening to some excellent teaching tapes on the GOODNESS OF GOD, which has spurred my own prayer, surrender, and study.
Here are some brief highlights:
a.
Every situation in your life is about who you are becoming in Jesus.
You need to replace that “victim mindset”.
You can say: “I am having a horrible time, but I am not a victim!” “I am not!” “I am not!”
It is not about what is being done to you. It is about how you choose to show up. It is about who you are becoming.
If you can translate every circumstance into an opportunity for you to get bigger and better, take it! – because that is the mindset of the Kingdom of heaven.
God allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent by His power. He allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent by His power.
There is no end to His Goodness! There is no end to it. There is no end to His Kindness! He is relentless.
Commitment is who you are regardless of circumstances. Commitment is Who God is for you regardless of your circumstances! When you get that, it is like the doorway is thrown wide (open) into intimacy.
What is the one thing that stops us being intimate with God? Me! My perception of myself. How I see myself in Jesus. He is not concerned about that. “I put you in Christ. You are acceptable. You are accepted in the Beloved.”
How do you love when love is not returned? You love in exactly the same way as if it was. Commitment is who you are regardless of how you are being treated. It is how you choose to show up.
b.
He initiates and we respond. God loves to make the first move. Scripture
says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Only God can love God. It takes God to love God. Only God can love God. What does He do?
He sends out His Love to us. His Love comes to us, it changes something
inside of us, and we end up giving back to God the very thing He gave us—Love! We love Him because He first loved us!
What God wants from you, He intends to give you first! So when He asks you to give Him the preeminence in your heart, what place do you have in His heart? Preeminence!
God loves you as if you were the only person in the world. It is that personal.
He loves you like you are the only person in the world.
That is how great He is.
c.
2 Thessalonians 1:11 and 12 – DIFFERENT VERSIONS
CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION
11
God chose you, and we keep praying that God will make you worthy of being his people. We pray for God’s power to help you do all the good things that you hope to do and that your faith makes you want to do.
12
Then, because God and our Lord Jesus Christ are so kind, you will bring honor to the name of our Lord Jesus, and he will bring honor to you.
NEW KING JAMES VERSION
11
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,
12
that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
AMPLIFIED BIBLE
11
With this in view we constantly pray for you, that our God may deem and count you worthy of [your] calling and [His] every gracious purpose of goodness, and with power may complete in [your] every particular work of faith
(faith which is that leaning of the whole human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness).
12
Thus may the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified and become more glorious through and in you, and may you [also be glorified] in Him according to the grace (favor and blessing) of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
***
I hope you like these meditations and the Bible verse. I am studying — not just to study to know about God. I am asking for an impartation from the Lord Jesus– that His Presence would impart to me Himself!
I really like these comments from different saints:
a.
Spurgeon said the power house of a congregation is the prayer meeting. That is probably a better reflection of spiritual health than anything.
b.
There is a distinction before of Jesus canceling the ceremonial law but not the moral law. Do you see this distinction?
These really blessed me.
THANK YOU
Vance

Ezekiel 20:1-49 + Hebrews 9:11-28 + Psalm 107:1-43 + Proverbs 27:11
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 20 verse 12 stands out to me today: “And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I, the LORD, had set them apart to be holy, making them my special people.”  I like learning this – the Sabbath days of rest were given as a sign between God and his people.  How are you doing on taking a day of rest each week?  Would taking a day of rest each week – a Sabbath day – benefit your relationship with God?  And with others?  Would it benefit perhaps the other 6 days of your week?  Below is a great painting titled “The Sabbath Rest” by the Jewish Polish painter Samuel Hirszenberg from the year 1894:

After verse 12 above, we read this from God in verse 13: ““But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my laws there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the desert.” The thing that stood out to me in this verse was “they also violated my Sabbath days.”  I don’t get too caught up on which day of the week we take a Sabbath – as some may work weekends and have Mondays off, for example.  Whatever the day is for you – do you have 1 day a week that you consider a Sabbath?  Why might this be a smart thing to do?  A healthy thing to do?  A faithful thing to do?

In Ezekiel 20:40 we read: “There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.” What are your offerings, choice gifts and holy sacrifices to the Lord?  Your life, your thoughts, your finances?  Do you give a percentage of your income to your local church, ministries, and nonprofits?  Would this perhaps be a “holy sacrifice” if you did so?  Would this be a bold act of faith?

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 9 verses 27 & 28 today teaches us: “And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people.”  This stands in stark contrast to the old covenant where the High Priest had to atone for the people’s sins over and over and over again.  With faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven all at once – for eternity – and Christ does not need to forgive us of our sins over and over and over again.  Faith in Christ is the one and only thing that matters.  Do you believe this?

Psalms – Psalm 107 today is a wonderful Psalm of thanksgiving!  Okay, be honest, who started busting out singing the Michael W. Smith worship tune “Forever” when you read verse 1? – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”  I did!  That’s a great tune… based on a great verse in a great Psalm. 

Psalm 107 repeats a verse four times – starting with verse 6 here – “”LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.”  (then see verse 13, verse 19, and verse 28 – same verse) This is a great reminder to pray – and yes, it’s great to pray during times of distress of course.  But, how about praying during times of happiness & joy?  Or even times of just regular blahs?  I recently read much of the book “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” by John Ortberg (great book!), and it has a great chapter on prayer.  It is so true that one of the best ways to truly know and love God is through prayer.  Simple prayer.   5 minutes a day.  Do you pray to God 5 minutes a day?  When the storms of life come, do you cry out for help to Jesus?  Do you know that he will always be there for you in the midst of the storm?

Proverbs – It is interesting to read Proverbs 27:11 as if God was writing this to each of us:  “My child, how happy I will be if you turn out to be wise! Then I will be able to answer my critics.”  Are we spending our lives striving to be wise in God’s eyes or the world’s eyes?  Do you think that God will be happy if you are wise?  Do you want godly wisdom?  Where will you find it?  Below is an image of a young Jesus growing in wisdom with Scripture – think this made God happy?

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Hebrews reminded me of the fantastic Jason Castro song “You Are:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUkCrSTYGA8

Can you sing to Jesus, “You Are the One?”  Click here and sing to the One!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” Hebrews 9:15 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that Jesus Christ is your mediator and that you have been called to receive eternal life. Pray in faith that Jesus Christ died as a ransom for your sins and that you are now living a new eternal life in Christ.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 20:1-49
In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to seek the Lord, and they sat down in front of me. The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Why do you come seeking me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ (Ezekiel 20:1-3 NET.)
These three verses and a fourth, 13, have given me food for thought and causing me to ask questions about the intent of the entire chapter. Men come to Ezekiel to seek God, and God tells them he will not tell them anything, and then states His case against them: the sins of their fathers/ancestor are being held against them. We have read in a previous chapter, Eighteen, that the soul that sins is the soul that will die (verses 4, 20). No longer will the proverb be true, that the Fathers eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge. (Eze 18:2). So what is God up to is He contradicting His Word? What does God know about these people that He brings up a charge against them from the near and distant past?
If God is not a man that He should lie (Num23:19), then it is our understanding, to be more correct, it is my understanding that is “off” and I must do some intense studying.
Because God has Foreknowledge of our actions and activities, He must know that whatever He tells this group they will not listen, much less obey. If He is bringing up their ancestors sins than I believe the group before Ezekiel, who would know their father’s traditions, will weigh whatever God would have told them against their father’s customs and side with their fathers. One of the hardest things for us to do when we become Christians is to break away from the things we have traditionally followed and choose the path of God. Even when our entire family goes to “church”, many of the traditions of the churches we have found ourselves growing up in or currently attending are not the traditions of God. The thirteenth verse in this chapter, 20, states that clearly,
“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my laws there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the desert.
I don’t believe it was just the breaking of the Sabbath day that got them into trouble, it was their disobedience and rebellion against God that caused them to break the Sabbath. One could conceivable keep the Sabbath and break every other law that God made.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
(Joshua 24:15 AMP)
Psalm 107:1-43
In reading this Psalm, I realized that this is broken up into four sections. Each section describes four types of people who find themselves deep in the consequences of their sin. They may have gotten in their mess by holding different thoughts and views about life, and how to live it but they all found themselves in the same place, despair.
I’m not sure if this classification is right but I will give it a try.
The first group mentioned is in verses 4-9
Some wandered in the wilderness in a solitary desert track; they found no city for habitation. Hungry and thirsty, they fainted; their lives were near to being extinguished. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them forth by the straight and right way, that they might go to a city where they could establish their homes. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good. (Psalms 107:4-9 AMP)
These guys and gals are the ones trying to get away from evil society thinking if they can just get away from folk, evil sinful folk they will be alright and free from temptation. I guess maybe I see them as isolationist, running from sin into sin: the sin in their own hearts.
Second group: (10-16)
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons, [Luke 1:79.] Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them. [Ps. 68:6; Acts 12:7; 16:26.] Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart. (Psalms 107:10-16 AMP)
For me the clue to the type of people mentioned here is the word “darkness.” Those without God have no light. So there are the folks who have rejected God. This group was the one I belonged to. Having been hurt by Christians and then out of my pain, hurting others, I walked in darkness bumping into every thing in site.
Group Three: Fools (17-22)
Some are fools [made ill] because of the way of their transgressions and are afflicted because of their iniquities. They loathe every kind of food, and they draw near to the gates of death. Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses. He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. [II Kings 20:4, 5; Matt. 8:8.] Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! [Heb. 13:15.] And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!
(Psalms 107:17-22 AMP)
Well this seems to be quite clear on this group, fools. The Book of Proverbs is full of descriptive adjectives and behaviors of fools. In fact in the very beginning of Proverbs, in the Amplified, we are given an understandable description of a fool.
but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline. (1:7); And the scoffers delight in scoffing and [self-confident] fools hate knowledge?(1:22), and For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of [self-confident] fools shall destroy them. (1:32).
Fools reject and despise godly wisdom, instruction, discipline and knowledge and they are carelessly self-confident.
The fourth and final group (23-30)
Some go down to the sea and travel over it in ships to do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises up the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. [Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; their courage melts away because of their plight. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits’ end [all their wisdom has come to nothing]. Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He hushes the storm to a calm and to a gentle whisper, so that the waves of the sea are still. [Ps. 89:9; Matt. 8:26.] Then the men are glad because of the calm, and He brings them to their desired haven.
(Psalms 107:23-30 AMP)
These are the folks who are always looking for and believing that the grass is always greener over there somewhere. Everything is better some where else but here.
What do you see in these four groups of text? Or maybe I’ve just gone off on a tangent.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Rachel:

