SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/28/2014
8:27 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The People
are Doomed PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ezekiel
9:1-10:22
Message of the
verses: This is the second main
point from Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary from the third chapter from the commentary
he has written on Ezekiel. We will look
at the first of three sub-titles under this second main point in today’s SD.
We have not too long ago studied the books of Jeremiah
and also Lamentations and we learned that Jeremiah was eye wittiness to what
the Lord was doing in Jerusalem as He destroyed that city along with the temple
of the Lord. What Ezekiel is writing in chapters
ten and eleven is what Jeremiah saw, and just as it broke the heart of Jeremiah
as evidenced in Lamentations, it also breaks the heart of Ezekiel who gave this
message to the exiles.
The Remnant Spared (Ezekiel 9:1-4): “1 Then He cried out in my hearing with a
loud voice saying, "Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his
destroying weapon in his hand." 2
Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces
north, each with his shattering
weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen
with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze
altar. 3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which
it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed
in linen at whose loins was the writing case. 4
The LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even
through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who
sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its
midst."”
As I read these verses I cannot help but believe that the
Lord, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, along with those angels who had to deliver the
judgment of God were saddened to do this.
With that said we move to look at some of the most interesting things
that are found in these four verses.
We see Ezekiel in his vision is still in the temple of
God, and he is near the place where the sacrifices are given. The sacrifices were consumed by the fire
which represents God’s judgment, and the blood that is shed from these
sacrifices represents God’s grace.
We see six men, which are most probably angels in this
scene of Ezekiel’s vision, and we learned in our study of Daniel that there are
angels who guard nations, so it would not be hard to believe that these six
angels were the guardian angels over the city of Jerusalem. There is a seventh person, the One with the
linen clothes which represent a priest, and who is going to write down the
names of the people who will receive the mark showing that they are children of
the Lord. Most commentators believe that
this is an appearance of the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ. We learn from the book of Revelations that
the believers in Tribulation period will receive a mark of God on their
foreheads, and we as believers today are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. In his commentary on Ezekiel, Steward Briscoe
states that his belief is that this sign was in the shape of a cross, and I have
to say that this makes perfect sense to me for the cross of Jesus Christ is
where the salvation of those who are marked by the Lord was paid for.
We also see in this section the Shekinah glory of the
Lord, which according to Ezekiel 8:2, 4 was in the “chariot throne.” I now want to quote from Wiersbe’s commentary
and also from an endnote that he wrote.
It’s interesting that the glory of God should be associated with the
judgment of a polluted city, but it is for His glory that God judges sin.” Now from the endnote: “Before ushering in the great day of His
wrath, God showed John the Holy of Holies in heaven and the ark of the covenant
(Rev. 11:15-19). One reason the world
resists the idea of divine judgment is because they divorce it from the holiness
of God and the glory of God. God was ‘enthroned’
on the mercy seat (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Pss. 80:1; 99:1 (NIV). His throne is a holy throne.” Now back to his commentary: “It is also for His glory that God graciously
saves those who put their trust in Him (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14). The Jewish people who had God’s glory dwelling among them didn’t seek
to glorify Him by obeying His will, so He received glory by punishing their
sins.” This is a difficult thing
to believe because many people only believe that God is love, which He surely
is, but God is also a God of wrath, and a God who is just among His
attributes. All of God’s attributes
bring glory to Him, and although we read that it does not make the Lord happy
to judge those who are disobedient to Him He must do this because of His
attributes.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: As I read through
these difficult verses, I can be comforted by the fact that God always has a
remnant, and I am thankful that I am a part of that remnant.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to give me victory over
temptations I face.
Memory verses for the
week: 2 Peter 1:1-2.
1 Simon Peter, a
bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith
like ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Eden” (Genesis 2:8).
Today’s Bible question: “What king of Judah was punished with
leprosy?”
Answer in our next SD.
11/28/2014 9:27 AM
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