Love never Fails

"Charity never faileth:..." I Corinthians 13:8a

"Never" is an absolute. Not even at any time does true love (that is, God's love) ever fail. Think about it. Read John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

God loved us. That love will not fail. He did what He said He would do and gave us the gift of eternal life, if we are willing to receive it.

Man's love isn't perfect. However, through Christ's sacrifice, we have access to that perfect love of God expressed in His gift of eternal life.

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John 13:34

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15

God showed us His never failing love through Jesus Christ. Jesus told us to love one another as He loved them. Wow. Tall orders. Are you willing to die for your brother or sister in the Lord? Paul was.

"I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you." II Corinthians 7:3

We all make excuses to avoid pain or sacrificial service. "Oh, you mustn't suffer for Christ, you have a family to raise." "Oh, you must get your rest or you'll be too sick to go to work tomorrow. You know that paycheck you earn puts food on the table." "Let their own family take care of them. You have to take care of yourself."

All of these excuses do have some truth to them. We have a responsibility to our family. They are a priority. Sometimes you must put them ahead of the ministry. I see my children as my disciples. I must teach them and lead them by example. Oh. If I am to lead them by example, then I need to demonstrate a never failing love, a love for others, a willingness to sacrifice my own comfort for the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of others.

I have a confession to make. In my flesh, I allow criticism--or words spoken in opposition to the ministry or hateful words--to make ground beef out of my heart. I'd like to say that my sorrow comes from my compassion for the other person who fails to understand and see God's truth or apply His commandments. Not initially. I am quite guilty of running for cover to lick my wounds. After a time, when the wounds heal, God often helps me see the condemning soul in a different light--to even take pity on such a person.

If love never fails, it won't be hindered by the lashing out of angry people or the 'well-meaning' soul who thinks you are crazy for serving God. Love will look at those people with compassion, with tenderness, with meekness (knowing how easy it is to be judgmental), and it will continue to faithfully to serve the Lord by following His example.

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matthew 10:22

 

Watching Cows

 Against the main gate heading to the pasture, I have a ‘step’ that I sit on when I’m watching my cows or updating records on my phone. With fall starting, and this being the second year of severe drought, we weaned several months earlier than normal which means I am spending more time ‘socializing’ with my cows and calves. 

Why?

Because weaned calves can be skittish and need to learn to trust me so I can handle them without one going through the fence. And for the cows, re-establishing our relationship so that they trust me, not only for any doctoring that may go on during the winter, but also so in the spring they’ll let me near their newborn calves.

I am a firm believer in gentle handling. Such handling does take time. Time taken during this season pays off when I have to load an animal in the trailer or treat an injured or sick animal later or tag and band a newborn calf. AND, it allows me to have cheap corral panels for my corrals. Since, the animals don’t feel threatened, they won’t try jumping or going through the fence. Yes, it happens.

Incidents of panicking cattle reduce tremendously when we both breed for quiet dispositions and train the animals to trust us.

In fact, I believe that this method of handling can be used in almost any situation. This spring, a cow giving birth both lost her calf and became temporarily paralyzed. I didn’t need to bring her into the corrals (wouldn’t have been physically capable of doing it), but treated her in the pasture, including massaging her back and hindquarters. She trusted me enough to let me take care of her. By the way, she recovered and within a few weeks traveled with the herd.

Recently, I listened to someone tell a story of how these ‘cowboys’ had to round up these wild cows that had gotten out. While no doubt a dangerous and stressful situation, I confess to shaking my head over how the 'cowboys' handled the cattle. True, I was a bit arrogant in thinking I would have handled things differently. In truth, on occasion, more aggressive handling gets the job done faster than slow and gentle. However, gentle handling, down with patience and kindness, can have better and safer result than ‘cowboying’ the animals into submission.

And please, no offense meant against cowboys. They have been my heroes all my life. But I use the term based on the picture the word conjures up, not on what is truth. I’ve learned a lot from true cattlemen who would call themselves cowboys but in no way behave as the media portrays them. (this of course is a rabbit trail).

I just finished my first ‘in corral bucket training’ with my calves. Basically, in the enclosed space of the corrals, I try to get the calves to eat out of the bucket at or near my feet. Some are always braver than others. It is a place to start, with the end goal being that a few (if not all) will allow me to scratch their back. The location of the corrals is important, because if I have to doctor or vaccinate or handle the herd, this is where it is done. Best the animals learn to trust me and work quietly in this area.