They refused to keep my laws and follow my instructions, even though obeying them would have given them life.
Just thinking about the above verse and the question I was asking a friend about some kids at our club. They have shocking behaviour yet punishment seems to have no or very little effect. My friend mentioned how sin has this blinding effect on us. We cannot see that it destroys and harms us and that it is foolishness to follow in its ways. Even as Christians we can continue in sin, in something that is harmful or disrespectful to God. This verse is a perfect example of sins blinding effect on our lives – we can be looking death in the face and have the opportunity of life presented to us yet we can still turn away. I rejoice that God has opened my eyes an I pray that for others. Here’s another verse I read today: God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. He who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:8
Rachel

====== Jan:

Rachel, that is what you called being deceived/deception…just that, when we are deceived, we can’t see the truth before us…we are deceived. Deception is just that…not knowing the truth. We choose life or death…we choose to believe the truth instead of the lie.
Jan

====== Jan:

Mike, no stones here regarding football. We refer to it as worshiping the pigskin (really not funny at all, considering His judgement on idol worship). Yes, football or anything that takes the place of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit is idol worship for sure. I live in “Sooner” land & I have several people around me & that I work with & have worked with that worship Sooner football. Of course, they wouldn’t look at it like that at all…but that is what it is. NOW…if they/you/me/us were spending as much time with God as we are/were with football, then that may be a different issue, or even more time with God than football & enjoying an occasional game of football or whatever.
This is my thought when I have sat in the past in a stadium full of electricty of the crowd…wouldn’t it be wonderful & amazing if all this energy where turned toward worshipping God…what an awesome & electrifying thing that would be & that would truly be worship.
One time a few years ago I was privileged to walk by an arena here in Oklahoma City when they were letting out all the men from the Promise Keepers convention & I was so awestruck by the magnificence of so many Godly men coming out of a huge arena/door/gateway. It was one of the most awesome things I have seen/felt in my lifetime…an emotion from Him. To know that I am walking among so many Godly men was astounding to say the least.
Jan

======= Pat:

Psalms 107: Four times this psalm says that men cried out to God and God delivered them from their distress. However, it also says each time that men should thank God for His goodness and wonderful works. Psalms 107:43 concludes this psalm by saying “Whoever is wise will observe these things.” Just as we are to call out to God during times of distress, we are also to give Him the credit for answering our call. Sometimes we call out to Him but then we fail to give Him the credit and thanks He is due. It’s a two-way street and the wise will travel both directions – (1) ask for God’s help and guidance and (2) give Him ALL the credit for answering our prayer.
God Bless!
Pat

====== Luch:

heh mike, I applaud your conviction about how you use your ‘sabbath’. Reading your post I was reminded of Eric Liddell the scottish olympic runner who chose not to run his race because it was scheduled on the ‘sabbath’. Whether one agrees with the interpretation is one matter, but one cannot argue with the loving, bold tenacity of the commitment to live by your convictions. The key is as Parker Palmer says, “Let your life speak.” By making such a choice re your use of sunday “your life is speaking’ good things. Bless you bro.
Luch

======== Andy:

Note in the Ezekiel passage, the idea that God does things for the sake of His name appears four times. Check out verses 9, 14, 22, and 44! I feel that one way to recognize the main point in a chapter involves recognizing such patterns. 🙂
Andy

======== Jenny:

Hmm, so what if i offer you tickets to the superbowl? j/k. It’s a great thing to have a heart longing for God and wanting to devote a sabbath day to the Lord. we must make sure we do it for Him, cause we truely want to, not for other reasons….not out of pride as the pharisees did in the gospels, how they always tried to trap Jesus for healing on the sabbath or simply cause we want to play hookey on that day to get out of something, ‘oh, i cant, its the sabbath’..haha.
the sabbath was made for man and not man made for the sabbath. As we draw closer to the Lord, our desires change. we want to please Him and spend time with Him. Its most important to have a real relationship with Him….then everything will fall into place. Forget rules and traditions, when you come to know the true and living God, He guides you and changes you.
Tithing is a wonder thing, its an honor to do so, that means we have an income in the first place! All we have is His and comes from Him, its very imposrtant to recognize this. Tithing has so many benefits. But what is our motivation for tithing? If its to be seen by men (a prideful heart) or done with a bitter heart, i would think its best not to tithe. In 2 Corin 9:7 it says, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver”.
We are to give with a joyful heart. there were times in the past i didnt want to give, i had a sour heart…’i have to give all my money away?’ (i thought in my heart). And i heard the pastor say, ‘If you are giving cause you feel you have to, not cause you want to, put your money away, God doesnt want it! He can accomplish His purposes without your money! It benefits you, not God! He doesnt need your money!’ slap on my face, haha…I thought that was good…I love boldness and truth.
So, 10% or whatever more we want to give with a grateful heart….emphasis on the last part.
Ps. 107…of course I cant help but sing that =). I didnt know that was M.W. Smith…shouldve guessed, he sings everything. We sing it at church a lot, its a beautiful song and beautiful praise!
My pastor was talking about wisdom in my church service tonight. Wisdom is from above, from God. Knowledge is from the world. James 3:13-17 gets into it.
I also just love Luke 10:21, it really blesses my heart!
Jenny

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 20:1-49
As I read through today’s Old Testament reading for the third time today, I realized that I am witnessing God laying out proof to His people that He is worth of our trust. He is stating that He, Himself is faithful to His character, His Word and He is faithful to us even when we are faithless.
When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God. I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols [b] of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’ (NLT 20:5b-7).
If we really examine ourselves we will realize that not only are we NOT faithful to God, we are not faithful to our children, our spouses, our family and friends, yet we bristle at those who are not faithful to us. We demand from God His faithfulness, and rightly so because that attribute is part of who God is and He would cease to be God if He were not; we demand from others what we are unwilling to be ourselves and we demand from others what only God can be, faithful. We need to get some smarts, buy a vowel and get a clue.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Rose:

Thank you Mike, for your faithfulness to keep up this Bible blog…can’t tell you how much of a net this has been in what seems was a long fall down and away. God is so lovely! Praise Him.
Rose

====== Kim:

I just recently discovered this Bible reading blog and I have a testimony from tonight’s reading. A friend called and asked for prayer and said they were traveling in Arizona and felt they were lost in the desert. I got on my knees and prayed and then read today’s passage in Psalm 107. The Lord helped them in their distress and made it out of the desert safely. Thank you Jesus! Thanks for this awesome way to study God’s Word and to praise Him daily. What a huge blessing.
Kim

====== David:

Before in the old testament one had to sacrifice many times on different days in order to get atonement for sins, a tenth was a tithe, they also had a Sabbath rest on every Sabbath.
In the New Testament we no longer have to Sacrifice on special days, we give according to the Holy Spirit 100 percent if need be, and if we read Hebrews 4 we are in a perpetual state of rest.
Freedom in Christ is freedom indeed!
David

======= Mae:

I have often wondered if any day of the week can be the sabbath day of rest. I think not because God gives specific instructions. He says “my” sabbath day and further says …. in it thou shall not do any work nor thou manservant or maidservant or anyone within thou gates. To say that any day could be a day of rest is like the story of Cain and Abel when God gave specific instructions to bring a blood offering and Cain brought fruits as an offering. God gave specific instructions about how the ark was to be build to Noah. God gave specific instructions about how the sanctuary was to be constructed. God usually does not leave it up to man to decide on things that are holy to Him. The sabbath is a holy day, and a specific day. Those who have ears, let him hear.
Mae

====== Subhankar:

This is a great post, and speaks to me so clleray today. I have so many decisions to make, along with ideas and things I want to accomplish. I think so much about if I’m doing the right things, making the right decisions and is it the right timing. Because I want to always live in alignment with God’s Word and move in order, this question is almost always with me. So I pray that He continues to order my steps and direct my path. So whatever I plan to do, I commit my work to God, and I believe He will direct my way. Proverbs 16: 1-9
Subhankar

===== Karyn:

I have always been thankful for my disability. I never even considered being angry at God. My car accident in and of itself had nothing to do with God, but my survival, though death was expected, is purely due to God’s intervention! I have trouble walking, but am thankful for wheelchairs and walkers, am not able to speak clearly and have a hard time writing, but am thankful that I can type, remember the keyboard, and have a program which says what i type, and not able to work, but am fully supported due to job benefits because i worked for the state of Georgia. My accident was 21 years ago, but my condition is still improving everyday I have so much that I am thankful for.
To the Lord, I give my time, talents, worship, love, and the power I have to move people by my story and my writing, and ask that He make me able to use them for His glory.
Karyn

======== Karen:

Overlooking the importance of Sabbath is the primary reason I find myself burn out at times in my life. The consequences can be severe where I saw fellow Christians became discouraged and even disoriented in their faith The Lord knows us well and command us to rest for our own benefit. I am more vigilant now and take rest or simple ask for help.
Karen

======= Jill:

