Overview
Ezekiel: On the 10th day of the fifth month of the 17th year, the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel. The Lord spoke to him and said that he would not let them inquire of him. Rather, Ezekiel should judge them. When God chose Israel and took them out of Egypt, he told them to leave their idols behind, but they didn’t. Even though he was angry with them, he led them out of Egypt so his name would not be profaned there. He gave them his Sabbaths and rules so they would be holy, but they rebelled. He said he would punish them in the wilderness and not take them into the Promised Land. But he spared some, their children. He made the same covenant with them. But they also rebelled. He warned them that if they reject his laws he would scatter them among the nations. They couldn’t live by the laws to obtain life, they were defiled through the gifts they offered so that they would know that he is the Lord.
Ezekiel is to tell the people that their fathers blasphemed him by making offering on every hill. They are doing the same thing by their prostitution with idols, especially offering their children in fire. No, he will not let them inquire of him. They think that they should be like the other nations that worship idols of wood and stone.
The Lord promises to bring the out of the countries and will rule them with anger being a mighty king over them. He will bring them into the wilderness and judge them face to face, just like he did with their ancestors. He will purge all the rebels and they will not enter the land of Israel. So, they might as well go serve their idols if they won’t listen to him but his holy name will not be profaned by their idolatry.
In the future, on his holy mountain all of Israel will serve him. He will accept them, but he will require their best gifts and offerings after he brings them out from all the countries. Then they will know that he is Lord. They will remember their sins and hate themselves. They will know that the Lord saves them for his name’s sake and not because of their evil.
The Lord told Ezekiel to prophecy against the southern forest of the Negeb. He will burn all the green and dry trees. Everyone, north and south will be scorched by the fire. Ezekiel complains that the people are accusing him of making up parables.
Psalm: We are to give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, love, and redemption. He has redeemed those in trouble from all ends of the earth. He works wonders for those who are in desert places by leading them to a city. He satisfies their souls. Some were imprisoned with hard labor because they rejected God but he redeemed them when they bowed before him and cried to him. Some were fools in their sin and even came close to death. But the Lord redeemed them when they cried to him. All these are to thank the Lord, offer sacrifices, and tell of deeds with joyful songs.
The Psalmist talks of God delivering sailors from the harsh storms that threaten them. God provides fruitful land for some but the opposite for evil people. He brings contempt on princes who oppress with evil and sorrows. He raises up the needy and afflicted. All who are wise should consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Proverbs: When parents have wise children, they can be happy even when people criticize them.
Hebrews: When Jesus came as the high priest of the new covenant, he entered the perfect sanctuary in heaven, not the early one. He entered only once by his own blood and not the blood of animals. The blood of animals purified sinners but Jesus blood offered through the eternal Spirit does even more. It cleanses our conscience from trying to save ourselves by our works.
Jesus’ death redeems all who are called into an eternal inheritance. They are redeemed from the penalty of sin defined by the old covenant.
The covenant is like a will. It is in effect only after a death takes place. That is why people and things were cleansed by blood in the old covenant. Moses had to inaugurate the old covenant by sprinkling blood on the book of the covenant and the people. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
The earthly things purified in this way are only copies of the heavenly ones. Christ entered that heavenly holy place and appeared in the presences of God for us. He didn’t have to offer himself over and over like the earthly priests. He only needs to offer himself once for all and that makes an end to sacrifices for sin. We will die once and then be judged, but Jesus offered himself for sin once and bore the sins of many people. He will come again but it will not be to bear sin but save all who are eagerly waiting for him.
What Stood Out
Ezekiel: “Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them” (Ezek 20:12). “I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezek 20:38).
Psalm: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men” (Ps 107:8, 15, 21, 31).
Proverbs: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me” (Prov 27:11).
Hebrews: “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Heb 9:14).
Insight
Ezekiel: Today’s reading is a mixture of condemnation, hopelessness, and hope. Mostly the Lord is telling the people that they can’t change. They are doing the same thing that their ancestors are doing and that as long as they keep doing those things, they will be judged just like their ancestors were in the desert. His intention was to give them Sabbaths to be a sign to them that would make them a holy people and they would know he is the Lord. But they had progressed to the point that the laws and regulations that he previously said would bring life, now only serve to show that they can’t keep them. So, he will have to purge the rebels so they will know that he is the Lord.
This seems to be the pattern for mankind from the beginning to the end of the Bible. The Lord does many things to make himself known to us. To Adam and Eve, he spoke face to face. They rebelled. Fast forward to today, he has spoken to us through Jesus and it is recorded in the Bible what we need to know. However, most people rebel against God’s counsel. Jesus came so that we would know that he is the Lord and we can be saved through him. But the sad truth is that most people don’t want to have anything to do with him even when they understand their sinfulness and need for a Savior.
The Lord told Israel that he would bring them out of the nations, with wrath, into a desert and would judge them. He would purge the rebels out from them. This isn’t the normal restoration we usually read about or hope for. It will be the same for most of mankind. The final judgment will not be pretty for most people. It is only those who have been made holy by the blood of Jesus that will be saved from that final, horrible judgment.
Psalm: The beginning of the Psalm appears to set its writing after the return of Israel from the Babylonian captivity. The people are gathered from all corners of the world. But there is nothing in the rest of the Psalm that specifically identifies Israel. The Psalm is written not just for them but for “the children of men” (Ps 107: 8, 15, 21, 31). God treats three different classes of sinners the same way.
The first are those who are looking for a city. They are hungry and thirsty, but they are wandering. God redeems them and give them a city. We get an eternal city when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. Their souls are satisfied. We can be satisfied in Jesus.
The second class are rebels. They reject God and as a result are in a prison. They have physical afflictions because of their sin. Many of us were this kind of sinners before we were saved. We were trapped in prisons of sin when God redeemed us. Jesus brings us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The third class of sinners are fools. Their problem is trying to work for salvation. They loathed food, they thought that ritualistic fasting and other physical self-affliction would get them saved. But salvation doesn’t come until we cry out to God for his redemption and stop working for our own. Then, we can offer sacrifices, not for salvation, but for joy and thanksgiving. In all three cases, it is the Lord who does the work to redeem us.
Proverbs: You can read in the advice columns about people who complain about the way other people are raising their children. Sometimes it’s when they see how a parent handles a screaming brat in the store or it’s the way their own children are raising their kids. While it makes sense to raise kids with good biblical principles, it isn’t until they are grown that you’ll know how well your parenting skills worked. Then you will be able to answer those who criticized you if they turn out to be wise and godly adults.
Hebrews: What does it mean to purify our consciences from dead works (Heb 9:14 ESV)? The NAS and NKJ say, “cleanse our consciences from dead works.” The NIV says, “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death.” The NLT says, “purify our consciences from sinful deeds.” The cleansing and purifying are all common, so the difference is in the meaning of the dead works. The NIV and NLT imply that when we sin, the blood of Jesus can clear our conscience and therefore we should not feel guilty. I don’t think that is what the author is talking about.
The context of this is showing that the old covenant was not good enough and the new covenant is superior. For a person under the Law to have a clear conscience, they would have to obey all the requirements of the Law, which is impossible. In Ezekiel 20:25, we read that the laws the Lord gave Israel were “not good” because the people could not have life through them. In other words, the dead works are not just sin, but anything a person does to try to justify themselves. These kinds of work lead to death because they are not done in faith that Jesus is the only way to save a person. When we recognize that Jesus has paid all the penalty for all our sins, then we understand that there are no works or rituals that we must fulfil in order to be saved. A person without a clear conscience will always be wondering if they have done enough to be saved. They will always worry about whether or not they have “sacrificed” to pay for each sin. They will worry about committing a future sin that would disqualify them from salvation.
When we have a clear conscience, we don’t have to worry about all these things. We know that all our sins have been paid, once for all. Jesus died once and that was sufficient. He doesn’t have to be sacrificed daily as the Catholic Mass teaches (Heb 9:26). Satan will try to convince us that we must do something to cover our sins, but the truth is clear. Jesus did it once for all. We can rest in this and that means resting from working for our salvation. Instead, we become free from worry, guilt, and Satan’s lies to serve our living God.
Application
I don’t want to forget that I can always go to Jesus and confess my sin. He has already paid the penalty and I won’t have to do that. He restores me to fellowship because his past death is effective for the past, present, and future. I can then serve him the way he wants. Praise God.
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