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,
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.
"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.
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.
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