READINGS FOR AUGUST 21 - AUGUST 27

AUGUST 21

At the time of the writing of Ezekiel, three major prophets were at work; Daniel in Babylon, Ezekiel in Babylonia near the Kebar River, and Jeremiah in Jerusalem.

The assigned reading for today is rather brief.  However, there are some profound points to ponder.

God reached the point that He says through Ezekiel that He will not hold back anymore and will not relent.  The people will be judged according to their conduct and their actions.  They had finally crossed the "line in the sand". 

God asks His prophets to do many unpleasant things in order to get the attention of His people. But Ezekiel is asked to refrain from mourning the death of his wife in order for God to make a point. What obedience from Ezekiel! He did exactly as the Lord directed. Obeying God can carry a high cost.  Look what it cost Jesus!

Earlier the prophet Hosea was told to take an adulterous wife. We asked the question, would any of us be as willingly obedient. We ask a similar question now; would we be as willingly obedient as any of the prophets?

Just as God asked His prophets to do many unpleasant things, He may be asking each of us to leave some of our comforts behind in order to do His work.  Let's just ask the Lord today if He has something in mind for us and ponder His response!

AUGUST 22

After being repeatedly disobedient, isn’t it audacious that King Zedekiah asks the following of Jeremiah?

Jeremiah 21:2
"Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us."

This Lord “who performs wonders” is the same Lord to whom the kings and the people were continually disobedient, defiant, and rebellious.  

God gave the people an option. Whoever surrenders - lives. Whoever does not surrender - dies.

Jeremiah 21:8
"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.

He gives us this same option today. Surrender to Him, accept Jesus as Savior and live eternally. Or reject Him and die an eternal death.

God is very clear how He feels about sacrificing children in the fire. Does that apply to us today? How might we “sacrifice children in the fire”? Have anything to do with abortion???  Many times the children then were sacrificed in order to appease the goddess(es) of sex.  Isn't that what happens many times whenever abortions are performed?  Sex on demand without consequences, anytime, anywhere sets the stage for abortion.  

Jeremiah 22:9  Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and have worshiped and served other gods.

This seems to be a recurrent theme woven throughout the books of the prophets.  The people had forsaken the Lord and worshiped and served pagan, false gods. God continuously warned them of the consequences of that disobedience. 

Jeremiah 32:29  And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come up and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger. 

Offering incense to Baal is the equivalent to praying to other gods. Pouring out a drink offering was symbolic of gratitude and devotion.  So the people were giving their gratitude and devotion to something other than the one true God.  This is the same as blaspheming God.

What a great promise of restoration found in Jeremiah 32 and a great secondary promise in Jeremiah 33. Our ever faithful and loving God continuously promises! 

AUGUST 23

Jeremiah 31: 9b I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble,

What a great promise!  Makes us think of Psalm 23, "he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." 

This verse in Jeremiah is so powerful.  Ponder the literal meaning and then really ponder the spiritual meaning. 

Jeremiah 31:25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”  

In John 4, Jesus states that He is the Living Water.  He refreshes and satisfies us.  And then He gives us this assignment in John 7. 

John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” 

Jeremiah 33:11b
" For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

The restoration promises are multi-layered. This little sentence speaks volumes concerning God’s promises! He promises to restore the fortunes of the land “as they were before…” Which “before”? Could it be that He is promising to restore things as they were in the Garden of Eden? Is this a promise for the millennium? Read on and it will be obvious!

Jeremiah 30:3
The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the LORD."

Which forefathers?  If we go all the way back to the original “forefathers”, it takes us back to the Garden of Eden.

While these Scriptures certainly speak of a literal fulfillment during the days of the Biblical writing, it also is a layered prophecy that speaks of a fulfillment yet in our future. That’s what makes this His “living” Word!

Jeremiah 30:21
I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?' declares the LORD.

The Lord draws us near to Him - in numerous ways.  It is up to us to snuggle in a little closer.  Our prayer is that all of us will devote ourselves to be close to HIM!