What a beautiful song by Jason! Thank We need to watch carefully who we serve and what we serve. It’s one thing to sacrifice but obedience is greater than sacrifice. The Lord jist wanted his people to believe and receive his instructions not question or rebel every step of the way. How are we with that? How is your sabbath? Are you seeking Him and resting in Him as you seek His will throughout the week. I know I need to do alot more of that(the latter) and less fussing..Amen!
He is a once and for all Lord! One sacrifice for the sacrifice of all. He is the ultimate High Priest! Not like the other priests in past who had to atone again and again and again! Amen
Again and again if we cry out he will rescue us! God is a God who redeems. Let the redeemed say so! He is so faithful and true and yes we should praise when we are happy, joyful and not just call when we are sad, and hurt..ALL the time
It is safe to say that when we grow in wisdom it makes the Lord proud. Think we are doing this by reading the one year daily??you for sharing!
Jill

====== Dee:

We need to watch carefully who we serve and what we serve. It’s one thing to sacrifice but obedience is greater than sacrifice. The Lord jist wanted his people to believe and receive his instructions not question or rebel every step of the way. How are we with that? How is your sabbath? Are you seeking Him and resting in Him as you seek His will throughout the week. I know I need to do alot more of that(the latter) and less fussing..Amen!
He is a once and for all Lord! One sacrifice for the sacrifice of all. He is the ultimate High Priest! Not like the other priests in past who had to atone again and again and again! Amen
Again and again if we cry out he will rescue us! God is a God who redeems. Let the redeemed say so! He is so faithful and true and yes we should praise when we are happy, joyful and not just call when we are sad, and hurt..ALL the time
It is safe to say that when we grow in wisdom it makes the Lord proud. Think we are doing this by reading the one year daily??
Dee

Ezekiel 18:1-19:14 + Hebrews 9:1-10 + Psalm 106:32-48 + Proverbs 27:10
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 18 is a powerful chapter!  What we are seeing in this chapter is the Old Covenant – which I do believe was compassionate & “fair”, but different from the New Covenant, which I believe is compassionate & graceful (which may not necessarily be “fair” – but which is good news – Gospel – for us sinners!).  Verse 30 is a good look at the Old Covenant: “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don’t let them destroy you!”   Verse 4 of course stands out too with: “And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies.” You read this at a high level and you’ll get a bit nervous, no?  🙂  Indeed this is the Old Covenant:  your actions will dictate your death or your life.  It’s up to your actions.  It’s up to you.  You’ll get what you deserve.  And this is certainly “fair.”  However, this changes through Jesus Christ’s atonement for our sins once and for all on the cross.  Under the New Covenant, through God’s gift of grace, we now simply need to have faith that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, died for our sins and rose from the dead.  As we’ve been reading in Hebrews currently – we simply need to have faith in Christ as our High Priest.  God’s grace and our faith becomes the key (regeneration).  Not our actions on their own.  This being said, after our salvation (justification) through grace and faith, God is very interested in our actions and wants us to live a life of holiness (sanctification).   This is a lot of theology here… and more than I can blog on without goofing it up – actually I probably already have.  🙂  Check out a good overview of justification and sanctification (and regeneration!) on bible.org at this link.    Also, I’ll copy this image below, which I found interesting.  I may not agree with every point on this image, but overall I find this useful:  (though, I’d say you could take a thick black magic marker and just write “Jesus” and “Grace” all over this image below too, and that would really be all you need to know 🙂

Verse 32 can be argued to be the single most important point in all of the book of Ezekiel – “I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!”  This is a powerful verse.  Think this verse shows us that God is compassionate?  Think this might be the single most important point in the book of Ezekiel?  Think this verse can apply to our lives today? Are their areas of sin in your life which God is calling you to turn back from?  Calling you to turn toward true Life?  And to be free from the slavery of sin?  Will you turn back?  Will you repent?

Ezekiel Chapter 19 is a funeral song and allegory about the land of Judah and Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is the lioness and the lions are two of her sons, two kings – one who ended up trapped and deceived by Egypt and the other by Babylon.   The last sentence of verse 14 is a sad one…  “This is a funeral song, and it is now time for the funeral.” As we know, it is now time for the funeral for Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s time.  However, of course, there is the redemption to come and the continuation of the house of David.  The promise to Abraham won’t die here!  There is another Lion of Judah yet to come…

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 9 is a fairly brief reading today on the Old Covenant rules for approaching God.  We also read today about the ark of the covenant. Below are a couple of good images of the tabernacle, which you’ll recall details about from our readings in Exodus chapters 26 & 27 earlier this year:

 

One thing that stands out in my mind when reading this chapter today is that just after Jesus dies on the cross there is an earthquake, which shakes the Temple in Jerusalem where the Most Holy Place was located at the time of Jesus’ death.  The curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the Temple is torn in two.  This is incredible imagery that shows that no longer is the Most Holy Place and an earthly high priest the only way to God.  Jesus has torn that veil in two and Jesus is our new and eternal High Priest ushering in the New Covenant!

Psalms – Psalm 106 verse 39 stood out to me today, speaking about the Israelites: “They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD’s sight.”  I think this Psalm verse stands the test of time with our modern world today.  Do you believe that we still defile ourselves with our evil deeds today?  Do you believe that our love of idols is adultery in God’s sight?  How can we stop defiling ourselves with evil deeds and stop loving idols in our modern world today?  Who can save us from ourselves?

Proverbs – Proverbs 27:10 is interesting and not something I would think of on my own: “Never abandon a friend–either yours or your father’s. Then in your time of need, you won’t have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.”  I would of course think it’s better to ask a distant relative for help than a friend.  But, this Proverb tells us differently…  Why do you suppose this is?  I guess as I think about it, it is probably because when our “time of need” comes we will first turn to our neighbors in our local community – to call the fire department or call the police or call the paramedics or whatever the case may be.  We’ll need our neighbors during that time of need initially.  And then, longer term, yes we’ll need our relatives who live far away.  But that unforeseen time of immediate need is just one more reason to live in loving community with our neighbors!  And let us always be ready to serve our neighbors when they need us.  Do you really know your neighbors?  Are you a good neighbor?

Worship Video:  Today’s Proverb reminds me of JJ Heller’s song “What Love Really Means:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpVGiq3NssM

Do you know what love really means?  Click here for LOVE!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you — better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.” Proverbs 27:10 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you will never forsake your friends when disaster comes their way. Pray that you will be a good neighbor. Pray that you won’t be forsaken by your friends and neighbors might disaster strike you.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 18-19:14
The list of things that a “righteous” man does runs the gamete from a life of purity to giving sacrificial to those in “need.” I find it interesting that there is no one thing that makes a person righteous. The pie of righteousness must be complete and whole, in entirety. So too the “unrighteous” person is not made unrighteous by engaging in just one of the many mentioned things.
I believe with all my heart that it is only by faith and through faith that anyone of us can live out Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 [Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”] because the attributes being described in Ezekiel 18:5-9 are things that can only be done naturally by way of faith and they are Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, we can make them a spiritual discipline but then we would be doing them by works, which comes by way of our flesh and not by way of the spirit.
I love the fact that God is not holding the sins of my ancestors against me nor is He holding my sins against my children. Each of us are capable of making our own choices of what we are to follow. In declaring that each person will pay for his or her own sin, God is saying that we have a choice. No longer can we use the excuse of family or peers pressure to explain why we have done a thing that God says is wrong. Tradition and ethnic or cultural norms will not be an acceptable means to escape culpability. We are accountable for our own actions and we cannot blame anyone but ourselves.
We are where in life because of our choices. If we don’t like the life we are living and its consequences we need to make different choices.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======== Jan:

Good morning Vance, this is what I have to say about your comment & repentance: Ezekiel 16:6 – Verse 6 in this chapter jumped out at me – “But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live!’”
The Zondervan commentary said this one word – Live! – is God’s basic desire for all humans. How powerful is that realization? How very beautiful… Live! Let us Live!
Jan

======= Pat:

Mike, I feel very differently about Ezekiel 18 than you do. Up to this point in the Old Testament we have been studying how the Old Covenant was applied. We saw time and again how sons were punished for the sins of the fathers down to three generations. We saw innocent children bearing atrocious punishment because of the sins of their fathers and mothers. The Old Covenant was based on actions and it was tribal. To me, Ezekiel 18 is the first real glimpse into how the New Covenant differs. We are now hearing that God will judge each soul individually instead of tribally. Neither will fathers be judged for the sins or actions of their sons nor sons judged for the sins or actions of their fathers, but each person will be judged according to their own righteousness or wickedness. I thank God continually that I was born under the New Covenant and not the Old Covenant given to Moses. I would hate to think that I would be punished for the sins of my great-great grandparents that I don’t even know or that my great-great grandchildren would be punished for my sins. I am so grateful that our Lord and Savior now gives to each person the opportunity to gain righteousness through their acceptance of Jesus Christ and that seeking Christ is now a personal experience and responsibility. No longer do we have to go through a priest to repent or hear the Word of God. Because Christ died for each of us, each of us now has open communication with our Lord and He will judge each of us accordingly. Christ died for our sins so that through the grace of God we could have a personal relationship with Him. I love Ezekiel 18 because I think it is very uplifting to know that God looks at and values each individual soul instead of placing the emphasis on the combined actions of a nation.
God Bless!
Pat

======= Mike:

Pat – GREAT points… you’re right. I thought about your points, but was a bit crunched on time last night when posting, so posted up what I did. But – you’re spot on. Next year I’ll get this one right. 🙂
Mike

======= Pat:

Mike, I think what you do is awesome! I taught a Sunday School class for years and prepared study sheets to hand out each week to supplement the books we studied from. I worked on it all week researching the Scripture and finding the correct artwork. To see the work you do on a daily basis just blows my mind! What a wonderful ministry you perform for the Lord and what an excellent job you do with it. This is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit. I just can’t thank you enough or adequately express my deep appreciation for the service you perform.
I sure was glad to hear you say “next year” as I started this study in the middle of the year and plan on continuing it next year.
With a big Christian hug and prayers for your life to be filled with God’s blessings!
Pat

