Ezekiel 16:6
“Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.”
Ezekiel has gone to great lengths to explain the judgment Judah is under, because they had forsaken God and followed after their own desires. He compared them to the city of Sodom that had received divine judgment for their sinful behaviors. He even went a step further, explaining they were worse than Sodom, because their sin was committed despite the fact that they had been chosen by God, and given His word as their guide. In the midst of declaring the penalty for their sins, Ezekiel brings up the mercy of God by reminding them of His everlasting covenant. That covenant was made with their father Abraham, before they were ever born, and is even stronger than the sins they have committed.
Man is a very weak being. We are dependent on outside forces to keep us alive. We can live only minutes without air, days without water, and weeks without food. Nothing seems to point to our weakness more than how quickly and consistently we give in to the sinful desires of our flesh. Jesus told the apostles that while their spirit was willing to do the right things, their flesh was weak (Mark 14:38). We find this to be true on a daily basis. It is comforting to know that the covenant God has established with us is stronger than the weakness of our flesh. When we fail He remains faithful.
Paul put it like this,
2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful! He cannot deny Himself.”
If you are currently misbehaving, the right thing to do is to stop, turn to Christ, and allow Him to forgive you and restore you into relationship with Him. If you are currently struggling with an area of weakness, keep in mind that when you fail, He doesn’t. The covenant you have with God is based on the work Christ has done, not the work that you do.
Take a few moments to express gratitude to God for His faithfulness, and the forgiveness that is available to you because of the cross.
Pastor Jim
Recently, my wife and I went shopping for wood flooring. We were actually quite surprised by the number of choices available to us. We found cherry, oak, pine, bamboo and a plethora of other woods from which to choose. Upon reflection, however, I did not notice any grapevine flooring. As I recall, when we shopped for furniture, we found the same thing to be true. Lots of wood choices, that never included grapevine. In the text, God makes reference to the fact that the wood of a vine is not even suitable for making a hook upon which to hang anything. Why then would He refer to this wood as being better than other woods of the forest? The answer is found in the words of Jesus.
The final book of the Bible is aptly called Revelation, for it is a compilation of things that were revealed to John while banished to the Island of Patmos. In it, we will be given key insights into the future, but before the future is described, John takes time to describe Jesus. Instead of seeing the humble carpenter, meek and mild, John describes King Jesus in all His splendor and glory and refers to Him as “the ruler of the kings of the earth.” As ruler, Jesus declares He holds in His hands the keys to hell and death. As I read this, I have to ask, why would Jesus unlock the door to hell?
The people in Ezekiel’s day were facing the same struggles we face today, they were failing to look into the Word of God. As a result, they were easily swayed into believing they could live however they wanted. This lifestyle soon caught up with them and the nation was beginning to collapse. What had once been a thriving city, and the envy of the nations, was now about to collapse in total ruin. In this condition, God reveals his ultimate desire for the people. He says “I will seize the house of Israel by their hearts.”
The world never has a shortage of people who claim to have the answer to spiritual questions. It seems almost everyone has an opinion regarding the purpose of life, and what awaits us after death. The same was true in Ezekiel’s day. The streets were filled with men and women who claimed to know what God wanted from the people. Ezekiel referred to these men and women as false prophets, because their message contradicted the Word of God. I find it interesting that the message Ezekiel delivered to them was simply, “hear the Word of the Lord.”
ude warns of those who turn grace into lewdness. The word lewd is somewhat outdated, but refers to something vulgar or obscene, especially that which is sexually immoral. Jude is referring to those who think the grace of God allows for behavior which is clearly forbidden in the Word of God. It is important to remember, grace does not excuse sin, but provides forgiveness when we fail.
Rebellion is an interesting thing. Most people, who are in rebellion, don’t see themselves as rebels, but have justification for their behavior. Children do it with their parents, adults do it with their superiors, and all of us do it with God. I think it might be helpful to note that Ezekiel gives us a Biblical definition of rebellion, so we can recognize whether or not we are currently rebelling against God. He says, a rebel is one who has eyes but does not see and ears but does not hear. In other words, if we know what we are doing is unacceptable to God and we are doing it anyway, then we are in rebellion against God.
The children of Israel were facing the darkest time in their history. They had endured great hardships in the past when enslaved in Egypt or wandering in the wilderness, but nothing compared to the darkness of being taken captive by Babylon, and knowing the city and Temple would soon be burned to the ground. If anything ever seemed to point to the end of relationship with God, that did. I am once again amazed at the mercy and grace of God, as He promises through Ezekiel, that in their darkest hour, He will be a little sanctuary to them.
he day Solomon’s Temple was built was one of the most glorious days in the history of Israel. It marked the completion of many of the promises God had given to His people down through the centuries. From a single man with a barren wife, a mighty nation had been formed, that now occupied the land that was promised to them. Their enemies had been defeated and held at bay, the people were experiencing a prosperity they had never dreamt would be possible, and the Tabernacle that spoke of mobility, was now replaced with a glorious, permanent Temple. On the day the Temple was dedicated, something quite remarkable took place. We are told, “the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” God’s presence was so “thick” the priests had to stop their ministry. It seems all they could do was fall down before the glory of God. Ezekiel lived about 300 years later and he too saw the Temple and the glory of God. This time, however, the glory was not filling the Temple, but rather was departing from it. He watched as the same glory that once filled the Temple, began to rise from it and slowly depart.
There are many things that fill us with joy. Some of them are quite simple, like seeing a rainbow, or when our team wins. Others are much deeper, like our wedding day, or the birth of a child. John lived a long life and, no doubt, had his share of experiences that produced joy, making his statement here all the more valuable. He states, of all the things that have brought a smile to his face, nothing can compare to knowing his children are walking with the Lord.
Jim Gallagher 