AUGUST 24

As we have read about all the prophecies of the Old Testament, we have come to understand that the people then were looking for a fulfillment of the Millennium prophecies without suffering through the wrath of God.  They were looking for a "King David/King Solomon" type Messiah who would destroy their enemies and bring about a complete earthly peace. They wanted a Messiah as described in Jeremiah 23:5-6.  They certainly didn't want the Messiah in the form of Jesus, a suffering servant.

Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and act wisely, and shall do judgment and justice in the earth. 

It seems as if Scripture is absolutely FULL of the promises of God. The following one is a promise of restoration of the righteous remnant in the millennium.

Jeremiah 23:4
I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD.

In the millennium, there will be no “hired hands”, only “good shepherds” to tend the “flock”.

God tells His people that a time is coming when the memory of being brought out of Egypt will be overshadowed by being brought out of the nations where they had been scattered (in the Millennium).

Under the heading SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP (Jeremiah 33:17-18) the Lord promises that there will always be someone from David's line to sit on the throne of the house of Israel. At this time, the Queen of England fulfills that role.  She is a descendant of King David.  (According to the Genealogy Chart of the Monarchs of Great Britain). The part about the Levites bringing offerings and sacrifices will begin again (as a remembrance) when the Millennium begins. At that time Jesus will sit on the throne with the prince David at His side.  Even though David was king in the Millennium he will be prince subservient to Jesus, who is King of Kings.

Jeremiah 33:20-21
"This is what the LORD says: 'If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant-- and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me-- can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.

God is saying, He keeps His promises of a descendant of David to be on the throne. There will come a time however when day and night no longer come at their appointed time (at least as we know it now).  Conditions will change significantly from what we have now into the millennium and conditions will change significantly from the millennium into eternity.

In the millennium there will be a unique day. 

Zechariah 14:7
It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-- a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. 

In eternity, there will be no need for the night and day to come at their appointed times.

Revelation 21:23
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Under the heading ISRAEL IN THE NEW KINGDOM (Jeremiah 33:23-26) God assures His people that He has established His covenant with them and will not reject Jacob's descendants.  The covenant will always be in force as long as there is day and night. This is reinforced several other times in the readings for today in Jeremiah.

Another glimpse into the millennium…
Jeremiah 31:34
No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I   will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 8:11
No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Just imagine….ALL people will know the Lord in the millennium and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of His glory.  In addition, Satan will not be around to tempt people to sin while he and his demons are locked away in the abyss. (Revelation 20:1-3)

Revelation 22:20b
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

AUGUST 25

In the judgment against Ammon, we find these words:  "Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel..."

How do these words play out in our headline news today?  Suppose it has anything to do with leaders of nations who are not supportive of Israel?

Ezekiel 25:8
"...Look, the house of Judah has become like other nations..."

This is just what the people wanted when they came into the land when they asked for a king - even though God warned them of the consequences of wanting to be like all the other nations.

In the JUDGEMENT AGAINST PHILISTIA (Ezekiel 25) is this phrase, "...with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah..."

And this "ancient hostility"  continues to this day between the nation of Israel and its enemies.

We have noticed some more repetitions in the last few weeks' reading. This phrase keeps appearing:

"Then they will know that I am the Lord". 

This phrase always follows some judgment against a nation or people because they turn away from God.  Why couldn't they see all the miracles that God had done and know that He is the Lord, without the judgment, destruction, and condemnation?

In the judgment against Pharaoh, God says, "I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries."

The Egyptians are sometimes known as gypsies and no longer live exclusively in Egypt.  The people there in Egypt now are Arabs.

In the descriptions of Assyria in Ezekiel 31 are listed many luxurious and opulent items.  God warns that they will be brought down. Any connections to the established church today?  

In the judgments against Judah’s many oppressors, there is a very specific judgment against Egypt. God's people had repeatedly turned to Egypt for help, instead of turning to God.

Ezekiel 29:9-11
Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD. "'Because you said, "The Nile is mine; I made it," therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. No foot of man or animal will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years. 