======== Reuben:

Ezekiel 19
Lion = Judah?
first cub = Jehoahaz? (2 Kings 23)
second cub = Jehoiakim? (2 kings 24)
Reuben

======= David:

Today’s reading seem to be the most straight forward, one could use these readings to explain a lot of stuff to people who believe that the Bible is just full of a lot of metaphorical parables and stories.
David

======= Reuben:

Funny, I could hear the echoes of people nowadays, complaining of God’s unjust ways. And the same argument from Ezekiel would hold.
Reuben

======= Duane:

Reading from Ekekiel chapter 18 reminded me of how God looks at our lives each day. Yes we are saved by grace, but we must abide in that grace and not take our salvation for granted. I would not want to run this race and fall short because of sin. Its important for all of us to start each day renewing our love for the Lord and thanking him for our salvation and asking him to examined of us and as we do, God will reveal in us those things that need to be confessed. Its important that we continued to read his word and stay in fellowship with our local church and the brethen.As we stay connected to the vine,God will keep us and we will grow in our relationship with him.
Duane

====== Jane:

Our Lord’s words to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5), have been given widely different interpretations. Perhaps the most dangerous of these has been, and still is, “baptismal regeneration,” the idea that the text is teaching that water baptism is necessary to salvation. But to insist that the new birth occurs as the result of water baptism makes regeneration a matter of external ritualism. Whatever Christ meant by being “born of water,” He most certainly was not referring to an outward ritual.
I’m finally getting it. It’s gotta be His word that we accept in our hearts. 1 Peter 1:23. Actually all of 1 Peter is good. Also we are baptized of the spirit. If we aren’t He doesn’t live in us. The whole commentary on regeneration, justification and sanctification really helped put things in perspective. It’s quite lengthy and deep but pretty self explanatory. Thanks for posting Mike. That I can share with others. I have so much to learn yet in so little time!
But only God saves. We plant the seeds.
I’m thankful for my Christian upbringing but that doesn’t save me! I’m finding more that no one is righteous! Not even my my inspiring mother who revered God. None of us is without sin. But Christ took it upon himself to be sin for us. 2 Corin. 5:21
Nothing better than having my Hoky Bible at my fingertips with the You version. And your blog on my IPad. Thank God for tech. And my 3 manual Bibles at my side!
Jane

======= Richie:

The Lord tells the Israelites that the one who sins is the one who will be punished. This shows how he lets anyone be purified if they follow God’s word.
Richie

======= Dee:

I too like Ramona am glad that my sins are not being place on my kids nor my ancestors causing me to be punished for them. We allale atomement for our owm sins but like Ramona says Through faith are we made righteous and in right standing..through belief in the Father and placing our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
Also, ch 19 gives a whole new meaning to the secular song “man eater” Wow..lol
Hebrews and their showmanship and a new way to the Father. When the earth shook, Jesus said, “It is finished. Into you God do I commit my spirit.” These verses reminded me of Hosanna..beautiful
Psalm 106 Only Jesus can save us from our sins if we let them.
Dee

======= Vance:

