August 1, 2010
Read Ezekiel 28 - 30
Ezekiel 28:25 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’”
GOD SHOWS his love and justice in many ways. Ezekiel’s words come at the beginning of the Hebrews’ exile to Babylon. In the exile, God is declaring his judgment against Israel’s horrible practices of worshiping idols and ignoring Him, their true and living God. Thus, God shows his love for them by punishing them first.
Do judgment and love go hand-in-hand? Yes, God’s love caused a cleansing in his people. Never again after this exile would the Hebrews worship the horrible god Baal and other idols.
And then God shows his gracious love in these words Ezekiel brings to the exiles. God tells them how he will return them to their land, protect them. He corrected his people’s sin path to put them back on the salvation path to save them from exile.
He does the same for you. His commands and truth judge you when you worship “false idols”, ignore him and disobey him. Are you wondering why your life is a mess? Or broken? Have you considered God’s ways?
He wants to save you from sin’s exile. And he has given you a Savior Jesus Christ to bless you and protect you from evil.
Our God is a great and wondrous God. No evil is too terrible that he will not forgive if we ask. No little problem we have is too minor to bring to him. God wants you to be well, to be healed, and to come home from exile.
Trust God’s truth into a life of peace and joy God has for you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment