God’s promise – Be Still…

Ezekiel 47:1-12 – What a Miracle!

Read Ezekiel 47:1-12

Remember the east gate contains the presence of God. That means the water Ezekiel sees is flowing from God himself. As such, that is some pretty holy water that becomes a rushing river. What a miracle!

This water begins as a shallow stream becoming deeper every 1000 cubits (1,750 feet). The significance of what was being revealed to Ezekiel about this deepening is unclear to me. Perhaps the meaning was hidden to Ezekiel as well. Then the man asked Ezekiel, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Suddenly, Ezekiel notices the trees growing alongside this waterway. Continue reading “Ezekiel 47:1-12 – What a Miracle!”

Ezekiel 39:25-29 – What Mercy Looks Like

Read Ezekiel 39:25-29

We’ve heard about the doom and devastation, and now we see how God displays his mercy. The time of exile will most certainly end. God’s people will return to their homeland where God will watch over them. What a peace provoking prophecy this is as it summarizes God’s merciful plans with no more mention of Gog!

Deuteronomy 7:9 says this about God’s mercy. “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” God’s mercy is extended to those who stay faithful. Many in Ezekiel’s audience had forgotten what it meant to stay faithful. Continue reading “Ezekiel 39:25-29 – What Mercy Looks Like”

Ezekiel 34:1-10 – Not Really Shepherds

Read Ezekiel 34:1-10

I don’t think I’ve ever met a shepherd, or one who herds sheep, in person. I’ve commonly seen goat herders and cow wranglers here in Mexico, but never a shepherd. They would have been a lot more common in Ezekiel’s day. The Bible uses the shepherd metaphor in other places as well. The 23^rd Psalm begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I have all that I need.”

Shepherds were some of the first people to meet Jesus face to face. That tells me that God thinks highly of shepherds, perhaps because of their devotion to their flocks. God’s expectations for a shepherd’s behavior is clearly set out here. Feeding the sheep, tending to the weak, caring for the sick, and certainly searching after any sheep that get lost. Continue reading “Ezekiel 34:1-10 – Not Really Shepherds”

Ezekiel 28:1-19 – God’s Message to the King

Read Ezekiel 28:1-19

It’s helpful to be introduced to the King of Tyre as God sees him and how Ezekiel describes the king’s leadership. In earlier passages, we’ve read how this thriving town was so well respected. Did it surprise you that the leader was so full of himself, thinking he was a god? That degree of self-importance would not be pleasing to God. Yet the king must have been delighted to be in charge of such a successful city.

What must this prideful king have thought when a message came from the Sovereign LORD? Not only did the LORD call him out on his behavior, but the king was put in his place. He was simply wealthy and wise and most certainly not a god! Continue reading “Ezekiel 28:1-19 – God’s Message to the King”