Watching these young animals learn to trust me reminded me of Romans 2:4:

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

It got me to thinking about God's patience with me. I can be skittish like the calves, but when I go looking for the good things (like a calf will stretch out his neck and then his tongue to get a cube), I find Him. Yes, He’s in the power of a storm or in the ferocious fast flowing river, but He also meets me in the quiet moments, the cleft of the rock, or the stillness of the morning. There, I can reach out, even tentatively, and trust Him to give me what I need.

As a calf begins to learn that my hand holds a cube, and I’m not going to hurt him, he’ll become bolder. Eventually, he may become aggressive, butting me to get what he wants. This unacceptable behavior leads to the calf receiving a knock across the nose, i.e. a corrective action taken against him.

You know, I think sometimes God does the same thing. Sometimes, we get a little too selfish, demanding from God what we want and treating Him like He’s our servant rather than the Holy and Sovereign God He is.

God is an amazing God, kind and patient, and desiring to treat us with all kindness and gentleness. Nonetheless, He is to be revered and respected.

I am thankful for the example God gives me in my cattle. I learn so much from them.

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee:” Job 12:7

Where I Began

 I’ve enjoyed writing stories since my elementary school days. It wasn’t until my first year of university that I realized it was possible for me to be published. My English professor pulled me aside after reading a piece I wrote and told me I should seek publication. At that time, I had no idea how to go about it, but that simple word of encouragement spurred me to pursue a writing life.

I enjoy an active life. I don’t do well if I’m forced to sit for hours at a desk. I think that was part of my problem as a university student—I enjoyed doing things with my hands more than sitting in a lecture.

And yet, I have an unction to write. Mostly, I journal. Daily, I journal my devotional time (some of which makes its way into my newsletters). But I have also found I like to write stories. Seemed a reasonable pursuit, since my imagination (especially as a child) tends to lead me down all sorts of roads at all sorts of times—so much so that, I must confess, I have to be very careful before saying something to be sure that I’ve sorted out what is fact and what is just my imagination running wild. I hate to admit it, but it is true.

Interestingly, over a decade ago, I truly thought the only safe thing for me to write was story. I loved writing novels. Wrote several. Published one. 

Now, I find myself wanting to share what I’m learning. In truth, I’m not really wanting people to comment on what I write. Primarily because I believe what I believe and get very stressed when someone disagrees with me. Sad statement. Some people are given to enjoy debating and really aren’t offended when someone disagrees with them. And I’d like to think I’m one of those people. In fact, I have often tried to put that character on. But I just haven’t mastered it. My pride tends to just overflow like a big blob oozing out of its container. And quite frankly, I don’t like the smell or appearance of it, so I tuck it away and hide behind…well, I’m not really sure what I hide behind, I just know I hid behind something.

I guess you can take it or leave it. And for all my fear of people’s comments, I’m always receptive to people’s encouragement. And ya, I do appreciate it when people kindly speak the truth to me. I just have to poke at that nasty blob to get it back in its container.

Foundational Beliefs

Consider the churches at the time the last apostle dies. The believers know what these men of God taught them. They received foundational truths. Truth Paul told Timothy the church was to be the pillar and ground of (I Timothy 3:15). The men who knew the apostles continued to teach this truth. But as time passes, others begin to come up with their own ideas. Their own explanations and traditions. Soon, only a few are left who determine not to bend to influences outside and inside the church. These few become known as radicals, purists, or even heretics.

But is it heretical to stand on the truths the apostles taught, even if others begin to design twists to these truths?

Let's explore groups of people that came out of the first century with certain foundational doctrines. These people maintained these beliefs from the time of Christ's ascension until today. 

Often, these people hid themselves from the rulers, and as a result, there are times when very little is written about them, and they seem to have disappeared (though that isn’t true). In some places their faith lineage is reasonably clear (for example in Wales), and in some places, not so much. They’ve been called a variety of names, usually as slurs or as ways of identifying specific leaders. But their foundational beliefs remain the same.

Here are the foundational doctrines of these believers faith^1:

1. Salvation (new birth) comes only through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Founder, Savior, and Head of the churches.
2. The Holy Spirit comes to a believer at the time of new birth (faith)--this is known as the "regeneration of the believer" by the Holy Spirit and the word of God. 
3. Baptism is done by submersion to people old enough to understand the conviction of sin and to make a profession of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only means to salvation (and rejected baptism at any age as a means of salvation). Often included with this statement, is the Lord's Supper. Both (referred to as 'ordinances') are to be perpetual and a memorial to the saved of Christ's saving work done for us. 
4. All believers are considered equal in the eyes of God, and all have the ability to gain knowledge from Scripture under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. There is no hierarchy within the church.
5. The canon of Scripture is the final authority on God and on all of life (note, in the first couple of centuries after Christ, this canon relied on the Jewish Canon of the Old Testament and the epistles and Gospels that were well received amongst the churches—this will be a discussion for another day).
6. The separation of Church and State. The government should not run the church and the church should not run the government. This last one is most clearly defined when Dr. Clarke petitioned for an experiment of freedom of conscience (of religion) by the British parliament for the Rhode Island charter in 1644. However, the actions and words of the people groups who stood on the preceding five foundational beliefs strongly suggests they believed this as well.

