Wed.’s Devo - The Old Covenant

Read: Ezekiel 18:1-19:14; Hebrews 9:1-10; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 27:10 God asked the people why they said that the children would reap the sins of their father. He gave them the case of a bad father who defiled God’s laws and then had a son who saw his father’s life-style and decided to change. He obeyed God’s laws. He would not pay for his father’s sins. His father would pay for his own sins. The son would be rewarded for his righteous living. *** God’s word to Israel was to repent and turn from their sins so God wouldn’t have to judge them for their rebellion. God didn’t want them to die but to live. *** God gave Ezekiel a funeral song to sing to the princes or kings of Israel. In the song Judah was the mother lion who had two sons. Jehoahaz was the youngest who became a strong lion but became a man-eater. He was trapped in their pit and led away with hooks to Egypt. Jehoiakim was the second of her cubs who she taught to be strong and he also became a man-eater. He tore down cities and made the people tremble and fear because of his power. He was attacked by the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites. They captured him and put him in a pit and dragged him in a cage to Babylon. *** Judah, the mother, had once been a prosperous place full of fruit and wealth but it was transplanted to the wilderness and burned with fire. Thus ended the funeral song. *** Hebrews described the first covenant with its tabernacle. The first room, called the Holy Place had a shewbread table, a menorah and the altar of incense. Only the priest could go in that room. The next room, called the Holy of Holies had the ark of the covenant covered with two angels who spread the wings over the mercy seat. Only the High Priest could enter that room and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement when he atoned for the sins of the people. This was a temporary way of worship until the new covenant could be brought in. The first could not cleanse the conscience of the people of their sins but a better system would. *** Thank you Lord, that that new system came to affect when Jesus died and rose from the grave. He ushered us into his new system of government and worship. Thank you that our consciences can be cleansed from sin and we can walk in righteousness and have abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven.