READINGS FOR AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3

AUGUST 28

Zedekiah's sons (most likely young children) are killed while Zedekiah was made to watch.  There is no mention of killing his daughters.  In Joshua 17 provisions are made for the inheritance of daughters if there are no male heirs to inherit. This will be very important as we will read later on in the biblical record concerning Jeremiah.  There is also historical documentation concerning the fate of Zedekiah's daughters.

Earlier Ezekiel related this prophecy concerning King Zedekiah. He said that Zedekiah would not “see” captivity.

Ezekiel 12:13
I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.

Jeremiah 39:7
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
Zedekiah did not “see” captivity. 

Remember Ebed-Melech?  He was the one who saved Jeremiah from the cistern.  Look how he is rewarded.  He is saved.

In Jeremiah 39 God relates to Jeremiah that he will fulfill His words against the city of Jerusalem for disaster, not prosperity.  The people had a choice; obey and choose prosperity or disobey and choose disaster.  They chose disaster.

As we read of the death of the many people in the city and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, we couldn't help but think back on the description of the magnificent temple on the day of dedication by King Solomon.  No wonder people mourned the burning of the city.  In the listing of the treasures in the temple in Jerusalem that were taken by the Babylonians, notice the ark is not listed. But something as insignificant as wick trimmers are listed. Hmmm...

Cherubim were angels who guarded the holiness of God. Cherubim were fashioned on top of the ark. Ezekiel’s earlier vision the four creatures were cherubim. When God’s glory left from the mountain east of Jerusalem (the Mount of Olives) cherubim were beneath His glory. Did the ark leave when God’s glory left?

“…The land enjoyed its Sabbath rests…”
They had violated the Sabbath and God is collecting. Just a reminder that sin has consequences.

Jeremiah stays in Judah, not necessarily exclusively in Jerusalem, and does not go into Babylonian captivity. However, his work for the Lord doesn't stop there.  More later on Jeremiah's future from historical documentation. 

AUGUST 29

Over the next several chapters in Lamentations, Jeremiah lives up to his reputation as a “weeping prophet”. He is weeping over the fall of Jerusalem.  Many of Jeremiah's lamentations literally happened in Jerusalem, such as the starving of the infants in the city and parents eating their children. 

The phrase "appointed feasts" is listed several times in today's reading in Lamentations 1-2 always followed by a message about destruction.  In Lamentations we read, "The Lord has made Zion forget her appointed feasts and her Sabbaths;" Could this be because the Spirit of God had already left the temple?  While these words may not resonate with us, they surely did with the people then.  These appointed feasts and Sabbaths were commanded by God to be observed.  This was not a suggestion.  When the people no longer were able to go to the temple to worship, they also were unable to participate in the rejoicing in the feast days.  There would no longer be priests in place to make atonement for their sins through the animal sacrifices and there was no longer any rest for them on the weekly  Sabbath. They now had to spend all their time and energy searching for food, or growing their food.  Because of their continual disobedience, God handed over to their enemy the sanctuary and the palaces in Jerusalem.  Now the joyful noise at the temple area was not for their God appointed joyous feast days but for the worship of the pagan gods. 

Lamentations 2:14
The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.

The people of Jeremiah’s day listened to the false prophets who did not expose their sins. As a result the people went into captivity. If we are listening to prophets, pastors, and teachers who do not expose sin, what happens to us?  Many people in churches today are not being taught about sin and the consequences of sin.  Many are only told what they want to hear in a country club or theater atmosphere they call a house of worship.  

Lamentations 1:17
Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.

This verse is just another foreshadowing of the apostate and false church.  Ezekiel was given this vision of the idolatry in the temple.

We as Believers in Jesus have a responsibility to listen to God’s Word and the teaching of the Holy Spirit and not words of false prophets or false teachers. How do we know if we are hearing words from false prophets and false teachers? Just as we can be easily deceived by a counterfeit $50 bill if we are not familiar with the characteristics of a genuine $50 bill.  How can we spot a counterfeit bill? How can we know if we are hearing words from false prophets and false teachers? Easy...be very familiar with God's Word, the Monument of Truth!

AUGUST 30

Jeremiah has delivered the message from God to the people.  He laments that they have not listened and are suffering as a result of their sins, even the innocent suffer.  He even says that the punishment of the people in Jerusalem is greater than the punishment of Sodom.  Sodom's destruction was instant. Jerusalem's inhabitants experience prolonged suffering.

The following words of Jeremiah are echoed later in the words of Paul.

Lamentations 3:40
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?

Earlier God had told the people that there would come a time that He would not listen to them.

Lamentations 3:44
You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

Have we as Believers in Jesus “covered ourselves with a cloud”? If so how have we done that?

Lamentations 4:10
With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children who became their food...

This very thing was foretold in Ezekiel 5.

