September 30, 2010 Amos 5-9 & Obadiah 1:1-9

Amos lamented the future of Israel. He begged the people to seek the Lord and live. Amos recounted the ways the people hurt those less fortunate than them. The Lord hated the way they pretended to worship him with their celebrations and gatherings, because there wasn't any more to it than that. After they got done with their worship, they'd turn around and hurt the people they had just promised to take care of. The only people they helped was themselves.

Amos asked the people why they felt so smug while all the other nations around them were being destroyed. The Lord saw the way the wealthy people lounged around, ate, drank, sang songs, wore expensive perfume and congratulated themselves on how fabulous they were. These people were the first on His list to go. They had turned justice and fairness into bitter poison and would be punished for it.

Amos told the people that God had showed him a vision of locusts destroying their food crops. Amos asked the Lord how the nation would survive since it was so weak. The Lord told Amos that He wouldn't let it be destroyed. The Lord showed Amos a ball of fire that would consume the earth. Amos asked how Israel would survive. So the Lord told Amos that he wouldn't let it be destroyed. The Lord showed Amos a plumb line and asked him what he saw. Amos told him, and the Lord explained that it was to measure Israel and they didn't measure up. Amaziah the priest at Bethel tattled against Amos to king Jeroboam that Amos was plotting against him. Then Amaziah told Amos to get out of Israel and go back to Judah and work there. Amos educated Amaziah that he was a shepherd and farmer, not a prophet. Then Amos told Amaziah what the Lord had said would happen to him and his family.

The Lord showed Amos a basket of ripe fruit and spoke about the end of Israel. The people would congratulate themselves on how spiffy they were, then turn around and abuse poor people. God saw it all and He wouldn't forget it either. Instead of partying they would be mourning. God would not be with them no matter how much they begged. They would fall and not get up.

Amos saw a vision in which the Lord commanded that the temple be shaken until it crumbled, and if anyone escaped they would be killed. God is all powerful and He is in control. The Lord told Amos that the Ethiopians were no less important to Him than the Israelites. God brought all the nations to the place they were. God would kill the evil people and scatter the faithful. The Lord told Amos that He would rebuild David's kingdom in the future.

Obadiah
The Lord gave Obadiah a vision about Edom. They were very proud and they would be punished. They would run, but they couldn't hide. They were doomed. Everything they treasured would be taken away from them. There would be nothing left. The descendants of Esau would be wiped out.

Tomorrow read Obadiah 1:10-21; Jonah; Micah 1-3

September 29, 2010 Joel 2:18-end & Amos 1-4

The Lord would be very concerned about the land and people and he would see to their needs, if they would repent. He would answer their prayers and protect them. Israel would know that the Lord stood by their side. Later God would give His Spirit to everyone and they would prophecy through dreams and visions, both men and women. He will work wonders in the sky and the Lord will save everyone who faithfully worships Him.

After the Lord restored Judah and Jerusalem, he would judge the nations who had sinned against Him. Joel warned those other nations to ready themselves for war; to make weapons out of farm implements. God would punish the guilty and defend the innocent.

Amos
During the reign of Uzziah, Amos raised sheep near the town of Tekoa and recieved several messages from the Lord. Judgements would be placed on Syria, Philistia, Phoenicia, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah and Israel for countless crimes and He would not change His mind.

Of all the nations of earth, Israel was the only one God had chosen, so they would be punished because of their sins. Whatever the Lord plans to do, He tells His servants, the prophets. Even ordinary people become prophets when God speaks. The Lord told Amos that Samaria was doomed - they didn't even know how to do right. The altars at Bethel were to be destroyed along with the richly adorned mansions of the people.

The Lord called the women of Samaria fat cows, they were only interested in themselves while the poor and needy people suffered all around them. They were warned that they would be carried off with sharp hooks. God condemned the meaningless acts of worship after the people were greedily seeking places and ways to sin. The Lord warned Israel bit by bit. He took away the food from towns and villages. He withheld the rain from the crops. Locusts ate the fruit in their orchards. He let their young men die in war. He let their horses be stolen and their camp stink with dead bodies. It was time for Israel to prepare to face God.

Tomorrow read Amos 5-9; Obadiah 1:1-9

September 28, 2010 Hosea 10-14; Joel 1-2:17

Hosea reviewed the history of Jacob (Israel), looking back at the delight that Jacob provided God to the time of the writing when Israel was disappointing to God. The children of Israel had fallen into habits of treating each other badly. So, like a naughty child, their bad behavior needed to be corrected. They didn't listen to verbal reprimands, so God was going to have to use more forceful methods of discipline. All they had to do was obey God, but they wouldn't.

The more God reached out to the people, the farther from Him they got. The Lord nursed them like a cherished child, but they rebelled against Him. God could not destroy them because He loved them too much.

Both Israel and Judah were not pleasing to God. Jacob cheated his brother before he was born and when he grew up, he wrestled with an angel and asked for a blessing. They needed to stop cheating one another and trust God and show love and justice to each other. Israel would pay for their sins and for insulting God.

The Lord told Hosea that the people were doomed because they would not stop worshiping idols. Time and again He saved their lives and they repaid him by rebelling against Him. The children of Israel would be punished.

Hosea admonished the people to return to God and beg Him for forgiveness. The Lord promised to love the people without limit. He asked them to obey Him and walk together with Him.

Joel
Biblical scholars cannot say for certain when Joel was alive. Some scholars posit that he was a prophet during the reign of Joash of Judah, which would make him one of the earliest writing prophets. Others suggest Joel was current with Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Habakkuk. Some think he was contemporary with the return of the exiles and the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah. While still others believe he might have been one of the latest writing prophets during the Persian period in the decades around 400 B.C. Anyway...
The Lord spoke to Joel with a warning for the people about an army like a swarm of locusts. They would strip the land of everything good so that there was nothing left. The people were in trouble and they needed God's help - now! They needed to fast and pray sincerely for God's help.

Joel told them to sound the trumpets and warn everyone that the judgement day of the Lord is coming soon. There would never again be an army like this one and no one would escape. This day would be so terrible that no one could stand it. It isn't too late to turn to God. The Lord told them not to tear their clothes, but instead to tear their hearts and return to Him. He would reconsider punishing them if they would just do what He asked. The Lord told Joel to tell the priests to cry and pray to God that He would save His people.

Tomorrow read Joel 2:18-end & Amos 1-4

September 27, 2010 Hosea 4-9

Hosea admonished Israel to listen to what the Lord wanted them to do. But no one did. The Lord was not happy with the priests and prophets. They were proud and stuffed themselves on the sin offerings. God was unhappy with the way the Israelites partied so much that they forgot about Him. They believed they didn't need God. They would rather not lead a decent life, so they would be swept away.

The Lord knew all about the sins of Israel and would judge the people. They brought sacrifices to the Lord, but refused to stop sinning, so the Lord refused their offerings. Judah would be crushed also. God would be waiting for the people to become desperate and need His help and call on Him.

Then the people remembered the peace and comfort they received from living in God's way. So they decided to return to Him. The Lord knew the short memories of the people and how they forgot Him when they became proud. The Lord told them they were unfit to worship Him.

The Lord told Hosea He would like nothing better than to help Israel. Then He would look at what the people were doing and realize that they weren't interested in Him. So they became weaker and allowed foreigners to rule over them. God compared Israel to a senseless bird that didn't know where it was going. The Lord knew they were howling just for show and calling it praying. The Lord told Hosea that the Israelites were useless as a crooked arrow and would be laughed at by the Egyptians.

The Lord reminded Israel that they broke the agreement they made with Him. They made kings and golden calfs without God's consent. Israel had built many altars and used them for sin. They ate their own sacrifices. But the Lord rejected their offerings and remembered their sins. God had created them and He could destroy them.

Hosea told the people not to celebrate. They had been unfaithful and would be punished. They wouldn't be able to offer sacrifices - they wouldn't please God anyway. Their terrible guilt had filled them with hatred, and they were brutal and corrupt. The Lord told the Israelites that at first, they were like green shoots, but they had become rotten. Hosea asked God to not let the women have children or be able to feed them. The Lord told Hosea that even if they did have more children, and He loved them dearly, He would slaughter them all.

