Sun.’s Devo - The New Jerusalem

Read: Ezekiel 39:1-40:27; James 2:18-3:18; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 28:2 The countries from the north, Gog, Meshech and Tubal will come down to destroy Israel but will have to fight God instead. He will totally take their weapons from them and leave them helpless. God will rain down here on them and they will know that He is the Lord. *** Israel will pick up its weapons and turn them into fuel which will last them for seven years. They will receive all the plunder from their enemies. They will have a mass grave in the place they will name the Valley of Gog’s Hordes and it will take seven months for the people of Israel to bury the bodies and cleanse the land. *** Then, Ezekiel was to call the birds and wild animals and tell them to gather together for God’s great sacrificial feast They will eat the flesh and drink the blood of God’s enemies. All the nations will see this and know that God is the Lord. *** God will end the captivity of his people and bring them back to Israel. They will accept responsibility for their past shame and unfaithfulness and come home to live in peace in their own land and no one will bother them. God will pour out his Spirit upon them. *** In the twenty-fifth year of Ezekiels’s captivity God took him in the spirit to Israel and set him on a very high mountain where he could see toward the south. He saw a city and a man coming from it whose face shone like bronze. He was holding a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod. *** Ezekiel was told to watch what he did and remember it. The man took his measuring rod which was 10 and a half feet long. He measured the wall and it was 10.5’ thick x 10.5’ high. *** Then he measured the circumference of the Temple area. On each side of the east gateway were guard alcoves. The gateway led to the entry room at the inner end of the gateway passage. All the walls, gateways, alcoves and passageways were measured. Then the man brought Ezekiel to the outer courtyard of the Temple and a stone pavement ran along the walls of the courtyard where he saw 30 rooms built into the walls. The southern end had a stairway of seven steps that led up into it with palm tree decorations along the walls. *** James says that you can’t have faith without good deeds and vice versa. Abraham demonstrated this when his faith led him to offer Isaac on the altar. We prove our faith by our works. Abraham was called God’s friend. *** James explained the importance of watching what we say because if we are teachers, then our words influence others. We can do much good or much damage with our tongues. *** Those that are wise, live godly lives and love peace, are gentle and are willing to yield to others. They are full of mercy and are known for their good deeds. They show no favoritism and are always sincere. Those who are sowers of peace will reap a harvest of righteousness. *** Lord, may we live in your wisdom and righteousness. May our words bring life and not death.