Thursday 30 June – Ezekiel 27
The Lament for Tyre
Verse 3 quotes the proud boast of the people about their city, and then goes on to describe Tyre in detail, likening it to a great ship laden with wonderful merchandise and steered by skilled oarsmen (vv.4-7). The quality of the craft is of the very best wood, cedar from Lebanon, oars made from cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus, decking from the best pine trees of Senir, sails made from fine linen from Egypt (vv.5-7).
Everything in Tyre was of quality, and this drew merchants and tradesmen from more than 16 different regions, trading anything from gold, silver, bronze and other precious gems and metals to fabrics, ivory, spices and animals. Tyre was even protected by skilled soldiers from Persia, Lydia, Arvad and Helech (v.10), which provided them with a military force of considerable power. It is interesting to point out that they traded with Israel for timber but were not provided with any soldiers from Israel as this would not have been in keeping with what the Lord would ever have asked His people to do.
So for the people of Tyre, and to all who traded there, their city was a perfect, vibrant, wealthy and attractive place and no thought would ever have crossed anyone’s mind that there was terrible danger ahead. So the destruction was all the more shocking and terrifying to those in the surrounding regions.
All this wealth, and then what? The destruction is prophesied, and if you look at vv.28-36 it is almost describing an earthquake followed by a Tsunami – food for thought! The people were completely unaware of what was to come, carrying on their lives without a thought of pending destruction. Look at what has been happening in the world recently; we need to keep our eyes open to the signs and be watchmen over each other.
Prayer:
Pray for a wealth of spiritual wisdom, not a wealth of money and possessions.
Hold on to all things lightly so that should the Lord ask you to give something up it will not come as a hard thing to do.
Wednesday 29 June – Ezekiel 26
Prophesy Against Tyre
The words against Tyre are many because it was a world-renowned city. There are three chapters which speak about the downfall of Tyre, so there is much to set down about this. The Tyrian people never looked at Jerusalem as enemies but as rivals to their own trading position. They were pleased when Jerusalem fell because their trade would increase as they took the custom Jerusalem had had and become wealthier.
The Lord therefore decides He will bring the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, against Tyre. Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful king in all the country, with a vast army who ruled over many lesser kings, hence the reference to “king of kings” (v.7). The fate of Tyre was to be far worse than that of Jerusalem, for the Lord eventually restored Jerusalem. This is a warning to us all not to gloat over anyone’s misfortune.
In vv.10-12, the Lord confirmed through Ezekiel the utter destruction that would be brought on the Tyrians by the army of Nebuchadnezzar. The king had so many horsemen that the dust kicked up by the horses would cover the city, and the pounding of the horses’ hooves would cause the city walls to tremble. Frightening stuff! And the prophesy goes on to declare that because the destruction was going to be total, even the princes of the surrounding cities on the coast would be in terror and would end up lamenting over Tyre (vv.17-18).
The final few verses make it clear that the city will sink and the Lord will cause the sea to cover the remains so that it will disappear without trace and will never be found again. What a devastating end to a wealthy and important city, all because of jealousy and greed over the trade and wealth of Jerusalem before its fall.
Prayer:
Pray for a heart that does not allow envy and jealousy to enter because of the riches of others.
If you are in work, bless your boss; this will bring you a spiritual reward.
Tuesday 28 June – Ezekiel 25
Judgment for the Nations that Stood Against the House of Judah
The first word was against Ammon because the Lord was showing the Ammonites that they should never have rejoiced in the downfall and ruin of Jerusalem, especially when they so nearly ended in ruin themselves (see Ezek. 20). Ezekiel had to rebuke Ammon at the Lord’s command because of their arrogance, and confirm that they would be destroyed, as the Lord had said earlier (Ezek. 21:28-32).
Then Ezekiel prophesies against Moab. The Moabites accused the house of Judah of being just like any other nation, basically saying their idolatrous and sinful lifestyle was no different from that of anyone else. The Moabites were pleased to see Judah forsake the Lord and worship other nation’s idols. But God wanted Moab to realize that there was still a remnant in Judah who had maintained integrity and honoured the Lord; not all Judah was sinful. Therefore Moab would be destroyed and taken by the Chaldeans, the same as Ammon (vv.10-11).
Edom was next, and Ezekiel prophesied against Edom because they had taken advantage of Judah when it fell and took some of the frontier land. The Lord caused Amaziah to chasten Edom and defeat it, and this is recorded in 2 Kings 14. God shows that even if Judah had sinned, the people were still His people and He will not judge one sin and then let another sin go unpunished.
