Sat.’s Devo - The Kingdoms of the Earth

Read: Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John 1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 28:23-24 During Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and wrote it down. In the dream, he saw a great storm over the sea. Four beasts came out of the sea and they all looked different from the other. *** The first beast was like a lion which stood for the kingdom of Babylon. It was like a lion with eagle’s wings. Its wings were pulled off and it was left standing one its hind feel on the ground like a human with a human mind. *** The second beast stood for Media-Persia and it looked like a bear. One side reared up (Persia) and it had three ribs in its mouth, as it devoured its people. *** The third beast stood for Greece and looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back and four heads to stand for its kings. *** The fourth beast that stood for the Romans and Alexander the Great was the most terrifying. He crusted his victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains under his feet. It had ten horns which stood for its ten rulers. Another horn came up and three of the ten horns were torn out to make room for it. This horn boasted arrogantly. *** God set up his judgment seat on earth to judge the rulers of the earth. Court began and the books were opened. The first three beasts were allowed to live but, with little authority, but the fourth beast was killed and destroyed by fire. *** Jesus arrived at the courtroom on earth and was given authority, honor and sovereignty over all the nations of the worlds so that every race and nation and language would obey him. *** Daniel asked one of the angels standing beside the throne what it all meant and he explained these were the kingdoms that would arise on earth. But in the end, the holy people would be given the kingdom, and they would rule forever an ever. *** We are living in this last kingdom which has taken over all the mountains of society. We are watching as we, God’s people, take back the mountain of government. Once we have that, the other mountains will fall to God’s authority. God has judged the kingdom of Rome which stands for Babylon in Revelation, and it is falling. Hallelujah! *** John explained that if we want to have fellowship with God, we have to walk in his light of righteousness. That is where we will find God. We have all sinned, but if we confess our sins, he will faithfully cleanse us and forgive us. *** Lord, may we walk in your light, following your steps. Thank you that we are living to see your Kingdom come to earth.

Fri.’s Devo - The Lion’s Den

Read: Daniel 6:1-28; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 28:21-22 The enemy has the same strategy always. Darius, the Mede was the ruler and he chose Daniel and two others to be his administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. When Daniel proved to be the wisest and most capable, he was up for a promotion over all of the administrators. They knew about this and looked for a way to discredit Daniel, but couldn’t find any dirt on him. The only chance they had was to find something, had to do with his religion. *** They cooked up a plan and had the king sign an order that said for the next 30 days, no one could pray to anyone except the king. They appealed to Darius’ pride. It worked, and Darius signed it. The penalty for disobeying the order was to be thrown into the lion’s den. *** When the king signed it, Daniel went home and immediately prayed as he had always done. The men went straight to the king and told him. They reminded him that Daniel was not their race - a captive from Judah - to separate him even more from them, even though he had been in Babylon now for over 50 years. *** By the end of the day, the king had no recourse but to obey his own order which made him very upset. When the king was pressured to arrest Daniel, he finally did and told Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully rescue you.” *** Darius fasted that night and couldn’t sleep. Early the next morning, Darius ran to the lion’s den and called out to Daniel asking if his god was able to rescue him from the lions. Daniel replied that God’s angel shut the mouth of the lion and found him innocent. He assured the king that he had not wronged the king. *** The king was so overjoyed, he had him taken from the den immediately and had the men who had maliciously accused Daniel to be thrown into the den. The lion’s leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. *** The king sent out a ruling, praising Daniel’s God whose kingdom would never end and who rescues his people and performs miracles and signs and wonders. *** Daniel prospered during Darius’ reign and the reign of Cyrus. *** In Peter’s second letter, he told them not to give up when Jesus didn’t come when they thought he should. God created the world out of water and would destroy it with fire. *** God’s timing is not our timing. A day to the Lord, is a thousand to us and a day to us is like a thousand to the Lord. God isn’t slow, like we think, but is patient for our sakes, wanting everyone to repent. That day will come and it will come unexpectedly. The heavens will pass away and disappear in fire and the earth will be judged. God has promised us new heavens and a new earth filled with God’s righteousness. *** While we are waiting for that to happen, we are to live peaceful lives full of purity and righteousness. We are to remind us that God’s patience to return is so that people will repent. There were those who twisted Paul’s letters to mean something they didn’t mean. We are to have discernment and not be distracted by heresy or enticed by error. *** Lord, may we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Writing on the Wall

Read: Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 28:19-20 King Belshazzar was having a feast which we would call a wild party where the concubines were present and men were calling out praises to their gods while getting drunk. Belshazzar had had the gold cups taken from the Temple in Jerusalem brought in to drink from. *** As they partied, the fingers of a human hand wrote on the plaster wall of the kings’ palace, near the lamp stand so they could all see it. The kings face paled as he watched it and he almost fainted. *** He shouted for all his enchanters and astrologers and fortune-tellers to come and tell him what it meant but none could read the writing on the wall. The queen mother heard the ruckus and came to see what was happening. She told the king about Daniel who had given Nebuchadnezzar understanding with his dreams. (Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzar’s grandfather.) *** Daniel came in and read the words on the wall and gave him the interpretation, but first he gave him a rebuke. He reminded him that he knew the story of his grandfather and how he went crazy for a while until he grasped that God was the Lord of heaven and ruled the kingdoms of the world and appoints who he desires to rule over them. *** Then Daniel explained the words on the wall. The first was “Mene” which means that God had numbered his days and his reign had come to an end. “Tekel” means ‘weighed’ because he had been weighed on God’s scale and had not measured up. “Parsin” his kingdom had been divided and given to the Medes and Persians. *** Daniel was rewarded, and that very night, Darius the Mede, killed Belshazzar and took the kingdom. *** In Peter, he warned us to beware of false prophets and false teachers who will cleverly teach destructive heresies and deny Christ who bought them with his blood. Many will fall to their immorality who slander the truth. They will try to scam people of their money, but God condemned them long ago. *** God did not spare even the angels who sinned in Genesis 6 who came down and mated with women on the earth and produced genetically modified humans who were half-demon/ half-human. God destroyed the earth to get rid of them and later condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for the same thing. But God rescued Noah and his family and Lot out of them because of their righteousness. So God can rescue us out of our trials. *** God is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desires and those who despise authority. In their arrogance they scoff at the highest order in heaven that even the angels wouldn’t bring a charge against. (I wonder if he isn’t talking about Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel.) *** These false teachers scoff at things they don’t understand. They delight in deception and their lust is never satisfied. They are trained in greed. They love to earn money doing evil. *** These people are doomed for blackest darkness. They hold people as slaves and live a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom but are slaves themselves. Some have known the truth and turned away from it and will not be able to be set free. *** Lord, I thank you for your discipline that leads us to repentance, but I also thank you for your justice that leads to life or death. You are a good, and full of wisdom and love. We trust you.

Wed.’s Devo - God Rules the Kingdoms of the Earth

Read: Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18 Nebuchadnezzar sent a message to his kingdom proclaiming the Lord’s power and his Kingdom that would last forever. Then he relates the story that lead up to his revelation about God. *** He had had a dream that none of his wise men could tell him the interpretation. He then went to Daniel and Daniel was able to interpret it. *** Daniel told him that the dream was about Nebuchadnezzar’s future. He dreamed about a huge tree that provided for many animals. A holy one from heaven came and chopped off its branches to the stump. The stump was left to live with the wild animals for seven periods of time with the mind of a wild animal. *** Daniel explained that he was the tree and he would be driven from human society to live with the wild animals. He would eat grass like a cow and live like an animal for seven years, until he learned that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to whoever he chooses. His stump was left in the ground meaning that he would return to his kingdom and rule again, under God. *** One year later, Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace and looked out across the city and proclaimed, “Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.” While the words were still in his mouth, he heard a voice from heaven telling him that he was no longer the ruler of this kingdom. He would now be driven from society and live with and like the wild animals until he learned that the Most High rules over kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. 
 *** That very hour, he was taken to the wilderness. He lived there until his hair grew long and his nails grew like claws. *** At the end of the seven years, his sanity returned and he praised and worshiped the Most High and King of heaven. His advisors sought him out and restored him as the head of his kingdom with even greater honor than before. *** Peter reminds us that by God’s power, He has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We are to make every effort to respond to God’s promises. It begins with faith. Then we add moral excellence. To that we add knowledge, then self-control, then patient endurance, then godliness and brotherly affection. Brotherly affection should spread into love for everyone. If we mature through all these areas and end in love we will never fall away. We will be given a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. *** Peter reminds us of the day he stood with Jesus and heard God speak on the mountain. He saw Jesus transfigure into glory and heard God speak from heaven declaring his love for his Son. Jesus was prophesied by the prophets that he would return and they spoke from God. *** Lord, may we grow and mature into the image of Jesus. We patiently look for your return. May we be about your business as we wait.

