SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/8/2015
7:14 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Promises for Israel PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ezekiel 28:25-26
Message of the
verses: In today’s SD we will finish
chapter 28 of the book of Ezekiel and also finish the outline provided from
Warren Wiersbe’s commentary’s eight chapter which included chapters 25-28.
The Regathering of Israel (Ezekiel 28:25-26): “25
’Thus says the Lord GOD, "When I gather the house of Israel from
the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in
them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I
gave to My servant Jacob. 26 "They
will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live
securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am
the LORD their God."’"”
We have mentioned in earlier SD’s that when we study the
prophets of the Old Testament that there are times when they are prophesying
about Israel’s return after their stay in Babylon and then there are times when
they are prophesying about the end times when Israel is regathered into their
land. There are even times when the
prophet is speaking about when Israel is in the tribulation period of seven
years or when they are in the millennial Kingdom where Christ will lead the
world from the throne of Israel. At
first glance I would think that Ezekiel is speaking of the millennial Kingdom,
but one thing is for sure and that has to do with God’s attribute of jealously
for He states at the end of verse 26 that this is done so that they will know
that He is the Lord.
One reason or maybe even a couple of reasons Ezekiel is
speaking of the end times in this passage is that he writes that Israel will
return from many nations back to Israel, and another reason is that they
certainly did not dwell in safety when they returned from Babylon, only one
country that they returned from. We can
read in the book of Nehemiah that those who were working on the wall around
Jerusalem had building materials in one hand and a sword in the other hand
because they were not living or dwelling in the land in safety.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes “There is coming a time when God
will call His chosen people together into their own land, judge them, cleanse
them, and establish His glorious kingdom (Zech. 10:8-12; 12:9-13:1; Matt.
24:31). God gave the land of Palestine
to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:14-18; 15:7-17) and He renewed the
promise to Jacob (28:10-15; 35:12; Psalm 108:8-11). The Jews owned the land because God gave it
to them, but they possessed the land only when they obeyed the terms of the
covenant God gave them. During the exile
in Babylon, they were out of the land because they had rebelled against the
Lord.
“Ezekiel will have more to say about Israel’s future in
chapters 37-48, but this brief promise must have brought encouragement to the
faithful remnant among the exiles, just as the sure promise of Christ’s return
brings encouragement to His people today.”
And to that I say Amen!
3/8/2015 7:32 PM
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