by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 7-9
The bottom line is this: there is only one way to God, and it is through Jesus Christ. Period!
To recap what we have been seeing and saying over the last few months, God found a man, Abraham, who would follow Him. He proved this man’s obedience over a period of about 25 years, and then God sent him a son of promise – and a promise that through that son there would be a multitude. Just as promised, the jewish people grew and flourished. They learned of this great God and they learned about what He exzpected of them.
The idea was to instill within this group of people enough knowledge of God and His ways that they would be able to eventually bring His own Son to the earth.
When we come to the time period of Ezekiel, God’s whole plan is in jeapordy. The Jews have gone their own way, and they are worshipping false gods. The less privileged nations around them have all sorts of idols, and this generation has thought it more sophisticated to blend in with their neighbors than to remain faithful to the one true God. (Unbelievers always think that it is more sophisticated not to believe).
So in His faithfulness to Abraham, God intervenes. He demonstrates to Israel that He is the true God, and that there is no other. Of course, at this point, most of the priests and prophets are so corrupt that they spurn God’s reproof. They stil don’t believe, and they suffer the consequences.
But there are a few. As we continue in the next few books of the Bible, we will see some who believe and remain faithful. These are the ones who will reap the benefits of a walk with their God. Even in a foreign land, God will be there with them.
Word after word and demonstration after demonstration will come from Ezekiel. God and His man have such an overwhelming deisre to see the people turn away from their error and back to the Lord.
Hmmm. Does it seem like that is happening today? Something to think about.
Hebrews 12
We have a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on as we run our race.
I love that concept, don’t you? Not only of the crowd cheering us on, but of running a race. I have often thought of our lives as a journey – a trip which we take. There are always twists and turns, surprises as we go along. Some are good and some bad, but they are part of the journey.
The idea is to run a good race. We want our lives to count for God’s kingdom. We want to have a good influence on our families and those around us, and we want to leave a legacy of God’s purpose in the earth.
So when we come to the twists and turns, we must be faithful to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is the One who can keep us going and see us through the rocky spots.
Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, always has the wisdom and strength available for us to finish well.
So let’s shed the encumbrances and run this race. We can do it! He promises that we can.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 4-6
How would you have liked to be Ezekiel? He did what the Lord said to do, and said what the Lord said to say, but he couldn’t have been popular to the masses. In fact, many may have thought of him as a weird man.
God was using every means possible to get His message to the people. These Jews were His people, and they had a mission to accomplish still. They were to bring into the earth the Messiah, Jesus, and they were to have the history which would show God’s hand upon a nation.
However, at the time, it might not have seemed like it. They were in captivity in Babylon, and they were assimilating this new culture into their own routines.
But there were a few. There were a few who had not forsaken their God, and others who had turned back to Him because of their captivity. Those were the ones who would listen.
First Ezekiel used tremendous drama to show the plight of these people. They had turned their backs on God, and He had turned His back on them. How the mighty had fallen.
Soon he is going to begin to bring forth glorious words of hope concerning Jerusalem. The ones who believe God will grab hold of these words and feed on them.
But first he has to reiterate why they are in their current position.
Better days are ahead. Better days are always ahead when we walk with God.
Hebrews 11
“Without faith, it is impossible to please God. for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder for those who diligently seek Him.” (V. 6)
That’s what He wants from us: our faith. He wants us to believe Him. That’s the foundation for everything in our Father’s kingdom.
So what is this thing called faith? It’s the “assurance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” (V.1)
All of us exercise faith every day, whether we know it or not. Every night when we go to sleep, we “know” that the sun will be up again in the morning. Right? Do you ever wonder or worry about that? I hope not!
Every time we sit down in a chair and trust our body weight to that structure, we have faith that the chair will hold us. Every time we turn on a light, we expect the light to come on. Every time we go to work, we expect our job to be there. (Under ordinary circumstances).
All of these are examples of faith. We aren’t seeing something at the moment, but we know what the outcome will be. It’s easy to have faith in things which we have experienced over and over.
In the same way, as we walk with God and believe Him for things, we will see results of our faith. Then the results we see will increase our ability to believe next time. Our faith will grow from the experience.
However, if we say we are Christians and never believe God’s Word, our faith won’t grow. In fact, perhaps our doubt and unbelief will grow, because we will not see Him work as much.
There’s a key here, and it’s in verse 3. “By faith, we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”
A mouthful, I know. What it is saying is that the way God created the world is the same way He creates things in our lives. He spoke the word in faith, and things appeared, which had not been seen before. They had been created out of the word of God and faith in that word – when it was spoken.
Are there some unseen things in your life? Things which you have seen in God’s promises, but you haven’t seen manifested in your life?
Find those promises and meditate on them. Roll them around in your mind and heart, and speak them out loud. As you do this, your faith will grow, and you will begin to see these promises manifest in the natural.
It won’t happen overnight. Yet if you continue in God’s Word, your faith and patience will bring you into a whole new territory. A new territory of believing and receiving.
As you continue to read about the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11, your faith will rise also. You will see that faith was an essential element of all of the heroes in the Old Testament. (In fact, when Abraham believed God’s Word to Him, he had righteousness granted to him as a gift).
Our faith is essential to a successful walk with our God. We must believe Him. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 1-3
You have to get your head in gear for Ezekiel. Some of the richest messages in the Bible – messages which are true for us today, just as they were when they were written – are found in this book. Ezekiel is a true prophet, and true prophets often “see” rather than “hear” things from God.
What do I mean? Well, Ezekiel sees visions which represent what the Lord is saying. You know the old Chinese proverb, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” Well, there is never a time when that can be demonstrated better than in the messages from Ezekiel.
So let’s go. To establish the background, Ezekiel is an exile prophet, meaning that he is writing from captivity in Babylon. The once mighty nation of Israel has been carried off to Babylon, but their God is still with them. He encourages the people with promises of an eventual return and rebuilding of Jerusalem. God is indeed faithful to His people.
Now for the visions. What do you see when you see the creatures with four faces which Ezekiel describes? I see the completeness of man, as God has designed him. The four faces represent differing aspects of God’s design. He is a man first and foremost, God’s man. When he walks in the fulness of God’s plan, this man will be as bold and full of authority as a lion, he will be willing to serve as the ox, and he will soar as an eagle above the rudimentary elements of the world. God’s man is a many-faceted man.
Then, as God’s man prophesying to God’s people, Ezekiel is required to eat the scroll first. This, too, is a principle which applies today. In today’s jargon, we would say, “Practice what you preach.”
If we are our Father’s representatives, we must do what we say, and we must do what we expect others to do. That’s integrity, and it’s what God requires.
Now Ezekiel is called to speak to the nation of Israel while they are in exile, so some of the messages will just seem for the moment. Yet if we look closely, we will have the opportunity to receive messages for us also.
Ezekiel can teach us a lot, if we will just listen
Hebrews 10
There is such a contrast between those who honor the Spirit of Grace and those who insult Him. Those who honor God’s precious Spirit have the privilege of entering boldly into the throne of grace to find help in time of need. That time of need could be a time when we have sinned, or it could be when we are in need of strength, wisdom, or provision.
The main thing here is that our Father is ever ready to help us, when our hearts are toward Him.
Yet there is another side of the coin; a side which isn’t as pretty.
Paul speaks of insulting the Spirit of Grace. That’s when we take Him lightly, and continue in a life of sin or apathy towards our God.
We all know people who have had God move mightily on their behalf, and who for a season have seemed to have changed lives, living for Him. Then when the shiny objects of the world have entered the picture, they have no time for their Savior. And some times, they have turned their backs on God completely.
Dangerous territory. I’m not saying that they have committed the unforgivable sin, but I am saying that they have insulted God. Repentance is there for them. But they do need to repent.
I am not talking about just making a mistake. i am talking about after knowing Him to choose a lifestyle which honors the devil rather than God. That’s the dangerous territory, and we want to avoid it at all costs.
Grace is such a terrific gift from our Father, and not one to be taken lightly. Our Father loves us, and wants us to live closely with Him. There is nothing that He won’t do for us when we walk closely with Him.
I pray that you and I will continue to walk with Him – closer and closer every day.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Lamentations 3-5
There is always hope for those of us who walk with God. And Jeremiah knows that very well.
Throughout this book we have seen Jeremiah pour out his heart to the Lord. He has recounted the devastation which has come to his nation, enumerating every abominable action which has taken place.
Yet right in the middle of the book, there is one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible.
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, therefore I have hope in Him.” (3:22-24)
Imagine Jeremiah remembering those facts in the middle of his despair. If he can say that while the nation of Israel is being totally destroyed, we can certainly say that also.
We all have times when things get tough. Illness, family turbulence, financial problems, and natural disasters are just a few of the circumstances which can come our way, often at no fault of our own. At those times our emotions may be raw, but when we do as Jeremiah did and “remember” (3:20), our thoughts and actions will turn around.
There is always a new day; a better day. Every morning when we arise, we have the opportunity to receive our Father’s mercy. If we just remember how good He is, we will lift our eyes to heaven and receive.
Whatever is happening today, tomorrow can be better. His lovingkindnesses (notice it’s plural) indeed never cease!
Great is His faithfulness.
Hebrews 9
Remember how we keep saying that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed? Probably no chapter in the Bible shines a light on this truth better than Hebrews 9.
All of those centuries when the Jewish high priests were carrying out their sacrifices, they were doing them according to the law which was given to Moses. Everything was done exactly according to the plan. No variations.
Over those years they were going through rituals much more significant even than they realized. They were performing demonstrations of God’s perfect plan which would eventually be carried out through Jesus.
The lambs were slain and the high priests would sprinkle the blood on the altar. (Which we know was behind the curtain, a place unavailable to anyone but the high priest). Now we see that these were only copies of the real event. (V.21).
The real lamb was Jesus, and the real altar was the one in heaven. The day came when the final, perfect sacrifice was made, and just as Jesus said, “It is finished.”
