Friday, September 25, 2015

Friday, 25 September 2015, Ezekiel 14-15; John 11:1-29 ~ Elizabeth

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ezekiel 14-15; John 11:1-29

According to our OT passage today God does not answer the prayers of those who do not pray in His name, not even when false prophets claim to speak for Him. we are rejected because we first rejected Him, even if false preachers have seduced us. Verse 11 is a beautiful statement of the purpose of the Law-to convict and convince us of our unfaithfulness and bring us to repentance so that we may enjoy His salvation. Using four vivid pictures, Ezekiel emphasizes that righteousness (faith and life) is not transferable from one person to the next. We should not think that salvation can come from any other human  source, but only from the righteousness won by Christ on the cross. The exiles' concession that God doesn't not punish without cause is is described in 22-23. Jerusalem is a vine that is good for nothing but burning, a vivid illustration of the city's fall in 587 BC. By this catastrophe, the Lord prepares the way for restoration and salvation. In Christ, the true vine, we can bear much fruit.

In our NT reading today, Jesus, the Son of God, will raise Lazarus from the dead so that He might be glorified. Death overwhelms us all. Even Christians have difficulty at times accepting God's promise to strengthen faith through adversity. At the hand of Christ, suffering serves God's gracious purpose; even death loses its sting.

Jesus assures Martha that all who believe in Him, though they die physically, will lie forever. Death is the consequence of sin and eventually takes everyone. No human being can overcome it. We can comfort one another in the hope that even in the face of death, believers in Jesus Christ possess the sure promise of their own resurrection to everlasting life.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Ezekiel 16-17; John 11:30-57

4 comments:

Nathan said...

The storey of how God destroys Jerusalem so their can one day be restoration and healing reminds me of how He destroyed the whole earth with a flood during the time of Noah. Both were done after the people kept repeatedly sinning against God and refused to change their ways. I hope we listen and change before it's too late.

Pamela said...

This stood out for me:
8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.”

Most of society has rejected God and act as if He does not exist. Lives are empty and without purpose and that is depressing. Judgement is coming.

Conrad said...

Ezekiel 14:6 stood out to me:

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations."

In the NIV translation, it says to renounce all your detestable practices. All sin is detestable to God. I pray that I would not have any idols in my heart, and that I would focus on God and pleasing Him.

Tammy said...

Chapter 15 made me think of the contrast to the vine in the NT as well.

Suffering and death is hard for us to wrestle with. Thankfully we have the hope of eternity and the promise that God will be with us during times of trial.