Archive for November 2024

Ezekiel 27-28,  Job 9:21-35,  John 9:26-41,  1 John 2:12-17   Ezekiel 27-28:   A predominant emphasis throughout the book continues: “The word of the LORD came to me” (27:1, 28:1, 11, 20). Ezekiel speaks God’s word and does not make up his own. Here he is to raise up a “lamentation” against Tyre (27:2)—to speak God’s word against Tyre. Tyre is proud:…

Ezekiel 24-26,  Job 9:1-20,  John 9:13-25,  1 John 2:1-11   Ezekiel 24-26:   A momentous day indeed: the day the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem (24:2). Ezekiel is to write down this day, this very day, to record it. And he is to tell a parable concerning what is going on (24:3). The parable—the story…

Ezekiel 22-23,  Job 8,  John 9:1-12,  1 John 1   Ezekiel 22-23:   Ezekiel is asked whether he will judge Jerusalem—the “bloody city” (22:2)—and then given words to declare to her all her “abominations.” Basically, she has “become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by the idols that you have made” (22:4). In…

Ezekiel 20-21,  Job 7,  John 8:48-59,  2 Peter 3:10-18   Ezekiel 20-21:   Irony of ironies, the elders of Israel, or at least a portion of them, come to Ezekiel to “inquire of the LORD” (20:1). This is some kind of formal desire to hear from God through God’s prophet. But, the word of the Lord comes…

Ezekiel 17-19,  Job 6,  John 8:31-47,  2 Peter 3:1-9   Ezekiel 17-19:   A riddle and a parable, chapter 17, of an eagle and of the vine, and of Israel’s rebellion against Babylon by seeking help from Egypt—“can he break covenant and yet escape?” (17:15). There is a principle behind God’s actions: “I bring low the high…

Ezekiel 16,  Job 5,  John 8:21-30,  2 Peter 2:17-22   Ezekiel 16:   A beautiful parable, with startling application to God’s people, and final hope after all the crying of judgment and condemnation. First, we are told of how God’s people are from the land of Canaanites, their father an Amorite and mother a Canaanite (16:3). We…

Ezekiel 13-15, Job 4, John 8:12-20, 2 Peter 2:10-16 Ezekiel 13-15: Ezekiel is told to prophesy against the prophets of Israel (13:2). The reason for this is because they are prophesying “from their own hearts” (13:2) and they “follow their own spirit” (13:3). In other words, these prophets who claim to be speaking God’s word are actually speaking…

Ezekiel 9-12,  Job 3,  John 8:1-11,  2 Peter 2:1-9   Ezekiel 9-12:   This section begins with a wonderful, evocative description of the prophet’s experience of hearing God’s word. God “cried in my ears with a loud voice” (9:1). Unmissable, unmistakable, indubitably important: God’s Word came to him loud and clear. Those who have the “mark on…