Today’s Reading:  Ezek 21:1–22:31, Rev 10:1–11, Job 35:1–8

Today’s Theme: Bitter and Sweet

Today’s theme looks at the bitter and sweet nature of God’s word and our call to sanctification in particular.

Ezekiel 21:1–22:31

Judgement by war

Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.(Ezekiel 21:4, ESV)

This is the reality of judgement that comes in war or military conquest.

Love the rod

sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! (Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.)(Ezekiel 21:10, ESV)

Lord, we need to love the rod of guidance and correction, we don’t want a rebellious attitude to lead us to the sword instead.

Things could change at any point

thus says the Lord God: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted.(Ezekiel 21:26, ESV)

We must not buy into the false security of things staying the way they are, or the apparent linearity of everyday life. At any point personal, national or global crisis could strike, for which we must be braced and ready, by walking in daily humility before God and man.

The breakdown of society

Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you. You have despised my holy things and profaned my Sabbaths.(Ezekiel 22:7–8, ESV)

These two verses describe complete societal breakdown, children disrespect parents, business is corrupt, there is no social justice and the rights of Christians are challenged… sounds like London.

To consume uncleanness

I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your uncleanness out of you.(Ezekiel 22:15, ESV)

God’s purpose in the discipline of His people.

Sanctification and holiness

Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.(Ezekiel 22:26, ESV)

We must teach God’s people the truth of sanctification and holiness before God, which involves very clear definitions of right and wrong, expedient and useless, helpful and harmful.

This reminds us that Church is a sacred place so must remain holy and respectful in its operation.

Intercede

And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.(Ezekiel 22:30, ESV)

We must be intercessors for our wicked city.

Revelation 10:1–11

God reveals what He chooses

And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”(Revelation 10:4, ESV)

We must remember the bible is the truth God has chosen to revel to us, there are still some secrets that we do not know.

God, The Eternal, Living Creator

and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay,(Revelation 10:6, ESV)

God is eternal and is alive.

God created everything, evolution is a big disrespect.

God’s word, bitter and sweet

So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”(Revelation 10:9, ESV)

This can be our experience with the word of God, God’s word brings great joy and pleasure but the application of it can bring bitterness to the flesh and toil to the spirit.

God’s word is fuel

And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”(Revelation 10:11, ESV)

God’s word is not just for us, it is to fuel us to teach and reach others. What has happened to John is a parallel with what happened to Ezekiel.

Job 35:1–8

Sinning is pointless

If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?(Job 35:6, ESV)

Sinning is the maddest position we can take before God, It is like when I would tell off Joshua (my son) and he would go to bite or scratch me (when he was younger), it is not going to achieve anything good for him.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 10

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 19:1–20:49, Rev 9:1–21, Job 34:31–37

Today’s Theme: Planted by God

Today’s theme looks at the planting of God. God plants us in the body of Christ (literally in the church community), to be fruitful and flourish. God has planted the restored national Israel. He has done this with salvation in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah in mind for the Jewish people.

God strategically plants His people for the sake of His name and glory.

Ezekiel 19:1–20:49

Abundant Water

Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard planted by the water, fruitful and full of branches by reason of abundant water.(Ezekiel 19:10, ESV)

We can be fruitful if there is an abundance of the water of God’s word and Holy Spirit.

Where are you planted?

Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.(Ezekiel 19:13, ESV)

Lord, in Your grace, please keep us planted with the abundance of water. Jesus has planted us where He wills in the earth and in the church in particular, so that we are in the right environment to bare much fruit.

Don’t uproot yourself in ignorance and pride, humbly submit to God’s planting which is designed for your fruitfulness and flourishing.

The best land in the world

On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.(Ezekiel 20:6, ESV)

This is a bold statement from God that Israel is the best land in the World. Also note that God wants the best for His people.

Detestable things

And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.(Ezekiel 20:7, ESV)

What are the detestable things our eyes feast on, these things are connected to idolatry and must be cast down. In today’s culture, it can be things like vanity, pornography etc.

The Sabbaths

Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.(Ezekiel 20:12, ESV)

The plural Sabbaths points to Jewish feasts.

God, uppermost in His own affections

But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.(Ezekiel 20:14, ESV)

God is rightly uppermost in His own affections.

A heart problem

because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.(Ezekiel 20:16, ESV)

Sin and idolatry is a heart problem.

God’s motivation

But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.(Ezekiel 20:22, ESV)

God’s greatest and purest motivation is for the sake of His own name and for the sake of His glory.

