Looking at Ezekiel

It is difficult to understand the caldron of the Middle East without first studying the remarkable prophecies found in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was among the captives with King Jehoiachin in the second of three deportations under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He mentions Daniel three times, who had been in Babylon nine years before Ezekiel arrived. Ezekiel ministered, as did Jeremiah, to a nation experiencing judgment for their sins. In his captivity he lived at the River Chebar, which was the great ship canal branching off from the Euphrates above Babylon and turning through Nippur to the Tigris. This was the primary settlement location of the Jewish captives.

Ezekiel was born in approximately 627 B.C. and lived in a time of moral decline, distress and uprooting. His messages were not well received at first, but did ultimately result in the nation being purged of idolatrous practices. He was married and owned his home. His wife died during his ministry, and he was forbidden to mourn her.

We also learn that God intended his life to be a series of signs to Israel; therefore, he does all kinds of strange things. He shuts himself up in his home. He binds himself. He is struck dumb. In a formal ritual, he was to lie on his right and his left sides for a total of 430 days. He ate bread that was prepared in an unclean manner. He shaved his head and beard, which was considered a shame in his particular calling.

Throughout the book, his main theme was the sovereignty and glory of God. This is good for us, because we can get so focused on God’s grace that we tend to forget there is also a governing role of God, and that His glory requires justice. Ezekiel was very direct. He carefully vindicated God’s justice throughout the book, although he deals more in symbol and allegory that any other Old Testament prophet. He is probably the greatest mystic of the Old Testament. He was well suited for the calling God gave him, which included a remarkable vision of God's Throne in Chapter 1. This dramatic vision of God never left him. It is not just introduced in the first chapter, it is referenced all the way through.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the "Regathering". The famed vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones in Chapters 36 and 37 is unquestionably the monumental Biblical fulfillment of the 20th century. Beginning in the last half of the 19th century, the regathering that climaxed in the establishment of the State of Israel is one of the most irrefutable evidences that we are on threshold of God's climax for the nations mentioned throughout the Bible - and remarkably detailed in the writings of Ezekiel.

The final chapters, 40-48, climax with a remarkably detailed description of the Millennial Temple to be rebuilt. Ezekiel was uniquely qualified for this role due to his priestly background. He was the son of Buzi, who was also a priest. It is interesting that even though he never served as a priest, he apparently so influenced later worship that today he is called by some, "The Father of Judaism." From Numbers 4:3 we know that Kohathites had to be 30 years old before they could begin service as priests. When Ezekiel became 30, however, he was deported, in approximately the eightieth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The Temple which Ezekiel describes has never yet been built. Most scholars regard it as the details for the Temple which will be established during the Millennium on Planet Earth.

Between the regathering of the nation in Chapters 36 and 37, and the Millennium Temple described in Chapters 40-48, there is a climactic event that intervenes. The invasion of Gog and Magog, described in Chapters 38 and 39, are among the most famous prophetic passages in the Bible. For a variety of reasons, the identity of "Magog" as the people of Russia seems well established.

If you were invited to a reception that would bring you into contact with a world-famous author, you would, of course, run out and quickly review his book to avoid any embarrassment. Well, you may soon be in the company of one of the most fascinating characters of the Old Testament, and when you are introduced to him, you will want to be able to declare, "Hey, I sure enjoyed your book!"

What shall we do?

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42

The early church on the day of Pentacost in its infancy seemed to know what needed to be done. They focused on the apostles' teaching. There was a thirst for knowledge of the Word of God as revealed in the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There was fellowship. Whenever the "called out" gathered, there were bonds created between believers who were following the same path together. In that journey, there was sharing of the bread of life. And, they prayed.

These are things that every church should be about. Those who think that God is a means to an end, miss the point of the kingdom. The gospel is not a way to health and wealth. Instead, the call of the believer is to seek knowledge, create fellowship, break bread and pray. This world is not the goal. God cares about our conduct.

What Kind of Fruit Do You Bear?

19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.

Galations 5: 19- 26

Christians are warned not to judge one another. The judgment we judge with will be the judgment we receive. Yet, another one of those paradoxes in the Bible is that our conduct betrays what is inside of each of us. By observing a person's behavior, one can identify a person's spiritual maturity. On the one hand we are not to judge; and, at the same time we examine the content of each person's life. The tests are really simple. Paul's lists in Galations gives us a feel for the kind of conduct that is either unbecoming of a one who bears the name "Christian"; and, the good fruit of the Spirit that reflects the nature of God in us. Our goal is to "live by the Spirit", so we can "walk by the Spirit". To do so requires humility and self-control not to envy one another.

Just "Do It"!

"As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes forth from the LORD.' And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with their lips they show much love, but their heart is set on their gain. And, lo, you are to them like one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. Ezekiel 33:30-32

This passage is a warning to those who can listen to the Word of God; but, fail to do what the Lord says. I shared this passage this morning with the church as part of my Elder's closing. We all need to examine our hearts to see upon whose gain we focus our lives. May we choose to love God first with all of heart, mind, soul and strength; and, truly learn to love our neighbor as ourselves. In the end, we just need to "Do It"!

The Lesson of Life

"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. "

Deuteronomy 8: 2-3

The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years for a reason. There was a process going on by which the Lord was at work testing them to discover what was in their heart? Humility is a shaping force of one's character. Dependence makes one humble. It is when things are going really good that we tend to forget that we need the Lord. Hunger reminds us of our dependence upon food. Yet, the words of Moses set forth in bold above were the answer to Satan's temptation of Jesus in his wilderness trial when he was tempted to turn stones into bread. If you want to learn to live, then live in obediance to the word of the Lord. Examine yourself and ask, "What is in my heart?" May we hunger and thirst after righteousness.

The Narrow Gate

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. " Matthew 7:13-14

The way of the kingdom can be lonely at times. It is another one of those paradoxes of the life of faith. The words of Jesus in Matthew 7 are a lamp for our feet to find the narrow path. That narrow path will sometimes make us feel like we are being squeezed into some very tight, and at times, uncomfortable surroundings. Jesus had to find time to talk to the Father away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle of daily life. Those times resulted in prayer at odd hours. Without prayer, we will have no clue on how to find the way. Jesus taught his disciples to have spiritual eyes and spiritual ears. Loving those who are unloved, turning the other cheek, carrying someone else's load when you don't have to....those are the sorts of things that are very rare in life. Living selfishly, going with the crowd, and refusing to follow the word of God will lead to destruction. We are all sinners in need of salvation. May we be in prayer asking God to show us the way each day so that we can find that narrow gate. When you find it, celebrate! Even in the midst of trials and tribulations, one can draw comfort that God himself is leading you through those valleys along the narrow way.

ACTS

THE BOOK OF ACTS

Luke, Volume II, commonly known as "The Book of Acts," completes the "Pentateuch of the New Testament." Regarded by many as the most exciting and relevant book for the current believer, it is, indeed, one of the most rewarding and instructive. Roman law required written documents, containing all the pertinent background regarding a case, to precede an appellant's appearance before Caesar. There are some scholars who suspect that the two volumes penned by Luke were to comply with those requirements. To compile a comprehensive history of the facts surrounding Paul's appeal to Caesar was an expensive undertaking, and some assume that the official known as Theophilus was Luke's sponsor. In a world denied the conveniences we currently take for granted with copiers and fax machines, it is hard for us to appreciate a culture entirely dependent upon handwritten documents (that's why we call them manu-scripts). An analysis of Luke's writings seems to support the pre-trial thesis. His consistent emphasis in the various episodes always focuses on establishing the responsibilities of the Jewish leadership in instigating the numerous uprisings, rather than Paul. The avoidance of civil unrest would have been the primary concern of the Roman administration. It is also interesting to note that, in Luke, centurions are always presented as "good guys." The traditional title of this book is, in some respects, a misnomer: it primarily deals with the "acts" of Peter (Chapters 1-12) and Paul (Chapters 13-28). It really should be called "The Acts of the Holy Spirit." Jesus had indicated that the next phase of God's program would be "The Comforter's": Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. - John 16:7 Certainly He, the Holy Spirit, is the principal mover behind the scenes. (It is interesting that the Holy Spirit is always modeled as "an unnamed servant" in Biblical typology. Jesus also explained why: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. - John 16:13 Among the pivotal passages are several that have significance far beyond the immediate narrative. Perhaps foremost of these is Chapter 2, in which we see the fulfillment of the prophetic significance of the Hag Shavout, "The Feast of Weeks" (or "Pentecost"), in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, generally regarded as the birth of the Church. (Why is the Book of Ruth always read at this time?) Another chapter with special revelations is Chapter 7, where young Stephen has the chutzpah to give a review of the Old Testament to the most august body of the Jews, the Sanhedrin. Hidden behind the subtleties of the text are clues that reveal a number of surprises, such as Abraham's delay in responding to God's call in Genesis 12, and the fact that the Pharaoh that oppressed Israel prior to the exodus was not Egyptian! There are some other lessons hidden within this fabulous book. For example, what Bible study, repeatedly recorded in the Book of Acts, was given by seven different people on twelve different occasions, and always proved extremely fruitful, yet is rarely given today? The answer: presenting Jesus Christ entirely from the Old Testament. It was the only "Scriptures" they had then; the "New Testament" was still in the process of being compiled.