The final prophesy in this chapter is against Philistia. Well, this situation is basically the same as Edom but more so because Judah and the Philistines were the ‘old enemy’ and hated Judah, so they were even more malicious. The outcome was that the Lord caused the Chaldeans to destroy Philistia, and the land became like wasteland.
It is good to know that even though the church often lets the Lord down, and there is always a consequence for our sins, yet the Lord will still stand against a common enemy to defend His bride. Four nations stood against Judah, and all were destroyed because the Lord took vengeance on them and showed them that He is the Lord.
Prayer:
Pray for protection over Ruwach and all its members against attacks of the enemy.
Daily remember to put on the “full armour of God,” (Eph. 6 v. 13-17).
Monday 27 June – Ezekiel 24
The Siege of Jerusalem and Ezekiel’s Incredible Self-Denial
The Lord emphasises the exact date of the siege of Jerusalem and instructs Ezekiel to record this so that when the siege occurs the people will know that Ezekiel was fulfilling the mission God sent him to do. This event and the date are also recorded in 2 Kings 25:1. Jerusalem was likened to a cooking pot, and the people were the meat, which meant that they were completely protected by walls of brass (see Ezek.11:3). The Lord would let them be just that – meat – but for devouring by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (v.2). Despite warnings by God about their wickedness, even the heating of the copper cannot get rid of the impurities (vv.9-12). The outcome is made clear (vv.13-14).
The Lord’s wrath was to cost Ezekiel the death of his beloved wife (v.16) but God was going to use this tragedy to show the people the gravity of their sin and what would result from it. Ezekiel was not to mourn, he must not cover any part of his face and he must not eat the food normally taken at these times (vv.16-17). You have to see the significance of this because in those days the death of a loved one always demanded a time of mourning, covering of part of the face and eating special food prepared by the family and friends.
Ezekiel showed absolute obedience to the Lord saying, “I did as I had been commanded” (v.18). What amazing self-denial and what a lesson too, that the Lord is not interested in our sacrifices, He is interested in our obedience. The Israelites were about to lose their prized possession, the temple, but were not to mourn but behave as Ezekiel had been commanded to do (vv.21-24). Verses 25-26 tell of the one who escaped the destruction of Jerusalem and went to Ezekiel to inform him that the city of Jerusalem had fallen. This is recorded in Ezekiel 33:21.
Prayer:
Pray for our nation, that people will turn to the Lord and put away idolatry and sin so that God will have mercy on us.
Pray that as Christians we will become more fervent in our prayer for godly principles to come back into the churches and into the nation, including Parliament as well as local government.
Sunday 26 June – Ezekiel 23
Two Sinful Cities
The Bible refers to these cities (Samaria and Jerusalem) as adulterous sisters. The phraseology in this chapter is very graphic but shows just how much the Lord detests sin. Verse 3, “they became prostitutes in Egypt…” is referring to idolatry. Because Oholah (Samaria) continued worshipping other idols and even brought in the Assyrian gods and idols, the Lord gave her over to Assyria. This resulted in the ransacking of the city by the Assyrians. Listen beloved, if we do not move away from a sinful lifestyle, the Lord will sometimes hand us over to the enemy for the destruction of the flesh. (See 1 Cor. 5:5 and 1 Tim. 1:20.)
Verses 11-21 tell the fate of the “younger sister” Oholibah (Jerusalem). Prior to this time Jerusalem had been relatively faithful to the Lord, but now it played the harlot. The people of Jerusalem brought in the images and idols of Babylon. They then made an alliance with the Egyptians (v.20), which increased the sinful debauched state of the city. Instead of looking back at their sin and being ashamed, they looked at it with pleasure (v.21).
At this point the Lord stepped in and allowed the very nations that Jerusalem sinned with to be the ones that would turn against her (vv.22-27). Verses 36-49 describe the desecration of the temple, which broke Israel’s covenant vows with God and caused the ultimate downfall of the city. The sin is mostly referred to as adultery because the Lord looked at the people and the two cities as His bride, just as Jesus looks at His church as His bride. If we break our covenant vows with Christ there will be consequences.
Finally, in this chapter we should not dismiss v.45, which brings a promise. The Lord will bring righteous men to deal with the sin and bring some good out of this disastrous situation. Out of the “ashes of sin” the burnished nugget of gold can be drawn. Remember, beloved, whatever the situation, a turning back to God will bring its reward.
Prayer:
Pray that the Lord will not have to let us be handed over for the destruction of the flesh.
Pray that you do not allow idols to be brought into your life.