Gift’s and commands

Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the Lord.(Ezekiel 20:25–26, ESV)

God can send judgement through our very gifts and His commands. Lord, keep us in your love.

God knows your mind

“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’(Ezekiel 20:32, ESV)

God knows our very thoughts and remains in sovereign control.

The great narrative

“As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.(Ezekiel 20:33, ESV)

This is one of the great narratives of the bible, God’s desire and fight to be recognised as the true King.

Restored for salvation

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers.(Ezekiel 20:42, ESV)

One of God’s purposes in restoring the Jews to the land is evangelical.

The burden of leadership

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’ ”(Ezekiel 20:49, ESV)

Seems like Ezekiel was beginning to get weary under the Lord’s mandate and the peoples scorn. With this in mind, pray for those that God has called to lead.

Revelation 9:1–21

Sovereign over death

And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.(Revelation 9:6, ESV)

Nobody can die before God’s appointed time for them.

A fallen angel

They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.(Revelation 9:11, ESV)

A great demonic fallen angel, proving there is some level of structure in the devil’s ranks.

We need regeneration

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.(Revelation 9:20–21, ESV)

This shows that without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, no amount of judgement alone can lead man to repentance.

Job 34:31–37

Speaking without knowledge

‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’(Job 34:35, ESV)

This was in fact true, Job had no idea about the wager between God and Satan in the divine council.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 9

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 17:1–18:32, Rev 7:9–8:13, Job 34:16–30

Today’s Theme: God’s Full Knowledge

Today’s theme is God’s Full Knowledge. God really does know everything, noting is hidden from His sight, He knows everything, down to the smallest details. God knows everything presently, He doesn’t learn anything. God knows everything at all times and has never not known all that He knows now.

Based on God’s knowledge, He teaches with parables, calls man to repentance, warns man of judgement, makes declarations which He will (without doubt) back up and judges with complete authority. God’s knowledge also informs His love, mercy, patience and means God is not indifferent to man’s suffering.

Because God’s knowledge is full, we can trust Him and put our faith in Him.

Ezekiel 17:1–18:32

The wisdom of parables

“Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon.(Ezekiel 17:12, ESV)

God and Jesus both used parables and riddles.

Don’t break agreements

But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?(Ezekiel 17:15, ESV)

God takes the breaking of agreements seriously, as Jesus teaches us that we should make our communication a simple yes or no.

Have faith in God

 thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.(Ezekiel 17:19, ESV)

Very often our breaking of agreements is a sign of our lack of faith in God.

God backs His talk

And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”(Ezekiel 17:24, ESV)

God has the unique ability to back up anything He says, the figurative use of trees and twigs speak of the remnant of Israel that would be saved and of the nations.

The owner of souls

Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.(Ezekiel 18:4, ESV)

This is a bold declaration that only God can make, all souls ultimately belong to Him and the decree is that, the soul that sins shall die.

Personal responsibility

lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.(Ezekiel 18:13, ESV)

My sins are on me and my children’s sins are on them, each man has personal responsibility before God.

The curse is broken

withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live.(Ezekiel 18:17, ESV)

In and through Jesus, we live right before God, there is no hereditary curse on us.

No excuses

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.(Ezekiel 18:20, ESV)

This is God Himself destroying the bad teaching of hereditary sins and curses on the personal level. Every man is responsible before God for his own life… no excuses.

No fatalism

“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.(Ezekiel 18:21, ESV)

With the Lord, there is room for repentance for the wicked man, here ends all ideas of fatalism.

God’s desire

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?(Ezekiel 18:23, ESV)

God wants all men to repent and takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. To understand this we need to understand the difference between the decreed and commanded will of God.

Righteousness and responsibility NOW

But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.(Ezekiel 18:24, ESV)

We cannot live on the glory of our past righteousness, our responsibility before God is always in the NOW. Also we must note that this is speaking of righteousness in the OT sense and not of regeneration, although the same principle still applies and would be evidence of apostasy and false conversion.

God is not unfair

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?(Ezekiel 18:25, ESV)

This is a common notion today that God is somehow unfair.

God is gracious

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.(Ezekiel 18:30, ESV)

God is gracious to all people in even allowing us the option to repent at all and the promise that with genuine repentance, He will forgive and respond.

Make a new heart

Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?(Ezekiel 18:31, ESV)

It is our responsibility to make a new heart for ourselves. We do this by making God our treasure.

Repent!

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”(Ezekiel 18:32, ESV)

God’s cry to Israel and to all mankind, Repent! When we repent we bring God pleasure and there is rejoicing in heaven.

