Today’s Reading: Ezek 39:25–40:49, Rev 19:11–20:6, Job 38:25–33

Today’s Theme: Star Creator

It is just amazing to consider that God created the stars and constellations, it is this same powerful God that will restore Israel and defeat evil.

Ezekiel 39:25–40:49

Israel, regathered to God’s glory

when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies’ lands, and through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations.(Ezekiel 39:27, ESV)

Israel will be the vindication of Gods holiness to all nations and at the same time the act of regathering will be instrumental in Israel themselves being saved

Set your heart

And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”(Ezekiel 40:4, ESV)

We need to be really deliberate in what we look at and listen to. We should guard our eyes and ears. We should live life on purpose setting our hearts to do all the Lord shows and tells us

God has detailed plans

The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps. And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.(Ezekiel 40:49, ESV)

This precise measurement and all the others in this passage show how precise and detailed God is in his plans, to be so detailed he needs to be sovereign in power to perform his plan

Revelation 19:11–20:6

The Word of God

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.(Revelation 19:13, ESV)

The mighty Word of God our Saviour Jesus Christ

The final battle

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.(Revelation 19:19, ESV)

The final great battle where evil will ultimately be defeated

The devil will be bound

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,(Revelation 20:2, ESV)

The serpent that became a dragon the devil, is bound for 1000 years, the enemy is defeated

The 1st Resurrection

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.(Revelation 20:6, ESV)

We should live in a way that we are able to be a part of the first resurrection and reign with Christ.

Job 38:25–33

For his own pleasure

to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man,(Job 38:26, ESV)

God does amazing things that no one else will ever see, to bring himself glory and pleasure

God controls the stars

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?(Job 38:31, ESV)

These are star constellations, God is the one who breathed the stars into existence

Constellations created by God

Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?(Job 38:32, ESV)

Star constellations were made by God as signs in the heavens later corrupted by astrologers when they lost their original meaning

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 38:1–39:24, Rev 19:1–10, Job 38:12–24

Today’s Theme: Rejoice in God’s Power

Today’s theme is that we should rejoice in God’s mighty power shown in the ultimate judgement and victory over evil

Ezekiel 38:1–39:24

Who is Gog?

You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.(Ezekiel 38:16, ESV)

The latter days are mentioned here, is this an allusion to some great northern country like Russia rising against Israel in the last days?

God judges the nations

I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.(Ezekiel 39:6, ESV)

God will lead these great nations into destruction as a judgement

The universe restored

“And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.(Ezekiel 39:7, ESV)

How we long for that day, when the universe is fixed

A great slaughter

For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.(Ezekiel 39:12, ESV)

Will this be a nuclear or biological attack?

Revelation 19:1–10

Rejoice the enemy is judged

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”(Revelation 19:1–2, ESV)

We should not be sorry but rejoice at the final judgement of the evil world system

Rejoice in God

And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”(Revelation 19:5, ESV)

Rejoicing in God is central to his purpose

Heaven is full of praise

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.(Revelation 19:6, ESV)

Heaven is going to be loud

Clothed with your own works

it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.(Revelation 19:8, ESV)

We are clothed with the things we do, so do right and do well

The invited

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”(Revelation 19:9, ESV)

Those invited show Gods people are specific and select, not universal

Worship God

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.(Revelation 19:10, ESV)

The pure purpose of existence

Job 38:12–24

Bow to God’s power

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,(Job 38:12, ESV)

All men must bow to God’s majesty and power, we can’t stop morning from coming or make it come faster

The mystery of the deep oceans

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?(Job 38:16, ESV)

Although man has gone to space, he still can not do this

The mystery of death

Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?(Job 38:17, ESV)

Man still does not understand and can not master death

Light

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,(Job 38:19, ESV)

This still baffles scientist

Snow

which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?(Job 38:23, ESV)

This helped Russia defeat Germany

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 36:1–37:28, Rev 18:1–24, Job 38:1–11

Today’s Theme: New Creation

Today’s theme looks at God’s work or regeneration or new creation in the believer and in the earth. In Job we look back at God’s amazing work of creation. God is the creator and regenerator.

Ezekiel 36:1–37:28

The Land is God’s

therefore thus says the Lord God: Surely I have spoken in my hot jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave my land to themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and utter contempt, that they might make its pasturelands a prey.(Ezekiel 36:5, ESV)

This echoes what the nations do with Israel today too, however as the text says the land of Israel is God’s possession and he has given it to the children of Israel as a testimony

Filthy ways

“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds. Their ways before me were like the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity.(Ezekiel 36:17, ESV)

That is vivid imagery, God is saying that their ways were like used sanitary towels

God’s concern for his name

But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.(Ezekiel 36:21, ESV)

God is rightly uppermost in his own affections, and has concern for the sanctity and glory of his name

God centred

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.(Ezekiel 36:22, ESV)

God acts for his glory, not for us, this is the most Nobel thing God could do. It would not be good for us if God was man centred it is to our benefit that God is God centred.

The miracle or regeneration

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.(Ezekiel 36:25–27, ESV)

This is a picture of the miracle of regeneration where God changes our very nature so we can serve him as we really should

God saves us for his own glory

It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.(Ezekiel 36:32, ESV)

We are not saved through our own goodness and are no better than others, this was true for Israel too

Creation, redeemed

And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’(Ezekiel 36:35, ESV)

Redemption includes the creation, its not just the people, how do we apply this today? The question of our responsibility before God for the care of the earth is an important one.

A people reborn

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”(Ezekiel 37:3, ESV)

The miracle of regeneration, not of the heart of man only but also the very nation of Israel

Proclaim (prophesy) the truth

Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.(Ezekiel 37:4, ESV)

We must declare the truth to those dead in sin, so that they might live

The work of the Holy Spirit

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”(Ezekiel 37:9, ESV)

Symbolic of the Holy Spirits work in regeneration

God made us alive

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.(Ezekiel 37:13, ESV)

We know God is real because we were dead in our sins and he made us alive in Christ

Backsliding can be healed

They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.(Ezekiel 37:23, ESV)

This is the context of where the word backsliding comes from, it is something that needs to be healed

The Shepherd King

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.(Ezekiel 37:24, ESV)

Jesus is the Shepherd King

Revelation 18:1–24

God’s call to his people

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;(Revelation 18:4, ESV)

I believe this is Gods call to his people in the Roman Catholic Church and any other cult

The queen of heaven

As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’(Revelation 18:7, ESV)

The queen of heaven, this points to the false worship of Mary

Capitalism will end

The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,(Revelation 18:15, ESV)

Capitalism (and all other isms) will end, it will be replaced by God’s theocratic kingdom

Job 38:1–11

Don’t obscure good counsel

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?(Job 38:2, ESV)

Lord I don’t want to darken godly counsel, and speak pure speculation without knowing the truth

Where were you?

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.(Job 38:4, ESV)

Ha, Gods big question to His challengers who say he never created the earth, this statement alone is so humbling

God’s humours challenge

Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?(Job 38:5, ESV)

God even has a sense of humour when laying down this challenge

The Angels were there

when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?(Job 38:7, ESV)

The Angels rejoiced when God created the earth

God the greatest scientist

and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,(Job 38:10, ESV)

God set the laws of physics in motion and maintains them

God sets boundaries

and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?(Job 38:11, ESV)

God sets the boundaries of the sea…. how awesome is our God.

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 34:1–35:15, Rev 17:1–18, Job 37:16–2

Today’s Theme: God’s Sheep

In today’s reading we read about Israel as God’s sheep, this applies to the church now too as Jesus called us sheep and as the Messiah is the Good Shepard. We read about good and bad leadership and are reminded to pray for our Shepherds / Pastors.

It is wonderful to know that we have been called and chosen as God’s sheep, with the assurance that he will take care of us and lead us home.

Ezekiel 34:1–35:15

The ministry of a Pastor

You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.(Ezekiel 34:3–4, ESV)

This outlines the ministry of a Pastor and includes feeding the sheep with the word of God, strengthening the weaker brothers, healing the sick through prayer, ministering to those in emotional pain, going after the straying sheep, reaching the lost ruling with gentleness. With this in mind say a prayer for our Pastors today.

Sheep need instruction

My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.(Ezekiel 34:6, ESV)

Sheep need guidance, we don’t just need to be led to Christ we need instruction of how to grow in Christ to full maturity

Sheep need to be led

Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.(Ezekiel 34:10, ESV)

Pray that Christian leaders would not devour the people but lead the people

God found us

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.(Ezekiel 34:12, ESV)

We are sheep, we don’t seek God he seeks us so we give him all the glory for saving us.

God the good shepherd

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.(Ezekiel 34:15, ESV)

Thank you Lord that you are our good shepherd

Where leaders fail, God is faithful

I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.(Ezekiel 34:16, ESV)

All that leaders fail to do God will do and God seeks the lost himself and the backslider and the hurting one

The Messiah as shepherd

And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.(Ezekiel 34:23, ESV)

This is the great shepherd our Lord Jesus Christ

Our deliverance brings knowledge of God

And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.(Ezekiel 34:27, ESV)

When we are delivered from the enslavement of sin we know that God is the Lord

Humans are sheep

And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”(Ezekiel 34:31, ESV)

God makes it very clear that we are the sheep

Flesh vs Spirit

Because you cherished perpetual enmity and gave over the people of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment,(Ezekiel 35:5, ESV)

like the flesh against the spirit

Don’t gloat

As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will deal with you; you shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(Ezekiel 35:15, ESV)

Never rejoice at someone else’s misfortune, it may become your own

Revelation 17:1–18,

Spiritual fornication

with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”(Revelation 17:2, ESV)

This sexual immortality is both political and religious

Only two religions

And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”(Revelation 17:5, ESV)

the core Babylonian religion behind all world religion. In a sense there are only two religions one is the true worship of Yahweh through Jesus, the other which comes in a variety of flavours is the worship of man (or mans ideas)

The book of life

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.(Revelation 17:8, ESV)

All our names are not in the book of life by default, God knows those who are his.

