TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 4-5; Ezekiel 5:8-13
I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations. - Ezekiel 5:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Last fall, the National Basketball Association (NBA) put its rule book online. Intended to educate fans, a new Web site features video clips from actual games that demonstrate such infractions as a charge, a discontinued dribble, or a second-degree flagrant foul. More than 100 NBA rule violations are defined and illustrated in this way. Said an NBA official: “It’s very difficult, unless you’ve played the game at a very high level or better yet, officiated the game at a very high level, to understand the complexity of our rules simply by reading them.”

Rules come with consequences, in sports and in life. By sinning, Israel had violated God’s rules and covenant and would now bear the consequences. This was the message of judgment with which Ezekiel’s ministry began.

Following God’s instructions, the newly commissioned prophet performed five symbolic actions (4:1-5:4), which he then interpreted (5:5-17). First, he created a model of Jerusalem and represented it as under siege in order to give warning of the city’s impending doom (fulfilled in 2 Kings 25). Then he lay on his left side for the sins of Israel and on his right side for the sins of Judah, all the while preparing, rationing, and eating ritually unclean food to illustrate how God’s people were defiling themselves. Finally, he shaved his hair and beard and burned the hair in order to show again the coming judgment. One third of the people would die from famine during the siege, one third would be killed by Babylonian soldiers, and one third would be exiled and scattered among the nations.

These actions, which took over a year to complete, were mortifying for Ezekiel. He probably became something of a public spectacle, not to mention that no one likes bearers of bad news. The loss of his beard was culturally humiliating. God was mindful of such things and graciously granted the prophet’s request not to have to cook with human excrement (4:14-15).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Israel’s idolatry had made God’s name a mockery among the nations. Despite having God’s law and God’s love, the people had done worse evils than the pagan nations around them. Therefore, God’s judgments were just and would restore His good name. “And when I have spent my wrath upon them,” He said, “they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal” (5:13). Similar phrases occur something like 65 times in this book. God wants His people to learn (or relearn) who He is!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 6-7; Ezekiel 6:1-10
You will know that I am the LORD. - Ezekiel 6:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2006, Jacinta Marcial, an Otomi Indian and mother of six, was accused of kidnapping six Mexican police officers. Police had confronted street merchants about pirated CDs, and her picture had appeared on the margins of a newspaper photograph of the event. Despite the absurdity of the charges, she was found guilty and sentenced to 21 years in prison. Last fall, after much pressure from international human rights organizations, the Mexican courts changed the verdict and set her free after three years of wrongful imprisonment. “As far as I am concerned, I forgive them,” she said.

Injustice angers the Lord. Perfect justice is what He’s all about. Ezekiel 6 uses the literary device of addressing the land, which is told that the idolatrous places of worship that have been built on it and defile it will be destroyed. Ezekiel 7 takes “the end has come” as its refrain and is a vigorous indictment of the nation’s sin of idolatry.

Worshiping other gods was a direct violation of God’s covenant with Israel. It amounted to mocking the Lord, and justice demanded that He respond. He is the only One worthy of worship, and those who act otherwise learn the hard way of His irresistible power and absolute sovereignty. The people’s wickedness was brazen and God’s wrath would be entirely just.

The principle of reaping what you sow is part of divine justice. “I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices,” God said (7:3). For example, the people were proud of their jewelry and used it to make idols, much as their forebears had done with the golden calf at Mount Sinai. God made the punishment fit the crime—foreigners would loot the jewelry when they conquered Israel (7:20-22). Poetic justice! The Israelites should not blame the Babylonians but realize that God was the one executing judgment.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What about us? Do we also have “adulterous hearts” (6:9)? Is there anything we value more than the Lord? Good things we prize too highly, such as family or a professional career, might be idols. They might be sins we’ve rationalized, such as greed for money or gluttony. Let Ezekiel sound a warning trumpet for us as well—one way or another, God is going to teach us that He alone is Lord!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 8-9; Ezekiel 9:1-6
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. - Psalm 89:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Roman Empire believed itself to be “eternal and unconquerable.” So when Rome was looted and pillaged by Alaric and an army of 40,000 “barbarians” in A.D. 410, the entire world was shocked. Ancient scholar Jerome stopped work on his Commentary on Ezekiel and wrote to a friend, “The city to which the whole world fell has fallen. If Rome can perish, what can be safe?” Augustine wrote The City of God to argue that Rome’s defeat was not the revenge of the “gods” on Christians. God is not tied to any one city or state, he reminded the church. God is sovereign over all nations and deals with them as He pleases. His kingdom is much greater than any earthly empire.

Like the Romans, the Jews believed that Jerusalem and the temple could never fall. They symbolized God’s presence and His covenant with His people, so surely He would never let anything happen to them, right? But they had neglected the truth that the covenant came with responsibilities. Their persistent sin presumed upon God’s patience and grace and dishonored His holiness. Today’s reading gives us further details concerning Israel’s idolatry: In chapter 8, Ezekiel was given a vision of the evil going on in Jerusalem at that time. Chapter 9 continues the vision and depicts “six men” (guardian angels of the city) executing judgment on the wicked.

The “idol that provokes to jealousy” (8:3) was likely one of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, placed right in the temple as an open insult to the Lord. That alone was provocation enough! But there was more. Digging into the temple walls—an action showing that nothing is hidden from God’s sight—the prophet uncovered the leaders of Israel bowing down before idols. Even his fellow priests were worshiping the sun (8:16)! They had brought judgment on themselves (9:9-10). Even so, God honored the fact that some remained faithful to Him. They received a mark of protection (9:4-6), reminiscent of the blood on the doorposts during the Exodus from Egypt.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sin deserves God’s judgment. Since all of us are sinners, perfect justice means that all of us deserve death. Thankfully, in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, God has provided a way by which we need not reap what we have sown. It’s because Jesus reaped the judgment on our behalf, paying for our sins by His death and offering us life through His resurrection. He is our “mark of protection.” “By believing [we] may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 10-11; Ezekiel 11:16-23
Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple. - Ezekiel 10:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
While a Chinese couple slept, their three-year-old daughter was busy. She found her mother’s purse and about $1,100 in cash. She played with the money and ended up throwing the bills out the window of their family’s 17th-floor apartment in Shenzhen, China. A restaurant owner on the first floor later told the mother that people had gladly grabbed the money as it rained down from the sky. “We’re now hoping for magic, and that the people with our money will bring it back,” she said. In the meantime, they’ve put wire mesh on the windows.

In the same way that this Chinese family’s financial treasure went out the window, the true treasure of Israel, God’s presence, departed from the temple in today’s reading. The message of judgment against Israel’s sin that has been building since chapter 4 reaches a climax. God’s glory had begun to leave even in yesterday’s reading (9:3), because He refused to share His temple with false gods. His presence would not remainwith idolaters and covenant-breakers. Even more painfully, from Ezekiel’s perspective, the departure wasn’t abstract or vague, but a highly visible and purposeful exit by the same heavenly throne, cherubim, and wheels he had seen in his original vision of heaven. God’s absence is the ultimate punishment! The coals scattered on the city indicate judgment by fire, as well as hinting at fire’s purifying effects.