Tomorrow read Hosea 10-14 & Joel 1-2:17

September 26, 2010 Daniel 11:14-end Hosea 1-3

The contention between the north and south kingdoms would continue for a while. The king of the north will fail and be replaced with another king. The second part of the angel's message continued: This king would be a nobody who got the kingdom with lies and deceit. The king of the north would overcome the king of the south, because of betrayal. The king of the north would return home, but come back to the south later. There would be a different outcome the next time, and on the way back home he would attack God's people until God decided they had been punished enough. During this time the evil king would appear very successful and live the high life. The third part of the angel's message told of the attack of the north kingdom by the south. The king of the north will storm out in battle against many nations including the holy land. The king of the north would invade Egypt and surrounding countries. Then he would set up camp between the Mediterranean sea and Mt. Zion and soon be destroyed.

In part four the chief angel Michael told Daniel that he is the protector of his people. He will come at a time of terrible suffering. The dead would rise, and some of them would be given eternal life and others given shame and disgrace. He commanded Daniel to keep the message of the book secret until the end of time, even though many people would want to know what it said. Then Daniel looked around and saw two other people. He asked the angel when all this would happen. The angel promised that 1,335 days would go by and then God would bless them. He told Daniel to be faithful and he would rise from death and receive his reward.

Hosea
Hosea was a prophet during the time of Isaiah. The Lord told Hosea to marry a woman like Israel and have children with her. So he married Gomer, an unfaithful woman and had a son. The Lord told him to name him Jezreel, because He would avenge the murders which happened in the Jezreel Valley. Next they had a girl. God told him to name her Lo-Ruhamah because He would no longer have mercy for Israel (Judah He would save.) Then another son was born and the Lord told Hosea to name him Lo-Ammi, because they weren't God's people and He wasn't their God. In the future the people would be as numerous as grains of sand and they would be called "Children of the Living God."

The Lord promised to punish Israel for unfaithfulness. God had given them everything, and they had disrespected Him in every way. But the time would come when things would be different. The people and God would be reunited.

The Lord told Hosea to fall in love with an unfaithful woman who had a lover to show that He loves the people even though they are unfaithful to Him. So Hosea paid for such a woman and declared her his. Hosea told the woman that she had to be faithful to him even though it would be a long time before they slept together. It would be a long time until Israel had a king or sacrifices were offered in the temple or they received guidance from God. Eventually the people would want God back in their lives.

Tomorrow read Hosea 4-9

September 25, 2010 Daniel 7:13-11:13

Daniel saw a being surrounded in glory and crowned king so that every nation would serve him. This being would rule forever, His kingdom eternal, never to be destroyed. Daniel was terrified and couldn't explain what he had seen. He asked "one of those standing" near him what it meant and was told that the 4 beasts were the 4 earthly kingdoms, but God Most High would give His kingdom to His chosen ones. Daniel was curious about the 4th beast because it was so different from the others and he wanted to know more about its teeth, claws and horns. Then he saw the beast attack God's chosen ones and start to defeat them. Then God decided to make the beast lose. He "was told by the one standing there" that the 4th beast was a brutal and godless nation which would dominate God's people for a time until God decided otherwise. (CEV Daniel 7:16,23 - In verse 10, Daniel describes "countless thousands standing there to serve Him." I understand this to mean that Daniel is asking one of these beings to explain what he is seeing.)

Daniel had a second vision while Belshazzar was in his 3rd year as king. This vision disturbed him so much that it was several days before he could get out of bed and return to his duties. He saw a ram thrashing about and destroying everything and nothing could stop it. Then he saw a goat cause even more destruction. Daniel was trying to figure out the meaning of the vision when he heard a voice which said, "Gabriel, help him understand the vision." (CEV Daniel 8:16) So Gabriel explained that the vision was about the end of time, and it wouldn't happen for a long time and not to tell others about it.

Some years later, when Darius had become leader, Daniel was studying the writings of Jeremiah and read that Jerusalem would lie in ruins for 70 years. In his great sorrow, Daniel began mourning. Then he prayed and begged God to forgive all of them for their foolishness. While he was praying, Gabriel flew in at the time of the evening sacrifice and explained that for 70 weeks the people must suffer for their sins. There would be challenges and things would be difficult, but God was taking care of the situation.

Daniel had a vision while he was beside the Tigris River. Daniel became frightened when he saw someone dressed in a robe and gold belt. He was radiant and firey in his glory. The people who were with Daniel became so frightened that they all ran away, leaving Daniel alone. Daniel became weak and fell to the ground at the sound of his voice. The angel stood Daniel up and told him to pay attention to what God had to tell him. He had come to give Daniel another vision. (There is some angel business going on here which I find both fascinating and confusing.)

The angel's message in is four parts. The first part is about the four Persian kings and their successors. Kings attack other kings and take over. There will be kings of the north and south and they will be at war almost constantly.

Tomorrow read Daniel 11:14-end & Hosea 1-3

September 24, 2919 Daniel 4:28-7:12

The dream was fulfilled 12 months later. Nebuchadnezzar lived like a wild animal away from his kingdom until he admitted that God was his Lord. When he admitted that God was in control, his kingdom was restored.

Belshazzar (not Belteshazzar, Daniel's Babylonian name) the king, was having a banquet and ordered the gold goblets taken from the temple in Jeruslem brought out to be used by his guests. The people all drank toasts to the gods made of metals, wood and stone with the temple goblets. Suddenly a human hand appeared out of the wall and wrote on the wall. The king was so astonished that his knees buckled under him. None of the wise men could understand what had been written. The queen remembered a man who was gifted with insight of spiritual things, and thought he might be able to help. She suggested they send for Daniel because he could tell them what the writing meant. Daniel was brought to them and the king told him that if he could tell them what the writing meant that he would be the third most powerful man in the kingdom with fancy clothes and jewels. Daniel told him he would tell him what the writing meant, but he could give the nice things to someone else. Daniel told him that the Lord had made his father ruler over everyone and given him lots of honors. Later, his father became proud and stubborn and his kingdom was taken from him. He lived like a wild animal until he realized that God makes kings. Because Belteshazzar made toasts to idols with the sacred cups and disrespected God, He sent a message using the writing on the wall. Then Daniel told the king what the words meant. "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and has brought it to an end. He has weighed you on his balance scales, and you fall short of what it takes to be king. So God has divided your kingdom between the Medes and the Persians." (CEV Daniel 5:26-28) The king ordered Daniel made the third most powerful man in the kingdom and the same night the king was killed. Darius the Mede became the king.

Darius divided his kingdom in such a way that Daniel was in a high position. Jealous men tried to find fault with what Daniel did, but could not. They got Darius to outlaw praying to anyone but him for the next 30 days. If anyone was caught praying, they were to be thrown into a pit of lions. So when Daniel went home and prayed in front of the window facing Jerusalem as was his custom, the men saw him praying and told Darius. So Darius had to throw Daniel in the lion pit but he was sorry about it and wished that Daniel's God would save him. Daniel was sealed in the pit overnight and the king was so upset he wouldn't eat. In the morning the king went to the pit and heard Daniel tell him an angel had kept the lions away from him. Darius got Daniel out of the pit and ordered the men who slandered Daniel with their wives and children thrown into the pit. They were torn to pieces by the lions before they hit bottom. Then Darius sent a message to all the people of the kingdom that they were to honor and worship the God of Daniel.

Daniel had a dream about 4 beasts which rose out of the sea. Each beast was different. The first was like a lion which stood on feet and had a human mind. The second looked like a standing bear. The third was like a leopard with four wings and four heads and given authority to rule. The fourth beast was stronger and more terrifying in the way it destroyed everything. Then Daniel saw the glory of God on his throne. The fourth beast was destroyed and the other three were rendered powerless.

Tomorrow read Daniel 7:13-11:13

September 23, 2010 Daniel 2:31-4:27

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that what he saw in his dream was a huge scary statue made of different metals and clay. In the dream a massive stone was cut from a mountain (not by human hands) which smashed the statue, which blew away in the wind. Then the stone became a mountain which covered the whole earth. Then Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what it meant. Daniel said that the gold head was Nebuchadnezzar whom God had blessed with abundance. There were 3 kingdoms which would come after him that would be successively weaker. During the time of those kings God would set up an eternal kingdom which would never fail. It would be like that massive stone, cut from the mountain, but not with human hands. Daniel told the king he could trust this interpretation. Then the king bowed down and worshiped Daniel, showered him with gifts and promoted him to governor in Babylon and put him in charge of other wise men. Daniel asked the king to promote his three friends too.