Saturday 25 June – Ezekiel 22
Sins, Dross and Guilt
In this chapter the Lord speaks three times to Ezekiel, defining the sins and judgment that will follow:
1. Verses 1-16 list the sins,
2. Verses 17-22 describe the condemnation of Jerusalem
3. Verses 23-31 are the Lord’s confirmation that all are guilty.
The Lord calls Jerusalem a “city of bloodshed”; what an indictment on God’s people and city. The people shed the blood of their own children (v.3), worshipped other gods (v.4), the kings shed blood, they dishonoured their fathers and mothers, they showed cruelty to the foreigner and ill-treated the orphan and widow. The list goes on, speaking of adultery, incest, bribery and extortion, all of which break the commands of God (vv.6-12). As Christians we need to remember always not only to worship the Lord and Him only, but also to be careful how we treat our neighbours, children without one or both parents and widows.
What does the Lord say to all this? Well He makes a very serious statement; He calls the house of Israel dross, which is in effect rubbish. In the time of David and Solomon it had been like a head of gold; now it has become rubbish, the dregs of dirt brought about by sin. So the Lord says He will bring them all into the city and melt them down to separate the rubbish from them. In other words, He will deal with their sin.
Then the Lord speaks to confirm that they are all guilty, because they have all contributed to the sin that is rife in the house of Israel, starting from the kings right through to the ordinary people and even the priests and prophets. The priests were described as violent, and the prophets as liars who made false divinations and visions approving the lifestyle of the people, saying it was alright with God (vv.23-29). The Lord looked for a man to stand in the gap but found none (v.30). What a tragedy for the house of Israel.
Our way to standing up for truth and righteousness is through repentance and prayer; that way we keep close to the Lord and do not allow our lives to be like dross.
Prayer:
* Pray for yourself, that you will be like burnished gold as the Lord refines you.
* Pray for Ruwach, that the Lord will help all the church to live their lives honouring to the Lord.
Friday 24 June – Ezekiel 21
God’s Judgment on Jerusalem
The opening verses are very severe because the Lord directs His judgment against the holy land of Israel, the holy city of Jerusalem and the holy house (the sanctuary) and says He will cut off the righteous and the wicked (vv.3-4). Does this mean God discards the righteous? No, what He is doing is having them taken as captives to Babylon for their own safety and help. These were such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and even Ezekiel, who would all soon be taken to Babylon. What happened to these men is documented in the Book of Daniel.
Ezekiel is instructed to groan, and this is to convey to the people that what is to come will be so bad that their hearts will sink and they will be brought to grief (vv.6-7). This is a severe testing of the people because of their sin, and the sword that will smite God’s people is from the heathen, but God will have His way (vv.9-17). Verses 18-27 describe the king of Babylon casting lots as to which city he besieges first, Jerusalem or Rabbah; the lot falls to Jerusalem. The Lord tells His people and the prince of Jerusalem (Zedekiah) that they brought this on themselves because of their sin (vv.24-27).
The final verses 28-32 describe the fate of the Ammonites. The downfall of Rabbah actually occurred five years after the downfall of Jerusalem, but what they did to the Israelites when they were defeated by Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) was horrible. After they were slain the Ammonites gloated over them and then stamped on the necks of the dead. The Lord may well bring judgment on His people, but He will not tolerate other nations gloating and taking advantage of His people.
God’s final words to the Ammonites spell out their utter annihilation because He says they will be remembered no more (v.32). This is truly the death knell for Ammon. Even in God’s wrath He still loves His people, and any who come against them will pay a very high price. That is why we should be so thankful for the Lord’s protection and love for us, because even when we let Him down, He still loves us.
Prayer:
* Pray for the family in Ruwach, that we keep close to the Lord daily.
Give thanks to the Lord for His love and protection.
Thursday 23 June – Ezekiel 20
God Will Not Be Mocked
Despite God’s goodness, the people of Israel asked Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord to get approval for their sinful actions. The Lord had no intention of giving His approval and reminded them how with His mighty arm He had brought their forefathers out of Egypt and taken them into a good and beautiful land (vv.5-6). The Lord had demanded they rid themselves of the vile images and idols they worshipped whilst in Egypt (v.7).
They had rebelled, but the Lord held back His anger, brought them out of Egypt and gave them His decrees and Sabbaths (vv.8-12). They still rebelled, so the Lord said they would not enter the ‘Promised Land’ because of their continued sin and rebellion (vv.15-16). It got worse, and they started sacrificing their own children on the high places (vv.27-28). We need to be careful that we do not continue in rebellion if the Lord has shown us any areas in our lives where we are sinning.
The Lord still had mercy and compassion on them, but said their children only (the next generation) would go into the Promised Land, but they must ensure that they did not follow in their fathers’ steps of idolatry and rebellion (vv.16-20). Yet they still sinned, and even worse they now wanted God’s approval to act like the other nations worshipping wood and stone idols! (vv.32-35).