Following the departure of God’s glory in chapter 10, Israel’s leaders were again condemned in chapter 11. The image of the pot and meat (11:3) indicates that they were proud, considering themselves “choice cuts.” Since they hadn’t been exiled with Ezekiel’s group, they thought they were safe. God reversed their metaphor and let them know that despite their attempts to devour Jerusalem’s meat—that is, to use their power for selfish gain (11:7)—He was going to “turn up the heat” and their goose was cooked (11:11)! They were oblivious to the scales of God’s justice and would pay the price.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God’s glory had departed. If ever there were a time for despair, this was it. But God is faithful to give hope to His people, even when they are undergoing deserved discipline or punishment. Ezekiel was glad to prophesy that judgment was not the end of the story. A day would come when God would gather His people and “give them an undivided heart” (11:19). Hearts of stone would be transformed into hearts of flesh. Even now, God Himself would be their “sanctuary” in exile (11:16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 12; Ezekiel 12:21-28
None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD. - Ezekiel 12:28
TODAY IN THE WORD
Some Native American peoples have revived an ancient penalty for wrongdoing—exile or banishment from the tribe. Faced with serious and persistent problems of crime, alcoholism, and drug abuse, tribal councils have in some cases chosen this extreme response in order to try to improve their societies. Critics see exile or banishment as an excessive punishment, but some tribal leaders believe it reflects a traditional Native American emphasis on community. “We need to go back to our old ways,” one told the New York Times. “We had to say enough is enough.”

God also said, “enough is enough,” and planned to punish His people Israel with defeat and exile. The wicked leaders in Ezekiel 11 felt safe because they weren’t in the first group exiled, but divine justice would catch up with them. People have an amazing capacity for self-deception. Even the exiles listening to Ezekiel’s prophecies wanted to believe that the destruction of Jerusalem and God’s judgment were in the distant future, not close at hand (v. 27). Despite the pervasive idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, despite the partial judgment already executed, and despite many prophetic messages, the people were unwilling to heed these warnings and repent (v. 1).

So God commanded Ezekiel to perform two symbolic actions. First, he was to pack his things as if for a sudden trip, then to dig through his house wall as if trying to escape. This turned out to be a specific oracle about what was going to happen to King Zedekiah (see 2 Kings 25 for the prophecy’s fulfillment). Second, he was to eat and drink while displaying fear and anxiety, as if disaster were imminent, because it was. God promised to destroy the popular saying “Every vision comes to nothing” with His word that “Every vision will be fulfilled” (vv. 22-23). Sin deserves punishment. Worship is serious business. God will not be mocked. In judgment, the people would learn that He alone is the Lord (v. 15).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Some people treat the return of Christ like the Israelites treated God’s warnings of judgment (Matt. 24:37-44; 2 Peter 3:3-10). They think either it can’t happen soon or it won’t happen at all. They doubt God can or will keep His promises. They scoff at the notion of judgment on sin. But Jesus said He would come like a thief in the night: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matt. 24:44).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 13-14; Ezekiel 14:1-6
Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices! - Ezekiel 14:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Most Americans are familiar with the episode about whitewashing the fence in Mark Twain’s famous book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In order to get out of doing a hated chore, young Tom persuaded his gullible friends that whitewashing the fence was a great privilege . . . but one that he was willing to part with for a price. In the end, most of the job was done by others and he ended up with his pockets full of his friends’ stuff.

In today’s reading, the false prophets’ whitewashing couldn’t hide the nation’s moral filth. These two chapters are renewed indictments of Israel’s sin, warnings of judgment, and a call to repent.

Chapter 13 deals with false prophets while chapter 14 condemns idolaters. We know from chapter 12 that the false prophets told people judgment wouldn’t happen. Here they were described as foolish, blind, liars, and jackals. They were motivated by greed and mixed up with witchcraft and the occult. They spoke words concocted by their prideful imaginations rather than messages revealed by God. They were so self-deceived that they actually thought their words would come true (13:6). But to misrepresent the Lord is to profane His name—His wrath would come down on them like a terrible storm.