Revelation 7:9–8:13

The redeemed in Heaven

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,(Revelation 7:9, ESV)

These are the redeemed. The Jehovah Witnesses do not like this verse as it proves that all believers will be before the throne of God.

Also note the distinctions made are nations, tribes, people and languages. At no point is colour of skin mentioned.

Our song

and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”(Revelation 7:10, ESV)

The great song of the redeemed, we know that God saved us.

Sanctification, your responsibility

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(Revelation 7:14, ESV)

Notice our personal responsibility in sanctification.

We will serve

“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.(Revelation 7:15, ESV)

We will serve the Lord in heaven, not laze around.

Our Shepherd

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”(Revelation 7:17, ESV)

Jesus will remain our shepherd in heaven and God will wipe away all tears from our eyes. What kind of tears will these be? Possibly regret for missed opportunities.

Jesus and the Holy Spirit, our intermediaries

Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.(Revelation 8:5, ESV)

This 8th Angel is not a common intermediary for our everyday prayers. This was a specific moment in time, seen in a vision by John, pointing to a specific moment in the future, where this ceremony will take place.

The Holy Spirit of God and Jesus are our only intermediary and transport for our prayers, before God.

The imagery seems to suggest that the following plagues are the answer to the prayers of the saints.

Majestic heavenly animals

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”(Revelation 8:13, ESV)

You can see where Lewis and Tolkien get some of their talking and majestic animal ideas from.

Job 34:16–30

God calls it as it is

who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’(Job 34:18, ESV)

God is no respecter of people and can boldly call a king worthless and nobles wicked

God’s full knowledge

“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.(Job 34:21, ESV)

God sees everything, nothing can hide from Him, no action, word or thought is hidden from God’s sight and full knowledge. This is a large part of what we mean when we say God is omniscient.

The Judge

For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.(Job 34:23, ESV)

When God judges, He does not have to weigh things up and take time to consider like human judges, which are just a pale image of Him, God knows and therefore judges.

God is not indifferent

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—(Job 34:28, ESV)

God is not indifferent to the suffering of the poor, He judges wicked rulers.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 7 and Revelation 8

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 16:1–63, Rev 6:1–7:8, Job 34:1–15

Today’s Theme: Brazen Whores, Redeemed

With today’s theme, we look at the vivid picture that God paints of Israel as an unfaithful wife, who has become a brazen whore, and we see a parallel application for our lives personally and collectively, as the Bride of Christ.

We did not become the Bride of Christ because we were the most beautiful or faithful, we were in sin and darkness, the same as the lowest whore. Yet God in His grace and love, redeemed us and faithfully works with us through the power of the Gospel and His Holy Spirit, to bring reform and transformation to our lives.

It is amazing the way God’s grace has taken the lowest people like us, with lives disfigured and marked by the fall and sin, and makes us royalty, a bride without spot or blemish.

Ezekiel 16:1–63

The hated, redeemed

“And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’(Ezekiel 16:6, ESV)

God caused hated Israel to live, God does the same for us in salvation.

The covenant of love

“When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.(Ezekiel 16:8, ESV)

Another beautiful picture of God’s love and commitment to His people. We belong to Him like a wife does to her husband.

Don’t be a whore

“But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his.(Ezekiel 16:15, ESV)

The treachery of the human heart, God has made us beautiful and gifted us, we must not whore ourselves out spiritually. We must faithfully serve the Lord.

The curse of faithlessness

You also played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbours, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger.(Ezekiel 16:26, ESV)

God sees our faithlessness as a wife who was picked up off the scrap heap and made royalty by a loving husband, but then becomes the lowest of whores.

Brazen whore vs faithful wife

“How sick is your heart, declares the Lord God, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute,(Ezekiel 16:30, ESV)

We are like a brazen prostitute when we give way to compromise and temptation. Lord, help us to be like the image of a faithful wife (Saint), to a loving husband (God).

The price of sin

So you were different from other women in your whorings. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different.(Ezekiel 16:34, ESV)

We pay sin, sin pays us nothing but death in our spiritual adultery.

Judged through sin

therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.(Ezekiel 16:37, ESV)

The very things we compromise with, sin with and idolise in faithlessness, become the very tools of our judgement and destruction.

Stop playing the whore

And they shall burn your houses and execute judgments upon you in the sight of many women. I will make you stop playing the whore, and you shall also give payment no more.(Ezekiel 16:41, ESV)

God’s purpose in Judgement.

Soul corruption

Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.(Ezekiel 16:47, ESV)

A Christian in compromise and sin will become worse than those in the world. This also gives an indication to how badly Israel had fallen in sin.

God’s love and grace

yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.(Ezekiel 16:60, ESV)

Without God’s love and grace, Israel and the church would be lost.

God has atoned

that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”(Ezekiel 16:63, ESV)

Jesus did this for us.

Revelation 6:1–7:8

Judgement on man’s spiritual whoredom

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.(Revelation 6:8, ESV)

Only because of today’s earlier reading in Ezekiel, do these four types of judgement start to make sense.

Lord avenge us

They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”(Revelation 6:10, ESV)

This is a really different way to pray for the suffering church. Like the psalms, we can seek God to avenge us.

Asteroids fall

and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.(Revelation 6:13, ESV)

This does not mean a galactic star, the word can mean any glorious heavenly being, like an asteroid.

*a luminous body (other than the sun) visible in the sky, star, single star, planet

(Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.)

The angry Lamb

calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,(Revelation 6:16, ESV)

Vivid imagery as lambs do not make you think of anger, this displays both sides of God’s nature.

Actual Israelites

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:(Revelation 7:4, ESV)

These are real Israelites, not selected Russellites (Jehovah Witnesses were originally called Russellites, after their founder and false prophet Charles Taze Russell).

Job 34:1–15

Test words, listen carefully

for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.(Job 34:3, ESV)

Lord, please help our ears to test words well.

You reap what you sow

For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.(Job 34:11, ESV)

This is true, we do reap what we sow, but Grace also has an effect on all of this too.

God’s dependants

If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,(Job 34:14, ESV)

All life is dependent on God.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 6

Today’s Reading:  Ezek 14:1–15:8, Rev 5:1–14, Job 33:29–33

Today’s Theme: Every Nation, Tribe and Tongue

Today’s theme is the worship of Jesus, the worthy Lamb and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, as opposed to the worship of worthless idols. He has redeemed us from every nation, tribe and tongue.

The bible describes mankind by three categories, these are nations, tribes and tongues. Notice none of these is colour. God’s groupings for mankind show the dignity with which we should see all men. The disrespectful generalisation of people by the colour of their skin, is a human invention.

Ezekiel 14:1–15:8

Idolatry, a heart problem

“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?(Ezekiel 14:3, ESV)

This is the inevitable result of idolatry, we end up taking the false god into our hearts and become devoted to the thing. Lord, today we ask that you break the power of every idol in our lives.

Idolatry separates us from God

that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.(Ezekiel 14:5, ESV)

Idolatry brings estrangement to our relationship with God.

Don’t go astray

that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord God.”(Ezekiel 14:11, ESV)

The reason God judges the false prophet and the hypocrite is so that His people will no longer go astray, but will be His people in truth.

The judgement of the city

even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.(Ezekiel 14:14, ESV)

Us living in London does not mean it will be spared Judgement. Let us pray for our city.

Our Children need to know God

even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.(Ezekiel 14:16, ESV)

Our children need to know the Lord for themselves.

God’s tools of judgement

“For thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast!(Ezekiel 14:21, ESV)

God’s chosen tools of Judgement (not the devil or man).

God’s purpose in judgement

They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord God.”(Ezekiel 14:23, ESV)

God has a purpose in Judgement. God has a purpose in everything He does.

God’s reason for judgement

And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.”(Ezekiel 15:8, ESV)

The reason for the judgement is clearly seen here. God does nothing without a reason, even if the reason is not known to us.

Revelation 5:1–14

The Lion of the tribe of Judah

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”(Revelation 5:5, ESV)

Jesus became a man and conquered sin and death in a way that we could not. This seal is in some way connected to mankind and the earth.

These are wonderful titles for Jesus.

Jesus, The Slain Lamb

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.(Revelation 5:6, ESV)

This is another image of Jesus which stands in sharp contrast to the image of Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Jesus is God

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.(Revelation 5:8, ESV)

This verse shows clearly that Jesus is God and He is to be worshipped.

Every nation, tribe and tongue

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,(Revelation 5:9, ESV)

This is where the idea of ‘finish the mission’ comes from, every people group must hear the Gospel, as though God wants a sample from every nation.

Also this is where we get the understanding of the fact that people should be defined by nation, tribe and language, not by the colour of their skin.

We will reign in the earth

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”(Revelation 5:10, ESV)

We will reign in the new earth.

Worthy is the Lamb

saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!”(Revelation 5:12, ESV)

AMEN! Worthy are you Lord Jesus.