No longer do we need blood of bulls and goats. No longer does the priest go behind the curtain and sprinkle blood on the altar. The real has come, and we are free from those sacrifices. In fact, the curtain is no longer there, because it was ripped from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross.
Now we are set free from dead works, and we are free to go into our Father’s throne room at any time.
The types and shadows, as they are called, are hints which lead us to the truth about our Lord and about our Father’s plan of salvation.
It’s here now. All we have to do is receive it!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Lamentations 1-2
Now if somewhere along the line you began to think of Jeremiah as hard and cruel, you will change your mind now. He is broken-hearted over his nation, Israel.
The city of Jerusalem had once been called the “perfection of beauty; the joy of the whole earth.” Now it is totally destroyed. The nations around about who have envied Israel’s splendor, now are rejoicing over her destruction. They are “hissing” at her as they go by.
Everyone is in shock. These people have been raised to know that they were God’s special people – called to bring the Messiah to the earth. Even when they were disobedient, they would get warnings but they were still protected.
Yet as the warnings became more persistent, these people refused to listen. When the prophets proclaimed that repentance should come, the majority of Israelites wanted to stone the prophets If they could just shut them up, everything would be ok. They wanted their ears tickled, not wanting to hear the truth.
Well, the prophets were from God, and their word did come to pass. Alas, if only the Jews had listened.
But, as we know, God is not through with His people. As we will see later, He is with them even as they are led off to Babylon.
Hebrews 8
Not only do we have a new High Priest, we have a New Covenant. (In fact the word “testament” is another word for “covenant”).
If the old covenant had been perfect, there would be no reason to replace it, but it wasn’t perfect. In fact, no one ever became righteous by the law. The law pointed out sin, not righteousness.
If only we can get this, our lives will be so different. In this day, “the law is written in our minds and put upon our hearts” (V.10).
Now things are different. Jesus has made us clean by His blood, and His Holy Spirit is living on the inside of us. We are now God’s holy temples, the many mansions of God. (John 14:2).
If we continue by meditating on His Word and spending time with Him, our lives will grow to be more and more pure all the time. His Word feeds our spirits and causes them to grow. As a result, we are not only purer, but also more powerful. We are God’s people.
Spend time with Him, worshipping Him, and there you will see your life changing. You will go from “glory to glory” as you do.
“This is the day which the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) The dispensation of God’s grace upon His people. The dispensation of His Holy Spirit leading and guiding us into all the truth.
This is our day to rejoice!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Jeremiah 51-52
Jeremiah was truly speaking the words of the Lord. As we finish this book, we see that the Babylonian captivity has happened just as he said it would.
The Jews have been taken off to Babylon, and Jerusalem has been burned. The House of the Lord, the king’s palace, and all of the houses have been burned to the ground. The walls have been broken down, and everything has been left in rubble.
Jerusalem, the great city – the one which had been the most glorious place in the earth, now destroyed.
Yet God still has a good plan for His people. As we continue, we will see God’s faithfulness to the children of Abraham. This generation – after many warnings – have refused to honor God. They have sought every other imaginable God, along with the true One.
When we are going through these times in the Jewish history, it’s important not to forget that there is a big plan which our Father is carrying out. He is going to bring a Savior into the earth, and He has to have a holy people to bring Him through.
As the Jews go into captivity, there are some who are being purified because of the experience. As they see what it’s like without God’s tremendous protection and favor, they are learning to really appreciate it.
Our holy God is looking for a faithful people to usher in His Son. This is all part of the process. A few hundred years will pass before the time is right, but His plan will come to pass. And I am so thankful.
I am so thankful for our Father’s faithfulness to us in working His plan to bring his Son to us.
Here we are enjoying His faithfulness. God’s plan is complete, and we are the beneficiaries of it.
I want so much to please Our Father and honor Him in my life. I want Him to be glorified by my being a witness of His goodness toward mankind.
Hebrews 7
We really need to get this, even though it sometimes seems hard to understand.
Jesus is our High Priest, but He is not like the high priests of old. They were ordinary men from the tribe of Levi. When the law was given to Moses, Levi’s tribe was to be the tribe of the priesthood. Nothing was ever mentioned about a priest coming from the tribe of Judah.
Yet Jesus came from the tribe of Judah.
Our Father was signifying that He was changing things. No longer was an earthly man going to be our priest, but a heavenly One. No longer the order of Levi, but the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek came out of nowhere. No one knew who his parents were and no one knew where he was going. As Abraham paid tithes to this man, Melchizedek was like the Son of God. (If you want to refresh your memory about this, go to Genesis 14:18-20).
This is also signifying that God is changing from the law to grace. The law never brought anyone to righteousness; it only pointed out sin.
Through Jesus, we receive the gift of righteousness, and we receive His Holy Spirit living on the inside of us. The power of God within us allows us to overcome sin, and it allows us to live in a relationship with Him.
The Old Covenant produced servants of God. The New covenant produces sons of God – and that’s who we are.
Now our priest lives in heaven, seated beside our Father. We can come boldly to Him at any time. He is always on our side, and He is always communicating with us through His Holy Spirit.
