Ezekiel 20
In God preparing the people to return to the land, there is a lot of immediate and extensive surgery going on here. The climactic act that will humble these people will be the fall of Jerusalem, still a few years off.
V. 1 This is now two years since Ezekiel began to prophesy. Again the elders are sitting before him. Ezekiel has been incredibly active and has become a phenomenon in the community of the exiles.
Vs. 2-31 Having gone through Psalm 105 and 106, this is going to sound very familiar to you. God recounts their history to them. Go slowly though this section and look for how often God mentions holding back His judgment.
In this section look for repetitions of words. Some of these words are "wilderness," "Sabbath," "for the sake of my name." There is a lot in this section. For example, there are four "moreover's." The first one is good, and the next three are bad. The last one signifies God giving them up to their sin.
Notice that God is dealing with them regarding their idolatry. Notice that verse 31 refers back to the elders coming to inquire of Ezekiel.
V. 9 This will be repeated. God didn't want His name reproached because it has always been His desire to save mankind. Israel was then, and will be in the future, the nation though which He planned to reach the nations.
V. 12 The Sabbath was to have been a blessing to them, but only through faith. The Sabbath will be mentioned several times.
V. 15 This sounds like what we've read in Hebrews about the people not entering into God's rest in the land. Only faith in Him could give them rest as it was promised.
Vs. 25-26 This is similar to Romans 1:24, 26 & 28.
V. 32 This is a very strong verse. God is determined to save Israel.
Vs. 33-38 Notice the wildernesses here. As God chastened Israel in the wilderness of Egypt, He will now do the same to them in the wilderness of the peoples.
V. 39 Another very strong verse. Thankfully there were many who heeded this challenge.
Vs. 40-44 This is the promise of physical and spiritual millennial blessing, but notice verse 43. There is acknowledgement of sin and repentance for Israel.
History is important to God as a way for people to trust Him and understand His plan and His love. Just as our faith is to be built upon what God has done in the past in the Bible, it is also to be built on our personal/family history with the Lord. God didn't just expect these people to know this history, but He expected them to know and trust Him because of this history. For us as disciples in the harvest, faith is never easy; but being in the Word daily helps us see again who it is we follow and how wise and loving He is. Those things that He has done and is doing for us, He expects us to remember as we wait on Him.
Vs. 45-49 I think this should have belonged to the next chapter. God directs Ezekiel to begin pronouncing judgment on the land of Israel, but Ezekiel tells God that the people are ridiculing Ezekiel, saying he a maker of parables. They didn't get what God was saying though him, so they were disregarding what Ezekiel said. In chapter 21 God will become very clear.iHi
Hebrews 9:11-28
Vs. 11-14 How could they go back to the law, or how could anyone dismiss Jesus since He entered the presence of God with Himself and His life and His blood as a sacrifice for our sins? The "dead" works are those acts of the law that cannot make us right before God. Our acceptance is wholly in Jesus, not in anything we can do.
Purifying our conscience. Paul makes a big deal about conscience. In the sense of being acceptable to God, a person could have a bad conscience with regard to wondering if they have done enough. It is finished. There was never anything for us to do but accept the gift. We can have a guilty conscience because of unconfessed sin, but never because of wondering if we're good enough or have done enough. This is the same thought as in Romans 8:31-34.
V. 15 Jesus sealed this covenant with His own blood. Again, this covenant doesn't have two parties, just one, Jesus Himself. This means that we enter in by faith in His work, not by doing works of our own.
Vs. 16-17 The covenant by Jesus is likened to a will. Jesus set the terms of it and at His death the benefits come to those to whom He willed them. The beneficiaries of the will don't have to work, they only have to accept.
Vs. 18-23 The old covenant, even though inferior, temporary and looking ahead, still had to be ratified in blood. Verse 22 is pretty important.
Vs. 24-28 So the Lord died once for all. One question on verse 28 has to do with those who are waiting for Him eagerly. Jesus bore the sin of many, but could it be that the circle of those who wait expectantly for Him is smaller. If you look at Heb. 3:14 and think of the rewards offered for those who endure and hold fast, you get the idea that waiting expectantly for the Lord is one of those things that gives endurance and opens the door to a closer relationship with Him here on earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMnni9g7hgM
Psalm 107
This is a good psalm to look for recurring words. Finding the word "some" will help put structure into what the author is saying.
Verse 43 says it all.
Proverbs 27:11
Apparently one of the ways to reproach a father was through the conduct of his son. That immediately made me think of our conduct and our Father's name. In 1 Timothy Paul mentions different groups of people living without reproach or defaming the name of God. Actually Paul charges Timothy too. 1 Timothy 6:14 I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To me, it is interesting how this fits with the reading in Ezekiel. We should all be wise sons and daughters, hallowing (honoring) our Father's name.
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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