Tues.’s Devo - The King’s Dream

Read: Daniel 2:24-3:30; 1 Peter 4:7-5:14; Psalm 119:81-96; Proverbs 28:15-16 Daniel woke up from his dream and went immediately to see Arioch, the man who had been ordered to execute all the wise men of Babylon. He told him not to kill them because he had the meaning of the king’s dream. Arioch quickly took Daniel to see the king. *** Before Daniel would tell him the dream and its meaning he made it perfectly clear that there was a God in heaven that revealed to him the king’s dream and was revealing to the king the future. *** Then he told him the dream. He saw a huge frightening statue that had its head of gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze and its legs were iron. Its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. As he watched a rock was cut from a mountain, but not with human hands. It struck the feet smashing them to bits. The whole statue fell and broke into pieces but the rock became a great mountain that covered the whole earth. *** This dream is being fulfilled in our day before our very eyes as we see the Kingdom of God crush the power of Satan’s kingdom of deep state, Luciferian corrupt powers on earth and in heaven. It is glorious to watch! *** Daniel explained that he was the head of gold and the other metals were kingdoms that would arise after him throughout history. The last kingdom of iron and clay would represent a kingdom that would try to mix man with machine. It would be crushed by the Kingdom cut from the Rock of Christ. That is us! We are a part of the Kingdom cut from the Rock. God’s Kingdom will never be destroyed or conquered. *** When Nebuchadnezzar heard the dream, he bowed before Daniel and praised his God. He exalted Daniel to a high position and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon as well as chief over all his wise men. Daniel requested Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon and it was granted. *** Then, Nebuchadnezzar had a huge gold statue made and set up in the plain of Dura. He brought all his officials to its dedication and ordered that when they heard the sound of the musical instruments, they were to bow to the ground to worship his gold statue. Anyone who refused would be thrown into the fire. *** Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow so they were brought before Nebuchadnezzar and given one more chance to bow. Nebuchadnezzar said that no god would be able to save them. They explained that they would never bow, and if they were thrown into the blazing furnace, the God who they served was able to save them. But if he didn’t, they would still never bow to his gods. Needless to say, this made Nebuchadnezzar so mad, he had the furnace turned up seven times hotter than usual and had his strongest men throw them into the fire, bound and with their clothes still on. The fire was so hot, it killed the men who threw them in. *** As the king watched he saw the three men and another that looked like one of the gods walking around in the furnace. He called them out and they came out alive with not so much as the smell of smoke on them. Nebuchadnezzar was so amazed he made a decree that whoever spoke a word against their God, they would die and have their house burned to the ground. He proclaimed that there was no god who could rescue like this. They were promoted to an even higher position in his kingdom. *** Peter explained that the end of this world was coming, so love was most important. We have all been given gifts to use for his kingdom. We will face fiery trials that make us partners with Christ in his suffering. We look forward to the great revealing of Christ to the world. If we suffer, let it be for Christ’s sake. We are blessed to be called by his name. Judgment is coming and it will begin in God’s household. We want to be found suffering for Him, not for our sins. *** Peter gave a special appeal to the elders in the churches to care for the flock that God has entrusted them with. They are to lead by example so that in the end, they will receive a crown of glory and honor. *** To the ones who are younger, they are to respect the authority of the elders and be humble. God raises the humble, but he resists the proud. *** Everyone must be aware of our enemy, the devil who seeks to devour us. We must stand firm against this and be strong in our faith. Suffering lasts for a season and then comes restoration and strength. God will place us on his firm foundation. All glory to God! *** Lord, thank you that you chose us to live in this great time in history to see your Kingdom coming to earth in such a powerful way. May we remember to be led by love and Holy Spirit. May we not be given to fear or hopelessness, but with joy and power.

Mon.’s Devo - Daniel’s First Test

Read: Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 3:8-4:6; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 28:14 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s rule over Judah, Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. He took some of the holy articles from the Temple and put them in his treasure house. *** He ordered that some of the strong and exceptional young men from the noble’s families be brought back to Babylon and put in his service. He had them put in his schools to learn their language and their customs. He ordered them to eat his food. *** Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were chosen from the tribe of Judah. They were renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel asked their attendant if they could not eat the king’s food since it was not koshier, and eat only vegetables and water. The attendant was afraid for his life if he didn’t obey the king’s orders, but Daniel asked him to give them a test for 10 days and see if at the end of the ten days, they didn’t look healthier than the others who ate the king’s diet. He agreed and at the end of the 10 days, they looked healthier than the other boys, so they were able to stay on their diet of veggies and water. *** Daniel was given the gift of interpreting the meanings of visions and dreams. At the end of their training, Daniel, Hannah, Mishael and Azariah impressed the king. They were wiser and had more balanced judgment and ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Daniel served him until Cyrus came to reign. *** One night the king had a dream and was so frightened by it, he called for all his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers and demanded that they tell him his dream and what it meant. If they didn’t tell him both, they would be killed as imposters. None could tell him, so when the soldiers came to kill Daniel and his friends, Daniel asked why they were being killed. When he found out he went to the king to ask for an extension so he could inquire of God. He told his friends to pray that God would give them the dream and its interpretation. The king gave him the extension and God gave Daniel the dream and its interpretation that night. Daniel praised the Lord who controls the course of world events and removes kings and sets up other kings. He praised God for revealing to him the secret and mysterious things that are hidden and giving him what the king had demanded. *** Peter gives us practical advice in having right attitudes towards each other. He reminds us that the eyes of the Lord are watching what people do and his ears are listening to our prayers. But, he turns his face against those who do evil. *** Our testimony is only as good as our actions that prove what we say is true. If we suffer, it is better to suffer for doing good. Jesus suffered doing good and was raise to life. He then went and preached to those in prison who had disobeyed God when Noah was building the ark. Only eight people were saved while the whole earth was being cleansed. God saves us and cleanses our conscience. *** Christ went to heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority. When we suffer, we must have the same attitude that Christ had when he suffered. When we turn from our past sinful lifestyle and begin to live for Christ, others won’t understand and will slander us. We must keep in mind we will all have to face God who will judge our deeds. Those who accepted the Good News will live forever with God in the Spirit. Lord, help us to have the same attitude that Jesus did when he was being persecuted and misunderstood. May we stand in your presence with a clean conscience and a pure heart.

Sun’s Devo - The River of God

Read: Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; 1 Peter 2:11-3:7; Psalm 119:49-64; Proverbs 28:12-13 The man brought Ezekiel back to the Temple. He showed him a stream of water that went underneath the door of the Temple and flowed around the altar, then back outside. The stream became deeper and deeper until it was deep enough to swim in. There were trees all along the river that flowed east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters healed the salty waters of the Dead Sea making it fresh and pure. Life began to flourish with fish of every kind. Fruit trees grew along both sides of this water that bore new fruit every month. The fruit would be for food and the leaves for healing. *** The land would be divided equally between the tribes with the sons of Jospeh given two shares. The Temple would be in the middle of the land with land below it given to the city with farm land on either side of the city. The land on both sides of the Temple and the common land would be given to the Prince. *** Below and above that section of land would divided for the tribes. Above the Temple would be a section for the tribes of Judah, then Reuben, then Ephraim, then Manasseh, then Naphtali, then Dan. Below the Temple would be Benjamin, then Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad. *** The Temple would have three entrances on each side of the Temple with a sign above the entrance stating which tribe would enter through it. The city had a gate all around it which had three gates on all four sides. The difference of the gates to the city and the entrances to the Temple were that there was a entrance for Joseph for both Ephraim and Manasseh. The gate to the city put Ephraim and Manasseh both entering through a gate named for Joseph and there was a gate for Levi which had no land. The city was six miles in circumference and would be called “The Lord is There.” *** In Peter he warns us to keep away from worldly desires that war against our souls. Our honorable lives should silence the ignorant people who wrongly accuse us. We are free from sin but a slave to obey God. *** Those who work under a master or boss were to respect him even if he is cruel and unjust. We should expect to be disciplined if we are doing wrong. If we suffer for doing good and endure it with patience, God is very pleased with us. *** Jesus endured immense rejection and persecution and he is our example. Wives are to accept the authority of their husbands even if they are not believers. Many husbands are won over by observing the pure and reverent lives of their wives. We must remember that beauty is what God calls beauty, which is one who has a heart that loves God and lives a pure live with a gentle and loving spirit. *** Husbands are to love their wives and treat them with honor and understanding. She is your equal partner in God’s sight. He is to treat her in a way that his own prayers won’t be hindered. *** Lord, your way is the way of love. Help us to keep in mind that the most important thing we need to do is love you with all our hearts and love others as you love us.

