Sat.’s Devo - No Delay

Read: Ezekiel 12:1-14:11; Hebrews 7:1-17; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 27:3 God told Ezekiel what he was up against. He was sent to people that refused to see or hear the truth but it was still his job to tell them and show them. God told him to pretend he was going into exile and do everything a person would do to go into exile. He was to pack a bag and take his luggage with him on a march. He was to dig whole through the wall and escape through the wall. He was to cover his face so he couldn’t see the land he was leaving. He was to do this in daylight so all could see what he was doing. Then the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and he told them that what he did contained the message for king Zedekiah and the people. Zedekiah would leave Jerusalem through a hole in the night but be captured and taken to Babylon but he would never see Babylon. That was a riddle in itself. Everything happened as he saw it. Zedekiah was caught trying to escape through a hole in the wall and his eyes were gouged out before he reached Babylon so he went there but never saw it. His warriors would be scattered among the nations but a few would be spared and allowed to live. Next, Ezekiel was to tremble while he ate his food and shake as he drank his water to show the people that the fear that they were about to suffer would make them do these things. The people had a saying “Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing” but God was going to put an end to that saying. It would be replaced with “The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!” There would be no more delay in what God said would happen. The false prophets would be banished from the community and their names blotted out from Israel’s record books. The would never again set foot in their own land. They had built a flimsy wall and white-washed it to keep them safe. It would all come down in God’s fury. Their words had been like this wall - fake and unable to save them. Jesus told the Pharisees that they were like white-washed walls because of their hypocrisy. God cursed the women who enticed people with their magic and charms. He told the people to turn from their sins and their idols. God was tired of them worshipping their idols then coming to the prophet for advise. God would make them an example by eliminating them from his people. In Hebrews we read about Melchizedek, whose name means “king of justice.” He was God’s High Priest in heaven. He manifested on earth to rule over a city called Salem which meant “king of peace”. He was a type of Jesus who was not subject to the law. Melchizedek was a priest before the law and Abraham gave tithes to him. The law gave the priesthood on earth to Aaron and his sons. The new covenant gave the priesthood to Jesus. The priests in the law died, but Melchizedek never died and Jesus who had a priesthood in his order didn’t die either. Jesus’ priesthood would never die. Lord, thank you that we serve a High Priest who ever lives and prays for us. Thank you for giving your life as the final sacrifice for our sins. May we live in righteousness and love.