Endtimes prophesy

(Ezekiel 3:17-21)
”Aon of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.  When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.  But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die.  Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin.  The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.  But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

A watchman’s job was to stand on the city wall and warn the people of approaching danger.  Ezekiel’s role was to be a spiritual watchman, warning the people of the judgment to come.  Some think that “accountable for his blood” means that just as a watchman on the wall would pay with his life if he failed to warn the city of approaching enemies.  Ezekiel would have been held accountable if he had refused to warn the people of coming judgment.  Others believe this phrase simply means that God would hold Ezekiel responsible.

In these verses, God is talking about physical death.  If the people back in Judah continued in their sins, they and their land and cities would be destroyed.  If on the other hand, the people would turn to God, God would spare them.  God would hold Ezekiel responsible for his fellow Jews if he failed to warn them of the consequences of their sins.  All people are individually responsible to God, but believers have a special responsibility to warn unbelievers of the consequences of rejecting God.  If we fail to do this, God will hold us responsible for what happens to them.  This should motivate us to begin sharing our faith with others – by both word and deed – and to avoid becoming callous or unconcerned in our attitude.

Romans 12:3“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity. - George Bernard Shaw

(Ezekiel 3:10, 11)
And he said  to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.  Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them.  Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says, ‘whether they listen or fail to listen.’”

Ezekiel needed to take God’s words to heart before preaching them to others.  God’s message must sink deep into your heart and show in your actions before you can effectively, help others understand and apply the gospel.

Zechariah 14:9“The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it. - David Sedaris

(Ezekiel 3:1-3)
And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.”  So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.  Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.”  So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

In his vision, Ezekiel ate God’s message and found this spiritual food not only good for him, but also sweet as honey.  If you “digest” God’s Word, you will find that not only does it make you stronger in your faith, but its wisdom also sweetens your life.  You need to feed yourself spiritually just as you do physically.  This means doing more than simply giving God’s message a casual glance.  You must make digesting God’s Word a regular part of your life.

Psalm 138:8“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. - Alfred Lord Tennyson

(Ezekiel 2:6-8)
”And you, son of man, doo not be afraid of them or their words.  Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions.  Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.  You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.  But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you.  Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

God gave Ezekiel the difficult responsibility of presenting his message to ungrateful and abusive people.  Sometimes we must be an example to or share our faith with unkind people.  The Lord told Ezekiel not to be afraid and rebel, but to speak his words, whether or not the people would listen.  He also wants us to tell the Good News, whether it’s convenient or not.

Three times God told Ezekiel not to be afraid.  When God’s Spirit is within us, we can lay aside our fears of rejection or ridicule.  God’s strength is powerful enough to help us live for him even under the heaviest criticism.

Leviticus 19:18“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
He who hesitates is not only lost, but miles from the next exit. - Unknown

(Ezekiel 2:4-5)
The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.  Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’  And whether they listen or fail to listen – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them.

God called the people “obstinate and stubborn” because they refused to admit their sin.  Rebellious was the nation’s primary characteristic at this time.  Even when God pointed out their wrongdoing, the people ignored the truth.  Is God pointing at some sin in our lives?  Don’t be stubborn – confess our sin and begin to live for God.  By obeying him now we will be ready for God’s final review of our lives.

Jeremiah 23:24“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
The more things change, the more they remain... insane. - Michael Fry and T. Lewis

(Ezekiel 2:3)
As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

The world of business defines success in terms of giving customers what they want.  Ezekiel, however, was called to give God’s message to the people, whether they would listen or not.  The measure of Ezekiel’s success would not be how well the people responded, but how well he obeyed God and thus fulfilled God’s purpose for him.  Isaiah and Jeremiah also prophesied with little positive response.  God’s truth does not depend on how people respond.  God will not judge us for how well others respond to our faith, but for how faithful we have been.  God always gives us the strength to accomplish what he asks us to do.

2 Thessalonians 3:3“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
Reality is something you rise above. - Liza Minnelli

(Ezekiel 2:2)
As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

We can only imagine what it was like for Ezekiel to experience this vision.  Certainly there was much he did not understand, but Ezekiel knew that each part had significance because it came from God.  When God saw Ezekiel’s open and obedient attitude, he filled him with his Spirit and gave him power for the job ahead.  God doesn’t expect us to understand everything about him, but to be willing and obedient servants, faithful to what we know is true and right.

Isaiah 40:31“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with. - W. C. Fields

(Ezekiel 2:1)
He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”

The immortal God addressed Ezekiel by calling him son of man,emphasizing the distance between them.  It is amazing that God chooses to work his divine will on earth through finite, imperfect beings.  We are made from the dust of the ground, yet God chooses to place within us his life and breath and to ask us to serve him.

Psalm 121:7-8“The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am. - Joseph Baretti

(Lamentations 5:21-22)
Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

A high calling flouted by low living results in deep suffering.  Lamentations gives us a portrait of the bitter suffering the people of Jerusalem experienced when sin caught up with them and God turned his back on them.  Every material goal they had lived for collapsed.  But although God turned away from them because of their sin, he did not abandon them – that was their great hope.  Despite their sinful past, God would restore them if they returned to him.  Hope is found only in the Lord.  Thus our grief should turn us toward him, not away from him.

Reflection

1. In what sense are you bearing the punishment for the sins of your fathers?  In what ways are you laying up punishment for your children?  How can the cycle be broken?
2. As a nation, are we storing up judgment for the next generation?  Explain.
3. If repentance is the first step in returning to God’s favor, why is it so difficult for us?  Where in your life is it most difficult to admit your failure and ask God for help?  What incentive does God’s warnings give you to do this?

Ephesians 5:25-26“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years. - Bertrand Russell

(Lamentations 5:1)
”Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace.”

After expressing the full extent of his or her grief, the true believer should turn to God in prayer.  Here Jeremiah prayed for mercy for his people.  At the end of his prayer he wondered if God was “angry with us beyond measure.”  But God would not stay angry with them forever – as it says in Micah 7:18.  “You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”

Reflection

When are we most apt to “consider our ways”.  During smooth sailing?  In the midst of the storm?  When we’re going nowhere?

Ephesians 6:4“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Quote of the day:
I've done the calculation and your chances of winning the lottery are identical whether you play or not. - Fran Lebowitz