Month: November 2015

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EZEKIEL 39:1-40:27 | JAMES 2:18-3:18 | PSALM 118:1-18 | PROVERBS 28:2

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Ezekiel’s prophecies for the nations of Gog and Magog continue. 

Scholars interpret these in various and sundry ways, and while I am unable to understand in full the meaning and timing of these events, I take it that these are generally considered end-time events.  Ezekiel is given these words of warning and promise by the Lord God Almighty. 

Referencing the defeat and decimation of the armies of Gog in their homeland, the Lord says: 

²² From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God. ²³ And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. ²⁴ I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them. ²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. ²⁶ They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷ When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. ²⁸ Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. ²⁹ I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

And following this, there is the first sign of renewal and restoration.  Ezekiel sees a vision of a man who leads him to the ruins of the temple, only to begin measuring each section and gate with a view to rebuilding it.  Ezekiel is led by the man in bronze who tells him this: 

⁴“Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.”

We turn now to our reading of James, and find James making a case for the necessity of faith to be supported by good works– not the other way around,  mind you.  It is only natural that your faith will indeed produce good works, and James is taking great pains to make an argument to this effect, and cites in support the history of the Jewish forefathers. 

He says:  ²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”and he was called God’s friend.

And next, we find one of the most memorable and oft-quoted passages in Scripture that speak to the power of the tongue, and the need for us to learn how to tame it. 

James says:  ³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 

He goes on to explain this more fully in these following verses: 

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James was a man who was thoughtful about the subtleties of human nature, and surely must have been a most self-possessed individual.  After offering exhortations on the best use of one’s tongue, he goes on to offer some thoughts on the concept of wisdom. 

He asks:  ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

We turn now to our reading of the Psalms, and find David offering up a most humble offering of praise and thanksgiving for the mercies of the Lord.  It would behoove us to repeat these very words as well:

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
   his love endures forever.

May it be that like David, we might also be able to say like him:

⁵ When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;
   he brought me into a spacious place.
⁶ The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
   What can mere mortals do to me?
⁷ The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
   I look in triumph on my enemies.

 And in times of doubt as to whom one might be better off trusting, here’s David’s advice:

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD
   than to trust in humans.
⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD
   than to trust in princes.

Finally, a verse from the book of Proverbs in which Solomon, wise king of Israel, has these words to offer as food for thought:

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
   but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.

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EZEKIEL 37:1-38:23 | JAMES 1:19-2:17 | PSALM 117:1-2 | PROVERBS 28:1

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We continue with Ezekiel’s story, and learn of the vision that he receives concerning the valley of dry bones.  This is a surreal image indeed of a graveyard come back to life.  It is a stark symbolism that God uses to assert his promise of restoration to the children of Israel. 

These are the words Ezekiel receives from God: 

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

Furthermore, there is another promise to unite the two nations under one king — no more will there be a king of Judah and another king of Israel.  Having descended from the same twelve tribes of Jacob, i.e., Israel, the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel will be united into one whole. These are the words of the Lord to Ezekiel concerning this: 

²⁰ Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on ²¹ and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. ²² I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. ²³ They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

And then, there is a specific prophecy for the advent of David, the shepherd-boy who will be appointed king. 

The Lord tells Ezekiel this: ²⁴ “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. ²⁵ They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. ²⁶ I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. ²⁷ My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. ²⁸ Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”

Next there is another prophecy, but this is supposedly an end-times prophecy, not unlike the time of Armageddon.  The identity of the nation of Gog remains uncertain, but scholars attribute it to modern Russia.  And as terrifying as it all seems and sounds, these are the words that Ezekiel receives and records for posterity concerning his people, the nation of Israel. 

He delivers this message: 

¹⁸ This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. ¹⁹ In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰ The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹ I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. ²² I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. ²³ And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’

We turn now to the book of James, and find many an exhortation offered to the reader.  The very first one is: 

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Then, he goes on to encourage his readers to grow strong in their faith.  James is exhorting his readers in this way: 

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.  ²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Next, James speaks to the importance of being fair in all our speech and action, and offers as an illustration these words: 

¹ My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Also, on the matter of judging a person, he says:

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.

Mercy triumphs over judgment.  The law is good only to condemn, but mercy rises above the law, i.e., mercy triumphs over judgment.

James, the ever-practical believer has a thing or two to say about the importance, nay, the requirement of good works to be accompanied by one’s faith.  However, make no mistake as to which ought to come first.  It is good works that follow faith, and not the other way around. 

James says: ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Next, turning to our reading of the Psalms, we find a couple of simple opening verses in which David, the great king of Israel, offers up these words of thanksgiving and praise:

¹ Praise the LORD, all you nations;
   extol him, all you peoples.
² For great is his love toward us,
   and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

   Praise the LORD.

And finally, one verse from the book of Proverbs in which Solomon, wise king of Israel, speaks to the valued quality of courage in these lines:

¹ The wicked flee though no one pursues,
   but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.

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EZEKIEL 35:1-36:38 | JAMES 1:1-18 | PSALM 116:1-19 | PROVERBS 27:23-27

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The promises of restoration to the people of Israel and to their land are being made by the Lord Almighty through the voice of his prophet, Ezekiel. 

Concerning the mountains of Israel, this is what the Lord says: 

⁸ “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, ¹⁰ and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. ¹¹ I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. ¹² I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

The promises extend to both people and place, and these are the further promises of God that Ezekiel is told to convey to his people: 

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. ³⁰ I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.

And if there is any doubt at all, here is another affirmation that Ezekiel offers: 

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. ³⁴ The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. ³⁵ They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” ³⁶ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’

We turn now to our New Testament reading, and enter a new book titled The Epistle of James, or simply, James. 

The identity of James, the author, is uncertain, but most scholars attribute it to be James, the brother of Jesus.  [Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ earthly parents had children together] 

James starts out with an exhortation on exercising a strong faith.  He says: 

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

And he has these words of encouragement for those who persevere in their faith: 

¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 

We’ll turn now to our Psalm of the day, and in this one, we find a timeless template for praise.  Like David, may we also offer up words like these in complete abandon:

¹ I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
   he heard my cry for mercy.
² Because he turned his ear to me,
   I will call on him as long as I live.

³ The cords of death entangled me,
   the anguish of the grave came over me;
   I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called on the name of the LORD:
   “LORD, save me!”

⁵ The LORD is gracious and righteous;
   our God is full of compassion.
⁶ The LORD protects the unwary;
   when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷ Return to your rest, my soul,
   for the LORD has been good to you.

⁸ For you, LORD, have delivered me from death,
   my eyes from tears,
   my feet from stumbling,
⁹ that I may walk before the LORD
   in the land of the living.

Finally, a couple verses from the book of Proverbs authored by Solomon, wise king of Israel, who cautions against complacency:

 ²³ Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
   give careful attention to your herds;
²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,
   and a crown is not secure for all generations.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.