Nebuchadnezzar decided to build a gold statue nine feet wide and ninety feet high. Then he had everyone come from all around and demanded that they bow down and worship the statue. So the people did except for the Jews. Some Babylonians used this as a chance to tell the king that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the statue. Of course the king was furious and sent for the three immediately. He gave them one more chance to worship the statue before burning them in the furnace. They would not worship the statue, so the king had them thrown into the furnace which he had ordered to be made 7 times hotter than usual. Then the king had his strongest soldiers tie the hands of the three and lead them to the furnace. The fire was so hot that it killed the soldiers who led the three into it. The king looked into the furnace and saw 4 people walking around in it. He asked the people with him how many people they saw in there and they all saw four. So the king told them to come out of the furnace, so they did. Nothing on them was burned. Nebuchadnezzar realized that they had been saved by God and He had sent an angel to protect them inside the furnace! Then he praised God and understood why they refused to obey him.

Nebuchadnezzar sent the people of his kingdom a letter. He shared his greetings and joy in the miracles of God. He reviewed his experience of his first dream and how Daniel interpreted it for him. He also shared a second dream and its interpretation. The second dream was of an enormous tree which reached up to heaven and had enough fruit on it to feed the world. Then an angel came and shouted to destroy the tree, but leave the stump. Daniel told the king that the tree was the king and he would live like a wild animal for 7 years. But since the roots were still there, that meant that the king would be king again when he learned that God is in control. Daniel pleaded with the king to obey God's commandments and take care of people, then all would be well with him for a long time.

Tomorrow read Daniel 4:28-7:12

September 22, 2010 Ezekiel 48 & Daniel 1-2:30

The Lord told Ezekiel how He wanted the land divided among the 12 tribes of Israel. The details of the special section of land for the Lord, with half given to priests from the family of Zadok, and half given to the Levites, were repeated. There were also parcels for Israel and Jerusalem. The Lord gave Ezekiel details of the 12 gates around the city of Jerusalem.

Daniel
During the third year of the reign of king Jehoiakim, when king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem, he took some things from the temple as well as many people. One day, back in Babylon, he ordered one of his servants to gather the best and brightest of the captives and feed them well and educate them for 3 years to be court officials. Four young men from Judah chosen were, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah. The king's chief official gave them Babylonian names, so Daniel became Belteshazzar, Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael became Meshach, and Azariah became Abednego. Daniel decided to eat only the food God had said would be ok and not the food that the king ate. So he asked the king's official if it would be all right. The official thought that David would waste away if he didn't eat the same food as the king, and if that happened, the king would kill the official. So David made a deal with their guard to give the 4 of them vegetables and water for 10 days. At the end of the ten days they would compare their appearance to the other young men and then decide who was healthier. The guard agreed to try. Ten days later they were healthier than the men served food from the king's table. Three years passed, the 4 men learned and excelled.

During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king he was having such horrible nightmares that he couldn't sleep. He asked his magicians and advisors to tell him what he had dreamt and what it meant or they would be chopped to peices and their houses would be torn down. None of them could do this, but they told the king to tell them his dream and they would tell him what it meant. They went back and forth like this until the king got so angry that he ordered every wise man killed in his kingdom, including Daniel and his 3 friends. The official in charge of killing the wise men was approached by Daniel. In a gentle way, Daniel asked what was going on and the man told him. So Daniel rushed to the king and told him that if the king just gave him some time, he would explain his dream. Daniel asked his friends to pray to God for help and that night the Lord answered their prayers and showed Daniel the dream and its meaning. Daniel praised God. Then he went to the official who was to do the killing and told him that he could answer the king. Daniel was brought before the king and he asked Daniel if he could tell him what his dream meant. Daniel said that no man could, but God could.

Tomorrow read Daniel 2:31-4:27

September 21, 2010 Ezekiel 44-47

The sparkling man took Ezekiel back to the outer courtyard near the east gate and God told him that the gate must remain closed forever. Then the man took Ezekiel through the north gate to the front of the temple, where Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord and he bowed down with his face to the ground. The Lord told him that He would give the laws of the temple to Ezekiel. God told him to pay attention to what kind of people were (and were not) allowed in the temple. No godless foreigner who disobeyed God would be allowed in the temple. Also because the Levites had turned their backs on God and worshiped idols and led the people away from God, they would do the hard work that was done in the temple. The Levites who were from the family of Zadok had been faithful to God when everyone else wasn't, so they would offer sacrifices and lead others in worship. Their clothing, the way they should wear their hair, and other details of personal conduct were given. The Lord wanted the people to be taught the difference between what is sacred and ordinary. As before, touching a dead body would render the priest unclean; and they weren't to receive any land of their own.

The Lord told Ezekiel that they were to set aside an area 8 miles by 6 miles for Him when they divided the land among the tribes. A portion of the sacred land would be given to the priests who worked in the temple for their homes. The other half would be for the Levites. Another portion would be for the Israelites and would include the city of Jerusalem. A portion would be given to the ruler of Israel. The Lord gave the people weights and measures to promote honest trade. The people were to bring offerings of oil and grain to the Lord.

The Lord gave Ezekiel special instructions for offerings by the ruler and the people for the Sabbath, New Moon Festival, and other celebrations. Each morning a lamb, flour, and olive oil would be offered for all time - this law would never change. Laws concerning property given by Israel's leader were given. The sparkling man took Ezekiel back to the inner courtyard to the sacred rooms for the priests. There were more rooms which the man said were kitchens. Also, there were other areas for fires to boil the meat that worshipers offer as sacrifices.

The man took Ezekiel back to the temple where he saw a stream flowing out from under the entrance. Outside the temple, Ezekiel saw that the stream flowed east. The man took out his measuring stick and measured the stream as various levels and told Ezekiel to walk out into it, so he did. The water got deeper and deeper. Then the man told Ezekiel all about the stream and the Jordan river and the Dead Sea. He also told him about the trees that would always have fruit and the leaves would be used for healing. The Lord gave Ezekiel details about how the land was to be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel. God gave the land to the Israelites and foreigners whose children were born in Israel, who would be considered part of the tribe.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 48 & Daniel 1-2:30

September 20, 2010 Ezekiel 41-43

Ezekiel and the sparkling man continued measuring the temple in Ezekiel's vision. In the main room they measured the doorway, and the room, then the man showed Ezekiel where the Holy of Holies was located. Then the man measured that doorway and room. The storage rooms were built beside the outer wall. The temple rested on a stone foundation. Ezekiel saw a building to the west and the man measured the temple. The inside of the temple had wood paneling with decorations carved into the wood of winged creatures and palm trees. The creatures had two faces, a human face on one side and a lion face on the other side. Ezekiel saw a wooden altar which the man measured and he told Ezekiel that it was to remind them that the Lord is constantly watching them. The doorways and porch are described.

After the man and Ezekiel left the temple, he showed Ezekiel where the priest's rooms were. These rooms were also measured and described in detail. There were rooms at the oposite end where the priests were to eat the offerings. They were to change their clothes before leaving the temple, and leave their sacred clothes there. Then the man took Ezekiel and measured the walls around the temple area (they were each 840 feet long) so the temple area was a perfect square. This wall separated the sacred from the ordinary.

The man took Ezekiel back to the east gate of the temple where he saw the brightness of the glory of the Lord. The sound was as loud as ocean waves and everything was shining with the brightness of the glory of God. Ezekiel bowed with his face to the ground and the Lord's Spirit lifted him up and carried him to the inner courtyard. The Lord told Ezekiel that the temple would be His throne on earth. If the people and their kings would stop worshiping idols and tear down their memorials, God would live with them. If the people were truly sorry for their sins, Ezekiel was to share these plans for the temple with them, and write down everything the Lord had told him. The most important part was that the temple was to be kept sacred. More details about the altar dimensions are given. Then the Lord told Ezekiel exactly what to do to have the altar dedicated. The Levites from the family of Zadok were the only people worthy to serve God in the temple. For seven days they were to offer a goat a bull and a ram as sacrifices for sin. From that day on the priests would offer sacrifices to God to ask His blessing. Then God would be pleased with the people of Israel.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 44-47

September 19, 2010. Ezekiel 38:10-40:49

The Lord told Ezekiel that Gog would attack Israel, and their allies would expect booty from Israel. God would let Gog invade Israel, and then every nation will know that the Lord is Holy.


