In Ezekiel 8 God shows Ezekiel just how evil and corrupt Jerusalem had become, and that that was the reason for God's judgment. Are we guilty of covering up sin in our lives?
In Chapter 9's picture of the coming judgment, God called one man to spare the remnant who had been faithful, and six men to slaughter the wicked. It's important to note that the remnant were considered faithful because they saw and repented of their nation's sin. We need to grasp the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. At the end of Chapter 9 we see the people making excuses to continue to sin. Attempting to rationalize or trivialize sin may make it easier to sin, but it sure doesn't convince God or cancel the punishment sure to follow.
In Chapter 10 we see that the people's sin has finally resulted in God's glory departing from the temple. The temple was destroyed and though it was later rebuilt, God's glory never returned completely until Christ himself visited it.
He is the Good Shepherd, He is the Gate, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him. And when die in this life, and enter eternity through the Gate, that is when we will see the glory of God in ways we cannot even begin to imagine in this life. But that will never happen if we do not grasp the seriousness of our sin and our desperate need of a Saviour.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Ezekiel 11-13; John 10:24-42
3 comments:
A verse that stood out for me is John 10:4
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
This verse to me shows the bottom line in out spiritual walk with God, all we need to do is trust and obey Him. He will lead us where is best, and knows better than we do.
Verse 14 stood out for me:
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
He knows us. I am in the midst of training my 7th bath of Grade 1 friends. I am getting to know them and they are getting to know me. It's a process, and a dance, and totally worth the effort to make the year go smoothly. When I know them, I know how to motivate them. When they know me, they know what my expectations are, how much I believe in them, and that I want them to be successful. It's a mutual relationship. When I read this verse it reminded me that God wants the same for me and he does know me and what motivates me but I'm not always listening.
The same verse that stood to Nathan, stood out to me. It made me question myself how well do I know His voice? And when I hear it, do I listen? I pray that I do, an that that would be my desire.
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