As I researched church history, I found different historians would have slight variations to these core beliefs or add a 'mark' common to these local assemblies of believers that I haven't, but I believe the main doctrines are expressed above.

The disciples (also known as the apostles) held to these beliefs during the first century. At another time, we'll explore the Biblical foundation for these teachings.

Toward the end of the first century, the apostles warned of false doctrines, or errors, creeping into the churches. Paul warns the leaders of Ephesus this in Acts 20:17-38, and he warns Timothy and Titus in their epistles. Peter warned in his epistles, as does John and Jude. We read of different apostasies arising in the churches in John's writing of the Revelation of Christ (chapter 3), and some of these took hold.

By the second century, some people found it easier to believe baptism washed away their sins than to attribute this to Christ's blood. This seemed to be the beginning of a major shift in Christianity.

However, a remnant remained faithful to the above foundational doctrines. Those who chose to believe differently established their own universal church. Some of the remnant, while adhering to the foundational truths listed above, would have extreme applications of faith that one might call 'legalistic' or false teachings because of the emphasis they placed on them. However, I do think studying the circumstances they lived in helps to see why they embraced these applications of Scripture as strongly as they did. Over time, I will take a closer look at these. For now, I've listed the groups.

In the second century A.D., these people were known as:

• Montanists. Led by Montanus beginning150-156 A.D. They believed that a person should be re-baptized if at first the person did not come to Christ by faith alone and thus receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). "Thus termed, "Anabaptist"' (Schaff, History of the Christian Church, II., 429 as quoted in “Baptist History”, p.12). This group continued for centuries and spread even to France (then known as Gaul).
• Welsh Believers. They were not given a specific name, but some historians record that Claudia (Acts 28:30; II Timothy 4:21) from Wales met the Apostle Paul in Rome, was saved, and returned to Wales. Of course, many Welshmen became Roman soldiers and also believed. (Fox's Acts and Monuments, p. 137.; Dr. Gill and Matthew Henry on II Timothy 4:21. Godwin's Catalogue; Crosby's History of the English Baptists, preface to vol 2.; Dr. Heylim's Cosmography, lib. 1, p. 257 as quoted in  The History of the Welsh Baptists). This group continues to present day, though the trail is difficult to follow due to the great persecutions they underwent. The first began when Austin came from Rome and attempted to convince the Welsh to enforce infant baptism in the 600's. Many refused and were put to death while others submitted (Davis, "History of the Welsh Baptists", p. 14-15)
• South India Believers. These claim the Apostle Thomas brought the Gospel to this region. Not a lot is known about this group.

In the third century A.D., the Roman Catholic Church began to form and force upon believers doctrines contrary to the aforementioned foundational beliefs. The concept of the "Universal Church" developed in the third century, and the term "catholic' was used. The following groups (along with those mentioned above) held firm to the foundational doctrines. These people were called:

• The Novantians. Resulted from a split in the church at Rome during a period of persecution. Note, that the Roman Catholic Church had not officially formed at this time. The Novantians were also called anabaptists for re-baptizing those who came from the churches that believed baptism saved. They survived until the 6th or 7th century, though some believe they continued up to the Reformation Period.
• The Donatists. Came from Numidia forming from the church of Carthage, North Africa because some people surrendered the 'sacred books' to be burned during Diocletia's persecution (303-311 A.D.) and they opposed this. They were called anabaptists.

In the fourth century A.D., groups that resisted the changes that the Roman Church pressed for included those mentioned above as well as:

• Paulicans
• Cathary
• Albagencies
• Bogamils
• and several others

In the fifth century A.D.: some historians will claim the origin of the above groups began in this century, while others note they existed long before this. For example, Gregory Magistos, A.D. 1058, wrote that the Paulicans had long been disconnected by the church (Terry, "Baptist History", p.19).

As time progressed, more groups continued to oppose the Catholic church, many of these groups were extensions of the groups mentioned above. A historian in the thirteen century wrote (from the perspective of opposition to anabaptists):
 

"The heresy of the Paulicians and Cathari, another religious faction, had at that time considerable prevalence, which under the various names of Cathari, for Catharists, Puritans, Gazari, Patereni, Paulicians or Publicans, Bulgari or Bugari was more particularly charged with Manichaean opinions. The origin of these heretics has been the subject of much controversy, for while some suppose these errors to have been indigenous in Europe, there are others who derive them in a direct line from the very heart of Asia." (Wadington's Ch. Hist., p. 286)

Nothing is ever easy, is it? History shows us that God’s hand is involved in people’s lives. Often people reject or believe something based on how they perceive history.

And truth be told, we all pick and choose what to believe based on what feels right to us.

I, personally, believe that God has kept a remnant of believers throughout all the centuries who believe these foundational doctrines, even when the rulers of the time rose up against them, even killing some.

I get some peace in knowing that what I believe has been guarded and remained steadfast since Christ’s life here on earth. 

---

1. References for this article:

Asher, Louis Franklin. John Clarke (1609-1676). Arkansas: The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc.

Carroll, J.M. The Trail of Blood. Lecture series.

Davis, Joanthan. 1835. History of Welsh Baptists. Pittsburgh: D. M. Hogan. Reprinted by Forgotten Books, 2012.

Foxe, John. 1563. Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Pantianos Classics.

Grady, William P. 1993. Final Authority. Indiana: Grady Publications.

Hammett, Doug. 2004. The History of Baptists. Pennsylvania: Challenge Press.

Holliday, J. M. 1974. The Baptist Heritage. Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas: Bogard Press.

Jarrel, W.A. 1894. Baptist Church Perpetuity. Dallas, Texas, reprinted Arkansas: The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc. 

Shaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church, Vol I. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1899. As quoted in Baptist History.

Terrey, Dr. Robert J. 1984. Baptist History.  

Our Relationship with God

 “In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel,…” Ezekiel 40:2

Many of the Jews had been in exile for over 25 years. They’d heard Ezekiel prophesy that they would one day return to Jerusalem. God took time to assure Ezekiel, and his listeners, that He would restore them as one nation and they would again enjoy being His people. 

At the beginning of Ezekiel’s ministry (Ezekiel 10), God gave Ezekiel a vision of the temple, how wickedly the priests and leaders of Jerusalem behaved and thought, and how God departed from the temple. 

Now, God reveals to Ezekiel His plans for the temple. God wants to rebuild His relationship with His people, and that would begin with worship. And in Ezekiel 43, Ezekiel sees God’s glory returning to the temple. Holiness prevails in this relationship, this presence of God.

All that transpired from the time before the first Jews were taken to Babylonia to today was done to glorify God, to exalt Him above all else. God glories in those who love and choose Him, who seek His holiness.

Our relationship with God is not one of a big sugar daddy in the sky that gives us our every desire. Nor is He a fierce and angry God bent on whipping us into shape. God does, on one hand show kindness and mercy, while on the other hand has strict justice and truth. We need to see and receive both sides, and more, of God’s character. 

The problem is, we tend to view God without letting go of our focus on ourselves. Before us, God was. He wasn’t created. And He doesn’t exist to please us, to pamper us, to…anything us. It’s the other way around. We are created for His pleasure.

We lose sight of this, I think. We stop allowing God to be God.

And when we don’t get our way? Well, how often have you gotten mad at God or stormed off in a spiritual huff when He hasn’t answered your prayers the way you wanted Him to? We all do it. We may not all act out in the same way, but we all at times choose to be put out if we don’t get our way.

I think this may lead us to swing the other way, if we’re not careful, and count God as an angry, vengeful God. And it is true that God does get angry, and vengeance is His. However, who are we to retaliate by rejecting the truth about God? Who are we to decide to make God become a god of our liking? Or outright reject God and follow the gods of this world. 

Whatever our problem is, God’s not it. 

In Ezekiel, we see the Existing One, the Great and Almighty Creator, pleading with His people, longing for them to turn to Him. We get a glimpse of the pain His people inflicted on Him by committing such great abominations in the temple—tremendous unholiness. And this righteous God must leave for holiness no longer resides in the people. Jerusalem and Judah are ravaged and destroyed. 

And yet, God calls them back. He promises them good things. He plans on restoring their relationship with Him, and central to that relationship, is holy worship.

I wonder when God looks at us today, what does He see? No doubt, He has great compassion. Absolutely, He’s merciful and gracious. And covering all our wicked unholiness, selfish rebellion, sinful nature, is His Son’s shed blood, poured out on the altar in Heaven. When we are selfish and acting like spoiled children, He looks at that. Is He hurt? Oh, I am sure.

Does our sin affect our relationship? Christ’s blood shed once and for all covers all of our sins: past, present, and future. Nothing can pluck us from His hand. But our actions and our thoughts and our attitudes can affect how close a fellowship we have with God. 
Nonetheless, we receive forgiveness, and we receive hope…the hope of being with God in eternity, in a place where we’ll sin no more. 

Have you considered your response to God when you don’t get your prayers answered the way you’d like Him to? How about when you really want to do something, but the Holy Spirit prevents you or convicts you? How do you respond then? Isn’t it wonderful that God understands, promises to forgive, and forget, and draws us back to Him?

For further study read Ezekiel 40-48; Revelations 21-22; Isaiah 64-66.

“…and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” Ezekiel 48:35

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new…” Revelations 21:4-5

A Responsibility

 “…then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” Ezekiel 37:14

I have, of late, pondered why some people who supposedly once knew God, would turn their backs on Him or recreate Him into a god they like.

Israel and Judah fell because they exchanged the One True God, for the gods of the nations around them. They were sent into exile and scattered throughout the world. Even to this day, many Jews do not live in Jerusalem and are only Jews by lineage and not by faith.

God gave Ezekiel the vision of dry bones to show how Israel would be made alive again. Then God joins the sticks Ezekiel picked up to show how Judah and the rest of Israel would become one nation again (as they were during David’s reign). And God tells Ezekiel there will be a time when they will have an everlasting covenant of peace with God.

Israel is a nation today but has yet to wholly follow God as a nation. This is yet to come.
In my studies, I see evidence to support that Israel will build a temple and begin worshiping God. Will the temple be built before the rapture or after? I’m not sure. However, Scripture seems to indicate that they will worship God in the temple through the first three and a half years of the tribulation. Then trouble comes for the last half. But when the Lord comes at the end of the tribulation period, Christ reigns for 1000 years. However, at the end of that period, Gog and Magog give appearance (see Revelations 20:8) for a great battle, which they lose. 

And that brings me back to pondering why people turn their back on God. Revelations 20:7-8 states that Satan will deceive the nations before this final battle (which ends pretty quickly). My heart breaks to think about those who today are deceived into not believing the whole of God’s Word and therefore not believing in the God of the Bible.

When God describes the victory over Gog and Magog, what does He say?

“…and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.” Ezekiel 39:6-7

Whether those who are deceived like it or not, they are going to know the God of the Bible.
I believe that God wants all people to be saved, but not all people want to be saved. God gave us a free will. We can choose to follow Him or choose to believe what we want to believe. And throughout the ages, people have chosen to believe what they want to believe.

I’m burden at the confusion brought on by those who add to Scripture by quoting the thoughts of mere men, no greater or lower in the eyes of God than I. The thought of teaching false doctrines or wrong thinking scares me. What if I do this? What if something I say causes another to stumble, to believe a lie, to be deceived? And, it pushes me to study the Bible more.

I consider the Bible the final authority on God. And without that foundational belief, I could be tossed to and fro by various whims of philosophies and religious notions and worldviews. If I did not hold to this one simple belief—the Bible is the Final Authority on everything—then all that I believe would have no foundation and would crumble under even the slightest bit of scrutiny. 

So, the conclusion that I draw is twofold: 

1. That the people who reject the God of the Bible don’t know the Bible and don’t believe it is the final authority on God.
2. Some of these people, while knowing the Bible, have chosen to listen to lies that do not hold to the whole of Scripture nor endorse the authority of the Bible.

Perhaps there are other reasons. Even Satan knows Scripture, better than most, if not all, people. And yet, in his pride he made God his enemy. Pride and lust do keep people from receiving God’s Word as truth.

I can’t change the hearts of people. That falls in the realm of the Holy Spirit’s abilities. But God won’t force man to believe Him. Yet, when God withdraws His hand and allows all sorts of evil come to man (even sending Nebuchadnezzar against Judah), He does so for the purpose of drawing those who are away from Him back to Him.

There will come a time, after giving people both the worst and best of life (the tribulation and the thousand year reign), when the final judgment will come and those who rejected God’s Son will spend an eternity away from Him. What they wanted (or thought they wanted) would be theirs. Sad. So very Sad.