Idolaters were somewhat less obvious, especially those who did not openly worship pagan gods but instead set up idols in their hearts (14:4). Leaders were doing the right things externally, but internally they were not cultivating attitudes of faithfulness and obedience. They had divided hearts (see Ezek. 11:19). Judgment on such people was certain (14:12-23). The message is phrased in dramatic if/then conditional statements, but the “if” is rhetorical; that is, it was sure to happen. Israel’s heritage of righteousness, as seen in the lives of Noah, Daniel (who may be the biblical Daniel, Ezekiel’s contemporary), and Job, did not give the nation a free pass. A remnant would be saved, and God’s justice and mercy would prevail.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like the people of Israel, we sometimes ignore the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin in our lives. We rationalize wrongdoing. We believe past good actions will somehow save us from the consequences of current sinful behavior. We neglect the many opportunities God gives us to hear the truth, come to our senses, confess our sins, and turn back to Him. If this is the burden of your heart today, heed the words of Ezekiel: “Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” (14:6).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 15-16; Ezekiel 15:1-8
I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. - Ezekiel 16:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Fiddler crab females are not easy to please. When they search for a mate, they may audition 100 or more males before finally selecting one. A research team in southern California studied these picky crabs and described how the males stand in front of their burrows and wave to attract a female’s attention. The movement of their front claws looks much like a human “come here” gesture. The male crab’s burrow must be exactly the right size for the female to lay her eggs, or she moves on to the next potential mate.

Israel is pictured in today’s reading as an adulterous wife (chapter 16) as well as a barren vine (chapter 15; see also Ps. 80:8-16). A barren vine is good for nothing. It cannot be used to make even trivial items such as pegs to hang things on. It is fit only to become kindling for the fire. In the same way, the fire of God’s judgment will consume the nation because the people had been unfaithful (15:7-8).

The story of the adulterous wife has the same point: The nation’s apostasy ignored God’s love and doubted His justice, and therefore judgment would come. At the start, Israel was like an abandoned baby—unloved and helpless. The Lord rescued and redeemed her, and with His love and protection she grew up to be a beautiful woman.

Then came the wedding day, the formal inauguration of a covenant relationship (16:8-14). Tragically, this lovely bride chose the path of prostitution. She took the very gifts God had given her to build high places and altars to idols. She ignored prophetic warnings and pursued perverse promiscuity in worse and worse ways, so that even the godless were shocked by her depravity. God had been very patient, but sin earns His wrath and so a day of judgment was coming (16:35-43). Despite everything, the Lord never stopped loving His people and would one day atone for their sins and restore the covenant (16:60-63).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Reading the allegory of Ezekiel 16, we might feel amazed. How could Israel spurn and wound the One who loved them so much? Yet at times we as believers are guilty of the same behavior. If we desire to be fruitful rather than barren vines, we have only one hope—to abide in Christ, the true Vine (John 15:1-8). Only through His spiritual life and strength can we live lives that please the Lord. Only by remaining in Christ can our words and actions bring glory to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 17; Ezekiel 17:22-24
I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. - Ezekiel 17:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Institute of Cosmology at Tufts University in Massachusetts, a new apple tree was planted last fall. This was no ordinary apple tree—it was a descendant of the famous tree Isaac Newton sat under when an apple dropped on his head and helped him come up with the theory of gravity. Tufts received three branches from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which had previously received a cutting from the Royal Botanical Gardens in England, where a descendant of the original tree is said to reside.

In today’s reading, the planting of a new tree symbolizes a new beginning for Israel (vv. 22-24). First, though, Ezekiel gave an allegory or parable of an eagle and a seedling (vv. 1-10), followed by its interpretation (vv. 11-21). The first eagle was Nebuchadnezzar. The cedar tree represented the kingly line of David. Taking seeds from the top of the tree to a faraway land symbolized Jewish leaders, particularly King Jehoiachin, being taken to Babylon in exile. Then another seed, King Zedekiah, became a vine which tried to rebel against Babylon by relying on an alliance with Egypt (the second eagle). The east wind blew and the vine withered, meaning that the Babylonian armies would crush the revolt. (This prophecy was given about three years before it was fulfilled, as recounted in 2 Kings 24:8-25:30.) By breaking a treaty made in God’s name and putting their trust in a human ally, Israel would once again prove that human wisdom is foolish and faithless.