Praise God, The Father and The Son

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”(Revelation 5:13, ESV)

The Worship due to both the Father and the Son.

Job 33:29–33

God’s mission

to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.(Job 33:30, ESV)

God’s great mission to save the souls of men

Speak with power

If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”(Job 33:33, ESV)

Job did remain silent, a sign of the power with which this young man spoke.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 5

Today’s Reading: Ezek 12:1–13:23, Rev 3:14–4:11, Job 33:19–28

Today’s Theme: Created by God’s will

Today’s theme is, created by God’s will. We see God as sovereign in creation and over creation. In Revelation, we explore a verse which describes Jesus as the beginning of God’s creation and see that it points to Him as the eternal, uncreated Creator.

Ezekiel 12:1–13:23

Don’t walk in rebellion

“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.(Ezekiel 12:2, ESV)

We will remain spiritually blind and deaf as long as we walk in rebellion.

Visual aids

As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.(Ezekiel 12:3, ESV)

God uses visual representations to help His people understand.

God disperses and gathers in

And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.(Ezekiel 12:15, ESV)

God is known in the dispersal as well as the ingathering.

God acts on His word… So pray the word

They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfil their word.(Ezekiel 13:6, ESV)

We must not “Decree and Declare” what God has not expressly told us and expect Him to act on our words, He will act on His own words.

Revelation 3:14–4:11

Jesus, The beginning of God’s Creation?

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.(Revelation 3:14, ESV)

Cults like the Watchtower Society use verses like this to say that Jesus is only a created being and is therefore just a highly exalted angel like Michael, and not God.

However, faithful exposition of this phrase, the wider passage and the full discourse of scripture, will give us true context. There are at least three senses that Jesus is pointing to here.

1. Jesus is one who began God’s creation, as mentioned in John 1:1-3.
2. The statement signifies Jesus’ rule over all creation, in the context that the firstborn was the one who would inherit everything.
3. Jesus had inaugurated the new creation with His resurrection from the dead.

A promise for overcomers

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.(Revelation 3:21, ESV)

A great promise for overcoming.

No democracy in heaven

 once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.(Revelation 4:2, ESV)

God alone is seated on the throne, heaven is not a democracy. God reigns as King.

The world, created by God’s will

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”(Revelation 4:11, ESV)

Heaven is a place of Worship, where God is worshipped in His glory.

The world was not created by evolution, but by the will of God.

Job 33:19–28

Jesus our mediator

If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,(Job 33:23, ESV)

Thank God that Jesus is our mediator.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 3 and Revelation 4

Today’s Reading: Ezek 9:1–11:25, Rev 3:1–13, Job 33:8–18

Today’s Theme: Marked by God

There is no clear theme today, so we take one of the points as our title. Towards the end of our reading, we hear the promise of being marked by God as His own possession, if we persevere till the end. So be encouraged to press forward in your walk with the Lord.

Ezekiel 9:1–11:25

Does sin grieve you?

And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.”(Ezekiel 9:4, ESV)

God notes if we are grieved by sin and those who rise against Him.

Reaping what you sow involves God’s personal activity

As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; I will bring their deeds upon their heads.”(Ezekiel 9:10, ESV)

Reaping what we sow is not just karma, God is personally involved with meeting out punishment and reward.

Pray strategically

And he said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city;(Ezekiel 11:2, ESV)

The Lord showed Ezekiel the problems in leadership of the nation. Lord, help us to pray strategically concerning the leadership of our nation.

Cry out to God

And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”(Ezekiel 11:13, ESV)

Ezekiel was not happy about God’s judgement, he was heartbroken for his people.

The gathering

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’(Ezekiel 11:17, ESV)

This happened after Babylon and is happening again today.

A heart of flesh

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,(Ezekiel 11:19, ESV)

This is not just a promise for the future redemption of Israel, but one we can apply to our own lives in Christ today. Lord, keep me from having a hard heart.

Revelation 3:1–13

Don’t believe the hype

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(Revelation 3:1, ESV)

Lord, keep us from the deception of believing our own hype or what others say about us, and keep us from being caught up in the reputation of our church, denomination or ministry. We should not live off past glory but should live for You every day.

Complete the work

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.(Revelation 3:2, ESV)

Lord, please help us to always finish what we start and to complete the work.

Turn to the bible’s truth

Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.(Revelation 3:3, ESV)

The remedy is to turn to the truth and promises of the Bible, and to repent of heartless, religious observance.

