Mon.’s Devo - No Remorse

Read: Ezekiel 24:15-end of chapter 25; Jeremiah 34, 21, Ezekiel 29-31
Ezekiel was told that his wife would die and he was not to mourn openly for her. He could mourn quietly, but no one could see his sadness. The people asked him why he was doing this and he told them it was a picture of how God felt about them. They would see their loved ones destroyed and their beloved Temple and land die and not be able to mourn.
Then God pronounced his judgment on the enemies of Israel. Ammon had cheered when they saw the Temple defiled and mocked Israel when she was desolate. They laughed when Judah went into exile. This is a picture of the people of the world that love to see our leaders fall into moral sin or a church split. God said that he would make them a plunder to many nations. Today, this would mean that they would be destroyed and it will make others glad.
Moab had said that Judah was just like all the other nations. This would be like saying our God was just like all the other gods: Allah, Mohammed, etc….that he was just a higher power. God told them that he would wipe out their glorious frontier towns and they would be taken over by nomads. This would be like losing the prominent fortresses they had built only to have them taken over by someone who dismantles them and sells them off.
The next nation God condemned was the Edomites. They had brought vengeance against God’s people. God would repay them with vengeance. These are the people who hate the church and are out to destroy everything we hold sacred. God promised to personally pour out his vengeance on them.
The last nation was Philistia. They were a lot like the Edomites. They wanted bitter revenge and had long-standing contempt against God’s people. We see that group as we get closer and closer to election day. God said he would raise his fist against them and they would know that He is Lord.
To the King, Zedekiah, God said the Babylonians would take the city of Jerusalem and burn it to the ground. He promised the king that he would not die by the sword, but he would die peacefully and be mourned in his death.
God changed his word to Zedekiah when he was not merciful to his own people by setting them free during Jubilee. Now King Zedekiah would die if they stayed in Jerusalem. Only the ones who surrendered to the Babylonians would live.
Lord, thank you for reminding us that you always have the final word. You will punish our enemies and bring justice.