So, while I ponder people’s decisions about what they believe, I do have a responsibility to be prepared to give a reason for my faith, should the opportunity arise. Again, a reason for me to know and understand all of Scripture, but even more importantly, to keep a very tight relationship with God and allow His Holy Spirit to guide me.

How about you? What do you believe? How does it affect your desire to know God and to study His Word?

For further study, read Ezekiel 37-39, Revelations 17-20, Psalm 119.

“Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:28-29

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18

“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Revelations 21:3

Jesus Stands in the Gap

 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 22:30-31

This section (Ezekiel 21-24) is perhaps the most difficult part of Ezekiel to read. God pictures Israel and Judah as daughters who have gone very bad and done very evil things. You can feel the intensity of His grief and anger and anguish.

The descriptions of their evil acts are hard to read. God’s heart is broken. He rages against them. And yet, He seeks for someone to intercede, to stand in the gap, to stop Him from having to pour out His wrath on them. No one could. 

I imagine a father seeking an explanation for the way his daughters behaved. Someone to give Him a reason to not punish them. But there was no one, and so the full brunt of his fury would fall on these two beloved daughters, Ahola and Aholibah (Israel and Judah). 
However, God would not tolerate any other nation rejoicing over the fall of Israel and Judah. The Ammonites, the Edomites, the Moabites, Tyrus, and others would suffer judgment as well, because they rejoiced against God’s beloved children.

As a father who would tolerate no one to speak evil of his children even when those children had done wrong, so God would not tolerate the evil speech and actions of the other nations against the children of Israel. These nations would feel the wrath of God as well.

Can you, through these chapters, see the love of God? He seems harsh and angry and unapproachable. For a few years of my own life, I thought that I served an angry God. I didn’t understand the agony God was going through over how His children behaved because He loved them so much. 

I wonder if Daniel didn’t understand all this as well.

Daniel was a part of the first group of Jews to be taken to Babylon. He purposed in his heart to walk uprightly, choosing not to be defiled by the Babylonians who were bent on causing the Jews to embrace their culture and religion. In Daniel 9, Daniel is reading the books, especially Jeremiah’s and is greatly convicted. By this time, he’d already been in captivity for approximately 67 years. He’d watched the next two groups of Jews be brought into exile from Judah and Jerusalem, and he’d likely heard of the complete destruction of the temple and the city. At the time of his reading of Jeremiah’s writings, he was likely aware that Zerubbabel was either on the way to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple or perhaps even there.

Daniel would have heard about Ezekiel’s prophecies. The book of Ezekiel may very well have been included in his readings. And I find his response awe-striking:

“And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:” Daniel 9:4-5

Daniel’s response was of utter devastation. It seems he finally understood why his people had been exiled. He’s at the end of his life. He’s lived through many hard things and has been counted righteous for his faith and determination to do right (see Ezekiel 14:14-21). I wonder, though, if through his life he never fully grasped the great sins of his people. Now, having read about them, he’s completely struck by the horror of it.

And yet, his response is to say that God is loving and merciful and forgiving. 

Time and time again, I am struck by the simple fact that to find mercy and grace, one must understand the sin and accept the consequences that requires one to need mercy and grace. How important is it to not only have remorse, but to willingly accept the fallout from our actions, in order to be able to receive healing.

God looked for someone to stand in the gap for Israel, but there was no one. So, the repercussion of their sins fell on them. All praise and glory go to God because He has provided One to stand in the gap for us: His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
God speaks of Him in Ezekiel 21:27 (Christ, the King who would receive the crown). Daniel believed and wrote that the Messiah would come (Daniel 9:25-27).

Today, we have salvation handed to us. Jesus Christ stands in the gap between us and God because He took the punishment of our sins upon Him when He hung on the cross. Now, when God looks on us, He sees Christ’s shed blood covering us. To Him be all glory, honor and praise.

For further study, read Ezekiel 21-2 and Daniel 9-11.

“At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved:…” Daniel 9:23

“Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” Daniel 10:12

God Wants Our Hearts

 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” Ezekiel 14:3

Even though some of the children of Israel were already exiled by this time, the change in their hearts toward God did not occur immediately. Here, the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel, presumedly to hear from God, but their hearts were still not surrendered to God.

Can you imagine the pain these people were experiencing? They had lived in high regard in Jerusalem. They’d lived how they wanted to, living by pride and selfishness, seeking to worship gods that allowed them to indulge their wicked fleshly desires. They ruled and had power over others and had been told by false prophets that they would have peace. 

