SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/30/2014
10:21 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Accepting
the Burden of the Lord PT-3
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ezekiel
2:6-7
Message of the
verses: We will be looking at the
third sub-point from this main point that is listed above.
Don’t Be Afraid (Ezekiel 2:6-7): “ 6 "And
you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and
thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be
dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. 7 “But you shall speak My words to
them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.”
We have been talking about a theme that Ezekiel has in
his book and that theme is the rebellion of the people of Judah. Now when I say Judah I am saying the Southern
Kingdom which has been taken into captivity, at least part of them at the time
that Ezekiel wrote this part of his book.
However we must remember that when the kingdoms split after the death of
Solomon that there was a new religion set up in the Northern kingdom and
because of this many of the people who lived in the Northern Kingdom moved to
the Southern Kingdom because they did not believe that what was set up in the
North was right. Therefore we can say
that there was a reprehensive of all the tribes of Israel that was in the
Southern Kingdom. Later on Ezekiel will
prophecy about two sticks which represent both kingdoms and he writes that in
the future when Israel would own their land again that when they first get
settled back in their land the nation should once again be called Israel. This happened in 1948 and it was because of
the reference that Ezekiel wrote the new nation was once again called Israel.
We not only see that Ezekiel is admonished by the Lord not
to fear this people He also says it again in 3:9 “"Like emery harder than flint I have
made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though
they are a rebellious house."” That
makes four times the Lord told Ezekiel not to fear this people. The Lord also told Jeremiah the same thing “"Do
not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the
LORD (Jeremiah 1:8).” Jesus warned His
disciples the same thing “"Therefore do not fear them, for there is
nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. "Do not fear those who kill the body but
are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell. "So do not
fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31).” Isaiah writes in 51:12 “"I, even I, am
He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the
son of man who is made like grass.”
Dr. Wiersbe writes the following end note to help us
understand the portion of verse six which speaks of “thistles and thorns, and sit
on scorpions.” He writes “The Lord used
this image to describe the heather people left in the land of Canaan in Numbers
33:55. Once again, God classified His rebellious
people with the pagan Gentiles.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I suppose that
when I sin, and we all sin, that I am looking like a heathen too as did the
children of Israel as seen in verse six.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
Live my life so it is not being lived
like an unbeliever.
Memory verses for the
week: Colossians 3:8-11.
8 But now you also, put
them all aside: anger wrath, malice,
slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have laid aside the old self with
its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a
true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—11 a renewal
in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,
barbarian and Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
Answer to yesterdays Bible
question: “Through the land of the Philistines”
(Exodus 13:17.
Today’s Bible question: “What three words describe God’s will?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/30/2014 10:56 AM
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