A basket of ripe fruit - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 Amos 8:1-2,

"This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 'What do you see, Amos?' he asked. 'A basket of ripe fruit,' I answered. Then the Lord said to me, 'The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.'"

The Lord showed his prophet, Amos, a basket of ripe fruit, representing the people of Israel about to be consumed in his wrath. Just as fruit is allowed to ripen from its first appearance on the tree till the time for harvest, so the Israelites, in their sinful abandonment of the Lord, was left by the Lord until the time they were ripe for his judgment. His patience with them was at an end and now would come his judgment of them.

I can't help but see this passage as a presage for the coming end of this age. The Lord has allowed mankind the opportunity to seek him out as he draws all to himself. He has allowed mankind the opportunity to embrace him in faith, delaying his judgment till this present earth, full of sinful mankind, is ripe for his judgment. I am reminded of the patience of the Lord preceding his certain coming judgment as expressed by Peter, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare." 2 Peter 3:9-10.

A message here to consider when contemplating the great harvest of mankind by the Lord.

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

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The astonishing love of God - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 Amos 5:5-6,

"Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing. Seek the Lord and live..."

Here is the Lord's call to Israel. Israel had turned her back on him and the Lord calls for them, calls them to turn to him. His plea to them is to save themselves by turning to him.

I find it astonishing how the Lord continues to love those who turn from him. I am reminded that all mankind, the whole world, has turned its back on God, and yet, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.

The patience of the Lord is an amazing thing. He calls to us and seeks us out. Out of his love for mankind he satisfied the demands of his own sense of justice by sending his Son, Jesus Christ for each and every one of us. "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10. Peter tells us, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.

We know there is a limit to this patience of God and one day judgment will come to those who refuse him, as did Israel in the days of Amos. 

But, how astonishing is the love of God for those who have spurned him! He calls out, "Seek me 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 respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

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Edom: God's judgment with purpose - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 35:4,

"I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

As the Lord pronounces his judgment upon Edom, he says he will make them "a desolate waste" with an end result in mind: "Then you will know that I am the Lord."

In fact, in this short chapter of fifteen verses the Lord makes the statement that he is destroying them that they know he is the Lord four times! Verses 4, 9, 12 and 15. He is going to destroy Mount Seir, that they know that he is the Lord.

He is going to destroy Edom because of their treatment of Israel. Woe to the nation that mistreats Israel! Israel has had her problems with God and he has been severe with her. However, because of the patriarchs, Israel has been and will always be God's chosen people. It is ill-advised to mistreat God's elect, God's people. It is not that God will not allow it to happen, and here, where Israel had turned her back on God and suffered because of it, those who brought that suffering are now going to suffer because they mistreated Israel and participated in her destruction.

I am reminded that God never does anything without good reason. What stands out in this chapter is that in his judgment of Edom, an intended result is that they will know he is the Lord. I am also reminded of what the Lord told Pharaoh as God brought his plagues against Egypt, "I [the Lord] raised you [Pharaoh] up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

God wants us to know him. His purpose on planet earth is the salvation of all mankind that will embrace him in faith. People need to know him for the advancement of that agenda. And, beyond that, when unbelievers reject God, he wants them to know that he is the one who is judging them.

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

God's blessings and our straying - Ruminating in the Word of God

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.

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

Existence without purpose - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 15:1-5,

"Son of man [Ezekiel], how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

Jerusalem had become as a useless vine for the Lord's purposes. Although Israel had been chosen by God as his own covenant people (because of the faith of Abraham) for the purpose of rolling out his plan of redeeming mankind, they had placed themselves in a position where they were no longer useful to him. They were no longer fit for service to him, they had lost their purpose in the things of God and as such, there would be no satisfaction or fulfillment for them in this life. All they had to look forward to was their own destruction at the hands of God. All this because they had turned their backs on God. They had literally placed themselves beyond usefulness for God's intentions for them.

It is not as though Israel was finished in God's purposes. However, in their current condition of sin and apostasy, they were worthless to him. They now faced God's judgment, and, hopefully, through all God would send their way, they might become useful once again to him.

I can't think of a more discouraging and disheartening position to be in than to find oneself without purpose in life. Yet, having turned their backs on God, this is exactly where they placed themselves.

It is never a good thing to turn against God. Only in him do we find meaningful existence, purposeful existence, fulfilling existence.

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

Having our name in the book! - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 9:4-6,

"'Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.' As I [Ezekiel] listened, he [the Lord] said to the others, 'Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.'"

Ezekiel's  vision extends to the slaughter of those living in Jerusalem. In the vision six deadly men with weapons come from the north upper gate of Jerusalem toward the threshold of the temple, along with a man with a clipboard and pen (a writing kit). The six are sent to kill all the old men, the young men and women, mothers and children. However, the man with the clipboard was to put a mark on the foreheads of all who "grieve and lament over all the detestable things" done in Jerusalem -  the sin and idolatry. The six deadly men killed all who did not have the mark.

I am reminded that the Lord takes note of those who are his, those who have embraced him in faith and joined his family. Just as with this slaughter in Jerusalem, the Lord will cast into hell all who do not have their names written in the lambs book of life. God knows very well each and every one who belongs to him and will ensure their both their safety and his blessing on them as all others will experience his wrath.

May we all find our names written in the Lamb's book of life! Here is how we can know our names are there: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9. Simple, yet it determines our eternal destiny! How wonderful the message of God's gospel!

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

The gospel of power - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 8:1-4,

"In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I [Ezekiel] was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there. I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal. He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood. And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain."

Here is clearly portrayed the amazing aspects of the things of prophecy. God's prophet is taken, in a vision, by his hair, lifted up between heaven and earth and taken to Jerusalem. In Ezekiel's vision he was shown the idolatrous activity of the Israelites, the "utterly detestable things" in their worship of an idol of jealously. He was shown the seventy elders of Israel, each worshiping "at the shrine of his own idol" in the darkness. Ezekiel was shown the women of Israel mourning the god Tammuz. He was shown about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple bowing down toward the sun in the east.

All these things were shown to Ezekiel by God in a vision as he sat in his house with the elders of Judah sitting before him. As Ezekiel witnessed the idolatry in the temple, idolatry that the elders of Judah themselves were engaging in, I wonder what the exchange might have been between Ezekiel and the elders as he returned from his vision? As these idolatrous elders watched Ezekiel being carried away in a vision, were they asking among themselves what Ezekiel might be seeing? What might God be telling him? I don't know that "awkward" is a strong enough word to describe the atmosphere in Ezekiel's home that day. Certainly "uncomfortable" does not come anywhere close to what the tension in the house that day might have been.

How could the elders of Judah, how could all the people be so foolish in their rejection of God, so foolish in their embrace of make-believe idols?

It all points to the deceptively perverse heart of each human being since Adam and Eve. How easy to delude ourselves! How easy to be fools in rejecting our Creator! Yet, given our free wills and a sinful nature, look at what mankind is capable of doing! It isn't just Jews - it is all mankind.

It is this very deceptive nature of our fallen hearts that the gospel is capable of penetrating. Dull, blind and deluded hearts can be reached by the unique and powerful gospel of God. Paul tells us the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of anyone who believes, Romans 1:16. How astonishing a message God has fashioned with the gospel!

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