We are told that God's wrath was poured out on the people because of the sins of the prophets and the iniquities of the priests. It is very clear throughout Scripture that God holds spiritual leaders to account.

Jeremiah laments in Chapter 5 that "the crown has fallen from our head."
This is the crown of Zedekiah, king of Judah, whom Jeremiah earlier refers to as "the Lord's anointed".   Zedekiah is the last of Judah's kings.  The crown of kingship will not return to Jerusalem until Jesus returns.

Even though much of Jeremiah’s lamentations are indeed expressions of grief, he includes this most wonderful of Scriptures.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

What a great verse for us to ponder. 

AUGUST 31

A remnant goes to Egypt, including the king’s two daughters. Jeremiah was forced to go as well. Even though scripture says that the words of Jeremiah end with Jeremiah 51:64 there are other writings that tell of Jeremiah and Baruch leaving Egypt with the king’s daughters. The significance of this will be discussed later.

Jeremiah 41 records men who came to offer grain offerings and burn incense in the house of the Lord.  This must have been the equivalent of the synagogue.  They weren't offering burnt offerings in the way of animal sacrifices because they had no temple and no priests.  Remember, they were no longer able to celebrate and rejoice during the feast days.  

As we were reading of the slaughter by Ishmael, we thought about the slaughter of the people in Egypt at the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood of not so many years ago as well as the slaughter of the Christians in Iraq and Syria and many other places today, including the slaughter of Israelis by Hamas .  This is just evidence of the generational and territorial demons.

Isn't it interesting that Gedaliah spared Ishmael only to be killed by the very one he saved.

To their credit the people petitioned Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord for them.  They promised in Jeremiah 42:6  Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, for we obey the LORD our God." 

Too bad they didn't follow through with that promise.  They claimed that Jeremiah was lying to them when he reported that God wanted them to stay in Judah and not go to Egypt.  They wanted to go to Egypt and so that is what they did.  They justified their desires. They were given the choice to be the righteous, obedient remnant or to be the disobedient remnant.  They chose to be the disobedient remnant.

Later on Jeremiah warns the Jews living in Egypt that God will bring disaster on them if they continue in their evil ways. The response of the people goes far beyond impudent! They were mocking God. They suffered the consequences.

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 

Reaping can also have many positive aspects. Especially if we sow in righteousness. (Hosea 10:12) Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to  seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

There is mention made in Jeremiah 44 of the "Queen of Heaven".  This title referred to a pagan fertility goddess (known by several names, such as Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Astarte) believed to be the wife of the pagan false god Baal.  This concept of this queen originated in Nimrod's day at the Tower of Babel. Even though this pagan goddess was worshiped among many pagan civilizations, it sadly became popular among the Israelites as well.  Jeremiah warns the people of the consequences of continuing to worship this "Queen of Heaven".  The people reply that they have no intentions of giving up their worship of idols and will continue to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to them.  They even went so far as to credit her, the "Queen of Heaven" with the peace and prosperity they enjoyed.

There is NO "Queen of Heaven".  There has never been a "Queen of Heaven".  There is only a King of Heaven and He does not co-reign with Mary as "Queen" as some may believe.  The King of Heaven does not share His rule or His throne or His authority with anyone!

SEPTEMBER 1

In Ezekiel’s prophecy to Jerusalem he warns them that they are listening to his words but not putting them into practice. In effect, using today's language, they are practicing churchianity instead of Christianity.  The heading in today's reading seems to say it all:  NOBODY REALLY CARES (Ezekiel 33:30-33)

Ezekiel 33:30-32
"As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

Ezekiel pronounces judgment against the spiritual leaders.  God tells the people through Ezekiel that the shepherds have not taken care of the flock and that He, Himself will tend His sheep as recorded in Psalm 23 and again in John 10.  The shepherds have not searched for the lost or brought back the strays.  They did not bind up the injured or strengthen the weak.  A person could make many, many applications to the church today and shepherds of the flock who are acting only as hired hands. 

In the millennial kingdom, David will be shepherd and prince.

Ezekiel 34:23-24
I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.

Another prophecy of the millennial kingdom is that there will be true peace.

Ezekiel 34:25
"'I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.

Ezekiel 34:28
They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.
Wild beasts here have a literal (literal wild beasts) and a figurative (unbelievers) meaning. 

Ezekiel once again pronounces judgment on Edom in chapter 35.  These are the countries today that are east of Israel.  Not much has changed, has it?  These countries still want to claim Israel. 

Another great promise for the millennium is this one.

Ezekiel 36:24-28
"'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

All people will be moved to follow His decrees and His laws.

All these great promises for the millennium will of course follow on the heels of the cleansing of the earth by fire.

Ezekiel 36:35-36
They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were  lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited." Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'

There will be a replanting and the land will be made fresh and new with new growth. In order for there to be a replanting, there must first be a cleansing fire and then a plowing.

The following verse reminds us of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit.   