Atonement is what the “Holy of Holies” is for; the sacrifices in our place, for our sins.
“Salvation”, surrender” and “service” are the purposes for which we are saved from sin.
~~~
Thus, I want to submit this study I found EARLY this morning before I came to work. It is called CLEANSING FOR SERVICE – TO DO GOOD
2 Timothy 2:21
” If a man therefore purge
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for themaster’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
Purge
GREEK: Ekkathairo, pronounced
“ek-kath-ah’-ee-ro”
This means: to cleanse out,
clean thoroughly, to cleanse
***
A. Matthew Henry Complete Commentary,Whole Bible for 2 Timothy 2:21
“Now we should see to it that we be vessels of honour: we must purge ourselves from these corrupt opinions, that we may besanctified for our Master’s use…”
“Some dishonour the church by their corrupt opinions andwicked lives; and
others honour and credit it by their exemplary conversation…”
“Sanctification in the heart is our preparation for everygood work. The tree must be made good, and then the fruit will be good.”
***
B. Hebrew verb: Taher, pronounced ” taw-hare’ ”
Definitions:
a. to purify, be clean
morally, made clean
b. to be cleansed, be
pronounced clean
c. morally: to present
oneself for purification
***
C. Greek noun: Katharismo, pronounced
” kath-ar-is-mos’ ”
NOTE: from which we get English word “catharsis”
Definitions:
1. a cleansing from the
guilt of sins wrought by
the expiatory sacrifice
of Christ
***
D. Greek verb: Katharizo, pronounced “kath-ar-id’-zo”
Definitions:
1. In moral sense: to free
from defilement of sin
and from faults
2. to free from guilt of
sin, to purify
3. to consecrate by
cleansing or purifying
PRAYER: I present myself for Your purification, O Lord. I cannot do it
myself; I know, for I have tried. I know that I am notclean inside, where the “real me” is—not what others see.
Psalm 51:2 (NKJV)
Wash me thoroughly from myiniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
I John 2:2 (CEV)
Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the
world’s people.
PRAYER:
* Lord, I want to do good
for others—my family,
other people, and
society.
* Lord, I now realize that
I have been working
backwards: By trying to
help others, I find that
I am cannot. I unable to
help them, and I get
frustrated.
* Lord, I ask You to
cleanse me. I receive
Your death in my place
for forgiveness and
cleansing.
* Lord, I also now receive
Your life in me by Your
Spirit, to enable me to
do the good I am unable
to do on my own.
Vance

Ezekiel 16:42-17:24 + Hebrews 8:1-13 + Psalm 106:13-31 + Proverbs 27:7-9
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 16 compares the sins of Jerusalem to those of Sodom!  These are bold comparisons, as you know the story of Sodom and the wipeout there.  The Israelites were in relationship with God – they should have known better – hence the Sodom comparison.  Verse 49 stood out to me in this chapter “Sodom’s sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.”  The interesting thing to note is that Sodom’s social injustice sins are highlighted here – rather that their sexual sins.  Sodom was not taking care of the poor.  And nor was Jerusalem at this time of the 6th century B.C.  What about in our world today?  Are there poor and needy suffering outside our door today?  Are we not taking care of them because of our pride, laziness, or gluttony?  Where is our “door”?  Who is our neighbor?  What will you do?

Ezekiel chapter 17 is a great story of the two eagles!  This is basically a story of the city of Jerusalem’s vacillating foreign policy between Babylon and Egypt.  The first eagle is King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the treaty Jerusalem makes w/ Babylon is in the story.  Then, the second eagle represents a pharaoh from Egypt, whom Jerusalem makes another treaty with subsequently, which goes against Babylon.  The bad part of this is that the Babylon treaty was sworn to by the king of Jerusalem/Judah in the Lord’s name – then broken.   This is a very bad idea to swear something in the Lord’s name and then not uphold it…   Below is a map to give you a quick snapshot of the Babylonian empire, Judah, and Egypt at this time:

The close of this chapter is phenomenal when it takes a Messianic turn, foreshadowing Jesus in verses 22 and 23: “And the Sovereign LORD says: I will take a tender shoot from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. It will become a noble cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter beneath its branches.”  Do these verses sound like Jesus to you?

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 8 is awesome in that it dives into some verses we read recently in the book of Jeremiah about the new covenant!  Verse 3 stands out: “And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too.”  What was the offering Christ made for our sins? Verse 13 stands out too: “When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside.”  Something I learned recently – the old / first covenant referred to in this chapter is the “Sinaitic” covenant and not the Abrahamic covenant – the difference being not the promise to Abraham that his descendants will outnumber the stars in the sky and God will be our God and we his people (the Abrahamic covenant) – but the “Sinaitic” covenant are the laws given to Moses on Mt. Sinai and in the desert for how the Israelites were to live – including how priests would make sacrifices for sin.   The Abrahamic covenant still stands today – the Sinaitic covenant is now out of date and ready to be put aside because it was completed by the new covenant of Jesus Christ.  Our High Priest who offered His life for our lives.

Psalms – Today in Psalm 106:19-21 we read: “At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt.” This of course sounds very familiar to Romans chapter 1 verses 22 and 23: “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”  Was this wise that the Israelites exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull? Why did they do this? What should have been their Glory? What is your Glory today? Do you, at times, exchange your true Glory for something else? Is this wise? Are you forgetting the God who saved you? The God who has done great things for you? Please don’t ever exchange the true Glory for a false idol!

Verse 13 in this Psalm also stands out: “Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!”  Is this true of us?  Do we forget or take for granted all of the blessings God has poured out into our lives?  In doing so, do we decide to take matters into our own hands – not waiting on God’s counsel for our direction?  Will we remember?  Will we wait?  Patiently…?

Proverbs – Today in Proverbs 27 verse 8 we read: “A person who strays from home is like a bird that strays from its nest.” Where is our spiritual home?  Who is our spiritual home?  Have we strayed from our spiritual nest?  As I read this I of course think about our relationship with Jesus first – and then manifestation of his body in the local church as being our spiritual home.  And I realize that if I do not attend church on a weekly basis, I am like a bird straying from its nest.  Our prime home is Jesus – we do not want to stray from our relationship with Him, ever.  It’s far too risky to do so, for obvious reasons.  But I think we can sometimes feel like we don’t need Jesus’ body, his church.  We feel like we can do life fine without church.  I submit to you that this is far too risky of a way to live life.  I am just afraid that if we stray away from the nest of our local church, then we are at risk of potentially straying away from Jesus.  We need the church.  We need Jesus.  Are you going to church each week these days?  Do you think you should?  If there is one thing I can encourage you on, almost more than anything, is to please find a local church where Jesus is clearly the cornerstone and the Bible is clearly taught.  And then please do not stray away from that nest. . .   I cannot encourage you enough on this point.  I love the church so very much.  I pray that you do as well.  (It brings tears to my eyes to even try to think of my life without the church – I cannot imagine it.  I pray this is the case for you as well . . .)

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Hebrews reminded me of Matthew West’s song “Save a Place for me:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbsBUf9VKyc

Have you taken the place at the table God has saved for you?  Click here and sit down!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” Proverbs 27:9 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you are a friend that brings pleasantness with heartfelt advice. Pray that you receive heartfelt advice from pleasant friends too.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Ezekiel 16:43-17:24
I want to pose a question to make us think, but only after I make a statement based on what I believe to be a truth, “We live in a cause and effect world.” And that world operates in cycles.
Gen 8: 22 “As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.”
If the earth is still in operation then things come and go in cycles, thus there is nothing new under the sun as stated by Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Then what has happened in Sodom is happening today.
We Christians seem to have a single sighted view of Sodom’s demise and point to homosexuality as the cause. We may see it as the cause but I believe that what we accuse her of doing is not a cause but an effect and consequence of pride, laziness and gluttony.
46 “Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters in the north. Your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters in the south. 47 But you have not merely sinned as they did–no, that was nothing to you. In a very short time you far surpassed them! 48 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. 49 Sodom’s sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. 50 She was proud and did loathsome things, so I wiped her out, as you have seen. (Ezekiel 16)
Three things caused her to fall. Are these three things lying at our doorstep, yet we refuse to recognize them for who and what they are? Are they the elephants in our living room everyone refuses to acknowledge? We are an overweight nation. We blame everyone but our own gluttony and our failure to exercise. We have not humbled ourselves as a nation, as Christians to accept responsibility for our overeating because, we are after all Christians. We know that Christians don’t commit sins and if we do we don’t have to take responsibility for them because after all, we are Christians and Christians are always right.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Jan:

I agree Ramona, our obesity/gluttony is idolatry for sure. We are just as Israel/Jerusalem/Judah in our wanting to return to Egypt, or be filled with quail in the desert till we puke our guts out & die. America has lost her One True Love…God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, the very thing she was founded upon. It is not about food but the Bread of Life that we have rejected first & foremost. Even those of us who are Christian, do not feast at His table/His Word…so therefore we are seeking satisfaction in food/gluttony to fill the hole/void that were are supposed to fill with Him.
Lord forgive us this day our gluttony/idolatry & may we repent & turn from our wicked ways. Lord, it is you that we desire more than anything else in this world, come quickly Lord Jesus.
Jan

====== Jan:

Good morning all (Mike, Ramona & Vance)…
Oh my Goshen, yes these 2 chapters in Ezekiel are ever so sobering to say the least. This verse: “Sodom’s sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door,” reflects that which I am facing now; the issue of gluttony & trying to get free through a program called “The Lord’s Table” (which is based on feasting on His Word & not dieting). There is no food that is not good, just that we need to come to His table & give thanks & not indugle our flesh for our pleasure, but to seek Him/His face & His Word for our only pleasure . These 2 chapters of Ezekiel are so sobering to me & the way it is compared to a relationship between a man & a woman & how we can go a whoring after others, food, or whatever; prostituting ourselves once again. It is scriptures like these that shame me for seeking lesser lovers than Him/My One True Lover…the Word become flesh. I’m sure there is more to comment on today…
“They exchanged their Glory…They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things…They became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God…”
Oh Lord, please forgive us our ignorance for exchanging something so wonderful that you have given us…our glory; given only by You. How can we even think about exchanging “glory” for anything else…what possibly can we be thinking…then & now. I am devasted at what Your people (including me) are truly capable of…Lord forgive us our ignorance as humans & our dullness of giving our/Your glory in us away. 🙁
Jan

====== Rob:

mike, bill hybels is famous for saying that the local church is the hope of the world. now, you can argue about exactly what local is and whether parachurch ministries count, but the key thing is that it is relationships between believers that is the hope not only of the world but of every believer as well. i love the church so much as well – and i long for her to have the impact she can have.
Rob

====== Luch:

I struggle with the ‘local church being the hope of the world’. In George Barna’s recent book REvolutionaries, he made the point that ‘if the local church as it is has emerged in the last few years is the hope of the world, then the world doesn’t have much hope.” That’s a harsh indictment but Rob I would say that “Jesus is the hope of the world.’ Just check out Colossians 1:27 and Matthew 12:21 says In His name will the nations hope.” I know of no verse or passage that implies the organized local church is the hope of the world. Let’s keep Jesus at the Center of our lives and churches.
I do agree with mike that being part of a visible local church community is important, especially when it’s to be our ‘safe, spiritual home’ where we can grow and take flight with God and be all He intended for us to be.