Sat.’s Devo - The Tax

Read: Ezekiel 45:13-46:24; 1 Peter 1:13-2:10; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 28:11 In this new Temple, they were to give a tax to the prince of one bushel of wheat for every 60 they harvested, one percent of the olive oil, and one sheep for every 200 they had in their flocks. Compared to what income tax is for us, that is nothing. *** The prince was to provide the offerings at the religious festivals, the new moon and the Sabbaths. He was to provide the sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings and peace offerings to purify the people. *** In the spring on the first of Nisan, they were to offer a sin offering was to be offered to purify the Temple. This was to be offered on the first and the seventh day of the celebration to atone for any sin done through error or ignorance by the people. *** On the fourteenth day of Nixon, they were to celebrate the Passover and Unleavened Bread for a week. On the day of Passover, the prince was to offer a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel. On the seven days of the feast, burnt offering were to be offered and grain offerings. *** In the fall during the Feast of Tabernacles, the prince was to offer sacrifices of the sin offering, the burnt offering and the grain offering, along with olive oil. *** The east gateway was to be closed during the six workdays but open on the Sabbath for the prince. He would enter through that gateway from the outside and stand by the gatepost where he was to offer his burnt offering and peace offering. He would bow and worship inside the gateway passageway and then leave the way he came. The gate would be closed at evening. The common people would bow down and worship in front of their gateway on Sabbath days and on new moon celebrations. *** The people who entered the north gateway were to exit the south gateway and those who entered the south gateway were to exit the north gateway. I think this was to represent that when we go to the Lord in prayer, or go to church, etc, we should not leave the way we came. We should be changed in some positive way. *** All the offerings made during the year were provided by the prince from the tax the people gave. *** If the prince wanted to give a gift of land to his children, it must be from his allotted land. He must not take any land that belongs to the people. If the prince gave land to a servant, it must return to his family inheritance at the Year of Jubilee, but any gift given to his sons would be permanent. *** The man brought Ezekiel to the sacred rooms where the priest cooked the meat from the gilt offerings and sin offerings and baked the bread for the grain offerings. Then he took him to the corner rooms in the outer courtyard and showed him fireplaces where the priest boiled the sacrifices offered by the people. *** Peter told us to prepare our minds to exercise self-control. He warned us not to go back to our old ways of living to satisfy our own selves. *** We are to live our lives in the fear of the Lord who will one day judge or reward us according to what we do. Our lives have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, who was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. Because he so loved us, we are to love him and his people. We are the living stones that make up his Temple; Jesus was the cornerstone. People stumbled over Jesus and met the fate of disobedience. But we are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. We are to show others the goodness of God who have received God’s mercy and grace. *** Lord, help us to give this mercy and grace to others. Thank you for Salvation and your Spirit.

Fri.’s Devo - God’s Regulations

Read: Ezekiel 44:1-45:12; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 28:8-10 Ezekiel was led back to the eastern gate and saw that it was closed. The Lord told him that this gate must remain closed. Only the prince could sit inside this gateway to be in the Lord’s presence. *** He was taken back to the front of the Temple and saw that the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. It was so awesome, he fell to the ground. The Lord spoke to him and told him to pay close attention to everything he saw and heard about the regulations for the Temple. He was to notice the procedures for using the entrances and exits. He was to tell the rebels of Israel that they had brought uncircumcised foreigners into his sanctuary which had no heart for him. They had defiled God’s Temple with their sacrifices and sins. They had broken their covenant with the Lord and hired foreigners to take over his Temple. *** God gave them some rules: no foreigners could enter the sanctuary without being circumcised and surrendered to the Lord. The men from the tribe of Levi who abandoned the Lord and served idols could only be Temple guards and gatekeepers and aide with the sacrifices, but they could not approach the Lord to minister as priests. They could serve as caretakers, maintenance men and perform general duties in the Temple. *** The Levitical priests from the family of Zadok continually worshiped the Lord and didn’t abandon the Lord to worship idols so they could serve as God’s ministers. They could stand in his presence and offer sacrifices to the Lord. They were to wear linen so they wouldn’t perspire and change before the left so they wouldn’t transmit holiness to the people through their clothing. *** They were to shave their heads and keep their hair trimmed. They could not drink wine before they entered the inner courtyard and could choose wives only from the virgins of Israel or a widow of a priest. They were to be examples of holiness and teach it to the people through their lives. *** A priest could only be in the presence of a dead person if they were close to kin. They were not to own property because God was their possession. They were fed by people’s first fruits given to the Lord. *** God gave Ezekiel a plan for the land. Area for the Temple and around it was to be determined first. Then land for the priests, the Levites, the people and last of all the prince. He was to have land on the east and west and he was to stop oppressing the people and robbing them of their land. Their was to be a set standard for measuring and it was to be used by all so all would be fair in business. *** Peter wore a letter to God’s Rosen people living in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. He reminded them of the great things they had to look forward to. They had a priceless inheritance that was being kept in heaven that was beyond decay. As they endured their trials, Peter wanted them to have the hope of the day Jesus would be revealed to the whole world. The greatest thing they had to look forward to was the salvation of their soul. The prophets had prophesied about this and wondered about what it all meant. They had seen Christ’s suffering and then his great glory. They knew it wasn’t for them but for a generation yet to come. And now, they are the ones to receive it. Even the angels rejoiced to see it come to pass. *** Lord, thank you that we are living in the promise of your salvation. Thank you for the promise of great things ahead.

Thurs.’s Devo - Cleansing the Altar for Service

ead: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27; James 5:1-20; Psalm 119:1-26; Proverbs 28:6-7 The man took Ezekiel’s out of the Temple courtyard through the north gateway and they entered the outer courtyard where they came to a group of rooms against the north wall. The rooms were three levels high and there were similar rooms on the south side of the Temple. He was told that these rooms were holy and were where the priests would eat the most holy offerings offered to the Lord. The rooms would also be used to store the sacred offerings - the grain, sin and guilt offerings. Before the priests left these rooms they had to change their clothes and put on clothes that weren’t holy before going out to the public. *** When the man finished measuring all these areas, he took Ezekiel out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter which was 875’ x 875’. There was a wall all around it to separate what was holy and what was common. *** Then Ezekiel was brought back to the east gateway and suddenly the glory of the Lord appeared from the east and came with the sound of a roaring rushing waters. Everything shone with God’s glory and Ezekiel fell to the ground. The Spirit took him up into the inner courtyard and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. The Lord spoke to Ezekiel from the Temple and told him that this was the place of his throne where he would rest his feet and live among his people forever. There kings would not defile his holy name and there would be no more adulterous worship of other gods by honoring the relics of their kings who were dead. They had defiled his name by putting a wall between their idolatry and his altar. This would no longer happen. The law of the Temple would be God’s holiness. *** The altar was measured 21’ x 21’ which is huge! It had gutters around it and a lip at the top. Four horns were at the corners and it stood 7’ with the hearth another 7’. Steps went up the east side of the altar. *** The altar was to be cleansed by the Levitical priests of Zadok and the blood of sacrifices smeared on the four horns of the altar. Sin offerings were to be burned outside the Temple area. On the second day, a young male goat that is spotless was to be sacrifice to make atone meant for the altar again. When the cleansing ceremony was finished another young bull was to be presented to the Lord and the priest were to sprinkle the offering with salt and offer it as a burnt offering to the Lord. Every day for seven days a male goat, young bull and a ram from the flock would be sacrificed as a sin offering. On the eighth day the altar would be ready for use, and after that, the priest could sacrifice the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the people and the Lord would accept them. *** In James, he gives a rebuke to the rich people who oppressed the people to gain what wasn’t theirs. They would stand in judgment and their riches would condemn them. God encouraged his people to be patient as they waited for the Lord’s return (not the rapture). *** While we are waiting for his return, we are to be patient and honor the Lord whether we are suffering or abounding. God has an answer to all we need and has given us each other to pray for us, confess our sins to so that we may be healed and forgiven. We are to welcome back the sinner how has strayed from the truth but turned back to honor the Lord. *** Father, help us navigate the times we are living in. Thank you for a new president who will honor you. Guide our leaders to know your will and give them wisdom and great discernment. Give us wisdom in our lives. May we be joyful in obeying your laws.

Wed.’s Devo - Measuring the Temple

Read: Ezekiel 40:28-41:26; James 4:1-17; Psalm 118:19-29; Proverbs 28:3-5 Ezekiel was taken to watch as the man measured the inner courtyard, and the eastern and northern gateways which were the same as the other gateways. He was shown the side rooms with tables for slaughtering the sacrificial animals. *** In the inner courtyard were two rooms facing each other. One faced south and other other faced north. These rooms were where the priests changed their clothes. The inner courtyard was 175’ square. *** Then the man took Ezekiel to the sanctuary where the walls were 3.5’ thick and the entrance was 10.5’wide. The walls were 12.25’ thick and 12.25’ long and 10.5’wide. This sanctuary was the Holy of Holies. The Most Holy Place outside this room was 35’ by 35’ with rooms along the outside wall. Each room was 7’wide. They were built in three levels, with 30 rooms one each side. Each level was wider than the one below with a stairway leading to the different levels. *** The Temple was built on a terrace 10.5’ high with outer walls 8.5’ thick. There was an opening in the middle of the rooms that was 35’square. The doors of the rooms opened into this terrace yard. ** A large building stood on the west facing the Temple. The Temple had a courtyard which measured 175’ all around it. The inner walls of the Temple were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees and the living creatures. It was to make the people feel they were entering into the Garden of Eden. *** In the Most Holy Place was an altar of wood and Ezekiel was told that it was the table that stand in the Lord’s presence. The doors into the Most Holy Place and the Holy of Holies had double swinging doors. Both were decorated with cherubim and palm trees. *** James dealt with their evil desires which led to envy, strife and discontent. He called them adulterers because they wanted things of the world above the things of God. God said he will give much grace to those who are humble and repentant. *** James warned us not to speak evil against each other or to criticize or judge. Instead, we are to obey God’s Word and do what it says. *** Lord, we put our plans in your hands and ask you to guide our every step. May we walk in your ways and please you. May our lips sing of your praise and trust in you.