The Lord describes what He will do by way of judgment, firstly putting them under the rod, which is putting a value on them (see Lev. 27:3-8). This was also referred to as the rod of affliction, which means the separation of those set apart for the Lord from those who are vile or unacceptable to the Lord. The Lord brings good news to those who maintain His decrees and do not sin or worship foreign gods: He will bring them out (vv.40-44). Verses 45-49 will be explained in tomorrow’s study because it all links into Chapter 21.
Prayer:
* Remember, continued sin will not be tolerated by the Lord, and we should not test His patience. Pray that the Lord will bring conviction of anything of which you need to repent and put you back on the right walk with the Lord.
* Pray that the Lord will give you strength not to ‘mix’ with the world and drop your standards to fit in.
Wednesday 22 June – Ezekiel 19
Pride Comes Before The Fall
Ezekiel speaks of the fall of the House of David. The lioness (v.2) is the kingdom of Judah and the princes (actually kings of Judah, but because they lost their place of kingship the Lord refers to them as only princes) became cruel. The young lion (v.3) was Jehoahaz who thought his position gave him license to do whatever he wanted, which amounted to evil in the sight of God. After only three months as king, he was captured and taken to Egypt, where he eventually died. The full story is recorded in 2 Kings 23:26 – 24:1-4.
The second young lion (v.5) is his brother Jehoiakim. He learnt nothing from Jehoahaz’s mistakes, and his evil was even worse. He was proud, cruel and disobedient to the decrees of the Lord, seizing his people’s land, bringing fear to them and destroying everything that stood in his way (vv.6-7). He reigned for 11 years, and because of his evil ways God brought the Babylonians, Arameans, Moabites and Ammonites against him. The full story of these events is recorded in 2 Kings 23:31-35.
Verses 10-14 refer to Jerusalem as the mother, like a vine, which is the same image as we saw in Chapter 15. The branches (v.11) were the men who governed the city but became cruel and unjust to the people, which resulted in bringing down God’s judgment. The Lord sent the king of Babylon to take Jerusalem and take captive Jehoiakim. This was a disgrace because Babylon was always looked upon as a wilderness by the people of Israel
We can see how righteousness brings life and the blessing of God, but disobedience brings anarchy and God’s judgment. Look at the situation today in the Middle East; tyranny has brought anarchy. For Jerusalem, disobedience brought about its downfall, because the government of the city ruled with a rod of oppression instead of godly integrity.
We should always be careful how we use positions of leadership and authority, whether at work, home or church, recognising that God gives us these positions and He can just as easily take them back if we abuse them.
Prayer:
* Ask the Lord to help you maintain a spirit of humility.
* If you have any kind of leadership role pray that you will honour the position you have and treat others gently and graciously.
Tuesday 21 June – Ezekiel 18
Personal Accountability for Our Actions
The passage is a serious reminder to us today that we are all personally responsible for decisions we make and actions we take. The proverb used by the people of Israel was stating that the sins of the fathers will be passed to the children but the Lord said through Ezekiel No! This is not the truth.
The proverb was implying that God was unjust, because the Jews were using the words that God had given through His prophets, “That He would visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children”. However, the reason God had said this was because the previous generations had continually sinned, generation after generation. God was saying through Ezekiel that the sin of the father will not bring punishment to the son if the son is living a righteous life.
Conversely, if the father is righteous and lives according to God’s commandments, “he will surely live, declares the Lord,” (v.9). If the son is violent and does not live according to God’s commandments, “he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head” (v.13). The Lord goes on to say that if this violent son has a son who sees what his father did but does not do these things but honours God’s commandments, “…he will surely live. But his father will die for his own sin,” (vv.17-18).
If you sin, firstly acknowledge it and secondly do not try and blame someone else; we are accountable for our actions. So often we can try and say, ‘Oh I did that because he/she caused me to do it, or provoked me to do it.’ This is blame-shifting and the Lord will not accept it. He makes it clear in v.30 that He will judge us individually according to our ways. God was calling all His people to repentance and to attain a new heart and a new spirit (vv.30-31).
The chapter ends on such an encouraging statement. God says, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone… Repent and live” (v.32). God loves us so much that He does not want us to suffer in our sin but to be free and live life to the full. The Bible says, “it was for freedom that Jesus set us free” (Galatians 5:1, NIV).
Prayer:
* Confess any sin and get right with the Lord.
* Keep short accounts with the Lord and with your fellow brother/sister in Christ.
* Pray for the church to keep close to the Lord and walk in His ways