Ezekiel 33-34
Chapters 33-38 are a major section of Ezekiel dealing with God's blessing on Israel. What is interesting, is that this sections begins with a recommissioning of Ezekiel. You can imagine that Ezekiel was tired and felt used up. Not only had these been a very intense seven years; but he had lost his wife, God using her death as a symbol to the people. Sure, Ezekiel was a great man and had a book of the Bible named after him, but what a price. I don't think Ezekiel had any problem with the proverb for today.
Ezekiel 33
Vs. 1-20 I wonder if Ezekiel knew why his mission to the people as a watchman was being renewed? God spoke to Ezekiel at the beginning of his ministry making him a watchman in 3:17.
Notice the grace in this to the people. This section is beginning to set the foundation for the blessing of God to the nation. There is hope for anyone who turns to God. God's heart is inclined to them.
Verses 17 and 20 are ironic. They should have known the Lord but didn't. Now they feel they can judge Him. This is the kind of bitterness and rationalizing that keeps people from turning to the Lord. What is interesting in the first verses of Daniel is that these teens knew that it was God who had acted against Judah and Jerusalem, and they understood why.
Vs. 21-22 It had been seven years since God had struck Ezekiel with this muteness. Now judgment had struck Jerusalem. This weary prophet was vindicated, but neither he nor the people had anything to celebrate. It was time for Ezekiel to stand again, and as a watchman, begin to point the people to the future as God directed him. But in directing the people to God's blessing, there would still be judgments to pronounce and attitudes to correct. I wonder if the false prophets were suddenly (and finally) out of business.
Vs. 23-29 The place of blessing would not be in a quick return to the land. God was going to cleanse it down to the last person. The fact that there was still a remnant of people didn't mean God would rebuild with them. Their analogy with Abraham was silly. He was righteous and they were very unrighteous. Abraham followed God. They didn't know God at all. In fact, we saw in Jeremiah how this remnant asked Jeremiah to inquire of God for them and then accused Jeremiah of lying when he brought them the Lord's word.
Vs. 30-33 The work of rebuilding the nation would begin with the people in exile. Ezekiel had become a rock star to them. He was a famous man. That was step one in God's plan. But they hadn't really turned their hearts toward God. That would come and they would really understand that a prophet was among them.
Ezekiel 34
In blessing them, God will give them a good shepherd and a pretty good under shepherd.
Vs. 1-10 God declares His judgment on the leaders of the people. If you read John 10:1-18, it seems that Jesus must have had this section in Ezekiel in mind when He spoke those words and declared Himself to be the good shepherd. What is also apparent by Jesus' words is that God's word through Ezekiel hasn't been fulfilled and is still future. Jesus said that all who came before Him were thieves and robbers and that the sheep did not heed them. Even with men like Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, the leaders were still a disaster. Remember when Nehemiah left and returned, how he found everything in disarray. Then read the final book of the OT, Malachi, and notice how God takes the leaders to task for their lack of leadership and devotion to God.
Vs. 11-22 Jesus Himself will be the shepherd. What a great future promise for Israel. Still, if Jesus is king over all the nations, who will do the day-to-day over the nation of Israel?
Vs. 23-24 How about the resurrected shepherd of Israel, David? Obviously this is in the Millennial Kingdom.
Vs. 25-31 I'll bet this was easier for Ezekiel to preach. I'll bet he felt great walking home. I'll bet the reality of the present hit him like a hammer when he walked into that empty house. This would have been the same for all the people hearing that message. What a great hope for the future, but what an awful, present situation.
In the harvest, this is the same for us. We live in many present distresses, yet it is the truth of God and life of His Spirit in us, that keeps us strong as we walk in faith. This is why our joy has to be in the Lord, and our hope has to be in Him and His appearing. This world is not our home, and for many, it isn't a place of comfort.
Hebrews 13
The author of Hebrews is being pastoral, or apostolic, here in giving guiding exhortations to the people. This is a great closing.
Vs. 1-6 There is a lot going on in these very general exhortations.
Vs. 1-2 This sure sounds like Romans 12.
V. 3 More and more Christians were adorning the inside of prisons. Paul told Timothy of the bravery of Onesiphorus, finding and visiting him in a Roman prison. It's hard to be brave in visiting someone if you know they might throw you in jail too. The focus is on encouraging those suffering for Christ.
V. 4 Marriage is the proper place to express sexuality. God takes adultery and immorality very seriously.
Vs. 5-6 go together. God will take care of us. The more I read Jesus' words, the better I understand that our seeking of comfort works against our trust in the Lord.
Some of the wording here seems like it might have come out of Psalm 27.
Vs. 7-17 This section is bracketed by the exhortation to remember and obey the leaders. When you read this you get a picture of what leaders were to do for the group and why the people were to follow these leaders during such hard times. The people were to follow the leaders in resisting false teaching and in holding firm in faith through the tough times.
Vs. 18-19 This sounds a little like Paul in Ephesians.
Vs. 20-21 What a great benediction. This sounds like work in the harvest to me.
Vs. 22-25 This is a great ending, though vague in detail. It sounds like Paul in Phil. 2, but here, Timothy had been a prisoner and released. Obviously the writer of Hebrews couldn't have been Timothy. So much for that theory.
V. 24 Were the readers located in Rome, so that those who had been from Italy were sending greetings? Or, was the writer in Rome and were the believers in Italy sending greetings to the readers in…..?
What do you get from this entire letter to strengthen you in your work in the harvest? What speaks to me, is that now, God has spoken through His Son, so don't give up or give in.
Psalm 115
This song was definitely reminding the worshipers that idols were a dead end. On the other hand, after verses 9-11 tell the people to trust in the Lord, verses 12-13 declare what God will do for those who trust Him.
Vs.14-15 are a benediction of blessing.
Vs. 16-18 These seem like a oath to obey, to bless and to praise the Lord.
I wonder if this psalm sounded anything like the following song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtAmlO4cdhc
Proverbs 27:21-22
V. 21 Both the crucible and the furnace show what is in the metals. If they are pure, this testing shows it. If there is impurity in either, the heat brings it to the surface. I guess this is what the praise of others does to us. It reveals the truth of our hearts and what is in us. That puts a different perspective on God allowing us to be well thought of. It makes me think of how important those 25 years were for Abraham, or those 40 years for Moses, or those 10 years for David, or those 14 years for Paul (although he also needed a thorn) to keep them humble in the testing flame of the praise of others. It is good to be humbled, and finally, deeply to understand it is the Lord, not us.
V. 22 The foolishness in a fool is through every molecule. Or as C.S. Lewis said in The Magician's Nephew, "Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. Uncle Andrew did." And so do we, and sometimes it pickles every molecules of us.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it. Send comment or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
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