Despite everything, a day would come when God Himself would restore the nation. His care and loving-kindness would ensure the growth of a new cedar tree. Birds would roost in its branches, suggesting that all the peoples of the earth will benefit. Over all these plot twists of history, God was, is, and will be sovereign. He raises up and brings down. He causes failure and gives success. He is the Ruler of all!

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Faith, as Scripture tells us, “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). We sometimes speak of faith in God as if it were some kind of risk, when in fact it is the surest confidence there is. He will do what He says. He is in control. That’s one reason Jesus compared faith to a mustard seed in His kingdom, which, though a small seed, grows into one of the largest of garden trees (Matt. 13:31-32).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 18:19-23
Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit - Ezekiel 18:31
TODAY IN THE WORD
As a young man, Dawson Trotman was a good student and a natural leader. In fact, he led the Christian Endeavor young people’s group at his church. But he was living a double life in which he enjoyed drinking, smoking, and a partying lifestyle. When he and his girlfriend nearly drowned in a mountain lake, he took it as a spiritual wake-up call. Soon after, at age 20, he committed himself to following Christ. “Daws,” as he became known, went on to found the Navigators, an organization committed to authentic discipleship.

“Repent and live!” is the message at the center of God’s approach to justice and judgment. He takes no pleasure in punishing the wicked, but stands ready to forgive all who turn to Him. That’s one of the main principles of Ezekiel 18. God’s moral law is not as hard as iron, but is tempered by the softness of His mercy. A new heart and spirit are not something we can earn, but He stands ready to give them (v. 31).

A second main principle here is that we bear responsibility for our spiritual choices (cf. Jer. 31:29-30). The saying quoted in verse 2 reflects self-pity. The Israelites complained they would have no inheritance to pass on to their children. God contradicted this: First, He is in control, so the next generation’s inheritance was ultimately His responsibility, not theirs. Second, He holds individuals accountable, so if the next generation acted differently, the results would be different.

To make sure the point was clear, Ezekiel gave a three-generation illustration of the principle that “the soul who sins is the one who will die” (v. 4). What about the Law’s promise to punish the children for the sins of the fathers (Ex. 20:5)? Individual responsibility and collective responsibility are both present in Scripture. But God emphasized the former in this case because the Israelites were using His judgment as a cynical excuse to continue their disobedient ways, whereas He was calling them to repent and live.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 5 through 9 in today’s reading, the first generation in Ezekiel’s illustration, paint a vivid portrait of a righteous man. He is committed to justice, worship of the one true God, and faithfulness in his marriage. He does not exploit the poor but is generous to those in need. He is obedient to God’s commands and thereby inherits life. How do we measure up in comparison to such a person? Our prayer today is that the Holy Spirit would enable us to live for Christ so that this description would be true of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 19-20; Ezekiel 20:39-44
You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways. - Ezekiel 20:44
TODAY IN THE WORD
Responding to today’s passage, Nate Wilson wrote in Ezekiel: A Devotional Commentary: “Dear God, please help me to not be rebellious against you! Help me to put away the filthy idols of my eyes and love You wholeheartedly! . . . Oh God, help me to hate the evil I and my fathers have done and let me be part of an acceptable generation to You who worships You rightly and makes the nations know Your holiness.”

Rebellion and idolatry dishonor the Lord, while obedience and worship bring glory to His name. That’s the spiritual message Ezekiel conveyed throughout his ministry. In today’s reading, chapter 19 is a prophetic lament, a sad poem commemorating the day when Ezekiel’s prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction would come true. The first part of the poem (19:1-9) pictures the king and people as a pride of lions and lionesses that get trapped and caged. The second part (19:10-14) imagines the nation as a tall and fruitful vine that gets uprooted, stripped, and burned. This lament poem is God’s and Ezekiel’s way of mourning the necessity of the coming judgment.

