Fri.’s Devo - By Faith

Read: Ezekiel 24:1-26:21; Hebrews 11:1-16; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 27:14 God said that Israel would be in captivity for 70 years which began at the time that King Jehoiachin went into captivity. That is why it is always marking time in that expression. God told Ezekiel to give the people an illustration of what their lives were about to become. He was to put a pot of water on the fire and fill it with choice pieces of meat from the best sheep of the flock. The pot represented Jerusalem. He was to then take out pieces in no particular order because they were all the same. These pieces of meat represented the people. That is how corrupt they were that they would murder each other with no respect for life. Ezekiel was to make the fire really hot and cook the meat with lots of spices then burn the bones. Next he was to put the empty pot back on the coals and heat it to burn away the filth and corruption. But it would be hopeless to clean just as the people were hopeless to clean. They were full of murder, lewdness and idolatry. God told Ezekiel that with one blow he would kill his most treasured possession which was his wife. He was not to mourn her or show any form of sadness or usual death rituals. He was to accept no consolation from his friends. Ezekiel proclaimed it that morning and that evening, she died. He did exactly what the Lord told him to do and when the people asked him about it he told them that he was demonstrating how they would not be able to mourn the loss of their city or their families. God spoke against Rabbah the capital of Ammon and its land. Because they cheered when they saw Jerusalem fall, they will meet the same fate for their city. Their land would be turned into a land for sheep and goats to pasture.. They would become plunder for many nations and be completely destroyed. The people of Moab would be attacked by nomadic people from the east and their land become a wasteland. The people of Philistia had contempt for Judah so God would wipe them out and completely destroy them in revenge of what they did to his people. In the 12th year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity God spoke against Tyre because it had rejoiced over Jerusalem’s fall. She rejoiced because her competition in trade had been taken out and now she owned the trade routes which made her very wealthy. Tyre would be reduced to a rock when it is destroyed. God will send Nebuchadnezzar against it to destroy its mainland villages. There were two Tyres. One was an island in the sea and the other was a mainland city. The prophecy sounds like waves of attacks like water would destroy the island and the Babylonians would destroy the mainland. Tyre, who was once a naval super power would be reduced to nothing. In Hebrews we read the “hall of faith” chapter. First we have the definition of faith. It is the reality of what we hope for and the evidence of things we cannot see. God is the first one mentioned. By faith he spoke the earth into existence and it appeared. He demonstrated how faith works. Next we have Abel who was a type of Jesus who offered the sacrifice that pleased God. Then Enoch who was the picture of the resurrection as he was taken to heaven without dying. Noah was the picture of salvation from the world of sin and judgment. Abraham was the Father of God’s people who knew that earth was not his home. Sarah was the picture of life coming from death. These people did not live to see the fulfillment of what they started. They were pioneers in the world beginning a good work that their posterity would walk in. They lived their life looking forward to the fulfillment of the promise God had given them. Lord, may we live our lives as a piece of the timeline You have set up. May we not look at things as though they are, but at things as you say they will be. May our faith grow and grow.