I just wonder how the 14000 parishioners at New Life Church in Colorado springs feel now that they have discovered their pastor by his own admission has been living a lie. I think it’s one thing to exhort people to ‘go to church’ and ‘be part of church’ but there are also legitimate reasons people stay away from churches that may appear to be dysfunctional. Just like God doesn’t expect us to stay in an abusive destructive marriage or family, I think the same thinking applies to remaining part of churches that do more do more damage than good.
having said that, become part of a church community if you are not in one as Mike encourages, but be wary of religious communities that emphasize a lot of external expressions of religiosity without having much substance or depth.
And let’s not forget to pray for our brothers and sisters at New life church who must be feeling very betrayed and abused.
And of course, let’s be sure to pray for Ted haggard’s wife and 5 children, and for him too.
Luch

======== Michelle:

The problem with the local church is that it’s full of sinners (like me.) However, the discipline of doing family with a local group of believers and serving one another and loving the community together is sooooo important. It’s hard work, just like family life. I agree that you need to find a church that is as healthy as possible and that emphasizes freedom in Christ and the centrality of his word, but there is no perfect church anywhere. I have always felt that God called me to a particular local church wherever I have been and that I was to devote myself to service and love in that place, no matter what faults they had. If I were to disconnect myself from a local body of believers, my faith would wither.
Michelle

====== Ramona:

Ezekiel 16:42-17:24
Upon reading today’s Old Testament passage I’ve taken note that one should never point a finger at a group of people and use them as the definitive example what God’s judgment looks like. In this day and age, and probably in the ages past, we are quick to create groups that operate in the “Us-Four-An-No-More” mentality. “Well, if you don’t believe like us, then you are evil.” In today’s reading we see that it is God’s folks that are called out for their wickedness. And it is very interesting to note that the group of people today’s folk usually hold up as utterly destroyed, Sodom, is not only called Israel’s sister but we are told that she will “rise” again because she was not utterly cast down. God is indeed the God of Resurrection; He makes alive again the dead things of our lives. The saying, “It’s not over ‘till the fat lady sings,” should be changed to, “It’s not over until God says its over,” our opinion or belief doesn’t count. And it is our attitude toward those outside our door, even if they are not believers that clearly show where our hearts are.
In the 17th chapter we see that God clearly wants Judah submitted to Babylon, Judah’s enemy, anything else is outside of the will of God. Can there by places and people in the land of the enemy that God is asking us to willfully submit too? Have we mistaken a place that we think is “safe” as our personal promise land but it is really a place of death? The Bottom Line is this: Our protection is following after the Will of God for our lives and not what we think is the place of safety for it really could be a place of death. Our protection is doing what God has commanded us to do even if it is doing “It” in Babylon.
Mike’s question about the Local Church probably falls under the Ezekiel reading for the day. Our local church is not the church that is down the block and around the corner. Our particular local church may be a two to three mile drive or bus/train ride, one-way. The church we are supposed to be in is the one that God has placed you in and not where we have placed ourselves. Too many of us decide where we go to church based on programs, building size and beauty, the type of music played or like in my case, which celebrity goes there—that is all wrong. Our church is the one God has placed us in. Sadly most of us fail to seek God to find out where we are supposed to be.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Mae:

Proverbs – Today in Proverbs 27 verse 8 we read: “A person who strays from home is like a bird that strays from its nest.” Where is our spiritual home? Who is our spiritual home? Have we strayed from our spiritual nest?
*** I really need my spiritual nest. I need words from my Pastor, I need His wisdom … he knows so much … also I need to talk to the people from my church, so we can discuss things. I go to church every week, I try to go more than once and go to Biblestudy on Mondaynight. I like being in touch with my spiritual nest. I cannot do without my church or without the people I’ve met in Church. And not only in Church, I’ve met a lot of Christians and I really like them so much! They all live in my heart, I pray for them and I’m so happy with them in my life!
Mae

======= Laura:

I was a member of a large denomination church for over 30 years. Being a part of that particular denomination was part of a tradition for me and my family. I grew up in that particular denomination. For that very reason alone it was hard to break free from it even when I really felt that I was no longer being Spiritually fed by God. I had kind of a sad heavy hearted feeling when attending there. The congregation went down in size from an average attendance of over 800 in a small building (two services) to 150 in a large beautiful building, lovely stained glass windows and all the extra trappings.
It was sad to watch the church as it started to dwindle down in size. At one time there was a hugh choir, has always had a state of the art sound system, and had many active in ministry and many prayer intersessors. I guess we were all bewildered and were wondering what happened when so many left. I am sad for that church with its decreasing numbers. The bottom line is many large denominations are struggeling, some don’t follow the bible anymore and it is sad to see and hear so much negativity among members. I was told the spirit of God had left that church and I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to be another person that was leaving. I continued to attend but am glad that God finally reveiled to me where He wanted me to be.
I am very happy in my new non-denomination church. The church I attend now is a mission church which helps the poor and the local neighborhood. We don’t have a fancy building with all the extra trimmings but we do have a group of people that love the Lord and are not so uppety. Our pastor is awesome. To me he seems so much more down to earth, personable, friendly and on fire to do God’s work.
If you find yourself attending a church that focuses on external expressions of religiosity,(as Luciano had stated in his post)than perhaps it is time to find a new church. I am very happy where I attend now. I do encourage everyone to find a church home, but don’t be affraid if God leads you to a new church home. We are the church and are His body of believers as Christians. Praise God!!!!
Laura

======= Dana:

Thank the Lord for His new covenant written on our hearts. (Heb. passage quoting Jeremiah) We can be part of the true Israel – those who follow God in covenant w/ Him and with those around us in His church. Let us not listen to whimsical “prophets” who say the Holy Spirit has left the church. (If He had left, no pastor would be right in continuing to pastor.) My thought in reading Pr. 27:8 is that men (and women, and sometimes teen children)leaving their homes and families are the ones who end up like birds w/ no nests. God can heal and restore eventually… But how much better it would be if we would repair our broken nests (homes/marriages) than leave and look for new partners. God, speak to us about faithfulness to You, demonstrated by a determined love and commitment to those you have given to us. Ez 17:15 says, “Can he break the covenant and yet escape?” (This to the prince of Israel who had made a covenant w/ the Babylonian king.) v. 19 says, “…thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his own head.”
Dana

====== Beth:

What happens to those folks in the mega-churches, or even the smaller churches, when the pastor, a person who they have trusted, runs into problems with the law, etc. like Haggard? Up until the present time I have always left the church when my husband left because he was the pastor. Now my husband is not longer living, so I have had to experience what happens to a church when the beloved pastor leaves. (he just went to another church, no big scandal or anything). It is sad to watch that church with the new pastor because, of course, he’s not like the old one. People are leaving, some following their own hearts, others searching for more meaning on Sunday morning. Jesus is the one we have to be true to always, but it is difficult without other committed Christians and a church body being run by a non Spirit-filled pastor. What happens to God’s children then?
Beth

======= Art:

I noted an interesting parallel between Ezekiel 17:22-23 (“…I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it…”) and the transfiguration scene that begins in Matthew 17:1-2 (“…[Jesus] led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them.”) (Also see Mark 9:2) That scene takes place shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion. It takes place on a literal, physical ‘lofty mountain’ and it is, both metaphorically and literally (since Jesus was buried) a ‘planting’. It seems, in effect, to be God saying ‘here’s the seed I told you about through Ezekiel’. Sometimes it amazes me how clear and literal God’s prophecies can be if we look at them closely enough.
Art

====== Frederick:

Re: Mike’s comment on Daniel
In the footnote of yesterday’s OT reading, it suggested that the Hebrew spelling of the name is Danel, suggesting that it may be another person other than the Prophet Daniel.
Frederick

====== David:

49 Sodom’s sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. These are sins of Complacency. It is a similar thing which happens to us Christians after we become saved. We enjoy the gift of salvation for a while, then we become complacent. We forget what Jesus saved us from, and we bask in the comfort that other Christians in church are just like us, a regular Joe. The Devil doesn’t have to do anything, he just have to wait awhile, and like a dog we go back to what is comfortable. It may not exactly be the same but this is what we do to rationalize our after salvation behavior.
The poor and needy who is suffering outside our door may not be poor or needy physically but poor and needy spiritually. They are looking at us with hungry eyes to see if there is something special about being a Christian. They also want something different for themselves. We may have found something when we became saved but then lost it along the way. We still claim to be Christian and go to church but what the poor and hungry see is just our complacent shells of what we once were. They still remain poor and hungry and we are also but don’t know it. We rationalize.
I guess I should not have ended my last comment there. There is a solution to all this complacency. The solution is true repentance. Obedience to God is not an option but it is mandatory. The joy of salvation only lasts when you obey God. People would see our obedience and joy and not hunger any more. We would stop feeling hungry too!
David

====== Chris:

Romana, that was my key focus on this reading as well. It is interesting the order of sins of Sodom.
Chris

====== Art:

Save a place for me….
Art

====== Angela:

The passage from Psalms talks about a story in the Old Testament, the one where Moses brought the Israelites out of Egypt. It describes how the people made idols and worshipped Baal multiple times, even after the Lord had clearly saved them. So God, in return, sent diseases and plagues down their way. It seems silly that the Israelites would just keep going back to lifeless, powerless idols, but I think that’s probably what we do too. For example, God may bless us abundantly with good grades and things, and then we go off and CONSCIOUSLY sin against him. (Maybe not with idols, but things similar like hitting a sibling, etc.) When we think about it in our own lives, we start to see why the Israelites repeatedly fell into that trap. Verse 13-14 explains, “But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. In the desert, they gave in to their craving.” We forget what God does for us and sin, just like the Israelites. But I think trying to remember that God is the all-powerful God, and what blessings he has given us, will motivate me to keep myself from sinning when I know I really shouldn’t.
Angela

====== Dee:

Ramona is correct we don’t take responsibility. We are gluttonous, lazy, prideful..we don’t give to the poor at least like we should and we forget that this is how Sodom started out and it got so much worse and overlooking sin and disengaged from it makes it bigger and bigger to where we will supercede Sodoms sins if we are not aware. Ouch!
I love how in Hebrews 8 it talks about the old covenant being obsolete and remembering my sin no more! Sounds a little like Joseph Prince preaching. Hallelujah
Psalm 106 too often we forget how good God is and all that he has done for you. He is our redeemer and our Lord. Let’s not forsake him to worship other things and again I am talking to myself too. We often want fame power etc..when the Lord says seek me and things will come to pass in His timing
I am like Mike..we need our church family. It is so important! The church family is amazing. Go love on your church family!
Dee

Ezekiel 14:12-16:41 + Hebrews 7:18-28 + Psalm 106:1-12 + Proverbs 27:4-6
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Old Testament – I am fascinated by God’s words in Ezekiel chapter 14 verses 13 & 14 today:  “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals. Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.”  The first thing these verses tell us is that God’s judgment upon Jerusalem at this time was certain.  Even the righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job couldn’t change that – only these 3 men would have been saved.  However, this got me thinking.  Is it possible that sometimes today we try to build up our own righteousness to ensure our own salvation and basically do nothing to try to build up others righteousness and help them toward their salvation?  Meaning, do we sometimes retreat into a “Christian bubble” and ignore the rest of “the world.”  Leave them to their own devices.  It just made me think when reading about Noah, Daniel, and Job that my hunch is that these 3 would not just chill out and relax in the glory and certitude of their own righteousness.  My hunch is that they would get out there on the streets and try to save others.  So, what about you and me?  Are we just cocooning in our own righteousness and salvation, or are we taking salvation to the streets?  Are we retreating from the battle for others’ salvation or are we engaged in it?  What say you?