What made it necessary? Chapter 20 answers that question with a history lesson on Israel’s faithlessness. During the Exodus from Egypt, the people defiled themselves through idolatry. They ignored the promises and commandments of the God who had just freed them from four centuries of slavery. He had been inclined to destroy them then, but for the sake of His name He did not do so. The same thing happened over and over. The people would ignore God’s blessings, plunge into idolatry, dishonor the covenant, and provoke the Lord to anger, but He patiently kept giving them another chance. He is love, and though Israel’s sin invited judgment, He would redeem and purify them in spite of themselves (20:32-38). They didn’t listen to these warnings (20:45-49)—but we can. To understand who God is and act in a manner worthy of our calling is to please and glorify Him.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Nate Wilson in the devotional commentary referenced in today’s illustration, we should always be alert to the meanings and applications of Scripture for our spiritual lives. What are your personal responses to the book of Ezekiel as we’ve studied it so far? What poetic figures of speech or symbolic actions remain most vividly in your imagination? Which aspects of the life of faith has the Holy Spirit been bringing to your attention during this study? Which dimensions of God’s character have stood out most clearly?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 21-22; Ezekiel 22:23-31
For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men. - Isaiah 66:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
Guest worker policies in some countries create a legalized equivalent of slavery. For example, as reported in Newsweek, labor brokers guarantee international workers jobs and salaries in Malaysia in exchange for hefty placement fees. When they arrive, however, the workers find they’ve been scammed. The salaries are far lower than promised—after deductions for room and board, as little as $14 per month. But the workers can’t leave because Malaysian law requires them to sign multiyear contracts and their employers hold their passports. The workers are trapped. The United Nations estimates that at least 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in such forced labor arrangements.

God hates injustice in any form, and when He draws His sword of judgment we can be sure justice will be swiftly done. Chapter 21 is an extended discourse on this topic. It might be an answer to Ezekiel’s complaint that the people were dismissing his “parables” (20:49)—this word from the Lord was much more direct! There were still dramatic elements, such as the command to groan loudly and to make some kind of map or model (21:6-7, 19-20). But the meaning was plain: Babylon would conquer and destroy Jerusalem. In this case, Babylon was the sword of the Lord, and His judgment would be righteous and terrible.

Chapter 22 reiterates or makes plain the sins that were the reason for judgment. As compared to the historical angle of chapter 20, this condemnation is framed as a court case against the present generation, especially the leaders. Their sins were extensive: idolatry, abuse of power, violence or bloodshed, slander, desecration of the Sabbath, sexual immorality, taking bribes, and other forms of social injustice and self-indulgence. Leaders should serve rather than prey on others for personal gain. Priests should serve the Lord rather than leading the way to the altars of false idols. The furnace of God’s judgment would burn away these sins and purify His people (22:18-22).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God looked for but could not find a single righteous person to “stand in the gap” (22:30). To “stand in the gap” means to intercede for a larger group, as when Moses prayed for the Israelites (Num. 21:4-9) or when Jesus prayed for His disciples (John 17). Are we as followers of Christ standing in the gap for our country? Social injustices such as racism and abortion anger the Lord, but we have the privilege and responsibility of interceding in prayer for our nation and its leaders.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 23-24; Ezekiel 24:9-14
You may be sure that your sin will find you out. - Numbers 32:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
Once a lobster is caught by a fisherman, its fate is all but certain—a cooking pot, a garlic butter sauce, and a comfortable bed on the plate of some lucky diner. Fiona, however, is an exception. Fiona is a rare yellow lobster caught in 2009 off the coast of eastern Canada. How rare? One in 30 million. “In 57 years, I have never seen a yellow lobster and I doubt that I will ever see one again,” said restaurant owner Nathan Nickerson. Actually a bright orange in color, Fiona will live in a tank in his restaurant, where he hopes she will attract many new customers.

A yellow lobster may escape the cooking pot, but the leaders of Israel had no escape. They could be sure their sins would find them out (Num. 32:23). Today’s reading concludes the first major section of Ezekiel—the prophecies preceding the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C.

These chapters can be divided into four parts. First is a parable of two sisters who were prostitutes (23:1-21). These sisters stand for Israel and Judah in the days of the divided kingdom. Idolatry and political alliances with pagan nations constituted unfaithfulness to the Lord. The people should have been relying on God alone and worshiping Him alone. Instead, their disobedience is seen in the sisters’ lustful, indiscriminate lewdness.

Second is an exposition of God’s just judgment on Israel and Judah (23:22-49). The cup of God’s wrath was full. The people had no excuse. Knowing full well God’s law and character, they chose wickedness. Third is a picture of a cooking pot as a metaphor for God’s judgment (24:1-14; see also June 7). This vision came on the exact day the siege of Jerusalem began.

And fourth is the death of Ezekiel’s wife (24:15-27). This event took place on the exact day the temple was destroyed. The quiet but deep mourning of the prophet for the heartbreaking loss of his wife reflected at a personal level what the loss of Jerusalem and the temple meant to Israel.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Throughout the prophecies of impending judgment, God through Ezekiel continuously urged the Israelites to confess their sins and return to Him. As Christians, we also have this privilege—and we know we need it. If we think we’re walking without sin, we’re kidding ourselves. God’s work of sanctification in our lives is not yet complete; therefore, confession needs to be a regular spiritual discipline. When we confess and repent, we enjoy God’s forgiveness and walk again in His light (1 John 1:5-10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 25; Ezekiel 25:1-7
O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. - Psalm 79:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Sin can now be mapped. Forbes magazine published a 2008 special report on “America’s Most Sinful Cities.” For each of the seven deadly sins, researchers chose a statistical stand-in—wrath or anger was measured by the murder rate, greed or avarice by the number of billionaires per capita, gluttony by obesity rates, and so on. In a related study, geographers from Kansas State University examined available data such as the number of reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases per capita (for lust) and the number of fast food restaurants per capita (for gluttony).

No single group has a monopoly on evil—we are all fallen. Though most of Ezekiel is aimed at Israel, the prophet also delivered messages of judgment against her neighbors. These are found in chapters 25 through 32, the second main section of the book. It was comforting to Israel that her enemies would be punished as well, and for us it is reassuring that God’s justice is impartial and His power is absolute.

Four countries are targeted in today’s reading—Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Ammon (vv. 1-7) lay east of Israel in modern-day Jordan. The Ammonites had been opportunistic raiders who preyed on Israel at moments of weakness. To rejoice in the downfall of God’s people, however, was the same as laughing at God (v. 6). As a result, they themselves would be conquered and destroyed.

Moab (vv. 8-11) lay south of Ammon. The Moabites saw Judah as no different from pagan nations, and for their disrespect they would also be destroyed. Edom or Seir (vv. 12-14) lay south of Moab and earned God’s judgment by harassing instead of welcoming refugees after the Babylonian conquest. Finally, Philistia (vv. 15-17) lay west of Judah and also had a long history of hostility with God’s people. They acted as the others had and would earn a similar fate. Just as the Lord promised long ago, whoever cursed His people would themselves be cursed (Gen. 12:3).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today’s verse begins a psalm you might consider reading in full. Psalm 79 prays for judgment on Israel’s enemies in much the same way as is true in Ezekiel’s prophecy. It is also a prayer for forgiveness and for the restoration of a close covenant relationship: “Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. . . . Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever” (vv. 9, 13).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 26-27; Ezekiel 27:29-34
The LORD tears down the proud man’s house but he keeps the widow’s boundaries intact. - Proverbs 15:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2003, salvage explorers found the wreck of the S.S. Republic about 100 miles southeast off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The vessel sank in 1865 as the result of a hurricane, and although 42 of the 59 passengers made it into lifeboats and survived, $400,000 in coins sank with the ship. Today those coins are worth an estimated $150 million. The finders also planned to recover and put on display historical artifacts from the wreck.