God told Ezekiel to condemn Gog. God would set fire to Magog, and they would know that God is the Lord. Then Israel would collect Gog's weapons and use them for firewood. The Lord would have Israel bury Gog and his army and it would take 7 months to bury all the bodies. They would work until every bone had been buried. Birds and animals would feast on the bodies of warriors, sacrificed like sheep. Israel will see the brightness of God's glory and know that He is their God. Other nations will realize Israel was forced to leave their home because of their sin. God would show mercy to Israel, and bring them back, and bless them. Never again would God turn his back on his people.


Twenty five years after Jehoiachin's captivity, 14 years had passed since the Babylonians had invaded Jerusalem. The Lord showed Ezekiel visions of the new temple. He saw the outer wall that completely surrounded the temple, it was ten feet high and ten feet thick. He saw an outer courtyard, and gates that led to the inner courtyard. He saw the North Gate, the South Gate, and gates leading to the inner courtyard. He saw rooms for sacrificing animals, and rooms belonging to the priests. Then he saw the inner courtyard. Each if the places was measured by a man who sparkled like polished bronze, he held a tape measure in one hand, and a ten foot long measuring stick in the other. As he showed Ezekiel all these places as he measured them.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 41-43

September 18, 2010 Ezekiel 34:25-38:9

Then the Lord promised Ezekiel that His people would live in peace around His Holy mountain. They would be protected from wild animals and foreign nations. God would make the land as fertile and lush as the garden of Eden. They will have nothing to fear. They will be God's people and He will take care of them.

The Lord told Ezekiel to condemn the people of Edom. They had been Israel's enemy for a long time. Their towns would be destroyed so as to be uninhabitable. The Lord would punish them for their anger and hatred toward the Israelites. God heard them when they insulted Him too. Everyone would celebrate when they were destroyed, just as they had celebrated when Judah was destroyed.

The Lord gave Ezekiel a message for the mountains. Those nations who sneered at them would be punished. The fruit trees on them would be tended by God. The Lord promised them that they would be covered with people and taken care of better than ever before. Then the Lord gave Ezekiel a message for the people that He would restore them even though they didn't deserve it. He would do this so that all the people of earth would know He is God. The Lord would take away their stubborn hearts and replace them with obedient hearts. God would protect them and provide for them bounteously. As the people would remember their former ways they would be submerged in self-loathing. The Lord would once again answer their prayers.

Some time later, the Lord's spirit overtook Ezekiel and carried him to a field of bones. Everywhere he looked there were dry bones. God asked Ezekiel if he thought the bones could come back to life. (I love Ezekiel's faith here) Ezekiel said, "Lord God, only you can answer that." The Lord told Ezekiel what to say and the bones came back to life. As Ezekiel was saying the words God had told him to say, he heard a rattling noise and the bones moved back together. Then tendons, muscle and skin covered the bones, but there was no life. The Lord told him to tell the wind to breathe life into the dead bodies. Then there was an army! The bible doesn't tell us what happened to this army. Next, the Lord told Ezekiel to get two sticks and write Israel on one and Judah on the other, then hold them end to end so they look like one stick. When people ask, tell them that God would make them into one nation and their king would always come from the family of David. Everyone would know that they were God's chosen people.

The Lord told Ezekiel to condemn Gog of Magog. They believed they were invincible, and God would set them up to fail in their own evil schemes.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 38:10-40:49

September 17, 2010 Ezekiel 32-34:24

Twelve years after king Jehoiachin was detained in Babylon the Lord told Ezekiel to condemn Pharaoh, who thought he was like a lion, but he was really like a crocodile. God was going to catch him and destroy him. Babylon was going to attack and destroy everything Pharaoh held dear. Egypt would be a barren wasteland. This was his warning and could be used as his funeral song. Two weeks later, God told Ezekiel that the Egyptians would be condemned to the world of the dead, which contained the dead of many nations.

The Lord appointed Ezekiel to stand watch over the people to warn them to stop sinning. God told Ezekiel that He didn't like to see wicked people die. Rather, He enjoys seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites wanted to live, they needed to turn back to God. He also told Ezekiel to remind the people that when good people start sinning their good deeds from the past cannot save them. Also, when wicked people stop sinning their sins are completely forgiven. (We can't bank good deeds to balance out our sins.) News came of the fall of Jerusalem. The Lord told Ezekiel that the people expected God to hold up His end of the covenant even though they had abandoned theirs. God told Ezekiel that the people listened to him, but didn't do what he said. They would be punished.

The Lord gave Ezekiel a message for the leaders of Jerusalem - they were doomed! They gave themselves the best of everything and ignored the needs of the people. So the Lord would look after the people properly. God would not let the stronger ones abuse the weaker ones. He would separate the good from the bad. After that, He would give them a shepherd from the family of King David.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 34:25-38:9

September 16, 2010 Ezekiel 28:11-31:18

Then the Lord had Ezekiel sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre. At one time he was the model of perfection, wisdom and good-looks. He was beautifully adorned as a cherub in the garden of Eden. He was so good and then he started sinning. He became conceited because of his good looks; because of his fame he started acting like a fool. Then the Lord told Ezekiel to tell Sidon their fate. The Lord would send disease to kill them all and Israel would no longer have to put up with them. Then God said that someday He would gather Israel together and they would live in the land He gave to Jacob. They would be happy and build houses and plant vineyards.

Ten years after king Jehoiachin's imprisonment, the Lord gave this message to Ezekiel for the king of Egypt. The Lord condemned the king of Egypt like a crocodile covered with fish and dragged out of the water and into the desert. He would be picked clean by the birds and wild animals. They had refused to help Israel when they needed it. They were like a brittle stick instead of a aturdy cane. They had claimed that they made the Nile and had control of it, but the Lord would change that arrogant belief. For forty years Egypt would be desolate and empty and after that the people would return, but they would never again be the world leader they had once been. Israel would wonder why they ever thought to rely on them. Twenty seven years after king Jehoiachin's imprisonment the Lord told Ezekiel that Nebuchadnezzar had attacked the city of Tyre and would destroy Egypt next. Nebuchadnezzar and his army had been following the Lord's orders.

The Lord told Ezekiel to tell the Egyptian people that Nebuchadnezzar was coming to destroy them. The Lord would send messengers to Ethiopia too and tell them destruction was coming to them as well. Egypt would become a wasteland. Eleven years after the imprisonment of king Jehoiachin, the Lord told Ezekiel that He had broken the arms of the king of Egypt and would strengthen the king of Babylon to destroy Egypt. Everyone would know that the Lord had punished them.

The king of Egypt would be chopped down like a cedar tree. This tree was the largest and most beautiful of any tree ever. But it thought it was that way because of itself, not because of God. So the tree would be punished for its arrogance. Every tree must die just as humans die and go down to the world of the dead. On the day the tree dies, God would command all the streams to stop flowing, the tree would crash to the ground and God would send it to the world below. Egypt would be like the tree and die and be sent to the world below and join the godless and others who die by the sword.

Tomorrow read 32-34:24

September 15, 2010 Ezekiel 25-28:10

God told Ezekiel to condemn the people of Ammon. They would be destroyed because they celebrated when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and they would know God had done it. The other nations, Moab, Edom and Philistia would also be punished and know that God had done it.

Eleven years after king Jehoiachin's imprisonment, the Lord spoke to Ezekiel about the nation of Tyre. They had celebrated when Jerusalem fell and they would be wiped from the face of the earth. Then they would know that God is the Lord. (A footnote in my bible says, "Yet Jeremiah (27:2-7;47:4) and Ezekiel (26:3-21;28:6-10) foretold utter destruction for Tyre, naming not less than twenty-five separate details, each of which in the following centuries came true literally.")

Next, God gave Ezekiel a lament to take up for Tyre. In the lament God describes the beauty of Tyre. All the best the world had to offer went into building the city. A seaport, Tyre was a great mercantile exchange for much of the world at the time. Many commodities were bought and sold such as: silver, iron, tin, lead, slaves, bronze articles, work horses, war horses, mules, ivory tusks, ebony, turquoise, purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, rubies, honey, oil, balm, wine, wool, cassia, calamus, blankets, livestock, spices, precious stones and gold, to name a few.

