BibleVersity

    "...And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered." (Ezekiel 34:1-5, ASV)     The painting here is entitled, "The Bad Shepherd," by Pieter Brueghel II in the 1600s. If you look closely you can see where it receives its name. The shepherd is running from a wolf who is devouring one of the sheep. If you look closely, there appears to be another in the distance doing the same. It is a pretty good visual illustration of the LORD's scathing words through the prophet Ezekiel. The LORD had not-so-kind words for His ministers, His shepherds, that were responsible for caring for His people, but shrugged off their responsibilities to the sheep for their own interests.    I fully expect to be taken to task over this post, but I cannot remain silent. Several days ago, I posted a blog on alcohol consumption, looking at the OT priests' responsibility, and making appli...

"I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the the LORD." - Ezekiel 38:23 (NASB)    Ezekiel 38 is speaking about end-times events. Gog and Magog are speaking of the battle of Armageddon as we know it as presented in Revelation. This is the context of the verse above. We always want to make sure that we keep Scripture in its proper context.    Notice what the LORD says that He is going to do in view of the world. First He is going to magnify or elevate Himself. Since creation man has created other "gods" in his own image. God will make Himself known in such a way, working such magnificent wonders, that mankind will have no doubt that He is the LORD. Second, He will sanctify or separate Himself. We usually think of sanctification as a separation from sin. However, God has not and cannot sin. The sanctifying He is speaking of is setting Himself apart from every other "god"...

"And also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies." - Ezek. 20:12 (NASB)    (I've had this one sitting "on the desk" for a while).    I love the Old Testament. There are many in the Christian world today who dismiss the OT as outdated and irrelevant, but I am not in that group. There are some issues in the OT that do not apply directly to us (blood sacrifice for example) because Jesus came and died, fulfilling this requirement forever. However, even in those parts of the OT that have been fulfilled, or those for which we are no longer responsible to, we can still learn much in regard to the truths and principles that God established long before Jesus arrived.    The passage above is a prime example of what I am talking about. The sabbath was the holy day for the Jewish people. It was a day in which all regular work was ceased, and the people spent resting and worshipping God....

To Each His Own "...the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself." - Ezekiel 18:20 (NASB)     The LORD, through the prophet Ezekiel, begins this chapter with a local (OT) proverb or saying which went, "The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge." This saying was something familiar to the people of Israel. Jeremiah too references this same proverb (31:29-30). The saying implies that the sin of the father is punished in his children. It is true that if we choose to make poor choices, our families may suffer for it. Our choices do affect other people, especially those whom we love, but suffering is quite different that punishment. Make no mistake, God does not punish you for someone else's sin.    There is a principle that the LORD is teaching His people throughout this entire chapter, one of consequence and responsibility. In the United States, we like ...

"Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD." - Ezek. 16:62 (NASB)      Ezekiel had the difficult task of prophesying in Israel prior to the invasion and captivity of its people. Many of the passages in this book are filled with painful words and metaphors that illustrate the depth of their rebellion. The verse that I am focusing on today lies at the end of one such passage. The part that struck me this morning is the last part of this brief verse, "and you shall know that I am the LORD."  As I meditate on this, the thought occurs to me that this is really the main thrust of  God's action in humanity. He wants us to know that He is the LORD. Knowing is comprised of two thoughts. The first is that of mere knowledge. The Bible is clear in revealing that this God, the LORD, is the only God. The historical, geographical, political, and prophetic events recorded in the Bible attest to its reliability. When we read or hear ...