Read Ezekiel 21:1-22:31; Hebrews 10:1-17; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 27:12
Ezekiel warns the people that God has drawn his sword from his sheath and it is about to fall on them. Everyone will know and be affected by what is about to happen. The Babylonians and the Ammonites will be coming against them for many reasons which Ezekiel lists. They had murdered each other and they had made idols to worship. The leaders had oppressed the foreigner, the widow and the orphan. They had profaned the things God had called holy and dishonored the sabbath. They had lied to kill others, and committed every sexual perversity they could think of. They had extorted money and killed for it. God was putting them in the fire so all their dross could be burned off and cleansed. Their prophets had behaved like ravening lions preying on souls and making widows of many women. Their priests had no respect for their office, God or the things that were holy. Everyone’s goal was to get ahead no matter who they had to walk on to get there.
God had looked for a man to stand in the gap so that he would not have to destroy it and found none. His mind was made up and judgment was coming.
Hebrews explains that the law could not make the people perfect or complete. The sacrifices of the old covenant only lasted for a year, then they had to do it again. Every year they were reminded of their sins. But we are sanctified through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. His death made us perfect and complete once and for all. God doesn’t remember them again. Now that is the good news!
If Israel would have believed our Proverb for today, they might have saved themselves.
Lord, open our spiritual eyes to discern the days we are living in. Thank you for sanctifying us and making us complete through your sacrifice.
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