The Lord had a message for Ezekiel to give to the king of Tyre. Since God knows what everyone is thinking, He knew that the king of Tyre had decided he was a god. Ezekiel was to remind him that he was not a god, nor was he as wise as a god. God was going to bring foreigners to attack him and pierce his shining splendor. He would be brought down and die a violent death at sea. And he would know that he was a man, not a god.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 28:11-31:18

September 14, 2010 Ezekiel 22:13-24:27

God told Ezekiel He would strike His fist at the violent crimes of the people. When He had finished with them their courage would be gone and they would be too weak to lift their hands. The people would know God had done the things that would happen to them. The Lord told Ezekiel that the people left in Jerusalem needed to be purified like silver in a furnace. Then the Lord told Ezekiel how all the people were guilty. The leaders were like roaring lions tearing everyone apart. The priests ignored God's law. They didn't teach the difference between the sacred and ordinary. They even treated the Sabbath like any other day, so the Lord was not honored by His own people. Israel's officials were like wolves, tearing everyone apart. They made their living by killing people. The prophets told lies and made the people believe God had spoken to them. The people themselves did horrible things to anyone they could. God could not find anyone to talk Him out of destroying the city.

The Lord told Ezekiel a story about two sisters who lived in Egypt, and became prostitutes. One was named Oholah, or Samaria, and the younger one was Oholibah, or Jerusalem. They became His wives and bore His children. Even though she was married, Samaria kept chasing lovers from Assyria. She offered herself to every handsome soldier, officer or official and had sex with them. She even worshiped their idols. She did these things in Egypt and never stopped. She was always looking for someone to have sex with. So God gave her to the lovers she wanted so badly and they captured her children and killed her. Everyone talked about what happened to her. But her sister was worse than she was. Jerusalem chased after good-looking soldiers and officers. She saw carvings on walls of men which reminded her of Babylonian soldiers. As soon as she saw them she wanted to have sex with them. So she invited them to come see her. So many men came from Babylonia that she got tired of them. She didn't care who knew she was a prostitute, so God turned His back on her just like her sister. She didn't stop there, she renewed her interest in Egyptian lovers who were renown for their sexual attributes. She longed for the days when her lovers enjoyed having sex with her. God would hand Jerusalem over to Babylon and Assyria and let them punish her so that she never wanted to think of those days again. They would take away everything Jerusalem had worked so hard for. God gave Samaria a large deep cup of his anger to drink, Jerusalem would share it and would drink every drop and become drunk. The cup was filled with horror and ruin. The Lord told Ezekiel that it was time for him to tell the sisters that they were guilty of disobeying God's law and that they would be punished.

Nine years after king Jehoiachin and the rest had been taken captive, the Lord told Ezekiel to write down the date, because on that day Babylon began attacking Jerusalem. Jerusalem was doomed and no one cared what happened to it. Then the Lord told Ezekiel that He was going to suddenly take the life of the person he loved most, his wife, and not to complain or cry. God told him to mourn, but don't look like it. Then one day Ezekiel was talking to the people as usual and by evening his wife was dead. The next day people asked him why he wasn't mourning for his wife. He told them that they were about to lose everything they held dear, but they wouldn't mourn either. Ezekiel told them he was a warning and that they would do everything he did and they would know the Lord God made it happen. Someone would escape from Jerusalem and find Ezekiel and bring him news. Then his mouth would be opened and he would be able to talk again.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 25-28:10

September 13, 2010 Ezekiel 20:18-22:12

The Lord told Ezekiel about the way He had warned the people not to follow the evil ways of their parents, but to follow His laws and teachings, to respect His Sabbath and show that they belonged to Him. But they rebelled too. God became angry and decided to punish them in the desert, but He didn't. He didn't want to disgrace Himself in front of other nations. So instead, vowed to scatter the people because of their sin. Ezekiel was to remind them that their ancestors had sinned in the same way they were sinning and still think they can ask for a message from the Lord. The Lord promised to gather them again. They would have no choice but to obey God. When that day comes everyone will worship God. God told Ezekiel to go south and warn the forests that the Lord would start a fire and burn up every tree. It will spread north and burn everything in its path. But Ezekiel complained that everyone was confused with what he told them all ready.

The Lord told Ezekiel to groan in front of the people and when they asked why, he was to tell them he had terrifying news that will make them lose all courage. The Lord had His sword ready to attack Jerusalem. The Lord had Ezekiel mark two roads for the king of Babylonia. They both started at the same place, but one went to the capital of Ammon and the other went to Jerusalem. He will decide by shaking his arrows, asking his idols and examining the liver of a sacrificed animal. He will choose Jerusalem and remind the people of their sinful ways. The Ammonites weren't off the hook either, because they had not obeyed God but had worshiped idols. Their time was at an end as well.

After time had passed, the Lord asked Ezekiel if he was ready to condemn Jerusalem. The people disobeyed every single commandment God ever gave them. Worst of all they had forgotten God.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 22:13-24:27

September 12, 2010 Ezekiel 16:44-20:17

The saying "Like mother, like daughter" could be said of Jerusalem and Sodom. Jerusalem followed the wicked customs of Sodom and became more disgusting than they were. Compared to Sodom, Jerusalem sinned twice as much. Jerusalem arrogantly sneered at Sodom, but they would pay for all the vulgar things they had done. The Lord told Jerusalem she would be ashamed when she thought about her sins, and He would forgive them.

The Lord told Ezekiel a story of two eagles. The first eagle broke off the top of a cedar and spread the seeds in a fertile field. The vine grew strong and upward toward the second eagle. The Lord asked Ezekiel if the vine would live or would the first eagle pluck it up out of the ground and kill it? The Lord told Ezekiel to ask the Israelites if they knew what the story meant. The Lord told Ezekiel to tell them that the king of Babylon did things so the people would never gain control of their country again. The Lord said the king of Judah would die in Babylon. They had made promises in the name of God and they broke them and they would be punished. The trees know about God and what He can do.

The Lord told Ezekiel that He heard the people saying, "Sour grapes eaten by parents leave a sour taste in the mouths of their children." The Lord said that saying would no longer be used in Israel. Only those who commit sin will be put to death. Suppose there was a man who lived a righteous life. Now suppose he had a son who committed every sin known to man. The father will live and the son will die. Or, suppose a son sees his father do these sins and refuses to do likewise, the son will not die for his father, the father will die for his own sins. Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won't suffer because of the sins of their parents and parents won't suffer because of the sins of their children. Everybody will get what they deserve. If wicked people stop sinning and start doing what is right, their sins will be forgotten. When good people start sinning their good deeds will be forgotten. Go with God if you want to live.

The Lord taught Ezekiel a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders and it sounds like the vine and eagles allegory.

Seven years passed while Ezekiel was in Babylon with king Jehoiachin. Some of Israel's leaders came to find out what the Lord had to say to them. The Lord had nothing new to tell them. He did ask Ezekiel to remind them of their past and how God had chosen Israel to be His own. He promised to be their God and would rescue them and give them the best land. He told them to get rid of their disgusting idols, but they refused to listen. The people wouldn't obey the Lord's commandments, but He still felt sorry for them and couldn't let them die in the desert.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 20:18-22:12

September 11, 2010 Ezekiel 13-16:43

The Lord sent Ezekiel to confront the false prophets who told the people lies. They had created messages for the people in their imaginations and it was time for them to hear God's message. God was going to punish the lying prophets for deceiving the people with lies. They had deliberately led the people to believe that they were doing what God wanted them to do, and instead, led them into destruction. The Lord was also going to put an end to women who led people into destruction by lying that they could tell the future.

The Lord had Ezekiel tell the people to stop worshiping idols and come back to Him. They would be His people and He would be their true God. If God decided to destroy a nation, and if Noah, Daniel,* and Job lived there, the only survivors would be those three. (*Daniel - this Daniel may or may not be the same Daniel of the book in the Old Testament. Scholars are divided on this question.) Even their children would not survive, only them.

The Lord told Ezekiel that the people were as useless as old grapevine. Because the people had not been loyal to God, He would make their country an empty wasteland.