Ezekiel chapter 14 verse 23 tells us today:  “When you meet them and see their behavior, you will agree that these things are not being done to Israel without cause, says the Sovereign LORD.”  I think sometimes we can read some select verses in the Old Testament out of context and think God is being harsh.  God here reminds us that he is not being harsh without cause.  And we’ll see more of the cause in chapter 16 today…  Below is an image of Ezekiel prophesying to the elders who visited him in chapter 14 verse 1:

Ezekiel chapter 15 is an interesting one for me today, where God basically calls Jerusalem a useless grape vine.  In reading this I am also reminded that Jesus in John 15 uses the grape vine analogy again saying “I am the vine and you are the branches.”  This tells me that Jesus redeems even useless grape vines!  🙂  However, using this Ezekiel analogy, are we growing in our lives like trees or like vines?  How thick are your roots?  How solid is your core?

Ezekiel chapter 16 is a fascinating and sad look at the city of Jerusalem.  This is the first time I have really spent a little bit of time with this chapter.  The question I find for myself in reading this chapter is this: has God blessed us similarly in some ways that he blessed Jerusalem?  Have we, perhaps, in some ways used the blessings that God has given us in improper ways?   Verse 6 in this chapter stood out to me: “But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live!'”  Bible commentaries suggest that this one word – Live! – is God’s basic desire for all humans.  How powerful is that realization?  How very beautiful…  Live!  Let us Live!

New Testament – Hebrews chapter 7 verse 27 teaches us today: “Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people.” I hadn’t really thought a lot about this before.  In the Old Testament the Levitical priests had to offer sacrifices first for their own sins – and then they would be clean / pure enough to offer sacrifices for others sins.  The good news of course in the New Testament and in this chapter is that we now have the perfectly clean and pure High Priest of Jesus Christ – who does not need to purify himself first!  He never sinned.  Will you take your sins to Jesus, your High Priest?

Psalms – Psalm 106 is a repentive Psalm, likely written by a Levitical priest after returning to Jerusalem after its destruction.  Verse 2 stood out to me today – “Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him half enough?”  Can you list all of the glorious miracles of God?  Can anyone?  Are you praising God today?  Every day?

Verse 3 is powerful- “Happy are those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.” I think this is such an important thing to know – we will be happy when we deal justly with others and when we do what is right.  This is happiness.  Not money or fame or power or luxuries.  Dealing justly with others and doing what is right is happiness.  So, Biblically, are you happy?

Proverbs – Proverbs 27 verse 6 is an interesting one.  And indeed true. “Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Why should we watch out for many kisses from an enemy?  Let us thank God for a friend who will speak truth into our life!  Even if it hurts at first to hear it.  Think about this – is someone being a better friend to you if they tell you a truth about your life that may wound you – or if they say nothing at all and let you keep on keepin’ on with something wrong you may be doing?  Let us embrace and welcome truthful wounds from our friends!  We need this type of iron sharpening iron.  Sometimes we need to be lovingly and truthfully wounded by our friends to grow closer to God.

Worship Video:  Ezekiel 16:6’s call to “Live!” reminded me of Casting Crowns wonderful worship tune called “Lifesong.”  Let this be our prayer today – “Let my lifesong sing to you!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEwB0pkes7U

Is your lifesong singing to God?  Click here and start singing!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you trust wounds from your friends. Pray that you are a friend that wounds others, in a trustworthy way, to move them away from sins and toward godliness. Pray that you are wary of kisses from an enemy.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Jeff:

I appreciated your comments on Hebrews 7:27.
I read somewhere that in addition to what you mention about Jesus being perfect, another way in which Jesus superceded the OT High Priests was of course that, unlike the constant revolving door of High Priests who died and were then replaced by a different High Priest, Jesus is eternal.
I’m also interested in this term “High Priest”. As far as I can gather, it seems to mean the highest religious authority in the land — the one who intercedes with God for us.
Elsewhere in Hebrews, the author of Hebrews refers to Jesus as “a high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Is it correct to assume here that the author is trying to convince this fellow Hebrews that Jesus is the greatest, ultimate religious authority? My reason for suggesting this is that in the OT, Abraham received a covenant from God that he would be the father of the people and land of Israel. As such, the Hebrew people revered him as no other. So, if Abraham recognized (and even tithed to) Mel as his high priest, then the Hebrews likewise would have revered Mel. So, in the NT, the author of Hebrews seems to be trying to convince his readers that just as they have considered Mel as their high priest, now it is time to place Jesus in that same exalted company. Am I interpreting this correctly?
Jeff

====== Mike:

Jeff –
Great questions on Melchizedek! I found some good info on Mel at bible.org. FYI for everyone – bible.org is an awesome website to explore when you are interested in diving deeper into what we read each day in the Bible.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary definition of Melchizedek is at this link: https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/smiths-bible-dictionary/melchizedek.html
A great answer to the question of “Was Melchizedek a real man?” is at this link –
https://bible.org/question/was-melchizedek-theophany-or-real-man
Then J. Hampton Keathley – one of my favorite writers on bible.org – goes into Hebrews 7 and Mel at this link – you’ll need to scroll down a bit to get to it –
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=2118
Hope these links help!
Mike

====== Jan:

Again, with Proverbs 27:6…God is so faithful to confirm His Word(s) to us & how they are being lived out in practical application. I wrote yesterday how something that Ramona said gave me deliverance & much revelation in regard to a relationship situation that I’m in & God again has proved Himself faithful through His Word(s). How can we ever doubt Him & His unfailing love for us all. I had been pressing in about this situation & actually have been spritually abused & wounded with words of death; but what a perfect setup it was for the both of us in the situation. Iron sharpening iron for sure. I reminded myself & the other person that again it is not about us but about Him & being transformed into His image. As John 3:30 says…He must become greater; I must become less.
Jan

===== Ben:

I say you are absolutely right about some believers when you say we hide in our own shadows. I admit I sometimes try to distance myself from none believers. I think I feel that I still a have many demaons to face first before Im ready to help someone else.
Ben

====== Michelle:

Proverbs 27:4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
This proverb today could be used as a commentary on God’s jealousy for his people, particularly in today’s reading in Ezekiel. Very powerful stuff…
Michelle

====== Jeanne:

Verse 3 is powerful- “Happy are those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.”
This verse really touched me today. It reminded me of how i should be living. It is so hard to always do what is right.
Thank you and God bless.
Jeanne

====== John:

The wood of vines is useless, but their fruit (grapes) is great stuff!
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 15:16)
“8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
John

====== Mitch:

I was surprised to see the name Daniel mentioned in our reading today in Ezekiel. I didn’t realize that he was already on the scene at this time. Was he in Jerusalem or in Babylon? I thought he arose to prominence only after he was exiled to Babylon. Can anyone comment on this?
Mitch

===== John:

Ezekiel was in Babylon. He would’ve known Daniel.
John

======= John:

Something else I’ve noticed is that in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, among the lists of the leaders of the Jews who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the city can be found these names: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Perhaps these were all common names among the Hebrew people, and we have no way to know certainly who the men named were, but those latter three names were the proper names of the three young men who were named “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego” in the Babylonian court. Ezra 3:12 tells us “But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.” I like to think that God rewarded Daniel and the other three for their faithful witness, by letting them be among those who returned to Jerusalem to reestablish the Temple.
John

======= Frederick:

I also refer to Hebrews. The cost of sin is great. It takes the life of God’s beloved son Jesus to pay for our sins. It is wise to consider the cost paid by Jesus when we are tempted.
Looking at the other angle, God is only truly satisfied by this forever High Priest Jesus’s self-sacrifice to forgive our sins. Only Jesus (a 100% God and 100% human) is considered to be able to save forever. So, only Jesus is considered by God the solely eternal High Priest. God is only satisfied by Jesus’ standard of sacrifice–the God’s level of standard.
Frederick

====== David:

As I read the old Testament readings today, I could not help but think of my own sinfulness, and what God will do if I do not repent fully. I felt the burden of my sin being lifted when I first accepted Jesus as my savior and forgiver of my sins and I started to rebuild my life. Then the complacency sets in. We always have to be constantly making the decision to be faithful towards God or not. Too many times I have made the decision to be unfaithful and sin. Reading these verses reminds us that he is not pleased when we sin. He is faithful and will forgive us when we repent, but until we do, He is not pleased.
David

======= Charles:

even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.
Ezekiel 14;14
…
Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it….
Ezekiel 14:22
This implies that there is a righteousness not from man that can save. Jesus?
Charles

======= Susan:

A worthless vine is pruned so fruit will grow. This process is ongoing. God the father knows how much and when to prune. While we may not always agree or understand we are to trust Him and not depend on our own understanding. Happy are those who listen and obey the Holy Spirit. May the LORD continue to grow us and use us for the glory of his kingdom.
Susan

====== Karen:

In Ezekiel today, the Lord reminded the Israelites how much He had blessed them but instead they used God given gifts to ‘whore’ with their neighbors such as using His gold and silver to make idols etc. Interestingly the horrible word ‘whore’ was used throughout to describe the Israelites. It shows that they have lost their self respect and even identity in God so much so that they would do anything in exchange for earthly gains be it power, money, or lust. We are all endowed with gifts and how have we been able to steward these gifts and have we fallen into ‘whoring’ these gifts instead? The saving grace even if we have gone astray, He will still redeem us.
Karen

======= Renee:

When I read this passage, I had a sigh of peace and relief. Thank God for Jesus. The ultimate priest, who knew no sin. Holy, innocent and the embodiment of God and truth. A high priest we can run to and feel free and safe.
Hebrews 7
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Shalom
Renee

====== Dee:

Am I living as a tree or as a vine? How deep are our roots? Yikes. I know I let things hurt quickly..I don’t stay effective in things and then let things effect me when the pressure is on. I need to work on myself to evaluate myself.love more
We come to the Son because he never sinned he doesn’t need to make atonement for his sins jist our own. Will we go and make atonement for our own? Should we?
This Psalm is a repentant heart. I love the Psalms. They speak directly to our heart!
The kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Wow..
Dee

Ezekiel 12:1-14:11 + Hebrews 7:1-17 + Psalm 105:37-45 + Proverbs 27:3
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Ezekiel chapter 12 today reminds me that sometimes in my own life I believe God sends some signs and warnings and I, like the Israelites in exile in Babylon, can be a rebel.  I ignore the signs and warnings or think – oh, that won’t come to pass for a long time…    Do you suppose this is wise?   Is there a sign or a warning God may be sending your way in your life currently?  Will you listen and obey?  Will you pay attention to God’s warning signs in your life?

I love the story of Ezekiel packing up his pack in broad daylight and leaving through a hole in his house during the evening in chapter 12 today!  In verse 7 we read – “So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the darkness with my pack on my shoulder.”

It is interesting that in chapter 12 God says three times: “Then you/they will know that I am the LORD!”  Why do you think he repeats this three times in this chapter?  Should this be a statement we should consider in our own lives?   Who is the Lord of your life – yourself or God?   Do you know that God is the Lord?   Is God consistently in the very center of your life?