Tues.’s Devo - Judgement on Israel’s Enemies

Read: Ezekiel 39:1-40:27; James 2:18-3:18; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 28:2 God gave Ezekiel another prophecy about Gog and Magog which are modern day Russia and Iran - the descendants of of Japheth. Their armies would die on the mountain and be fed to the vultures and wild animals. God would rain down fire on them and they would know that God is the Lord. *** Israel would also know that God is their Lord and that he was not going to let any nation shame them anymore. They would go and pick up the weapons of their enemies and use them for fuel for their fires. They would plunder the ones who meant to plunder them. They would bury their bodies in a mass graveyard and callout the Valley of Gog’s Hordes. It will take 7 months to bury the bodies and cleanse the land. They will set up a town near the valley and call it Hamonah which means “horde”. Its purpose will be to gather any skeleton they find afterwards and bring it there. *** God told Ezekiel to call all the birds and wild animals and tell them to gather for a great sacrificial feast. They will come from everywhere to eat the flesh and drink the blood of their enemies. What happened in Ezekiel’s day is a picture of what will happen in the final days. Revelation calls this the Feast of Leviathan. *** God had sent his people into exile because of their sin against him, but he would then turn and destroy their enemies. For his own reputation, God would bring Israel home to live in peace in their own land. They would have accepted responsibility for their past sins and God will then display his holiness among them for all the nations to see. *** During the 25th year of their 70 year captivity, the Lord took him to the land of Israel and set him down on a very high mountain. He told him to pay close attention so he could go back and tell the people everything he saw. *** He saw a wall completely surrounding the Temple area. The man with him had a measuring rod that was ten and a half feet long. He used it to measure the wall which was as thick as the length of the rod and as tall. The man took Ezekiel to the eastern gateway and they climbed the steps to measure the gateway. It was the length of the rod. There were guaed alcoves on each side built into the wall. The alcoves were a rod square. Ever 5 cubits (8 3/4’) there was another alcove. This led to the entry room with was 14 feet across. There were three guard alcoves on each side of the passage way. *** The gateway was 87.5 feet long with windows between the guard alcoves. On the walls were carved palm trees. *** The outer courtyard of the Temple had a stone pavement along the walls and thirty rooms built against the walls, opening onto the pavement. The north wall was just like the one on the east. Seven steps lead from both gateways to the level of the inner courtyard. The distance between the two entrances was 175 feet. *** In James, he explains that faith and works go together. You can’t have one without the other. Abraham showed his faith by obeying what God told him to do. His faith was counted to him as righteousness and he was even called a friend of God. *** Rahab was another who showed her faith by hiding the men who came to spy out Jericho. Her actions saved her life physically and spiritually. *** James goes back to talking about how our words condemn us or our words save us. Our words determine the course of our lives. *** God’s wisdom leads us to live an honorable life of doing good works with humility. It is pure, loving, gentle and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. *** Lord, may we plant good seed and watch our words, that they honor you and mankind. May we honor the Temple of the Holy Spirit within our hearts.

Mon.’s Devo - The Valley of Dry Bones

Read: Ezekiel 37:1-38:23; James 1:19-2:17; Psalm 117:1-2; Proverbs 28:1 God led Ezekiel in the spirit to a valley filled with dry and scattered bones. He asked Ezekiel if the bones could become living people again. Ezekiel told God only He knew that answer. So God told Ezekiel to prophecy to the bones and tell them that God was going to put life and breath into them again. He was going to put flesh and muscles on them and cover them with skin. God’s breath would give them life. So as Ezekiel spoke this, the bones responded by coming together and forming complete skeletons, then forming muscles and flesh but they still had no breath. God told him to tell the winds to come and breathe into the bones, that they might come to life, and they did. They became a great army. *** God told Ezekiel that these bones represented the people of Israel. They were lifeless and had lost hope for their nation. Ezekiel was to tell them that God would bring them back to the land of Israel and when this happens, he will but His Sprit in them and they will live again. Then they would know that He is the Lord. *** Ezekiel was to take a piece of wood and carve the words of Judah and its southern tribes. He was to take another and it was to represent Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel. God was going to take the two sticks and join them as one nation. They would never again pollute themselves with idols and vile images and rebellion. God will save them and give them one king to rule over them. God would cleanse them and they would be his people and He would be their God. *** David will be their king and shepherd and they will obey his regulations and keep his decrees. They will live for generation after generation and David will be their prince forever. God will make a covenant of peace with them and increase their numbers and put his Temple among them forever. God will live among them and be their God and they will be his people. *** God told Ezekiel to face Gog of the land of Magog. Magog was the prince who ruled the nation of Meshech and Tubal. He was to tell them that God was their enemy and he will lead them out with their armies. Persia, Ethiopia and Libya will join them along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the north. They will come to attack Israel and plunder it. God said that they will cover the land of Israel like a cloud but God’s holiness would be displayed. His fury would shake in the land of Israel and everything alive would feel it. God would come and throw down the mountains and crumble the cliffs. Walls will fall down. They will turn their swords against each other and their armies would die with disease and blood shed. God would rain down hailstones and fire and sulfur like he did on Sodom and Gomorrah. They will know that God is the Lord. *** James tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get anger. He explains that human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. If we look carefully into God’s law it will set us free. We can’t claim to be godly and not control our tongue. Pure and real godliness means we care for the lowly and we refuse to let the world corrupt us. *** We cannot treat the rich more honorably than the poor. We must treat everyone the same and love others as we love ourselves. We will be judged according to how we judged others and we will receive the mercy we have given. By showing mercy, we are living out our faith. *** Lord, we pray your life and breath into the hopeless of our nation. We say that life will come from our brokenness and God’s spirit will revive us again.

Sun.’s Devo - God’s Great Love for Israel

Read: Ezekiel 35:36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27 Edom was considered one of Israel’s greatest rivals. They represent all the nations who hate Israel. They rejoiced when Israel fell and now they will fall and not recover. They will be punished for all their acts of anger, envy and hatred. When God gets finished with them they will know that God heard every evil word they spoke against Israel. Now, the whole earth will rejoice at their fall. *** Ezekiel was given a very encouraging word to the mountains of Israel. They had been been attacked from every direction and their land taken as plunder. Ezekiel was told to prophecy to the mountains and hills of Israel that they would produce heavy crops of fruit for the people who will be coming home. God promised to increase their population and rebuild their cities. They will become even more prosperous than they were before. *** The nation accused Israel of being a nation who devoured its people of their children, but that would never happen again. They had defiled their land with their evil life-style… with murder and idolatry, so God scattered them and punished them for their evil ways. The people of other nations said that God couldn’t keep them safe in their own land, bringing reproach on God’s name. So, God would bring them back to protect his name and show them how holy his name is. *** God will baptize them in holiness and give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them so that they will follow his decrees and obey him. They will be God’s people, and he will be their God. They will experience Gods’ blessing and prosperity. They will be repentant of their past. Their wasteland will be like the Garden of Eden. Everyone will know that the Lord is God. *** James writes his letter to the twelve tribes scattered across the world. He tells us that when troubles and tests come our way, we are to have great joy because it will help us grow in endurance. When our endurance is mature, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. *** When we need wisdom, all we have to do is ask, and God will give it to us. Our faith is what keeps us stable. We cannot have one foot in the world, and one in Christ. We must be totally devoted to Christ and his agenda. Our only boast is in Christ. *** God will bless the ones who patiently endure testing and temptation crowning them with life. When we are being tempted, it is never God who is doing it. We are tempted from our own desires which try to entice us away from God. The enemy’s goal is to draw us into sin that will lead to death. God is good and his gifts are good. He never changes. He chose to give us life and reminds us that we are his prized possessions. *** Lord, may our lives bring honor to You alone. Thank you for wisdom and testings and faith. May it produce righteous fruit in us.

Sat.’s Devo - The Watchmen

Read: Ezekiel 33:1-34:31; Hebrews 13:1-25; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 27: 21-22 A watchman was a person that was to watch for enemies armies that might come to attack the city. He was to watch and when he saw them coming, sound the warning to let the people know so they could prepare. Then it was the responsibility of the people to respond. If the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t respond, then he is held responsible for the fall of the whole city. *** In that same way, God made Ezekiel a watchman over the people of Israel. He was to warn them of what God was telling them and then it was up to them to respond accordingly. If he didn’t warn them, their lives would be on his hands. If he warned them and they did nothing, it was their own fault. *** God gave Ezekiel a message to tell the people to repent and stay on the right path. They would be held responsible for the state the Lord finds them in at the time. Their past good deeds would not save them if they were found living in sin. *** Ezekiel received news that Jerusalem had fallen. The people had been saying that since God had given Abraham the land of Israel, it was still theirs. But God said that since they lived in such sin and idolatry, they didn’t deserve to have the land. God was sending the sword and wild animals to kill them. *** God informed Ezekiel of how the people came to him to be entertained with his words, but they had no intention of repenting. They won’t be entertained when what he said comes to past. *** God had a word of rebuke to the shepherds who made sure they had all then needed, but didn’t share or take care of their flocks who looked to them for help. They took advantage of their position and preyed on their own people. God was holding them responsible and would take away their right to be their shepherd. God will rescue his flock himself and give them good pasture and tend to their needs. He will give them justice. God will judge them individually. He will make a covenant of peace with them and drive the danger away. God will shower his people with blessings, safety, and abundant harvests. They will no longer live in fear. They will know that the Lord is their God and their Shepherd. *** In Hebrews, God tells us to love one another and show kindness to strangers; some of them may be angels. We are to have compassion on those in prison whether it is physical or mental, or spiritual. *** We are to honor our marriage vows, not love money, and follow the example of our godly mentors. *** Jesus died outside the city gates to make us holy, so we must fellowship with him and bear the disgrace he bore because we will one day share in his glory. *** As children of God, we are generous and caring and want to live honorably in all we do. God will equip us with what we need to do his will. *** Lord may you produce in us every good thing that is pleasing to you. All glory to You forever and ever!

Fri.’s Devo - To The Pit

Read: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 27: 18-20 God had a message for proud Egypt and compared her to Assyria which was once like a cedar of Lebanon. Egypt had grown prosperous and mighty. All the great nations stood in its shadow and could not rival it. But, Egypt became proud and arrogant so it would be attacked by a foreign nation. All of its people were doomed to die and go to the pit. *** Ezekiel describes Assyria’s trip to the pit also. All the nations shook with fear when they fell. Egypt would lie there with all the other nations that God judged. *** On the first day of the 12th month of the 12th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity God spoke to Ezekiel a word for the Pharaoh of Egypt. He had thought of himself like a lion but God saw him as a sea monster. He would be caught in a net and the whole world would feast on his capture. When God blots out his life, the whole sky would be filled with darkness. His fall would cause other nations to fear for their lives. Egypt would fall to the Babylonians. *** Fourteen days later God gave Ezekiel another message. He told him to weep for Egypt and the other nations because God was about to send them to the pit. All the nations will lie in the pit together for their violent crimes. *** In Hebrews, the writer warns us not to live unholy lives because it will not go well for those who do. He spoke of the fear that Moses felt when he met God on Mt. Sinai. One day we will meet the Lord, and the assembly of God’s firstborn children whose names are written in the book, and Jesus, the one who mediated for us a better convent and to the blood which speaks of forgiveness instead of vengeance. *** We must live in the fear of the Lord because the ones who refused to listen to Moses did not escape. We too must fear God’s shaking. If we remain in Christ, we will be unshakable. *** Lord, we trust your plan for the earth and the kingdoms of the world. We pray your guidance and wisdom to all who rule in righteousness and integrity. Help those in positions of power know what to do to fight evil and restore peace to our earth.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Fall of Egypt

Read: Ezekiel 29:1-30:26; Hebrews 11:32-12:13; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 27:17 On the 12th day of the 10th month of the 10th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity to Babylon God have Ezekiel this message to Egypt. This was almost exactly one year from the time God told Ezekiel that Babylon was going to begin its attack against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24:1,2). *** God called Egypt a great monster that lurked in the Nile. God was going to drag its people with hooks from their land and leave them stranded in the wilderness to die. Israel had come to her for help but Egypt had only hurt them. Egypt would remain uninhabited for forty years and its survivors scattered throughout the earth. At the end of the forty years, God would bring the Egyptians home again and restore their prosperity. But, Egypt would remain a minor kingdom and never rise above its neighbors. Israel would not depend upon Egypt’s help again. What happened to Egypt would be a reminder of how foolish it was for Israel to depend on Egypt in the first place, when The Sovereign Lord was their God. *** Nebuchadnezzar would carry off the wealth of Egypt to pay his army. It would be their reward for working for the Lord. Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia and all Arabia will hear of Egypt’s destruction and be horrified. They will be destroyed too. *** Two months later, God gave Ezekiel another prophecy about Egypt, confirming the first one. Egypt’s Pharaoh would fall to Babylon’s king. Egyptians would be scattered throughout the earth and they would know that God is Lord. *** In Hebrews we read of the ones who did great miracles and saw great victories and those who died a martyr’s death and never saw all the things they had been promised because we must complete them. They are now a great crowd in heaven that witness our race to finish what was begun in their lifetime. *** Jesus endured the cross because he knew what it would do for us in the future. His joy would come from seeing us benefit from his death and suffering. *** The writer reminds us of Jesus’ encouraging words that he disciplines those he loves. In other words, he will lovingly help us walk the walk that Jesus walked. When he disciplines us it is always for our good even if it doesn’t feel good at the time. After disciplining us, he encourages us to get back up and begin again with God’s strength. *** Lord, may we welcome your discipline in our lives and remember all you have done for us. May we continue the race that others have started with victory, passing the baton to those who come behind us. Thank you that You are the prize at the end.

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Gift of Faith

Read: Ezekiel 27:1-28:26; Hebrews 11:17-31; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 27:15-16 Ezekiel was told by God to sing a funeral song for Tyre. Tyre was the center of trade to the world. Tyre was divided into two parts. Old Tyre was on an island about a half mile off the shore. New Tyre was on the shore. They both received merchandise from all over the world. King Solomon got lumber and precious stones and artisans from Tyre to build the Temple. It was also known for its skilled archers and its sages. But, most of all, it was know for its pride and arrogance. *** God compared it to a ship that was in a storm that would take it down. Pride, beauty and power is no match for God. Ezekiel gave a message to the prince of Tyre (28:1-10). This was to the man who ruled in the flesh. He thought he was a god. Then Ezekiel gave a word to the king of Tyre (28:11-19) which was really a message to the principality over Tyre, which was Lucifer, himself. He describes Lucifer in the garden of Eden and his beauty before he fell. Lucifer was one of the cherubim of God, a guardian who had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. His pride led him to violence and sin so God banished him from his place of honor. He was thrown down to slither on the ground. As the ruler of nations and especially, Tyre where he ruled, God would destroy her with fire - a precursor of what the end will be for Satan in the lake of fire. *** Ezekiel’s attention was drawn to Sidon. Sidon was named for its founder who was the first born of Canaan in Genesis 10:15. It was famous for its fisheries and like Tyre it had great shops of glass and precious stones. Judgement was coming to her by way of a plague. They would be attacked from every direction and its people would be slaughtered. *** God promised to bring his people back and they would live safely in their own land. First, God had to punish all the nations around them so that they would know that He was God. *** In Hebrews, we continue reading about the people who had great faith. Abraham offered Isaac to God as a sacrifice even though he knew Isaac was the child God had promised his descendants would come through. He believed God could raise him from the dead. *** Isaac blessed his sons Jacob and Esau with promises of the future. Jacob passed on this blessing to his sons before he was about to die. Joseph commanded that they take his bones with them to the promised land so he would sleep in his promised land. *** By faith in God, Moses’ parents believed that their child was not to die under the edict of the king and they kept him hidden. They allowed him to be raised by the king of Egypt because they believed he had a purpose for his people. This seed of faith grew in Moses and when he was grown he refused to be called by the Pharoah’s name and chose to share in the oppression of his people. He met God in the wilderness and devoted his life to serving him. He told his people to observe the Passover sprinkling blood on their doorposts. They were saved from death and Moses led Israel through the Red Sea into freedom. All the Egyptians who tried to kill them drown in the Sea. *** It was by faith that Joshua had the people march around Jericho seven times and the walls came crashing down. It was Rahab’s faith that saved her and her family from death. *** And it is by faith that we believe in a God we have never seen with our eyes but felt in everything God has made. Faith is a gift we have been given and it is most precious of all gifts. *** Lord, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you that we are of those you chose to redeem. May we honor that gift of salvation by choosing to follow you in all we do. You are our God, the Holy One.

Tues.’s Devo - By Faith…

Read: Ezekiel 24:1-26:21; Hebrews 11:1-16; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 27:14 During the ninth year of King Jehoiachin’s, captivity, the tenth day of the tenth month, the Lord gave Ezekiel a message and told him him to date it. On this day the king of Babylon is beginning his attack against Jerusalem. He was to illustrate what was going to happen by filling a pot with choice pieces of meat and the most tender cuts and some water. He was to put it on the fire and bring it to a boil. He explained to them that the pot was them. The meat in it were the people they had murdered. Then, he was to take the meat out and splash the water on the rocks to show that her sins were about to be exposed. Next, he was to cook the empty pot until it was red hot to burn away the filth and corruption. But, it would not be cleansed, because they had refused to repent of their sins and could not be cleansed. *** God would have no pity on them. To show this, God told Ezekiel, He would take away Ezekiel’s dearest treasure and he must not show any outward grief. He told the people this and that evening, his wife died. This was a picture to the people that God was going to take away their greatest treasure which was the Temple. With it God would take away their sons and daughters and they will know that he is the Lord. *** God spoke a word to the land of Ammon because they rejoiced when Jerusalem fell. Nomads would come from he east and overrun their country. They would take their harvest and all their livelihood. They would no longer be a nation. *** God spoke to Moab and accused them of being just like all the other nations. They would be handed over to the same nomads the Ammonites were and would no longer be a nation. *** The people of Edom had repeatedly fought against the people of Judah, so God would wipe out their people and make their land a wasteland. *** The people of Philistia took bitter revenge on Judah, so the Lord would wipe them out and destroy them. *** During the first day of the 11th month of the 12th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity God have Ezekiel a message for Tyre. They had rejoiced when Jerusalem fell, thinking they would get rich with the trade that usually came to Jerusalem. God would bring many nations against her and they would destroy her walls and tear down her towers. She would end up being a rock for fishermen to lay their nets. *** God would bring Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre to destroy her and plunder her riches. It will send out a ripple of fear to the other kings along the coastline. Tyre would be sent to the pit never to be found again. *** Today in Hebrews we begin to read the “faith chapter”. The definition of faith is hoping for something we can’t see ,as if it has already manifested. Faith, gave the people in the Old Testament favor and honor. We were not there when God spoke the world into existence, but we believe it happened, by faith, because the Bible tells us it happened that way. Abel gave his offering to the Lord with the faith that he could please God through it. *** God took Enoch and he bypassed death because he pleased God and it is impossible to please God without faith. Noah built a boat in the wilderness by faith. His faith in God, condemned the world and saved his family. *** Abraham’s faith called him to leave home and go to a land he had never been and live there in tents. He had a promise from God to a city that God had built for him. His children Isaac and his son, Jacob inherited the same promise. *** Abraham’s wife, Sarah was old and barren but she believed the promise God gave Abraham that a nation would come from him. *** All of them believed unto death and never saw the promise given them, but they believed it would eventually come. They could have returned home, but they continued to look for the heavenly homeland God had prepared for them. God was proud to be called their God and he did prepare a city for them, and they will inherit it. *** Lord, may our faith in You bring you great pleasure and joy. We trust in your deliverance and great blessings. We believe you have great plans for our future and the future of our nation and the nations of the world. May your people find hope and rest in your promises.

Mon.’s Devo - God is Our Hope

Read: Ezekiel 23:1-49; Hebrews 10:18-39; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 27:13 Ezekiel gives a very graphic description of Israel and Judah comparing them to prostitutes. Samaria, capital of Israel, had so admired the uniforms of the Babylonians. She not only admired their uniforms and the men who wore them but she lusted after their gods. She had never lost her love for Egypt’s gods when Moses led her out of Egypt. *** So, God turned her over to the gods of the Babylonians. Their gods called for the sacrifice of their children. They ended up captured by the Babylonians. *** Judah watched what happened to Israel and instead of turning away, they followed in her footsteps, even worse. Judah had solicited the Babylonians as an ally when Egypt was attacking them. Then they stopped paying Babylon their tribute, so Babylon came to attack with vengeance. Then, Judah went running to Egypt for help against the Babylonians. They never thought to ask for God’s help. What happened to Israel would happen to them. They would be captured by Babylon. *** God told Ezekiel to call out their sins. Their idolatry had caused them to murder their own flesh and blood and to worship their gods. They would offer their children as sacrifices to Molech then go into the Temple to worship God. God was disgusted with their worship. *** God said that righteous people would judge the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem for their adultery and murder. They will be turned over to be terrorized and plundered. They would be butchered with swords and their homes burned. In Hebrews, we learn that there no longer a need for a sacrifice since Jesus completed that on the cross. So, since we now have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, we can come boldly into the presence of the Lord. The blood of Christ cleansed our consciences and made us clean. We are to think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. To do this we must not neglect meeting together. If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer a sacrifice to cover our sins. The punishment for that will be great. God will take revenge and judge his own people. *** We must endure till the end so that we can receive our great reward. We must remain the faithful ones whose souls will be saved. *** Lord, may we with confidence stand firm against all the deceitful wiles of the enemy. May we turn to you every time we are afraid or confused. You are the stable rock in which we have salvation and life.

Sun.’s Devo - Death Leads to Life!

Read: Ezekiel 21:1-22:31; Hebrews 10:1-17; Psalm 108:1-13;Proverbs 27:12 God told Ezekiel he was about to unsheath his sword and destroy the righteous and wicked of Jerusalem. He told Ezekiel to go out and groan like he had just heard terrible news, because he had. Soon, everyone would be groaning in fear and terror. He was to tell them that all were about to die. Then he was to take a sword and brandish it three time to symbolized how great a massacre they were facing. God was about to satisfy his fury on them. *** God told Ezekiel to make a map and trace two routs for the army of Babylon to follow. When they came to the fork and had to decide whether to choose the road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, or the one going to Jerusalem, the lot would fall on Jerusalem. The day of reckoning was here. *** Ezekiel was to prophecy to the mocking Ammonites and tell them their prophets had lied to them. They would be destroyed also. They would be handed over to cruel men skilled in destruction and they would be utterly wiped out. *** Ezekiel was to list the sins of Jerusalem which is found in Chapter 22. The list could have America’s name on it. The list is too long for me to put in this blog but when you read it, pray for America that we would repent and confess our sins. They were a polluted land with very corrupt leaders just like ours. Their prophets covered up for them just like our media covers the sins of our evil leaders. The difference between their dilemmas and ours is that God did find a righteous man to stand in the gap and that man is Donald Trump. He is the one who is saving our nation along with many others standing behind him and the righteous people in our nation who have repented for the sins of our nation. Instead of going into bondage and judgment, we are about to be delivered out of our bondage. ***Hebrews explains that they were coming out of the old system that was only a picture of the good things God was brining in the new covenant. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were to remind them of the sins and it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away their sins. But, the blood of Christ cancelled the first covenant and put the better one into effect. Jesus offered himself as a single sacrifice which forever takes away our sins. He puts his laws in our hearts and remembers our sins no more. Hallelujah! *** Lord, we are so grateful to you for what you are doing to cleanse our nation of its idolatry. May justice be in our streets and may wickedness have no more power over us. We will be your people, and you will be our God.

Sat.’s Devo - The Power of the Blood

Read: Ezekiel 20:1-49; Hebrews 9:11-28; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 27:11 Seven years after Jehoiachin had been captured, some of the leaders of Israel came to Ezekiel to ask for a message from the Lord. The Lord told him to tell them, “how dare you come to ask me for a message? I will tell you nothing.” Then God told Ezekiel to list their sins. When God brought them out of Egypt, he told them to get rid of their vile images and Egyptian idols because He was the Lord. But they wouldn’t listen and they rebelled and wouldn’t give up their Egyptian gods. God didn’t destroy them in Egypt for his own name sake. He brought them out and then gave then his laws and regulations. *** The people rebelled and refused to obey his laws. They violated his Sabbath days. God threatened to destroy them all in the wilderness, but to protect his name, he held back his fury. He warned their children not to follow the idolatry of their parents but they too rebelled and refused to keep God’s decrees and obey the Lord. *** So, God scattered them among all the nations because they wound’t obey his regulations. God gave them over to their sins He allowed them to give their firstborn children to their gods, when in Egypt he had saved their firstborn children from the death angel. God redeemed the first born to be his, not Molech’s. They engaged in all sorts of idolatry and pagan rituals. Now, will he allow them to come to him for a message? No, he would tell them nothing. *** They said they wanted to be like the nations all around them, but that would never happen. God would rule them with an iron fist in anger and awesome power. God would purge all who rebelled and revolted against him, but they would never enter the land of Israel again. *** God told then to go ahead and worship their idols but one day they will obey him and stop bringing shame on his name by worshiping idols. They will one day worship him on his holy mountain and He will accept them. He will bring them back from exile and accept their worship. The world will watch as God displays his holiness through the nation of Israel. They will regret the way they treated the Lord and repent. They will know that He is the Lord and honor his name. *** God told Ezekiel to turn and face the south and speak against the brush lands of the Negev. He was to tell them that the Lord was going to set them on fire. Everyone in the world would see that the Lord had set this place on fire. *** Ezekiel complained to the Lord that the people were saying he was speaking in riddles. *** Jesus Christ has now become the High Priest over all the "the good things to come," Hebrews 10:1; "better promises," (Hebrews 8:6; the "eternal inheritance," Hebrews 9:15; 1Pe 1:4; the "things hoped for," Hebrews 11:1). He has entered the Tabernacle in heaven with his own blood and secured our redemption forever. *** Under the old testament, the blood of goats and bulls could cleanse the people’s bodies from impurity, so how much more can the blood of Christ purify our consciences from sin, allowing us to worship God. Christ’s blood set us free from the penalty of the sins they committed under the first covenant. *** He explains that a will can only go into effect when the person who gave it dies. The first covenant went into effect with the death of animals. Under Moses’ law everything was cleansed with blood. Since the Tabernacle was a copy of the real things in heaven, the Tabernacle in heaven had to be cleansed by blood. Jesus cleansed heaven with his blood once and for all. He will come again to bring salvation to all who are waiting for him. *** Lord, thank you for being such a perfect and loving God. Thank you for redeeming us from sin and giving us a heart to know you and love you. We patiently await your coming. May we be busy doing your will as we wait.

Fri.’s Devo - The Consequences of Sin

Read: Ezekiel 18:1-19:14; Hebrews 9:1-10; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 27:10 The people of Judah had a saying, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” It meant that whatever the parents did, the next generation would pay the consequence. God wanted them to know that he didn’t judge that way; whoever sinned paid the consequence. The next generation could decide not to join in the sins of their parents and they would not die because of their sin, they would be rewarded for their righteousness. *** Ezekiel begged them to turn from their unrighteousness and do good, so it would go well for them. He gave them a funeral song to sing about the princes or kings of Judah. The mother lion is Judah. She begat Jehoiachin who led the way in heathen worship. He had a son named Jehoahaz who joined in his father’s sins and was taken with hooks to Egypt. Jehoiakim was put in his place as king. He was evil also, and did much destruction. He was attacked by the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites and the Ammonites. Jehoiakim and most of the people were taken to Babylon as captives. *** He reminded them of what they used to be: lush and prosperous, but they had been uprooted in God’s fury and transplanted to the wilderness where its fruits had dried up. *** Hebrews describes the first Tabernacle. It had two rooms. In the first room were a lamp stand, a table with the shewbread. This room was called the Holy Place. A curtain separated it from the Most Holy Place. In it were the gold incense altar and the Ark of the Covenant which contained the gold jar of manna and Aaron’s staff that sprouted and the stone tablets containing God’s covenant with them. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place once a year on the the Day of Atonement. He had to offer sacrifices first for himself and the sins of the people. The entrance to the Most Holy Place was not open to the public as long as the Tabernacle and its system was in order. That system dealt with the physical regulations of cleansing until a better covenant could be made. *** Lord, thank you for the better covenant we have in Christ. May we remember that our lives do affect the generations after us. May we be examples of righteousness that they would want to follow in. Forgive us for our sins and cleanse our land.

Thurs.’s Devo - Zedekiah’s Pride

Read: Ezekiel 16:42-17:24; Hebrews 8:1-13; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 27:7-9 At last, God is finished pouring out his fury. He explains how wicked Israel was but then Judah became even more corrupt. God states that Sodom’s sin was pride. She was full of abundance yet refused to help the poor and needy. Samaria, the capital of Israel didn’t commit half the sins Sodom did, but Jerusalem did more abominations than Sodom. Those in Jerusalem justified the sins of Israel. One day they will all return and will have to bear the shame of their sins. *** They broke their covenant with the Lord and worshipped other idols and did all sorts of abominations, but God would remember his convent and keep his part, making them very ashamed of their sins. *** Ezekiel gave them a parable of the great eagle, Nebuchadnezzar who came and took charge over Jerusalem. He allowed Zedekiah (the seedling) to rule them. Judah would prosper, but not be elevated. Zedekiah went to Egypt (another great eagle) for help to throw off Babylon’s power. When Babylon saw that Zekekiah was not grateful to Babylon for letting them live in moderate prosperity and that they had gone to Egypt to get help, they attacked and easily won. They uprooted Judah and took them to Babylon. It ended with, “It (Jerusalem) will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well.” That was Judah’s fate. *** Then Ezekiel explains the parable. Judah broke their treaty with Babylon just as they broke their treaty with God. In the end, they would know that God was the Supreme God over all. He would take a branch from the top of Israel’s highest mountain and it would become a majestic cedar with branches that give seed and shelter to all the birds. All the trees will know that the Lord has done this. He is referring to Jesus who will come from heaven and be the best leader of all. He wold bring life to things that were dead, exalt whoever he wills, and humbles who he wills. *** Hebrews explains the Tabernacle in heaven. Moses was told to build the tabernacle on earth just like the Tabernacle in heaven according to its pattern. The high priest was required to bring his own offering which is why Jesus brought himself as his offering. The earthly priests carried out the office that the heavenly priests did. Now Jesus is our High Priest and his office is much more important than the earthly priests was and he mediated for us a much better covenant than those in Moses’ day had. In the new covenant, God writes his laws upon our hearts and minds and we are God’s people. Everyone knows the Lord and God forgives our sins and does not bring them to remembrance again. The old covenant will soon disappear. *** Lord, thank you for forgiving our sins and giving us a new and better covenant through Jesus. Jesus, you are our perfect High Priest. Thank you for making intercession for us.

I just heard the election results and I am so thankful and grateful. Now it is time to rebuild, restore and mend hearts. THey want us to think that our nation is so divided, but I think it has never been so united. I wouldn't look at the numbers because we know there was so much tampering and illegals voting. I believe that Trump won by a landslide and that our nation wants the same thing, which is peace, love and the right to be free. I pray that our hearts and mouths will speak healing words today and not divisive, "I told you" words. We are in this as a nation. May God get the victory and may our nation return to him. Halleluiah!!!!

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Judgment

Read: Ezekiel 14:12-16:41; Hebrews 7:18-28; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 27:4-6 God gave Ezekiel a scenario of a nation that sinned against him and God was determined to judge them either by cutting off their food supply or sending wild animals to kill them, or by war, or an epidemic. Even if the three most righteous people who have ever lived - Noah, Daniel, and Job - lived in that country, God would only save them. *** Then God asked Ezekiel how a grapevine compares to a tree. The wood from a vine is only good for fuel for fire but a tree is good for furniture and so many other purposes. The people of Jerusalem were like the wood of the grapevine - they were good for nothing but fire. If they don’t burn in the first fire, they will fall into another. *** God gave Ezekiel another message. He took Israel from nothing and made them into a great nation. He blessed them with riches and honor and gave them the best land. He gave them chance after chance to turn to him and do good, but they always chose evil. They took God’s glory for themselves and thought they had made themselves great. They worshipped worthless idols and sacrificed their own children to these idols. They committed fornication with every false god of other nations they could find. ***Because they did this, God was going to give them to the nations they worshiped and wanted to be like. They would destroy all their idols and strip them of their wealth. They would kill them in war and humiliate them in front of their women. God would stop their tribute being paid to other nations to protect them. *** The teacher in Hebrew continues to explain that the old priesthood was weak because it wasn’t able to make anything perfect or sinless. Jesus brought us the new and better covenant. Jesus as our high priest lives forever to intercede for us. He is holy and blameless and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices first for himself because he already did that when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. *** The law appointed priests who were not perfect, but then God appointed Jesus to be our perfect High Priest forever. *** Thank you that we live under the new covenant and have a perfect High Priest to intercede for us. We pray for our nation and the nations of the world that you would have grace and mercy. We are looking to you as the Savior and the Lord of Heaven’s Armies to defeat our enemies and give us back our nation.

Tues.’s Devo - Our Eternal High Priest

Read: Ezekiel 12:1-14:11; Hebrews 7:1-17; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 27:3 A message came to Ezekiel while he was in Jerusalem to show him what was going to happen to the people in the city. He was told to pack a bag like he was going into captivity. He brought his baggage outside during the day so they could see him. Then in the evening, he began a long march. He was to dug a hole through the wall and went through it. Then he put the pack on his shoulders and covered his face so he could not see the land he was leaving. *** The next morning, he spoke to the people and told the people that this was a message for King Zedekiah. It was a picture of what he would be doing soon. He would try to escape this way and be captured but never see the land he was taken to. His servants and warriors would be scattered and eventually killed, but a remnant would be taken to Babylon and confess all their sins to them. *** This exact scenario played out. When the leaders heard that Babylonians had come through the wall. Zedekiah and the leaders tried to escape through a hole in the wall. They were captured and his eyes were put out so he went to Babylon but never saw it. *** Ezekiel proclaimed that there would be no more false prophecies of escape for them. God will deal with the false prophets. They followed their imagination and not the Lord. They prophesied false visions and made lying predictions and would be banished from Israel. They would have their names blotted out of Israel’s record books and will never return to the land. They prophesied peace when God was saying, ‘war’. *** God told Ezekiel to expose the women who prophesied from their own imaginations. They ensnared the souls of the people and taught them magic. They prophesied discouraged the righteous that God said would live and promised life to the wicked, encouraging them in their sin. *** They sold magic charms to wear as bracelets for a few handfuls of barley. God would tear these bracelets from their arms and set them free from being their victims. *** Some of the leaders of Israel came to visit Ezekiel to hear what he would say to them. God told him to tell them that they had set up idols in their hearts. They embraced things that would make them fall into sin. God would reject all who do this and then come to the prophet for advice. God would turn against all who do this and make an example of them in a terrible way. They would be eliminated. All the false prophets and those who listen to them will be punished. The will learn not to stray from the Lord. *** In Hebrews, it tells us that Melchizedek was a priest of God from the city of Salem (Peace). Melchizedek met Abraham after he defeated the kings of evil. Melchizedek blessed Abraham and in turn Abraham gave him one tenth of his spoils. Melchizedek was not of this world and had no mother or father on earth. He is an eternal being who served God as a priest. *** Abraham recognized the greatness of Melchizedek when he gave him his tithe. Later, in the law of Moses this became a requirement of the people to give the priests a tenth of their produce. Melchizedek was greater than Abraham because he blessed him and was greater than the priests because he never dies. So if the priesthood was not perfect and eventually died, and had to tithe to someone greater, God needed to establish a different priesthood after the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Aaron or Levi. *** Jesus was coming to be the perfect High Priest forever and he wasn’t from the tribe of Levi, but the tribe of Judah, so the law had to be changed. We will read more about this tomorrow. *** Lord, may we listen to the right report and hear your voice plainly. Thank you for being our High Priest and interceding for us. Salvation belongs to you!

Mon.’s Devo - God’s Spirit Leaves the Temple

Read: Ezekiel 10:1-11:25; Hebrews 6:1-20; Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 27:1-2 God spoke to the man in linen who had marked the people of righteousness. He told him to take of handful of burning coals from the living creature and scatter them over the city. Ezekiel watched him do this. *** The man in linen entered the south entrance of the Temple and the inner courtyard filled with a cloud of glory. The sound of God’s glory could be heard in the outer courtyard. *** God told the man in linen to get more coals from between the wheels of the living creature and the man took them out of the Temple. When it describes the four cherubim this time there was no rainbow and the cherubim and the wheels were covered with eyes, including there hands, and the faces had changed in order. The ox was in the front this time. They flew out the east gate of the Lord’s Temple, taking the glory of God with them. *** The Spirit of God took Ezekiel to the east gateway of the Temple where he saw 25 prominent men of the city. Among them were Jaazaniah and Pelatiah who were princes of the people. These men were planning evil and telling the people to build houses because the city was as safe as an iron pot. Ezekiel was to prophesy against them. He told them that they had murdered many in the city. This city was an iron pot but not for safety; it was full of the victims of their injustice. They would be judged for lying to the people and for their sins. The sword they so greatly feared will come against them. While Ezekiel was prophesying this, Pelatiah fell down dead. Pelatiah means “Jehovah’s way of escape.” Death, for them, would be their only way of escape. Ezekiel immediately fell down praying for mercy. God told Ezekiel what the people left in Jerusalem were saying about them. They were saying that since these people had been taken away, they could now own their land. God says that he would protect those taken into captivity and bring them back to their land. When they return, they will remove all the vile detestable idols and God will put a new spirit within them. He will give them a heart to serve the Lord. Then they will truly be the Lord’s people. *** The cherubim that took the glory of the Lord from the Temple rose into the air and left the city. It stopped above the mountain to the east. Then, God took Ezekiel back to Babylon where he told the exiles all he had seen. *** In Hebrews, the teacher was ready to go on to more mature matters than the foundations of our faith. He explains that once a person has known the goodness of the Lord and experienced his power and then turned away from him, it is impossible to bring him back. He gives us the example of a field that bears a good crop and a field that bears only thorns and thistles. The farmer will soon burn the field of thorns because it is unproductive. That is the same of people. *** He then commends the ones who have worked hard in God’s field and loved their fellow believers. He encourages them to keep their hope alive and endure through the hard times putting their faith in God who is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. God has given us his promise and his oath so we must with confidence believe him. *** Lord, we believe your promises because you have proven to us over and over again that you are faithful and true.

Sun.’s Devo - The Idolatry of Jerusalem

Read: Ezekiel 7:1-9:11; Hebrews 5:1-14; Psalm 105:1-15; Proverbs 26:28 Ezekiel heard a message from the Lord that said the end was here. All hope was gone and it was time for God’s wrath to be poured out on his people for their detestable sins. God would send disaster after disaster until they were all destroyed. No one who was twisted by sin would survive. *** Jerusalem was experiencing war outside the walls and famine and disease within the city. The soldiers had given up hope and refused to gather for battle. The things they once held dear meant nothing to them now. God had brought the most ruthless of nations against them to break through their pride and their fortresses. The evil they had done to others would now fall on them. They will receive the punishment due them. *** During the sixth year of Jehoachin’s captivity the leaders of Judah were in Ezekiel’s house in Babylon where they had been taken into exile. Ezekiel saw a vision of a man with fire from his waist down. His upper torso looked like gleaming amber. He reached out and took Ezekiel by the hair and took him to Jerusalem in a vision. He was taken to the north gate of the Temple where he was shown a large idol that made the Lord very jealous. It was the grove of Astarte, set up by Manasseh as a rival to Jehovah in His temple. It was the Syrian Venus, worshipped with licentious rites; the "queen of heaven," wife of Phoenician Baal. All who came to worship the Lord had to pass by this scene. *** Next, the angel took Ezekiel to the door of the Temple courtyard where he could see a hole in the wall. He was told to dig through the wall where he found a hidden doorway. He was told to go in and look. He saw the walls covered with engravings of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. Seventy of the elders were there with Jaazaniah in the center. These were the religious leaders who were suppose to be guarding the Temple from idolatry. The one whose name means “Jehovah will listen” was standing in the midst of them to show that God was hearing everything they said. Instead of keeping the people from idolatry, they entered into the rituals to Tammuz. *** Tammuz was a Sumerian shepherd who married the goddess Ishtar. When he died, fertility ceased on Earth. Since he was a vegetation deity, the women of Judah were weeping for him in order to restore fertility by bringing him back from the dead. They would turn their back on the Temple to face the east and worship the sun. In the King James version verse 17 says they provoked the Lord’s anger by ‘putting the branch to their nose.’ This was a cedar branch which was the symbol of immortality associated with the cult of Tammuz. To inhale the cedar was supposed to give life-giving powers to revive Tammuz. *** God then called forth six men who carried a battle-ax in their hand. One of them was clothed in linen and had a writer’s horn at his side. The glory of the Lord left the Temple and God sent the men throughout the city of Jerusalem to mark the foreheads who cried over the abominations of the Temple. They were to kill all who didn’t receive the mark. *** Ezekiel cried out for mercy, but the Lord would have none. He would recompense everyone’s sins upon their own head. *** In Hebrews, God explains the office of the high priest. He must be called by God like Jesus was. He must first offer sacrifices for his own sins, then he could offer them for others. *** Jesus learned to obey God through the things he suffered. He offered him self as the sacrifice for all sins. God qualified him to be the perfect High Priest in the order of Melchizedek which was God’s priest in heaven. *** The writer gives the definition of a mature Christian - one who has trained himself to recognize the difference between right and wrong. *** Lord, may we train ourselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Thank you for being our High Priest and for making atonement for our sins. We worship You, alone!

Sat.’s Devo - Ezekiel’s Responsibility

Read: Ezekiel 3:16-6:14; Hebrews 4:1-16; Psalm 104:24-35; Proverbs 26:27 Yesterday we read where Ezekiel had been taken by the spirit to the exiles in Tel-abib, beside the Kebar River. He sat for seven days until the Lord gave him a message to speak. God told him that when he received a message from him, he was to give it immediately. If he didn’t give the warning, then he would be held responsible for their deaths. But, if he warned them of what was coming, he would be saved and their fate would be their own fault. *** Ezekiel was taken to a valley where God visited him. He told him to go home and shut himself up. He would be tied with ropes and not able to speak until God have him a message. *** Then Ezekiel was given scenes to act out to show the people that they were going to go under a siege that would be very harsh. He was to bear Israel’s sins for 390 days and Judah’s for 40 in proportion to their evil. When you add the numbers, it comes to 430, which is a number well known to the Israelites because they were in the wilderness for exactly 430 years, to the day. It is a number associated with punishment because of rebellion. *** Ezekiel was given another scene of rationing food to show them the famine that was coming. He was suppose to make it over human dung to show that they would eat defiled bread in the land of the Gentiles where God would banish them. *** Next, Ezekiel was to do a scene representing what would happen to Jerusalem because of her rebellion. A third of them will die in the fire, a third of them will be scattered to other nations and a third of them will die by the war. The fire will spread to destroy all of Israel. *** The people will resort to cannibalism to stay alive, even eating those of their own household. Along with the famine, wild animals will attack them and take their children. *** Ezekiel was told to face the mountains of Israel and pronounce the end of their pagan shrines and altars of incense. They would all be smashed and destroyed. Only a few people would escape the war that was coming. Then, they will know that God is Lord of all. *** In Hebrews, God’s promise of entering into his rest is still offered to us. We enter into this rest by having faith in the Lord. Disobedience will keep us from entering. God rested on the seventh day from his work of creating the world and man. We, too can enter into God’s rest if we obey God. The Word of God is like a sword that cuts and divides our soul from our spirit, our joints from the marrow and cuts between our thoughts and our intentions. We cannot hide anything from the Lord. *** Jesus is our great High Priest who understands our weaknesses because he was a man with the same weaknesses we have, yet he did not sin. We can boldly come to the throne of God and receive mercy and grace in our time of need also. *** Lord, thank you for your prophets who gave their lives to give your word. May we be as devoted to obey you no matter the consequences. Thank you, Jesus, for being our High Priest who is our way to rest. May we enter into your rest.

Fri.’s Devo - Ezekiel’s Calling

Read: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19: Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 26:24-26 When he turned 30, the priest, Ezekiel was taken hold of by God to be a prophet to God’s people in exile. He was with the exiles beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians when he had his first vision. He saw a great storm coming from the north that flashed with lightning and shone like a brilliant light. He saw fire in the cloud and in the middle of the fire came four living beings that looked human except they each had four faces and four wings. Their feet were hooves like a calf and they had human hands under their wings. *** The face in the front was a face of a man; the face on the right was a lion; on the left was an ox head and the one behind had the face of an eagle. They had two pairs of wings and their wings touched each others. They moved in all directions according to the spirit leading them, never having to turn. They were made of light and darted like lightning. *** When they touched the ground they had wheels with another wheel crossed within that wheel. The wheels were covered with eyes. There was a crystal cloud above them and their wings sounded like waves, or God’s voice, or the shouting of an army. *** When they stopped, they lowered their wings and a voice came from the cloud above them. Ezekiel saw the Lord in the cloud above them. He glowed brightly with a rainbow around him. Ezekiel feel face down on the ground. *** The voice spoke and told him to stand. God told him he was sending him to the nation of rebellious Israel. He was not to be afraid of the people though they will not listen to him because they were so rebellious. He gave him scroll with funeral sons and pronouncements of doom and told him to eat it. When Ezekiel ate it it tasted sweet like honey. God would make him as determined as Israel was rebellious. He was to give them God’s word whether they wanted to hear it or not. *** The Lord lifted Ezekiel and took him to a colony of the Judean exiles by the Kebar River. For seven days, Ezekiel sat overwhelmed. *** In Hebrews, Jesus is compared to Moses, but he was much greater. Both were faithful to do what God had called them to do. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Jesus was faithful as a son. Moses set the stage of what Jesus would come and fulfill. Moses endured the rebellion of God’s children in the wilderness. The writer of Hebrews warns us not to be rebellious like they were. They refused to enter into God’s rest, but we don’t need to let that happen to us. *** The children of Israel heard God’s voice and rebelled anyway. God had led them out of slavery with signs and wonders and God was so angry with them he let them die in the wilderness. They never got to see his promises for them. They were filled with unbelief which led to their death physically and spiritually. *** Lord, may we keep our hearts soft and tender towards you. May we walk in what you have called us to do and finish the assignment. May we eat your words and may they be the fuel with which we live, move and have our being.