Called, Chosen and Faithful

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”(Revelation 17:14, ESV)

Thank you Jesus that we are called, and Chosen and Faithful and I will be with you on that great day

God is in control

for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.(Revelation 17:17, ESV)

God is sovereign over the enemy

Job 37:16–24

Perfect Knowledge

Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,(Job 37:16, ESV)

God is the only one with perfect knowledge

Clothed in Majesty

Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty.(Job 37:22, ESV)

God is clothed in majesty, wow

True wisdom

Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”(Job 37:24, ESV)

Lord keep us from being wise in my own eyes

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 32:1–33:33, Rev 16:1–21, Job 37:9–15

Today’s Theme: Open your eyes and rejoice

In today’s reading there is a call for us to open our eyes as God’s watchmen and open our mouths to warn other, to open our eyes to God’s will and not our own, to open our eyes to the reality of eternity, to open our eyes to the wonder of creation, to open our eyes to God in all these things and rejoice in and to his glory.

In opening our eyes to God we turn away from the allure of sin and the deceitfulness of the human heart. We need to open our eyes, see and repent.

Ezekiel 32:1–33:33

Superficial beauty

‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.’(Ezekiel 32:19, ESV)

Temporal physical beauty is no defence against death

The conscious afterlife

They have made her a bed among the slain with all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for terror of them was spread in the land of the living, and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are placed among the slain.(Ezekiel 32:25, ESV)

“They have made” and “they bear” are active verbs, they are currently bearing the shame, they are still alive in the afterlife which shows there was an understanding of the afterlife in the OT

Called to be watchmen

then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.(Ezekiel 33:4, ESV)

We have greater responsibility when we have heard the truth, God has called us to be watchmen in our city, declaring that men should flee the wrath to come

The Gospel Trumpet

He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life.(Ezekiel 33:5, ESV)

This mirrors the call to repent and flee the wrath to come preached in the Gospel. Blow the trumpet today.

A holy charge

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.(Ezekiel 33:6, ESV)

If we do not warn those we watch over then God requires the blood of that person at our hands. We must warn them.

Save yourself

But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.(Ezekiel 33:9, ESV)

Boldly declaring and defending the truth delivers our own souls.

1 Timothy 4:16 says “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Repentance can’t be forced

Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?(Ezekiel 33:11, ESV)

God desires that all would repent, but in His wisdom he does not force it on all

NOW!

“And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins.(Ezekiel 33:12, ESV)

Our responsibility before God is not in the past or future, it is always in the now, our connection with eternity is NOW! so we can repent now and should persevere in righteousness now.

False vs True

Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die.(Ezekiel 33:13, ESV)

God has not called us to false security in a false confession lived out in a false life but true eternal security through true confession with evidence shown in a joyfully sanctified life.

Repentance is required

if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die.(Ezekiel 33:15, ESV)

God requires genuine repentance

Don’t blame God

“Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just.(Ezekiel 33:17, ESV)

This is so true, this is the number one accusation thrown at God when he is in fact so gracious. Don’t shift blame for your own sin and unrighteousness on to God, humble yourself and repent by turning to the only one who can help you

Works will be judged

Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”(Ezekiel 33:20, ESV)

Just like the church in Revelation, God knows and judges our works

God’s promises are conditional

Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land?(Ezekiel 33:25, ESV)

We can not live like devils and then tap into or claim the promises of God. God’s promises are predicated on right relationship with him. Every promise of God has conditions in this way so they can not be abused.

God is not a fool, or just a force of Karma like Hinduism teaches, he is the true God with three distinct persons who seek and must be engaged through relationship… Not dry religion, principles or manipulation.

What is your heart set on?

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 lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.(Ezekiel 33:31, ESV)

What is the point in listening to God’s word and sitting under teaching if our hearts are not changed and our minds are bent on evil, sadly this is the picture of much of the church today. Some people just enjoy preaching.

As Pastor Dennis taught us a few days ago in Israel, we see through the eyes of our will and what the will has set it’s eyes on it will pursue, so unless we allow the word to change our desire to be God’s, we will never change.

Revelation 16:1–21

Ordained judgement

And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.(Revelation 16:5, ESV)

Remember these judgements are ordained by God, they can not be stopped.

Man’s wicked heart

They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.(Revelation 16:9, ESV)

The wicked, stubborn, prideful heart of man revealed

Be awake and ready

(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)(Revelation 16:15, ESV)

Lord help us to stay awake and be fully clothed for war

Job 37:9–15

Nature, God’s tool

Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.(Job 37:13, ESV)

This is insightful concerning the purpose of God using the natural elements

Open your eyes and rejoice

“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.(Job 37:14, ESV)

We should all do this like Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon and Lewis we should pause and consider the great works of God in creation. The theory of evolution has tried to kill off this joy and glorification of God but we are missing out if we don’t open our eyes to the richness of Gods general revelation in nature