The Lord told Ezekiel to remind the people of their disgusting sins and condemn the way they had made themselves insatiable whores. It was as if their sin knew no bounds and they had become obsessed with it. The Lord was furious at them and would not be satisfied until they had been severely punished. Only after God had stopped them would he calm down and stop being angry and jealous.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 16:44-20:17

September 10, 2010 Ezekiel 9-12

Ezekiel heard the men called who were to destroy Jerusalem. Six came through the north gate of the temple with deadly weapons. A seventh came forward with things to write with. God told the 7th man to mark foreheads of the people who were truly upset to see the sinful happenings in Jerusalem. He told the other 6 to follow him and kill anyone without the mark. Ezekiel was alone and asked God why? God told him that their sins were so horrible that He would have no pity on them. Then the man with things to write with came back and told God he had done what He asked.

In the courtyard of the temple, Ezekiel saw the same 4 winged creatures and wheels as before. The Lord told the man with the writing things to walk among the wheels and pick up as many hot coals as he could and then scatter them in Jerusalem.

The Lord's spirit lifted Ezekiel and took him to the east gate of the temple where he saw 25 men making evil plans. The Lord told Ezekiel to condemn them. The Lord's spirit took control of Ezekiel and he told the men they would die because of their evil schemes. The Lord told Ezekiel to tell the people that even though they weren't in the Holy Land, God would be with them. They could worship Him from wherever they were and He would bring them together again one day. Then Ezekiel saw the winged creatures leave and he was back in Babylon and told everyone what he had seen.

The Lord told Ezekiel to act out his captivity by digging a hole through the wall of his house and leave through it with a bag of his belongings, and walk away into the night. All this while everyone was watching. So he did. The Lord told Ezekiel that the people didn't get the message, so he had to tell them that this would happen to the leader of Jerusalem and the rest of the people would follow. Then the Lord told Ezekiel to shake with fear whenever he ate and tremble whenever he drank as a sign that everyone else would do the same. The Lord told Ezekiel that the people were fond of saying "Time passes, and prophets are proved wrong." He told Ezekiel to tell the people that they wouldn't say that again. The Lord also told Ezekiel that the things he had been told would come true quickly.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 13:16:43

September 9, 2010 Ezekiel 3-8

Ezekiel gives us vivid descriptions of his experiences with the Lord. Because of that I will try to highlight these very detailed passages as best I can. I will leave it to you to fill in the details in your own reading, and in your own way. So here goes...

We left Ezekiel as the Lord told him to eat a scroll and go speak to the people. So Ezekiel ate the scroll and reported that it was "sweet as honey." The Lord told Ezekiel that even though the people spoke the same language, they still wouldn't listen to him. God told Ezekiel He would make him as stubborn about speaking to the people as they were about not listening. As the Lord started to leave, Ezekiel heard the loud thundering noise of the creatures wings and wheels then the Spirit carried him away. He felt annoyed and angry and when he returned to the other people he sat for 7 days, shocked at what had happened to him. The Lord spoke to Ezekiel and told him to warn the people and stand watch over them. As long as he did as the Lord asked, he would be innocent. The Lord took control of Ezekiel and told him that he would be bound up in his house and unable to talk, the time would come when God would tell him what to say, some would listen others wouldn't.

The Lord told Ezekiel to make a replica of Jerusalem out of a brick and prepare an attack plan on the city. Then he was to lie on his left side as a sign of Israel's punishment for 390 days! A day for each year of suffering. Then he was to lie on his right side for 40 days. A sign for Judah's punishment. The Lord told him what to eat and drink, but he objected to using dried human excrement to cook his bread. So the Lord told him to use dried cow dung instead. Everyone would die a slow death because of their sins.

The Lord told Ezekiel to shave off his beard and hair and divide it into three piles. One he was to burn, the second he was to chop into little pieces and spread it around where he burned the first, and the third he was to throw into the wind and God would stike it with His own sword. He was to take a few hairs and tuck them into the hem of his clothes, but take a few strands and burn them. God gave Ezekiel a message for the people of Jerusalem, they would feel his anger!

God told Ezekiel to tell the mountains and hills that the idols on them would be destroyed. The people who worshiped them would be killed also. The survivors would finally realize that they needed to take the Lord seriously.

The Lord told Ezekiel to tell the people the end was near. They would know that the Lord punished them. There would be no more buying and selling, everything would be worthless. They were to be punished for their sins and God wouldn't change His mind.
Their gold that caused them to sin would not be able to save them. When the temple would be destroyed God would turn away and not watch. The people would be treated the way thay had treated others.

Ezekiel had a vision of what the people were doing inside the temple. They believed even God couldn't see what they did, but God saw. God told Ezekiel that the people had insulted Him in the worst possible way, so he would punish them without mercy and refuse to help them when they cried out to Him.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 9-12

September 8, 2010 finish Lam. & Ezekiel 1-2

Jeremiah lamented his cruel experience in the cistern. He thought he would die, but he prayed to God and was saved. Jeremiah asked God to curse those who had intended to kill him.

Gold and jewels had lost their luster as the people had lost their value. Wild animals took better care of their young than the people did. Jerusalem's punishment was worse than Sodom, because it took longer. Starvation is a cruel death. Even crueler, loving mothers boiled and ate their own children. Jerusalem was punished because the prophets and priests had sinned. They left, but no other nation would let them stay with them. They were hunted like prey. The people of Jerusalem had paid for their sins and they would soon return home, not so for Edom.

The people of Jerusalem prayed and asked God to remember them. They were homeless and water and firewood cost too much. They were tired and mistreated. They surrendered because they were hungry. The people were abused, the women were raped, the men were strung up by their arms. They were forced into slavery. Sadness and mourning had taken the place of dancing and singing. The glory was gone. Only after they had driven God away from them could they see how He had improved their lives.

EZEKIEL

Five years into Jehoiachin's captivity in Babylon, Ezekiel received a vision from God. Ezekiel looked and saw a windstorm coming from the north. There was lightning flashing from a huge cloud. It lit up the whole sky. The center of the cloud was firey and looked shiny as chrome. There were what looked like 4 creatures in the center of the cloud. Each creature had a face on each side of it's head. In the front, the face of a human, on the right, the face of a lion, on the left, the face of a bull and in the back, the face of an eagle. Each had two sets of wings. One set folded against the body and the other was spread so that it touched tips with the creature's wings next to it. Though the creatures faced straight ahead, they all moved together as quick as sparks jumping from a fire. The creatures glowed like hot coals and something like a flaming torch moved amongst them.
There on the ground beside each creature was a wheel which sparkled like jewels. The wheels were identical and had a second wheel cut through the middle so they could move in any direction without turning. The wheels had large rims which had eyes all around. The creatures controlled the wheels. When they moved the wheels moved so that they stayed right beside them on the ground or in the air. When the creatures flew their wings roared like the ocean. The creatures folded their wings against their bodies whenever they stopped. Then Ezekiel saw a throne of sapphire and he saw the figure of a human. From the waist up it shone like hot metal, from the waist down it looked like flames. The figure was surrounded by bright light like a rainbow after a storm. He realized he was seeing the glory of the Lord and he bowed down with his face to the ground and he heard a voice speaking to him.

The Lord called him by name and told him to stand up and listen. Then the Spirit lifted him to his feet. Then the Lord told him that He was sending him to speak to the people. They might not listen, but Ezekiel was to talk anyway. God told him not to be afraid of them or anything they say. Even if he was scared, he was to be brave and preach God's message to them. Then God told Ezekiel to open his mouth and eat what God was going to give him. Then Ezekiel saw a hand moving toward him holding a scroll. The hand opened and both sides of it were filled with words of sadness, mourning and grief.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 3-8

September 7, 2010 Lamentations 1-3:51

Jerusalem, once thriving is now deserted. The city, once celebrated is like a widow. She is sad and everyone has deserted her. There are no people because their sins have destroyed them. The glory and splendor have gone. People remember the good times, now they suffer. Her sins made her unclean, but she didn't care, until Jerusalem fell and she realized no one would help her. Even the most precious place had been desecrated by foreigners - the Holy of Holies. Jerusalem shouted to the Lord to notice how she suffered. Nobody else noticed or cared. The Lord tied Jerusalem's sins around her neck and they were sapping her strength. Judah once beautiful was now trampled like grapes. Jerusalem mourned and cried without comfort. Jerusalem was disrespected by her neighbors. The Lord was right, but Jerusalem refused to obey Him. Couldn't God see that they were sick with regret? Jerusalem had lost all hope.

