The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 19:11-14,
"Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler's scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.
But it was uprooted in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.
Now it is planted in the desert,
in a dry and thirsty land.
Fire spread from one of its main branches
and consumed its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler's scepter."
This metaphoric lament over Israel and its princes points to a truth about all mankind. Here is something our "health and wealth gospel" friends may want to take note of. Israel had been blessed by God, as pictured in this lament. However, in spite of the goodies God blessed Israel with, she turned her back on God. Throughout the Pentateuch, the book of Joshua particularly, and the entire history of Israel, it mattered not that God had provided his blessings, (and no matter how great those blessings) Israel would wander from God. It is not just Israel either, as all mankind has a sinful nature that prompts us to wander from God.
What we do learn from the book of Judges and what this lament in Ezekiel points to is that often it is not the goodies that God gives, his blessings, his abundance, the peace and affluence he bestows on people that will bring their faithfulness to him, but just the opposite. It seems it is only in difficult times that people turn to God and plead for his help. It is only in those times people reach out to him, commit themselves to him, turn to him, remain faithful to him.
And, paradoxically, often, when God, in his mercy provides the good things in his blessings on people, it is in that state of peace and affluence they drift from him.
Don't believe me? Read your Bible and find out for yourself. You may even find it true in your own life. In speaking of believers, when Jesus said, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.", Revelation 3:19, he meant what he said. It is in love he doesn't answer those prayers of making us affluent and removing our difficulties. He knows it is when we are closest to him we are happiest. He also knows when we believers live in peace and affluence, we may stray. It is the proclivity our sinful natures, even as believers, that may cause us to drift from him.
"Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler's scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.
But it was uprooted in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.
Now it is planted in the desert,
in a dry and thirsty land.
Fire spread from one of its main branches
and consumed its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler's scepter."
This metaphoric lament over Israel and its princes points to a truth about all mankind. Here is something our "health and wealth gospel" friends may want to take note of. Israel had been blessed by God, as pictured in this lament. However, in spite of the goodies God blessed Israel with, she turned her back on God. Throughout the Pentateuch, the book of Joshua particularly, and the entire history of Israel, it mattered not that God had provided his blessings, (and no matter how great those blessings) Israel would wander from God. It is not just Israel either, as all mankind has a sinful nature that prompts us to wander from God.
What we do learn from the book of Judges and what this lament in Ezekiel points to is that often it is not the goodies that God gives, his blessings, his abundance, the peace and affluence he bestows on people that will bring their faithfulness to him, but just the opposite. It seems it is only in difficult times that people turn to God and plead for his help. It is only in those times people reach out to him, commit themselves to him, turn to him, remain faithful to him.
And, paradoxically, often, when God, in his mercy provides the good things in his blessings on people, it is in that state of peace and affluence they drift from him.
Don't believe me? Read your Bible and find out for yourself. You may even find it true in your own life. In speaking of believers, when Jesus said, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.", Revelation 3:19, he meant what he said. It is in love he doesn't answer those prayers of making us affluent and removing our difficulties. He knows it is when we are closest to him we are happiest. He also knows when we believers live in peace and affluence, we may stray. It is the proclivity our sinful natures, even as believers, that may cause us to drift from him.
Only in the resurrection, when we are completely, utterly, and finally delivered from our sinful natures, will we find peace and affluence no longer an opiate that causes us to drift from our Creator and Savior. What a day that will be!
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 respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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 respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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