The Lord: Active On The International Stage - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 26:2-3,

"Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, 'Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,' therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves."

As the four nations in the previous chapter, the Lord prophecies judgment against Judah's neighbor, Tyre, for looking to take advantage of Judah's judgment. The Lord says he will bring up "many nations" against her.

The events recorded in the Old Testament contain much about the activity of the Lord in the affairs of the various nations. Certainly Israel, but also the nations surrounding her, as well as the "super-powers" of the day. We read of the interaction of the Lord in these various nations through his manipulation of the hearts of their leaders as, say, Pharaoh of Egypt, and also through such things as international military threats designed to create alliances, etc. All with a purpose of fulfilling the Lord's intentions. He has used various nations to accomplish his purposes.

That same theme does not stand out in our New Testament. Where there certainly is much in the way the Lord dealt with individuals in the Old Testament, there is much about his interaction on the national/international scene. However the New Testament's focus is mainly on individuals as opposed to international intrigue. This is certainly so following the earthly ministry of Jesus, after the birth of church, the crusade of evangelism begun and prior to the events we read of in Revelation.

So, is the Lord no longer involved with international affairs today? Is he concerned with individuals on an individual level only today? Or, do the events of our day reflect what the Lord may be doing? Does the Lord have any intentions, any purposes relative to the terrorism of the Mideast, to the famine and genocide taking place in Africa, to political movements at home and abroad? If he has, what are they?

From Scripture we know the Lord is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." There doesn't seem to be anything in the New Covenant to indicate he has retired from his involvements on the national/international stage. The focus on individuals in the New Testament prepares us to carry forward the ministry of redemption through the efforts of evangelism on an individual basis, but doesn't indicate God is done dealing with nations on a national/international level.

Because of this I attempt to interpret what I read and see in the news from this perspective. I admit I'm not good at understanding what God may be doing and why, but it is the grid through which I attempt to interpret the world around me. I see our God as a big, big God with his hands on all of the important issues of our day.

Just as he was during the day of Ezekiel!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

God Brings Change - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 25:3b-4a,

"Because you said 'Aha!' over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession."

In this chapter four neighboring nations celebrated the destruction the Lord brought on Judah for her sin and rebellion against him: Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia. You would think the Lord would be happy with these and the other nations in their celebration over the destruction of Israel. After all, are they not cheering the Lord's action, are they not taking his side? Shouldn't they be seen as being on the "Lord's team"? But here we find they themselves face the Lord's judgment for their celebration.

The action of the Lord against each of these nations demonstrates that although they applauded the outcome of the Lord's wrath, they were far from being on the Lord's team. These surrounding nations were all enemies of Judah celebrating her destruction. As Israel's enemies, they sought the elimination of Israel from the face of the earth. The Lord took action against Judah, not as an enemy would to annihilate them but to bring about a change of the national and personal heart of the Israelites. In his judgment of Judah, it was never God's intent to destroy them completely. As Paul points out the value of Israel, "Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:4-5.

God's ultimate endgame was not to annihilate but to bring change. His judgment of the surrounding nations is a demonstration to Israel and all mankind the judgment he brought on Israel was not as an enemy seeking Israel's annihilation.

Here is what is so meaningful to me about this account: so he does with us. As believers, as we encounter hardships in this life, we may rail against the Lord as if he were our enemy, our adversary. But we should never consider him an enemy in our struggles. He says, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent." Revelation 3:19.

Unlike our enemies, it is not his intent to destroy us but to bring about important changes in our lives.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

The Lord: Both Lover And Judge! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 24:14,

"I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord."

Our Lord is a Lord of mercy and forgiveness. In Ezekiel 33:11 he expresses himself this way, "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live." And so in the gospel message we find forgiveness. In spite of the sin in our lives, our Lord offers us his forgiveness through his mercy. He pays the penalty for our sin himself.

But if we don't turn to him, if we persist in our sin and rebellion against him, we find his certain judgment. In this case Israel did. The Lord's judgment against Israel has begun and will not cease until it is complete. He will not hold back, have pity or relent. The opportunity for a change of heart for Israel has come and gone. Now they face the certain ongoing judgment of the Lord without recourse until its completion.

In the Lord I find an array of attributes: his love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness and also his righteousness, justice and judgment of all sin. As demonstrated in the national life of Israel, none of his attributes "cancels" the other. The Lord is merciful, but his mercy stops at the threshold of his judgment. It is almost as if we live in a closed moral universe. Each and every sin will be paid for whether by Jesus' death on the cross or by the sinner himself.

God's love and mercy, God's judgment… both realities that need to be faced! As for me, I take heed to the point the writer of Hebrews makes, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

The Lord's Love: An Emotional Attachment - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 23:35,

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution."

A good read of Ezekiel brings a vivid picture of the sense of spiritual promiscuity and prostitution Israel engaged in. As I read it the Lord seems to come across as not just a righteous judge but at times a jilted husband. In this chapter he speaks of the divided kingdom of Israel as two sisters that are compulsively lewd and immoral. His judgment seems to spring from both an expression of his justice as well as his jealousy.

He says, "They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters… Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers…"

What strikes me this morning is that our Lord reveals an emotional attachment to those that are his. When John speaks of the love of God in 1 John 4, it is no mere point of theology or an expression to help us understand the mysteries of God, as say, his lavish expression of grace toward us. Beyond those things is a reality that our Lord truly loves us and carries an emotional attachment for us as a lover would. The more I think of it, the more astonishing it strikes me.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

The Lord Expresses Love, Even In Judgment - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 22:30-31,

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord."

After enumerating the many sins of Israel, some of them quite horrific, the Lord tells Israel he looked for someone to "build up the wall", to "stand in the gap" to protect Israel by preventing the Lord's wrath in his destruction of them. Finding no one, he informs them of his coming judgment.

I take this to mean that the Lord could find no one that could lead Israel into repentance, someone to lead them in a return to the Lord, to draw them away from their detestable practices and receive his blessing rather than his judgment.

No one capable, no one qualified, no one willing: whatever the case, here is a statement that brings two things to my mind, one horrible, the other wonderful. First is the obvious decline into the ungodliness that Israel had sunk to. But the second is a wonderful statement about the Lord who eventually destroyed Jerusalem. He looked! He looked to see if there was anyone who could lead Israel into a path that would spare them his judgment. Someone he could work with to draw Israel to himself! It speaks to me of his enduring patience, his desire to build up, not to tear down; it speaks of his love of man in spite of man's rebellion and rejection of him.

As we will read in Ezekiel 33:11, "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.