In the past, Israel knew God’s glory. They saw it in the Tabernacle when God appeared in a cloud covering the tent (Exodus 40:34-35). God was with them. Again, at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, God (II Chronicles 5:14) God came in the cloud and filled the temple. But so wicked had the leaders become and the abominations they committed so great, that God could not abide in the temple. In Ezekiel 11:23, we are told that the glory of the LORD went up from the city of Jerusalem.

With God removing His glory from Jerusalem, the way was clear for the Babylonians to come and destroy the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and ultimately, all of Judah. Why? Because the leaders and the false prophets not only caused the people to worship other idols, but spoke lies to them, causing them to believe in a false peace rather than for their need to repent and turn back to God.

And now, they come to Ezekiel and want to hear what God has to say.

But do they?

God sees their hearts and the idols they had ‘set up in their hearts’. What is an idol? Anything that a person puts as prominent in their life over God. Anything that causes a person to not trust and obey God. 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,…” Exodus 20:3-5

An in-depth study of this Exodus passage would reveal so very much about God’s view of our relationship with Him. For now, consider this a summary statement of God’s expectation of our loyalty to Him. At another time we may continue through Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy and learn how these are acted out in day to day living, how judgment comes when these laws are not followed, and how to keep ourselves focused on God.

The people Ezekiel was talking to at this time were not ready to hear that they needed to sorrow over their wickedness, beg for forgiveness, and turn to God with all their heart.
They knew the books of the law and all those books contained. But they had chosen not to obey.

In the temple were many chambers where the leaders set up images and committed acts contrary to God’s Word. God had told them not to worship these gods; He told them not to commit fornication and not to oppress the poor (both physically and spiritually). But their pride, greed, and lust caused them to choose to ignore the warnings of the true prophets and listen to those that made them feel good about themselves and tell them that all would be well.

Even after the horrors of being taken into captivity, the elders who came before Ezekiel and were not yet ready to turn from all the things contrary to God that they enjoyed back in Jerusalem. Pride and lust still held them captive. 

The road back to God would be filled with many potholes of fears and tribulations and failures. It always is. The Israelites would spend 70 years in captivity amongst a people who hated them and often sought to annihilate them. And yet, God did not utterly forsake them. He still called out to them. He still left them witnesses of His love and desire for them to turn to Him.

Oh, what a wonderful God we have. A gracious and merciful God who, though holy and righteous, sees fit to not only draw us to Him, but help us change our wayward ways.

The road out of sin is not easy. It is filled with many potholes and high hills and floods and many dangers. People will not believe we can change. People’s harsh and judgmental statements may cause us to question our salvation. We’ll slip and fall at times, and no one will help us up but God. We’ll feel shame and guilt and be overwhelmed by temptation.

Nonetheless, our God is working a great work in our lives to conform us to the image of His Son.

Daily, we need to try ourselves, to see that our hearts are right. 

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves….” II Corinthians 13:5

Are we ready to accept responsibility for our sinful actions, lay them at the cross daily, and daily follow Christ?

God wants our hearts—our love and thoughts and passions and will. Not because He is an ogre, but because He knows that what is best for us is to be fully in love with Him. 

The world doesn’t see it that way. It sees it as bondage and oppressive and even abusive. But it doesn’t know how you can soar with the eagles when the loving breath of God is under your wings.

Have you been pretending to seek God, but not truly wanting to give up what is keeping you from Him?

What is in your heart? Have you examined it lately to see what you might be holding above God, what you are unwilling to yield to Him? Is there anything in your life you are trying to overcome, but the road seems too hard? Trust God. 

Have you ever experienced the overwhelming joy of God’s presence and His peace that passes all understanding? Have you ever experienced victory over something that holds you captive and away from God?

For Further study, read Ezekiel 14-20.

“Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 14:22-23

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, …hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 18:4-9

“For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Ezekiel 18:32

“And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 20:43-44

God Gives Hope

 “…I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 7:27

Ezekiel was called by God to be a prophet in 593 BC, during the first exile of the Jews from Judah. First, God needed to make clear to Ezekiel the abominations committed by the Jews, in particular their leaders. In a vision, God takes Ezekiel to see what was happening in Jerusalem. The vision revealed to Ezekiel the inner parts of the city and of the temple, which actually revealed the hearts of the people. 

“And he brought me to the door of the court;…And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.” Ezekiel 8:7-9

Ezekiel was a priest, of the line of Zadok. That meant he came from a lineage of priests who’d remained faithful to God and God’s laws. Ezekiel would be familiar with the temple, its set up, its rooms, and the people. What God was revealing, Ezekiel would have had some understanding of, but now he was seeing things from God’s perspective. The wickedness was great, and no doubt, it broke Ezekiel’s heart.