3 amazing promises

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.(Revelation 3:5, ESV)

Three amazing promises to encourage us to endure and overcome; we will walk in white robes of total righteousness, we will have complete security in eternal life and we will have Jesus speaking up for us before God and the angels.

Total control

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.(Revelation 3:7, ESV)

Jesus has total sovereign control.

A healthy, mission focused church

“ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(Revelation 3:8, ESV)

Many see this as an open door to mission work.

Right teaching in keeping the word and right living in not denying the Name, characterise this church which is the healthiest of the 7.

God’s special love

Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.(Revelation 3:9, ESV)

God has a special love for His faithful people.

Called to persevere

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.(Revelation 3:10, ESV)

The perseverance of the saints is not some mystical thing, it is a command from the Lord to patiently endure till the end.

Marked by God

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.(Revelation 3:12, ESV)

A great promise pointing towards stability and an important position in God’s house.

Jesus will write God’s name on us. Just as a child writes his name to make clear his ownership, care and protection over his toys (like when Andy writes his name on Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the animated film Toy Story), so God will mark us as belonging to Him personally, throughout eternity.

Job 33:8–18

The greatness of God

“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.(Job 33:12, ESV)

This young man understands the greatness of God.

God is always speaking

For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.(Job 33:14, ESV)

God is always speaking in many ways although we are not always listening.

God speaks even when we sleep

then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings,(Job 33:16, ESV)

God speaks to us in dreams when we are asleep.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition Revelation 3

Today’s Reading: Ezek 6:1–8:18, Rev 2:12–29, Job 33:1–7

Today’s Theme: Judgement for God’s Glory

Today’s theme is the judgement of God. God’s judgement is for His own glory to display His holiness, justice, truth and love.

The judgement and discipline of God calls us to repent and walk in holiness.

Ezekiel 6:1–8:18

Judgement for God’s Glory

And the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the Lord.(Ezekiel 6:7, ESV)

This great judgement is for the glory and honour of God, notice the theme of destroying idols and alters.

Be sensitive to God’s heart

then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. (Ezekiel 6:9, ESV)

Wow, what an insight into God’s affections and feelings, more than the sin of the lost, the unfaithfulness and wandering of the people He has chosen to save breaks His heart.

Idolatry leads to death

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing aroma to all their idols.(Ezekiel 6:13, ESV)

Idolatry will lead to death, if we idolise anything or anyone, it will lead to our spiritual death. Idolatry is a deadly sin as it directly affects the zealous passion and jealousy of the Lord resulting in our judgement.

You might not be able to repent!

And my eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity, but I will punish you for your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(Ezekiel 7:4, ESV)

A great warning to all who think they can sin now and repent later, NO, God will judge you in the middle of your sin, rebellion and compromise.

The Lord who strikes

And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the Lord, who strikes.(Ezekiel 7:9, ESV)

God is not anti spanking, He is a God who strikes us in discipline and expects us to follow this pattern with our own children.

Money, a functional idol

They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.(Ezekiel 7:19, ESV)

Money which can become a functional idol and hence be a stumbling block. It cannot save us in times of judgement or discipline from God, when difficult situations arise money can become worthless to us and only God can help

Seek God now

Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.(Ezekiel 7:26, ESV)

When disaster and judgement strike, it is often too late to seek council, we must seek the Lord before the fact and then He will guide us in the difficult times.

Ezekiel’s status

In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there.(Ezekiel 8:1, ESV)

This shows us that Ezekiel was respected.

Hidden sin… No such thing

Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ”(Ezekiel 8:12, ESV)

Leaders committing sin in secret and darkness causes disaster to fall upon God’s people. Lord keep us from the folly of so called hidden sin… nothing is hidden from You.

Babylonian religion

Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.(Ezekiel 8:14, ESV)

This is the blatant old religion of Babylon, now adapted into many world religions and esoteric schools of theosophy in the new age movement. We need to run this nonsense out of the church.

Don’t worship nature

And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east.(Ezekiel 8:16, ESV)

The worship of nature is all around us in the environmentalist movement and new age movement. We need to guard against this, notice they had turned their backs on the Lord.

God is free

Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”(Ezekiel 8:18, ESV)

Crying out to God does not mean He has to do a thing. He is not bound by cosmic rules etc as is implied by the word of faith movement.

Revelation 2:12–29

False teaching is evil

So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.(Revelation 2:15, ESV)

God will hold us responsible for false teaching especially ones that lead to debauchery.

Combat false teaching

Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.(Revelation 2:16, ESV)

God fights false teaching with teaching of the Bible through servants He raises up to combat the false teachings.

The overcomes reward

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’(Revelation 2:17, ESV)

A great, personal promise and incentive for all of us to overcome in the area of upholding and teaching the truth.

A healthy church

“ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.(Revelation 2:19, ESV)

This was a good church, they were working, loving, had faith, served and were enduring, all healthy signs for a church community.

God knows your actions which come from your heart

and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.(Revelation 2:23, ESV)

Look at the language the Lord uses here, He says yes I search the heart and mind and know the heart and mind… but will reward according to what you do, because what you do came from your heart. So the excuse God knows my heart will not fly.

We must stand up as a church against both sexual immorality and women not submitting to authority, these sins are linked in many ways.

Hold fast

Only hold fast what you have until I come.(Revelation 2:25, ESV)

In the midst of a corrupted church system, God calls His people to hold fast to the truth.

The conquers reward

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,(Revelation 2:26, ESV)

A great promise and reward to look forward to, this gives us insight into the work we will have to do in the kingdom

Job 33:1–7

Humble and bold

Behold, no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you.(Job 33:7, ESV)

I think this gives us some insight into the type of man Elihu was, he seems like a humble and gentle man who at the same time was bold to stand for truth.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

Desiring God on Revelation 2

Today’s Reading: Ezek 3:16–5:17, Rev 2:1–11, Job 32:11–22

Today’s Theme: God’s Watchmen

Today’s theme looks at our call to be faithful watchmen. We are called to defend the faith, raise the alarm about the enemy and most importantly to watch over our own hearts.

As watchmen we need to speak up boldly.

Ezekiel 3:16–5:17

Our Pastors

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.(Ezekiel 3:17, ESV)

Our pastors fulfil this role in our lives today.

God’s Watchmen

But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”(Ezekiel 3:21, ESV)

Because of the position of the watchman he has responsibility for the people up until warning them to flee the wrath to come. This again reinforces the idea that the watchman is an elder in the church.

Paul picked up on this when he told Timothy to guard the doctrine to save his hearers and himself.

Although we can take application for our own lives where we are the only saved ones in our family, circle of friends or work place etc.

Prophetic symbolism

And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people.(Ezekiel 3:25, ESV)

God uses prophetic symbolism here.

Visual aids

And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.(Ezekiel 4:3, ESV)

God was making the sign really clear with a visual model. Pictures and visual aids can help us to display God’s truth.

Read in faith

Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay.(Ezekiel 4:16, ESV)

We should read God’s word in faith not anxiety.

The centre

“Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.(Ezekiel 5:5, ESV)

Jerusalem is the centre of the world.

Don’t reject God

And she has rebelled against my rules by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries all around her; for they have rejected my rules and have not walked in my statutes.(Ezekiel 5:6, ESV)

Again this theme of rejecting God has come up, we should not reject the one who loves us and set His affection upon us.

Abomination brings judgement

And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again.(Ezekiel 5:9, ESV)

The motivation for the terrible judgement.

The Jewish story

Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity.(Ezekiel 5:11, ESV)

This explains the Jewish story of exile, persecution and judgement.

God’s personal anger

You shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations all around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and fury, and with furious rebukes—I am the Lord; I have spoken—(Ezekiel 5:15, ESV)

God has personal anger and fury against sin.

Revelation 2:1–11

Guardians of the truth

“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.(Revelation 2:2, ESV)

This was a church where truth was really important. Right doctrine and practise took high priority as well as hard work which the Lord commends.

Don’t grow cold

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.(Revelation 2:4, ESV)

The negative thing was that the love they had at first was abandoned as they entered into a cold service and apologetic defence of the faith. We must be weary of this trap, we need to keep our love for the Lord alive.

Love… A doing word

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.(Revelation 2:5, ESV)

Notice the returning to first love involved doing and not feeling.

Persevere

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’(Revelation 2:7, ESV)

A wonderful promise and reward that should encourage us to persevere.

The persecuted church

“ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.(Revelation 2:9, ESV)

This church is representative of the persecuted church.

The crown of life

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.(Revelation 2:10, ESV)

Notice the devil’s work is quite specific and has a wider purpose under Gods sovereignty.

There was no rebuke for this church, just an encouragement to stay faithful and a promise of the crown of life for those that do.

Persevere

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’(Revelation 2:11, ESV)

Another great encouragement for us to persevere in the Lord.

Job 32:11–22

Be ready to answer

I gave you my attention, and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job or who answered his words.(Job 32:12, ESV)

This is the sad reality, many operating in their own wisdom cannot answer the questions of the world but we must study to show ourselves approved and be ready to give an answer for our hope.

Speak up

I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.(Job 32:20, ESV)

When the Holy Spirit is bubbling up inside of us it is time for us to speak out.

Don’t be partial or flatter

I will not show partiality to any man or use flattery toward any person.(Job 32:21, ESV)

When declaring the truth it is important that we do so without the fear of man which leads us to things like flattery, lies and partiality.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 2

Today’s Reading: Ezek 1:1–3:15, Rev 1:1–20, Job 32:1–10

Today’s Theme: The Royal Trinity

Today’s theme is the awesome power of our God the Royal Trinity. God is one unique essence with three distinct persons who are God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (not one God in three modes or manifestations and not three individual / separate Gods).

Ezekiel 1:1–3:15

God’s awesome presence

Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.(Ezekiel 1:28, ESV)

Even though Ezekiel has written this down the sheer awesomeness of seeing the glory of The Lord in this vision is beyond comprehension. One thing that stands out is that the bodies of God and the Heavenly host seem very glorious. Also there seems to be a great deal of order and ceremony in the presence of God.

The Trinity in the Old Testament

And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.(Ezekiel 2:2, ESV)

The Holy Spirit entered the prophet and literally put him on his feet. We can see members of the trinity at work here.

Don’t refuse to hear

And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.(Ezekiel 2:5, ESV)

Dear Lord, help us to hear and not refuse to hear.

Don’t be afraid of words or looks

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.(Ezekiel 2:6, ESV)

It brings perspective and encouragement to remember this when sharing the Gospel, and even when ministering in church.

Don’t rebel

“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”(Ezekiel 2:8, ESV)

We are God’s servants, we should not rebel against His word, we should receive it and give it to others.

Eat, chew and swallow

And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.(Ezekiel 3:3, ESV)

We need to eat (read), mediate on (chew) and apply (swallow) God’s word. The word of God is sweet like honey.

God given backbone

Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.(Ezekiel 3:8, ESV)

Notice God did not give him a stubborn heart like theirs but He did give Him the backbone and straightforward determination he needed to deal with them. He made his face and stand hard to deal with a hard people.

Resolute in righteousness

Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”(Ezekiel 3:9, ESV)

We need to be harder, more resolute in righteousness than our hearers are in sin and rebellion, this way iron will sharpen iron rather than both us and them becoming blunt.

For God’s glory

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!”(Ezekiel 3:12, ESV)

This great vision and the Lord’s commission to Ezekiel was all for the sake of God’s glory.

Be affected by the message

The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me.(Ezekiel 3:14, ESV)

Although the taste of the word was sweet the mission issued in it was serious and caused great heaviness and bitterness of soul to the prophet. If we are not affected by the message we have to deliver we are in great danger ourselves.

Revelation 1:1–20

The revelation of Jesus

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,(Revelation 1:1, ESV)

Not John but Jesus.

This can be problematic for us when explaining that soon for man is not the same as soon for God.

The Royal Trinity

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood(Revelation 1:5, ESV)

Two significant things here, first we see the Trinity, He who was, is and is to come is the Father, the Sevenfold Spirit is the Holy Spirit and Jesus is the Son.

Also note that Jesus is both a faithful witness and the King over all kings, He rules right now.

We have actually been freed from our sins, this is a glorious and awesome truth.

Father and Son

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”(Revelation 1:8, ESV)

The Father and the Son both use the same words of self disclosure revealing their shared nature as God.

Jesus the Victor

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.(Revelation 1:17–18, ESV)

Unequivocal truth that Jesus is divine, He is the Son of God and is the great victor holding the keys of death and hell.

Also note John’s relation to Him and his descriptions, this puts all the false modern testimonies about seeing Jesus into perspective. When we see the glorious Lord we would not get paly, we will fall down and worship Him.

Those that are and those that take place after this

Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.(Revelation 1:19, ESV)

Two lenses through which we interpret various parts of the book.

Held in God’s favour

As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(Revelation 1:20, ESV)

Thank you Jesus that you hold the church in your hand of favour.

Job 32:1–10

Beware pride

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.(Job 32:2, ESV)

This was Job’s sin, he had pride and justified himself over and against God.

Understanding comes from God

But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.(Job 32:8, ESV)

This young man is very respectful but is also passionate for God’s glory. He understands that wisdom comes from the Spirit of God and is not necessarily acquired through age.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Revelation 1