The Lord was so angry that He destroyed Jerusalem. He wiped out the army, and the cities. God left Israel in ruins. The people were weeping and moaning. He even shattered His temple. He started destroying and did not stop until the walls mourned and trembled. Everyone was numb from grief. Jeremiah felt sick all over. The Lord had kept His promises of long ago. Don't lose hope - get up and pray for help, pour out your feelings to the Lord, beg Him for help. Had the Lord ever been this cruel or angry before?

Jeremiah had suffered. He was kept in the dark and punished over and over. His skin and flesh was wasting away. His life was hardships and trouble; he was chained. Even when he shouted, his prayers weren't loud enough. Obstacles and ambushes awaited him on his path. He was a joke, everyone made fun of him. He thought he couldn't count on the Lord anymore and that made him feel depressed. Then Jeremiah remembered that he could count on God after all. If God had not been merciful everyone would be dead. Deep in his heart, Jeremiah knew God was all he needed. He told the people they could learn from insults and hard knocks. God sees everything, so do what is right and treat other people well. Jeremiah rememinded them they shouldn't complain about being punished for their sins, instead, they should think about what they are doing and stop sinning. They needed to pray and ask God to forgive them. (Good advice today too!)

Tomorrow read Lamentations 3:52-5:22; Ezekiel 1-2

September 6, 2010 Jeremiah 51:11-52:34

This is my 250th post! I am happy to celebrate that by finishing the book of Jeremiah. As with Isaiah, I've enjoyed reading Jeremiah too. I especially like the way he described what God told him to do and how he would say, "So I did."

God had made plans to destroy Babylon and nothing would stop Him. They were rich, but the time had come for them to die. God swore on His own life that enemy soldiers would fill their streets and celebrate their victory. After Jeremiah praised God he pronounced idol worshipers stupid! He said, "Idols are merely a joke, and when the time is right, they will be destroyed." (Jeremiah 51:18 CEV) Babylon was God's hammer which He used to pound nations to bits. Now Babylon would experience God's hammer! God promised that Babylon would forever be a desert. God's people prayed and asked Him to make Babylon pay for what they'd done. So God would lull them to sleep, never to wake up. God told His people to get out of Babylon and run for their lives. "Everything that nation worked so hard to gain will go up in smoke." (Jeremiah 51:58 CEV) Zedekiah went to Babylon during his 4th year as king. Baruch's brother Seraiah went also to arrange places to stay. Jeremiah sent a scroll with Seraiah and told him to pray and throw it in the Euphrates River and then say that as the scroll sinks so will Babylon.

This ends Jeremiah's writing.

Chapter 52 is nearly identical to 2Kings 24:18-25:21 (April 25). Instead of the details about Gedaliah and Ishmael, there is a counting of the people taken to Babylon. The details of the release of king Jehoiachin are nearly the same as well.

Tomorrow read Lamentations 1-3:51

September 5, 2010 Jeremiah 49-51:10

The Lord gave His opinion of Ammon. Why had they taken over towns given to the tribe of Gad? Someday He would send an army to attack their capital city, their land would lie in ruins and Israel would take it back. The rebellious Ammonites trust their wealth and boast that no one would attack them. The Lord would send neighboring nations to terrorize and scatter them. Someday the Lord would bring the people back home.

The Lord said that wisdom and common sense had vanished from Edom. The Lord would send disasters to punish the descendants of Esau. The people would die, but the Lord would protect the orphans and widows. God told them if people who don't deserve to drink from the cup of the Lord's anger have to, why should they get away without it? Pride tricked them into thinking other nations feared them. The truth was that they were despised. People passing by would be shocked to see destruction as bad as Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord would send destroyers to swoop down and attack them like eagles. Their warriors would be gripped by fear.

About Damascus, the Lord said that they had lost hope, and worries rolled over them like waves. He was once pleased with their city, but now they should get out while they still can.

About the desert tribes conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, God said that he told the king to do it. They were to run and hide. They had no fortress, yet they thought they were safe. They weren't.

Soon after Zedekiah became king the Lord told Jeremiah that He would kill all the archers of Elam. Enemies would attack and crush them. Someday God would bring back the people.

Babylon wasn't immune either. The Lord told Jeremiah to announce what would happen and not leave anything out. Babylon would be attacked by armies from the north. They would run and leave the land empty. When this happened, Israel and Judah would return to their own land. The people would make a new agreement with God that they wouldn't break or forget. Escape from Babylonia, it will be conquered. The Babylonians were eager and happy to rob God's people. God's anger would destroy Babylon and no one would live there. Babylon will be punished by taking its own medicine. God would bring Israel back to its own land, and rescue a few people left behind. They would be forgiven so completely that their sin and guilt would disappear.

Babylon challenged God, so God would destroy Babylon by using their enemies against them. They destroyed the temple, but God would take revenge. God promised that even their best soldiers would lie dead in the streets. No one would live there again.

Babylon was the gold cup of God filled with the wine of His anger. The nations got drunk on this wine and went insane. Babylon will fall. Israel would know that the Lord had taken revenge on Babylon for what they did to them.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 51:11-52:34

September 4, 2010 Jeremiah 46-48

The Lord often told Jeremiah what to say about different nations of the world. He told Jeremiah his opinions about Egypt, the Philistines, the nation of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, the people of the desert and Nebuchadnezzar, Elam, and the future of Babylonia. Today's passage covers God's opinion of Egypt, the Philistines, and Moab.

The Lord spoke about the Egyptian army. He said to get ready for battle with weapons and armor. He knew they would be defeated and run away in terror, but they wouldn't escape. God described the Egyptians like the Nile, rising up and overflowing its banks. The Lord told Egypt to go for it, try to defeat the enemy. But it was they who would be defeated. Nothing would sooth them, not even the balm of Gilead (this balm was mentioned briefly in Genesis 37:25 when Joseph's brothers sold him to the merchant caravan going to Egypt.)

The Lord sent a warning to Egypt as Nebuchadnezzar was on his way to attack them. He told them to defend themselves. Their king is all talk and no action. God is the true king. He told the people to pack a bag to take with them, soon there would be nothing left. God told them he would punish the Egyptian gods and everyone who trusted Egyptian power. The Lord promised that someday there would be people living in Egypt again.

The Lord told the Israelites that though they were being punished, it would not always be the case. The Lord would protect them when it came time to destroy their captors. The Lord promised to bring them home so they could live in peace and safety with nothing to fear.

The Lord warned the Philistines that an army from the north would destroy their towns and people. The refugees from Crete would also be destroyed. The Anakim (the very large people) who survive in Gaza and Ashkelon would mourn for them.

The Lord had many comments about Moab. (Ruth was from Moab. She was king David's ancestor.) The Lord told them they were doomed, that they would be shattered and they should run for their lives! The Lord instructed their enemies to let nothing remain alive - even plants. They had been left undisturbed and got rich and fat. Their god Chemosh wouldn't save them. Neighboring countries would comment how sad it was to see their glory in ruins. They had claimed to be more powerful than God, and made fun of His people, now they would be sorry. God saw their pride and heard their boasting. God told them bragging will never save them. The Lord would weep for the destroyed towns. He would get rid of anyone who burned incense to other gods. Everyone would shave their heads, cut their beards, slash their hands and wear sackcloth in mourning. Even though other nations are horrified they will laugh. Moab is finished as a nation because they dared oppose the Lord. Yet he would restore their fortunes in days to come.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 49-51:10

September 3, 2010 Jeremiah 41:11-45:5

Soldiers heard what Ishmael had done and pursued him. When Ishmael's prisoners saw them they were happy. Ishmael and some of his men escaped into Ammon, but the soldiers decided to take all the people (including Jeremiah) to Egypt because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they found out that Gedaliah had been killed.

On the way to Egypt the people asked Jeremiah to pray and ask God what He wanted them to do. They promised God that they'd do everything He said even if they didn't like it. 10 days later Jeremiah received an answer. God told them to stay in Judah and He would protect them from the Babylonians and make them strong and prosperous. But if they got scared and went to Egypt they would die there of the same things they were afraid would happen to them in Judah. Jeremiah added that the people had asked him for help which he gave along with their promise to do whatever the Lord told them. But they reneged, so they would die of war, hunger and disease.