But God also gave Ezekiel hope. He revealed to the prophet that God would protect those who understood God’s righteousness, understood God’s perfection and love, and cried over the abominations that they saw. Probably, Ezekiel was of the same mindset. He’d seen God’s glory, was shown God’s holiness, and knew God’s judgment. 

The more time Ezekiel spent with God, the more he heard the words:

“…and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 7:4 (and many other places).

The wickedness was great, but God’s love was even greater.

“…for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain…but I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you….and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 11:5-10 (bolded words are my emphasis).

“…Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come….And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:16-20

This is our amazing God. 

Sometimes we are clueless on how we’ve offended God. In fact, there may be times when we even think we are right in doing the very things that are abominable to God. God isn’t content to leave us without helping us understand our need to repent. We sometimes don’t get that what we are experiencing is a consequence of our actions, or thoughts, or words. For some people, they will never acknowledge they need to change or even that God has a right to demand a change. But for those who finally get it, who finally accept responsibility for their actions or thoughts or words which have led them to the terrible place they are at, there is hope.

This was the message God was giving Ezekiel to give to the children of Israel. “Yes, you’ve done wickedly, but I am prepared to forgive you and help change you from the inside out, if you are willing to let me do it.”

Have you suffered the consequences of wrong thinking and wrong acting in your life? Are you prepared to say to God, “I have sinned and deserve what I receive”? 

Perhaps that isn’t your situation. Perhaps, you are like Ezekiel, and have been shown what others are doing. Are you prepared to lovingly confront and show others a better way?

For further study read: Ezekiel 7-13.

“Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.” Ezekiel 11:25

“For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged…” Ezekiel 12:25

“…for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 13:23 (note: this is God speaking to the false prophets).

Breaking from Sin Is Difficult

 “All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.” Ezekiel 18:23

With 3023 Jews taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Ezekiel now lived several hundred miles away from his beloved home (Jeremiah 52:28; Ezekiel 1:1). For centuries, God warned Israel (both the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom) about the consequences of worshiping other gods and the abominations they committed because of this worship.

Now, captives, they mourned and cried out to God (Psalm 137), yet they had much to learn before the time would come when God would bring them back to their land.

Breaking from a sinful lifestyle is difficult. It requires a change at the deepest level of the heart. While in captivity, the Jews experienced great fear as well as great peace. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow down to his statue, he threw three young men who refused to bow into the fiery furnace, but the Son of God was with them (Daniel 3). When the King Darius was tricked by his presidents to throw Daniel in the lions’ den, God sent an angel to close the lions’ mouths. When Naaman (see the book of Esther) plots to have the Jews destroyed, God had a plan in place to save them. After each fearful threat, God protected the Jews, revealed Himself to those involved, and brought peace.

When taken captive, the Jews did not know what the future would be. They didn’t listen to Jeremiah’s prophecies and teachings. I wonder if they even grasped why they went into captivity, initially. I think perhaps it took a great number of humbling experiences for them to fully grasp the atrocities they’d committed, the deep guilt they had, and the everlasting love of their God.

My heart hurts for people today who once knew God and had been exposed to His gift of salvation yet reject it. I fear for them. Will they go into eternity without God, an eternity in hell? Well, perhaps this is a discussion for another day. For now, I cannot give up hope they would discover in the deepest, innermost parts of their hearts that they not only need God but can turn back to Him and live a life wholly acceptable to Him.

God called Ezekiel, a priest of the line of Zadok, to not only tell the Jews of God’s judgment on them and the other nations, but to also tell them God’s plan of salvation. Throughout the book God pleads for Ezekiel to let the children of Israel know that He loved them, but they needed to turn from their wickedness.

He makes the case that He is a holy God, Creator of all, and therefore holiness and judgment and righteousness were required. Yet, He also pleads for the people to understand that He did not want them to die in their wickedness. A holy God passionately in search for hearts desiring His presence in their lives not for their own selfish reasons, but because they loved Him, their Creator.

This week, I want to explore the book of Ezekiel. Just an overview because the book overflows with information about our Great and Almighty God. Are you ready to explore with me? Let’s begin with an introspective questions:

• How well do I know God?
• Of late, have I allowed myself to passionately follow something that sets itself up contrary to God?
• Have I worshiped God outwardly only or from every chamber of my heart?
• Do I even have an inkling of the love God has for me?

For further study, read: Ezekiel 1-6.

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand….Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.” Ezekiel 8:18-21