Tag Archives: Ezekiel

Ezekiel 20, Luke 17

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The elders of Israel come to Ezekiel, to enquire of God through him. But God says He would not be inquired of by the elders. They had rejected God time and time again, and God lists 6 times that the nation rebelled against Him.  This seems like an overly negative response, but it’s important to realise how constant Israel was in their rejection, and yet God still offers hope. “You shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers”.

This section of Ezekiel should inspire us to reflect on our own lives, to “look intently at our natural face in a mirror”, and do something about what we see. Our God is merciful, but He requires action from us, to seek Him out and develop His character.

Jesus demonstrates God’s mercy in healing the 10 lepers, who pleaded “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. They were healed on their way to the priests, following Jesus’ instructions. Let us similarly seek God’s mercy, and let it affect our lives.

Ezekiel 19, Luke 16

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Ezekiel takes up a lamentation for the children of Israel, even before they were taken into captivity. They had been given all they needed to serve God, like strong a vine with ready access to water. Despite great men of faith like Moses and David, Israel eventually rejected God and so they would be shortly removed from the perfect vineyard to the wilderness.

A similar idea is expressed by Jesus in Luke 16, “no servant can serve two masters…you cannot serve God and money.” We’ve been called to serve God with our whole existence, to be “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season”. Let’s seek the true riches God has offered, to be like the vine planted by water, freely soaking up the water of life available in God’s word.

Ezekiel 16, Luke 12

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In Ezekiel 16, God describes in graphic detail the care that He had provided to Israel, and the way she betrayed that care, seeking the attention of others outside the covenant she had made with God. The metaphors of marriage and prostitution are used to describe the intensity of the relationship and betrayal.  This chapter is as much a warning for us as it was for Israel, to be sure we’re not actively betraying our covenant made with God at baptism.

Yet after all this, God still provides hope. “I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth…I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord…when I atone for you for all that you have done.”  Our God is both loving and jealous. He will forgive our sins if we  turn to Him and seek after Him.

Jesus said, “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. Let’s focus on gaining heavenly treasure, dedicating our lives to God, turning again to Him when we fail.

Ezekiel 11

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Ezekiel 11 is a chapter of destruction and hope. A prophecy of Israel’s imminent downfall, and a future time when they would be restored. “I will gather you from the peoples…and I will give you the land of Israel…a new spirit I will put within them…that they may walk in my statues and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

This is the comfort provided by God to a devastated Ezekiel, that God would once more serve their God and have a relationship with Him.  This is a hope continually set before us too, a weekly re-establishment of our relationship with God after a week of sin.  Let us rededicate our lives to God this morning, knowing that we too have been called to be God’s children and to be part of that time when Israel will once more be God’s people.