The people accused Jeremiah of lying. They said Baruch put him up to it because he wanted to go to Babylon. So they disobeyed God and went to Egypt. Once they were settled in Egypt, the Lord told Jeremiah to bury some large stones in the mortar of the brick pavement in front of Pharaoh's palace and make sure the Jews were watching.
Then Jeremiah was to tell them that God had sent for Nebuchadnezzar, who would come and set up his tent right on top of where those stones were. He would attack and kill many people, it would be like he had picked the land clean. Then he'd go home.

The Lord sent Jeremiah to speak to the Jews living in towns all over Egypt. He told them that God had destroyed Jerusalem and Judah because the people angered him for worshiping empty, useless idols. Over and over God sent prophets to warn the people about the danger their disgusting sins were putting them in, but they wouldn't listen. God asked them why they insisted on courting disaster. God could see that that their pride kept them from respecting Him. So, He decided to wipe them out with disasters. Just as He punished Jerusalem with war, hunger and disease, so he would punish them. Only a few would return to Judah, the rest would die in Egypt.
Most of the Jews listened to Jeremiah, but they had wives who burned incense to the "Queen of Heaven" and refused to change. They shouted at Jeremiah that they had worshiped that way like their ancestors did in Jerusalem back in the good old days when things were good. Since the time they stopped burning incense their lives had gotten too hard. Jeremiah tried to tell them that things got bad BECAUSE they had worshiped other gods and God put a curse on the land. Then Jeremiah told them that God had said to go ahead and keep doing what they were doing. But watch out! They would know that when God says something will happen - it will!

Earlier, in the 4th year of king Jehoiakim's reign, God gave Jeremiah a message for Baruch. Now Baruch had written down everything Jeremiah said. God told him to stop complaining about being so tired and blaming God for keeping him so busy. God had alot more to tell Jeremiah and they were far from finished! But God did promise him that he would be protected from death.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 46-48

September 2, 2010 Jeremiah 37-41:10

Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah king. Nobody listened to anything the Lord said through Jeremiah. Zedekiah sent Jehucal and Zephaniah (the priest) to ask Jeremiah what would happen next, but the two men asked him to pray to the Lord for them. (Jeremiah had not yet been put in prison and was free to go where he pleased.) He sent them back with a message for Zedekiah. God wanted Zedekiah to know that the Babylonians would come back and burn the city down. They left because the Egyptian army was coming and planned to return when the Egyptians went home. Jeremiah decided to go home too, but as he was passing through the gate he was stopped by the officer in charge and arrested for trying to join the Babylonians. They beat him and put him in prison. Finally, Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought to him and he asked him if there was a message from the Lord. Jeremiah said there was and it was that the Lord was going to let the king of Babylon capture Zedekiah. Then Jeremiah asked him why he had imprisoned him? Had he committed a crime? Had he imprisoned those prophets who lied? Jeremiah asked Zedekiah not to put him back in that prison, so Jeremiah was moved to the courtyard of the palace guards.

One day some men overheard Jeremiah tell the people of Judah that they should surrender to the king of Babylon or they would die. So they went to the king and told him that he should kill Jeremiah because he causing the soldiers to lose hope. Zedekiah told them to do whatever they wanted with Jeremiah, so they put him in a cistern and Jeremiah sank down in the mud. Ebedmelech, an official from Ethiopia, noticed what was going on and went to Zedekiah and told him Jeremiah would die in the cistern, so Zedekiah told him to take 30 men and get Jeremiah out. The Ebedmelech got some rags to cushion the ropes so they wouldn't hurt Jeremiah and they got him out of the cistern. After that, Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the palace guards. Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought to him and he wanted the truth. Jeremiah asked him why since he wouldn't listen and he might even have Jeremiah killed. Zedekiah swore to God that he wouldn't have Jeremiah killed, so Jeremiah told him what God said. If Zedekiah would surrender to the Babylonians he would live and so would his family and Jerusalem wouldn't be burned down. If not, the Babylonians would burn down Jerusalem and Zedekiah would be taken prisoner. Zedekiah said he was too scared of the Jews all ready in Babylon. Jeremiah tried to tell him that if he obeyed God all would go well for him, but he wouldn't listen. Zedekiah made Jeremiah promise not to tell anyone what they talked about. Even though they asked, Jeremiah told them exactly what Zedekiah had ordered him to say.

The Babylonians kept Jerusalem surrounded for a year and a half. Then they broke through the wall. Zedekiah and his troops tried to escape, but they got caught. He was found guilty at trial, and was to be punished. He witnessed his sons put to death in front of him as well as the leaders of Judah's ruling families. His eyes were put out and he was put in chains to be taken to Babylon. Meanwhile, Jerusalem was being burned, including the temple. Only the poorest people were left in Judah. Nebuchadnezzar had given orders to his commander to find Jeremiah and keep him safe, take care of him and do whatever he asked. They found Jeremiah and let him stay with the people who were left in Judah. While Jeremiah had been a prisoner in the courtyard, the Lord gave him a message for the Ebedmelech who had saved his life. Because he trusted God, He would protect him from harm and he would be kept alive.

The commander who found Jeremiah took off his chains and told him he could live in Babylon, or in Judah with the new ruler, Gedaliah or wherever he wished. Then he gave him food and let him leave. Jeremiah decided stay near Gedaliah with the people of Judah. When some officers of Judah who had left early heard about Gedaliah they came back to Judah. They had dinner with Gedaliah and killed him and alot of other people. The leader's name was Ishmael and he took the daughters of Zedekiah that had been under Gedaliah's care.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 41:11-45:5

September 1, 2010 Jeremiah 34-36

The Lord told Jeremiah that king Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon, but not to fear because he would die a peaceful death. Jeremiah went to tell this to the king while the Babylonians were breaking down the wall of Jerusalem. The king and everyone else in Jerusalem had promised to free all the Hebrew slaves. After the slaves had been freed, they changed their minds and made them slaves again. Then the Lord spoke to Jeremiah and told him to remind the people of the agreement He had made with their ancestors to free any slave after 7 years. (Feb.28 Deut.15:12 & Exodus 21:2-6 Jan 23) The people had done the right thing and gone to the temple to set their slaves free, but they changed their minds and did the wrong thing. So God told them he would free the slave owners to die in battle. The people had even cut a calf in half and walked between the two parts (Gen 15:9 Jan 5th) which made it even worse. So God told them that He would have Nebuchadnezzar come back later and do to them what they did to the calf. They would capture king Zedekiah and burn down Judah.

Earlier, when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord told Jeremiah to go to the Recabite family and invite them to come to visit with him in a side room of the temple. He was to offer them wine when they arrived. So they did, but when Jeremiah offered them wine they refused to drink it and told Jeremiah of a command given by their ancestor, Jonadab, son of Recab (Rechab), to never drink wine, build houses, or plant their own crops, and always live in tents. They and all their descendants were to obey this command. (I was wondering if this would be the same Johonadab son of Recab referenced in 2Kings 10:15, who rode in the chariot when Jehu destroyed the Baals?) For now they were forced to live inside the walls of Jerusalem because Babylon had invaded the countryside at this time. God told Jeremiah to tell the people to take a lesson from the Recabites. He wanted them to show the same obedience to His commandments that the Recabites had shown for the command of their ancestor. God promised the Recabites that because of their obedience to Jonadab, their family would be His servants and never die out.

Also during the time Jehoiakim was king, the Lord told Jeremiah to write down everything He said from the time Josiah had been king. Then Jeremiah was to read it to the people to convince them of all the terrible things that would happen if they didn't follow God's commandments. So Jeremiah got Baruch, the scribe and had him write everything on a scroll. Jeremiah had been forbidden to go into the temple by the people, so he asked Baruch if he would go and read the scroll to the people. So on the next holy day when the people had fasted and prayed Baruch read the scroll to them. A man from the palace heard what was read and went to the palace officials and told them about it, so they sent someone to bring Baruch and the scroll to the palace. They sat Baruch down to read the scroll and when he had finished they asked him if Jeremiah dictated the words to him? He told them he had. The officials told Baruch to get Jeremiah and hide. Eventually, the scroll was read by the king who chopped pieces out of it he didn't like and burned them until there was nothing left. Then he wanted Jeremiah and Baruch arrested, but the Lord had hidden them. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah to write another scroll like the first and tell king Jehoiakim about his horrible death, and that no one would follow him on the throne. So Jeremiah and Baruch got busy and wrote another scroll and added more of the word of the Lord.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 37-41:10