Wed.’s Devo - By Faith -

Read: Ezekiel 24:1-26:21; Hebrews 11:1-16; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 27:14 Ezekiel was 300 miles away from Jerusalem and predicted the very day the Babylonians would reach Jerusalem and start their siege. *** Ezekiel was told to put a pot on the fire and fill it with choice pieces of meat. He had already prophesied that the city was like an iron pot and the people were the meat (Ezekiel 11:3). Now he was illustrating it. He took out pieces randomly to show that they will all be treated the same. Their blood will be splashed on the rocks. When the pot was empty he was to let it continue to burn over the fire to burn out all the impurities. This was to show the severity and longevity of their judgment. *** Then the Lord said that he would take away Ezekiel’s dearest treasure and he was not to show any sorrow on the outside. He must hold it in. He told the people that morning, and that night his wife died. He could not even accept any food brought by friends. When the people asked what all this meant he told them that God would defile their Temple, their source of pride and safety and love. Their children left in Judah would all be killed by the sword. They will not be able to mourn or weep but will realize it was their sins that caused this. *** God gave Ezekiel words for Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre. Because Ammon and Moab rejoiced when they saw Jerusalem fall, the same thing will happen to them. Because Edom and Philistia hated Israel, they would be wiped out. Tyre also rejoiced at Judah’s downfall. They had been the trade route to the rest of the world. Many nations would come and destroy them. Nebuchadnezzar would destroy them till nothing was left but the rock they built on. They would never rebuild. All of these nations would come to know that God is the Lord. *** Hebrews Eleven is the “Hall of Faith.” First we are given a definition of faith which is the reality of what we hope for. It is evidence of what has not yet manifested. Faith is what people were measured by in the Old Testament and is still our measurement. We believe everything by faith. By faith we believe that God created the earth by his word. By faith Abel offered the perfect sacrifice as a type of Christ. By faith, Enoch by-passed death to go to heaven. He was a picture of Christ defeating death. By faith, Noah built his ark to save them from death, because he believed what God told him. Noah was a type of Christ who is the Ark that saves us from death. He brings “rest” in the midst of the storms of our lives. *** Abraham left his home to seek an inheritance give to him by God. He lived by faith showing us how we live on earth, seeking the kingdom of God. Sarah, by faith brought forth the nations of God. She is a picture of the Church who is birthing God’s people and his kingdom on earth. All of these people did not see the manifestation of what they believed in their lifetime. But, they kept going towards the goal, knowing it was attainable one day. *** Lord, may our faith lead us down the road you have ordained for us to walk. May we forge the way for others to walk by faith.