At a place called Aswan in southern Egypt there are two large dams on the Nile River. During the last days the Aswan dams will be broken down whether by bunker busting bombs that may be released by the Antichrist in his war against Egypt or by earthquake, etc. Whatever the method may be, the Bible indicates that these dams will be destroyed. The people living in the floodplain will be killed by the rushing water and the silt currently being held back by the two dams. The floodplain area will be buried under a sea of mud. Egypt will be left a desolate land that will extend 40 years into the millennium. The desolate Egypt will stand as a monument (just as we have Sodom and Gomorrah today) to show how God will deal with sin. 

We have these two cities to remind us of our sin, but how often do we really contemplate how dead we are in our sins? Or better still how often do we really contemplate how alive we are with Jesus as our Savior?

AUGUST 26

The city of Tyre was a financial trade center - a wealthy mecca.  Many of the descriptions of Tyre are similar to the descriptions of Babylon listed in Revelation 17 and 18. Once the city of Tyre is destroyed, those who traded with the people there will lament their destruction.  They don't lament for the city of Tyre or the people there.  They lament for what the destruction of Tyre means for them financially.  A very similar thing happens when Babylon falls, also described in Revelation. 

God pronounces judgment against the king of Tyre because of pride and arrogance. The king was empowered by Satan with wisdom and understanding in order to have the great skill in trading that allowed the king to amass great fortunes.  Ezekiel was looking at the king of Tyre but speaking to Satan. Satan entered the king of Tyre as he entered into Judas.  Once Satan leaves the king of Tyre, the king will become just a man.  This foreshadows what happens with Judas and also what happens with the Antichrist in the last days. 

Ezekiel 28:12-17
"Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

This scripture tells us that Lucifer was perfect, even anointed as a guardian angel. He lived in Eden, a garden paradise. Imagine all the precious stones surrounding him with the glory of God shining through those rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and other stones. Because of all of this splendor and his elevated status, pride got hold of him and corrupted him. Widespread trade means he solicited followers and enticed them to follow him. He merchandised in bribes, enticing one third of the angels to follow him by promising them unknown-to-us things.  This rebellion caused a war in heaven. But their fate was sealed. 

Revelation 12;7
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.

Michael was an archangel – a warrior angel. The dragon is Satan.

Revelation 20:2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Isaiah 14:12
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 

Luke 10:18
He (Jesus) replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

God, the Father and God the Son saw Lucifer fall out of heaven like a lightning bolt flashes out of the sky. The reason for the fall of Lucifer was pride. How careful we as Believers in Jesus, must be of pride (the wrong kind). 

There are many descriptions in today's reading concerning Tyre and the widespread trade with other nations. These descriptions are very close to the descriptions of the false church during the last days. 

In Ezekiel's lament concerning Tyre he makes many dire predictions.  These were literally fulfilled. Spiritually speaking, Satan has led many to follow him by enticing them away from God.  Those people who are led by Satan will suffer the second death, after the judgment.  They may be living in the lap of luxury with material possessions as their gods but it will all come to nothing in the end. 

AUGUST 27

It appears that King Zedekiah wants to redeem himself and sends word to Jeremiah to pray. But, of course, Jeremiah sent back some words that the king didn't want to hear.  The results? Jeremiah is thrown into a cell in a dungeon.  The Hebrew word for vaulted cell gives the impression that this place was something like a bank vault, with no windows.  Later on he is placed in the courtyard of the guard and given bread to eat.  After that he was lowered into a cistern filled with mud.  Since he had to be lowered into the cistern, this means there was no way out. He was at the mercy of others to rescue him.

Jeremiah certainly is given reason to be called “the weeping prophet” considering all the things that happened to him. One man (Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace) was filled with compassion for Jeremiah and was brave enough to go to the king on Jeremiah’s behalf.

Jeremiah 38:9-10
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city." Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

Sending old rags and worn-out clothes for Jeremiah to put under his arms to pad the ropes was a show of mercy and compassion on the part of Ebed-Melech.

Ebed-Melech was later rewarded for his trust in the Lord.

Jeremiah 39:16-18
"Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'"

When we trust in the Lord, He rewards us too! How awesome is that!