Friday, August 28, 2015

Fri.’s Devo - Earth, Wind, and Fire

Read: Ezekiel 5-8
Ezekiel was given many signs to act out to show what God was going to do with the people. He was told to cut off all his hair from his head and chin and weigh it. For an Israelite to cut off his hair was a thing of shame and humility. He was then to divide the hair into three parts. To one part he was to burn it, the other he was to stab it with a knife and the last third he was to scatter it in the wind. But he was to leave out a few hairs and bind them in his skirt as the remnant.
The day would come when their abominations will come to judgment.
A third part of the people would die of pestilence and hunger which was portrayed as the fire. A third part would die by the sword in battle, and a third part would be scattered throughout the world.
In Chapter 6, God speaks against the rulers of Israel. He reminds the ones who will be scattered to remember Him when they come into their foreign homes. The land they once called home will be left desolate.
In Chapter 7, God warns that his judgment is very near and their sins are very bad. In the next chapter, God takes Ezekiel in the spirit to Jerusalem and shows him the abominations done in the temple and all the false Gods they are serving. They thought they were doing it in secret and no one knew, but it was open and blatant to God. I wonder if that is like going into the inner hearts of the church and seeing the abominations of our spiritual leaders. They think no one sees and since God doesn’t judge right away, they think they have gotten away with it. That should put the fear of God in all of us.
Lord, it is easy to point the finger but may we only point it at ourselves. Dig a tunnel to our hearts and root out all the secret sins and strongholds we still have.

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