Ezekiel chapter 13 verse 2 stood out to me today: “Son of man, speak against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Tell them to listen to the word of the LORD.” Do we see this in our world today?  People inventing their own prophecies?  Inventing their own religions?  Picking and choosing what philosophies they like the best?  Do we do this?  Should we be listening instead to the Word of the Lord?  Are you actively involved in a church where the Word is clearly taught and Jesus is clearly the cornerstone?

Ezekiel 14 verse 3 I believe can definitely speak to us today: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that lead them into sin.”  This is scary to think about…  Have we set up idols in our hearts?  Have we embraced things that lead us into sin?  Think this is a good idea… ?  Can we turn these idols in our hearts over to the Lord?  It is my hunch that an idol set up in our hearts is one of the toughest things to get rid of.  We need Jesus in our lives to free us idols.  Will you let Jesus remove any idol that is in your heart this very day?  Please don’t let that idol hang around in your heart any longer…

New Testament – Hebrews Chapter 7 is fascinating!  It’s basically an argument for why Jesus is our High Priest today – even though he is not from the tribe of Levi – the tribe of priests.  Instead, the author of Hebrews argues that Jesus is immortal and is a priest in the line of Melchizedek.  Most commentators I have read have said that Jesus is not Melchizedek nor vice versa. Basically, the author is making the case for the New Covenant – New Testament – that the Levitical priesthood line is completed by Jesus who is instituting a new covenant with Jesus as our High Priest.  We need no other.  We can go directly to God through Jesus.  Do you believe this?  Do you practice this?  Do you pray in Jesus’ name?  The name of our High Priest in heaven!

Psalms – Psalm 105 wraps up the book of Exodus Cliff Notes version today, with a great closing verse 45 – “All this happened so they would follow his principles and obey his laws.  Praise the LORD!”   Indeed, praise the Lord!

Proverbs – Proverbs 27:3 teaches us today: “A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.”  This is a great reminder that carrying resentment in our hearts is a heavy burden we don’t need to bear!  Are there any burdens in your heart today that you will let Jesus take from you?  Will you reach out to Jesus and let Him heal your burden?

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of TobyMac and Blessing Offur’s song “The Goodness:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L5xi8DbQ5c

Do you know God’s Goodness?  Click here for True Goodness!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.” Proverbs 27:3 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you will not engage with a fool’s provocations. Pray that you yourself are never a fool provoking others. Pray that you would not be a burden to others, but a blessing.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

Proverbs 27:3
Stone is heavy and sand weighty, but a fool’s [unreasoning] wrath is heavier and more intolerable than both of them. Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
(Proverbs 27:3-4 AMP)
I came across this Proverb in my reading today and was completely blown out of the water. Someone, I don’t remember who, had compared the carrying of certain kinds of people who have fallen because of their own choices which they continue to make, thus they are in the truth sense of its meaning, unrepentant, akin to “Walking with rocks in your pocket. “ Here this text is saying that the burden taken on by those associated with a fool in his anger is more oppressive then the combining of “rocks” and sand. In fact the weight is crushing. Yet greater still in its crippling effects of jealously/envy.
I looked up the Hebrew word translated here in English as fool and this is what I found. Pay close attention to the transliteration.
In Strong’s:
H191 (Strong’s Number)
אויל ‘ĕvîyl
ev-eel’
From an unused root (meaning to be perverse); (figuratively) silly: – fool (-ish) (man).
In the Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions we have:
H191
אויל
‘ĕvîyl
BDB Definition:
1) be foolish, foolish
1a) (substantive)
1a1) of one who despises wisdom
1a2) of one who mocks when guilty
1a3) of one who is quarrelsome
1a4) of one who is licentious
Part of Speech: adjective masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from an unused root (meaning to be perverse)
I have a question to believers. If we have associated ourselves with the “fools” described in this Proverb, then we have “yoked” ourselves to someone or some group that will effectively stop us from being effective in God’s Kingdom because we have yoked ourselves to someone who is not yoked to God, thus we are being pulled away in the wrong direction. And their strength is such that unless God shatters that yolk we will allow them to take us to a place where we don’t want to go.
Either way we will in effect sever that relationship by way of us uncoupling ourselves from that yoke or God shatters it. Could I be grieving over a relationship that is leading me down the wrong path when God has unyoked me from that oppressive situation? Yikes!!
Grace and peace and keep thinking about what you are reading. Don’t shoot your brains out.
Ramona

====== Jan:

Thank you Ramona, I see much clearer now what God is doing in a newly formed relationship; for this is so true in this situation: “Could I be grieving over a relationship that is leading me down the wrong path when God has unyoked me from that oppressive situation?”…Oh, yes…this is true revelation this evening for me.
Jan

====== Pat:

My thoughts on Hebrews 7:
I personally think that chapter in Hebrews should not have been divided into two readings but should have been completed in one because to me Hebrews 7:24-28 actually explains why Jesus is like Melchizedek. Melchizedek literally means “king of righteousness” and his title king of Salem literally means “king of peace.”
[Hebrews 7:24-26 (24) but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. (25) Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (26)Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.]
Jesus is the only true “king of righteousness.” He is perfection from every aspect! He is the perfect God and God is the perfect Jesus – they are one and the same. Just as one man can be both a husband to his wife and a father to his children, he is still one and the same man but fulfilling two different roles. God the Father (Yahweh) is our “Creator” and God the Son (Jesus) is our “Savior” but they are one and the same.
All earthly leaders have been or will be replaced in power by another leader either while they are living or upon their death. The change in any leadership always results in some turmoil. Jesus is our spiritual leader and as He still lives there will never be the need for another spiritual leader to replace Him.
Jesus is the only true “king of peace.” From the time He arose from the grave following the crucifixion He introduced the New Covenant and removed Old Covenant turmoil. No longer would God judge by tribal obedience but instead would allow each individual the opportunity of personal salvation. No longer would we need to go through an earthly priest to communicate with God but God would dwell within each of us individually. Our personal Savior is a Living Savior who lives with each of us today and He will be there for all generations to come through all of eternity. His reign will never end and His peace will be for all who accept Him for He is truly a living God!
God Bless!
Pat

======= Mae:

Proverbs 27:3 “A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.” … This verse stands out for me today. You know, it was not easy for me to really believe that all my sins were washed away when I just was reborn. But along the way I get to realize that I can give my burdens away … that’s my true freedom. I do what I have to do … I do what He wants me to do and I can give my burdens away. On my days that I feel struggles I defenitly reach out to Him, ask Him for help to get rid of the struggles.
True Freedom…
Mae

====== Ramona:

Ezekiel 12:1-14:11
Today it struck me, though I already knew this but really didn’t give it much weight, almost everything Ezekiel is saying up to chapter 12 is about Israel and Judah. Israel already went into captivity and the last remnant of Judah is yet to be taken. Ezekiel stands in Babylon prophesizing about Israel and Judah without the benefit of telegraph, telephone or even smoke signals. Well they could have used smoke but the distance between Judah and Babylon is too great. God is showing that He can give a Word in one geographic location about another location without benefit of modern technologies. To subvert anyone saying the Ezekiel wrote what he wrote and declared what he declared after the fact, God makes sure that the people witness the prophecies by either hearing them described or seeing Ezekiel’s actions.
Ezekiel is not only a “story teller” but he becomes a performance artist—there is truly nothing new under the sun or Son. The people who have ears but no hear and eyes but do not see probably stood around while Ezekiel delivered his message and considered it “free” entertainment; and think, Ezekiel didn’t even leave out a tin cup or hat to collect money for his performance. The power of the Words given to Ezekiel by God is not in the fact that the Words were given but that they happed hundreds of miles a way while the Words were being given.
I don’t know if this has ever happened to anyone else but I have had people call me up at least three times who I had not spoken to or had contact with for years and begin describing to me a crises situation I’m going through even down to the people, calling them person “A,” “B,” or “C.” I knew when we finished our conversation that I had heard from God. What blessing would I have missed or forfeited if I had just blew it off as coincidence?
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======== Cynthia:

I saw it all as a reminder to tithe. The isrealites are being thrown out because they did not put their whole lives in God’s hands, they had idols. I kept reading how Abraham gave 10% of everything to Melchizedek, and we are to give it all to Jesus, our own eternal High Priest. And the final piece of Psalms tells us that God provides. Quail, Bread from heaven and water from the rocks. And finally the land, land they did not work for, it was just handed to them (after 40 years of course). Test me in this, God said in one of the prophets, give him the Tithe and see if he doesn’t open the floodgates of heaven. I don’t worry about tommorrow, for I am in the hands of a loving, all powerful God.
Cynthia

====== David:

Hi
A fool’s provocation is really heavy when that fool is your own self!
I am my greatest provoker when I fool myself to worshiping idols.
I am really seeing the benefit of commenting on the Bible readings on this Blog. In order for me to comment I have to at least read it and think about what it says to me. I am not good at memorizing scripture but at least I could read and understand. Commenting forces me to do just that.
David

====== Steven:

Great article! Thanks alot.
As my english isn’t that good it was sometimes a little bit hard to understand, but I gave my best.
Thanks alot.
Greetings from Germany!
Steven

======= William:

Mike,
I have noticed in several Psalm 33:2 illustrations, the instrument shown has nine strings instead of ten? Any thoughts as to why?
William

======= Joyce:

Mike,
Thank you for your daily ministry in the One Year Bible Blog!
i pray often that the Lord will give you encouragement, and that He will use this blog to bring many to read and know His Word. Thank you!
The following i learn from “Five Misunderstandings About Judgement Ezekiel 14″, Foundationsforfreedom.net/References, Paul Bucknell:
”Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols, (Ezekiel 14:4 NASB).
What idols do we set up in our heart?
Sex, money, position, might even be pleasure, laziness, independence, lust.. etc.
”Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.” (Ezekiel 14:6 NASB).
It is not enough to confess our sins, we need to:
• Repent
• Turn away from our idols
• Turn our faces away from all our abominations
What happens when we don’t turn away from our sins?
”For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I the LORD will be brought to answer him in My own person. “And I shall set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I shall cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 14:7,8 NASB).
God will judge His people rigorously for our sins.
Yes He loves us – His love means He has provided a means repentant sinners can escape that judgment through belief in Jesus Christ.
All sins must still be judged.
i’m thankful for the teachings above on Ezekiel 14 by Paul Bucknell.
May God have mercy, may He remind believers often, and give us grace and strength, to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. (Philippians 2:12).
God bless everyone on this blog!
Joyce

====== Karen:

The Lord’s judgment on the prophets cannot be more severe. It is a sobering reminder for some of us serving as teachers of His word be extra cautious when we handle His word. There are too many incidents where Christians quotes bible to defend their position. There is only one truth and may the Lord give us a discerning heart to know the difference.
Karen

========= Ed:

I was looking forward to more commentary about the Hebrews new testament verses today. Melchizedek is often confusing to people and I wish you would have commented more about him.
Ed

======== Phillip:

Mike, thanks for keeping this going. You’re a daily encouragement to my walk and although you may not get much feedback, people are praying for you and this ministry you provide. I love how you called out “In Jesus Name”. I grew up in a house where this was just expected and no matter how small the mean or snack, I bless what the lord has provided. There are those around me that think I’m weird, but the Lord knows. Take care my brother!
Phillip

======= Dee:

Today’s Bible read in Ezekiel sounded very similar to our state of mind and ways going on in our nation to this day with the election…people’s hearts and sin entering and not keeping what the Lord has given true to our heart. We need to be careful what heavy burdens we carry and what we store in our hearts.
Amen..prayers for our great nation
Dee