Jerusalem – Be Still…

Ezekiel 23:1-21 – Sibling Rivalry

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What a stark contrast this message from God has over others he gave Ezekiel. This one was a parable shared with Ezekiel personally, telling the story of God’s judgment using very intimate examples. I had to read the passage a couple times just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding.

God speaks of his loves, personified as sisters, and their escapades. Of course, the story simply points to Samaria and Jerusalem as the siblings rivaling for being the most treacherous. Yet, God desperately cares for these sisters and even marries them. Continue reading “Ezekiel 23:1-21 – Sibling Rivalry”

1 Chronicles 11:1-9 – David Becomes King

Read 1 Chronicles 11:1-9

David wasn’t just in the right place at the right time, he was chosen by God. The Chronicler doesn’t repeat the story told in 1 Samuel 16. So, David knew he was to be king years before Saul died. While waiting for God’s timing, David became very popular as a victorious army leader.

From the start, the people recognized God was moving, and David was following God. That kind of leadership must have looked a lot different than what the people were used to seeing of Saul. It was there at Hebron that David’s reign began, and the people were behind him. What a great way to start!

Lamentations 3:1-24 – Is There Hope?

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Chapter 3 presents a triple acrostic, so we’ll split up this chapter a bit so we can reflect a bit on each thought. We hear first in our reading today from the perspective of God’s people experiencing deep spiritual sufferings. Like a breath of fresh air, we are also returned to a sense of hope. No matter how dark our times may seem, it is always good to know there will be a “light at the end of the tunnel.”

It’s good for us to remember what happened to the people of Jerusalem. Those are “our” people as believers in Christ. They were Jesus’ people, too. These laments give us a picture of what our future could be if we continue to distance ourselves from God. Why should it be any different for those who stray to other “gods” in our day?

Nehemiah 13:1-31 – Reforms Already?

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There are some timing issues in this final chapter that often confound the reader, wondering in what order things are happening. Our last reading so positively set the stage for how life would be in Jerusalem. Now Nehemiah swoops in to shake some sense into the Israelites who must have quickly forgotten their purpose.

It’s almost like “when the cat’s away, the mice will play.” Nehemiah had returned to Babylon like he had promised the king before he left for Jerusalem. Nehemiah must have gotten word that the people in Jerusalem were struggling. His faithful leadership was needed again!

Nehemiah 12:27-43 – Joy of Jerusalem

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Who doesn’t like a good party? The opening scenes to this reading are filled with the anticipation of what is to come. The day has arrived when the completed wall will be recognized and celebrated. When parties have a purpose, they are even more enjoyable. When that purpose is to celebrate God’s faithfulness and love, imagine the great expectation!

The celebration appears to circle the city wall with songs of thanksgiving being sung and instruments being played. That sounds a lot like worship to me. How fitting the people would use the worship element to further honor God in this moment. What God had done among them already, and promised to do forever, was so generous. If only they could stay true to God alone. People continue to struggle with keeping God first in their lives today.