 "I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

We sometimes forget that the people before Jesus had little knowledge or experience with the Holy Spirit living within.  

For more details see the book THE TIME IS NEAR. 

In Ezekiel 36 the people are reminded that they have profaned God's Holy name among the nations. The current connection today - when false doctrine is preached and taught as if it were the truth, then God's Holy name has been profaned. 

"I will show myself holy through you before their eyes."

Wow!   How would it look for God to show Himself holy through each one of us?

SEPTEMBER 2

Oh, so much to say concerning today’s reading, and so little time!

“Ezekiel figuratively describes the nation of Israel as being a valley full of disassociated skeletal bones indicating that the nation of Israel would cease to exist as a nation, her people scattered throughout the world and the nation considered dead. The whole house of Israel in this vision has been disassembled and its identity has been destroyed.

The 12 ancestral tribes of Israel are illustrated by the dry bones and is an analogy of God bringing Israel and Judah back together into a living state. During World War II and especially in the years immediately after World War II a determined effort was made to reform the nation of Israel. This prophecy in Ezekiel was fulfilled in the noisy and sometimes violent effort to form the new nation. The rattling of the bones is the rattling of war as the bones of Israel come back together.

The prophecy of the dry bones corresponds to another symbolic prophecy of two sticks also found in the book of Ezekiel. The prophecy of the two sticks is another view of Judah and Israel being brought back together. The Judah stick was put in place first. That happened May 14, 1948 when the nation of Judah came back into the land. The descendants of the nation of Israel are still out in the world somewhere. They will not come back into the land until after Jesus returns. When the Millennial Kingdom is established, Jesus will bring the other tribes out of the nations and they will reclaim their identities. The Israel stick will be bonded to the Judah stick and they will become one nation and will never again be separated. When the two sticks are bonded together the analogy of the dry bones will be complete.”

The Judah stick is represented by the Jews who are now returning to the land. Of primary importance are the Messianic Jews, who are Believers in Jesus. The other tribes of Israel will be brought back out of the nations into which they were scattered. Figuratively speaking, these tribes have lost their identity as a nation, as if they were dead. That's why Ezekiel refers to opening their "graves" to bring them back into the land.  In analogy the graves are the nations into which they were sent. All the tribes will be in place in Israel during the Millennium and the Gentiles will serve them.

Gog, Magog, Meshech and Tubal all play extremely significant roles in the prophecies of the last days.  The Antichrist is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, who comes from the far north.

Ezekiel also prophesies about what will happen to these nations at Armageddon.  Carrion birds (scavenger) will feast on the flesh of the enemies as spoken by Jesus.

Luke 17:36-27
Two shall be in the field, one will be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said to them, Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 

One of the very specific prophecies from Ezekiel is that it will take seven months to bury the dead, whatever is left after the scavenger birds have finished.

Interestingly, God reveals to Ezekiel that He will show Himself holy through the actions of people who are obedient, whether they are His people are not.   

Today’s reading ends with another one of the great promises from God.

Ezekiel 39:29
I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD."

This prophecy/promise will be fulfilled, figuratively speaking, when the dry bones have come together with tendons, flesh, and skin and God has caused His breath to enter and enabled by the Spirit to stand up.

SEPTEMBER 3

When Ezekiel writes the lament for Egypt in chapter 32, it sounds a bit like what will happen at Armageddon.  The description in the first few verses sounds like Satan and what he is doing in the world today.  He is like a monster in the seas, thrashing about, churning the water, and muddying the streams.  This seems to be a description of chaos, which is how Hebrew word pictures portray Satan.  All of this is quite the opposite of God's precise order of things.  One of the ruses Satan uses is to "muddy the water", so to speak when we humans try to understand God's Word.  He pollutes the pure, undiluted Word of God because he is full of lies. 

John 8:44  You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.

There were a few words in Ezekiel 32 that needed clarification.  This helped us understand the passage a bit better.

Pit - a hole in the ground, like a cistern

Uncircumcised - those who were not Hebrew, figuratively speaking, not believers in God 

Grave - two definitions, two different Hebrew words - one means hell, the other means a tomb

Sword - figuratively, any military action

Terror - a military strategy causing fear and panic among the people creating an atmosphere absent of peace

God repeatedly uses enemies of His people to punish them because they were consistently disobedient. In Ezekiel 33 God says that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.  He wants us all to turn from our evil ways, repent, and live.  Peter emphasizes this same thing.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised--the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He doesn't want anyone to be lost. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning. 

Pre-Jesus, sins had to be atoned for through animal sacrifice.  

Ouch! Watchman’s Accountability! We’re sure glad He hasn’t called any of us to be “watchmen”! I mean, this was only for Ezekiel’s day, right??? It isn’t really for us today is it???

Mark 13:37
What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"

Oops! We stand corrected! Guess we're all called to be "watchmen".