Metaphorically speaking, Tyre was a ship loaded with riches that God promised to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Their wealth and achievements wouldn’t save them. Tyre was the capital city of Phoenicia (located in modern Lebanon), north of Israel. In part an island city, Tyre was very active in business and trade. But like the nations in yesterday’s reading, they rejoiced in the downfall of Jerusalem and even planned to profit from it (26:2). Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 26 exposed their pride—they believed they could not be conquered. They made their business plans and threw noisy parties and thought the good times would never end (26:13). But God said otherwise. Destruction was coming. Tyre was besieged and humbled by several invading armies, and eventually destroyed by Alexander in 332 B.C. The world would see and tremble at the spectacle of God’s judgment on this proud city.

Chapter 27 is a prophetic lament for the city’s destruction. The first part of the poem builds a picture of the greatness of Tyre and celebrates her wealth, beauty, and economic and military power (27:1-11). The second part expands the picture even further to show a thriving city with which the entire world was eager to trade (27:12-25). The third and final section shows that the bigger they are, the harder they fall (27:26-36). They trusted in their riches, as symbolized by a trading ship, but that object of faith was headed to the bottom of the sea. Only the Lord is worthy of human trust. He is the Rock on which we stand!

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Pride is the enemy of God. Pride focuses on self to such an extent that one’s thoughts do not even have room for God (Ps. 10:4). Pride seeks glory for self rather than glory for God. That’s why “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). Pride has the potential to creep into every area of our lives—some people are even proud of being humble! What’s the cure? “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5-11).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ezekiel 28; Ezekiel 28:24-26
When I gather the people of Israel from the nations . . . I will show myself holy. - Ezekiel 28:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jesus once encountered a rich young man who wanted to obtain eternal life (Matt. 19:16-30). Jesus told him to keep the commandments, and the man naively responded that he did so. “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus then told him, “go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” But the man could not bear to part with his money—in truth, wealth held first place in his heart. Jesus explained to His disciples, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They thought wealth was God’s stamp of approval rather than a potential competitor for the heart’s allegiance.

The kingdom of Tyre had achieved great commercial success. Riches and success had led to pride, as we learned yesterday. Ezekiel 28 continues with two more oracles against Tyre (vv. 1-10 and 11-19), plus a short prophecy against Sidon (vv. 20-23) and a promise for Israel (vv. 24-26). The first oracle begins by recapping the theme of pride. The king of Tyre was so proud he thought he was a god and trusted completely in his own wisdom and wealth. God would judge him by stripping away his pride and taking away his riches. He would die a shameful and violent death.

The second oracle is a lament that charts the spiritual sequence of pride, temptation, and fall. In words suggesting Satan, the father of all pride and thus the power behind the throne of Tyre, Ezekiel described a perfect “guardian cherub” in Eden who sinned and was expelled from heaven. The short prophecy against Sidon, a sister city to the north of Tyre, emphasizes that judgment will likewise teach them who is the true God.

Against this backdrop, God’s promise to Israel is a genuine word of comfort. He will regather the exiles and restore them to their land, where they will live in peace. The covenant relationship will be renewed. Then the people will “know that I am the LORD their God” (v. 26).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The spiritual sequence of pride, temptation, and fall is one we need to be aware of as well. Satan took pride in his own beauty and wisdom, but instead of using them for God’s glory he embraced the self-centered falsehood that he was equal to God. His fall was unsurprising, for God’s justice makes the fate of the proud inevitable. No matter what gifts and abilities God has given us, we need to be always on guard against temptations to pride and self-centeredness. All His gifts are to be used for His glory, not our own.