ENDING EZEKIEL
Today is Saturday. I have been away a few days with 43 of our people to Leavenworth, WA. We saw two theatrical productions and it was amazing. We loved the entertainment and the time together. What a blessing to spend time with Christian brethren. Today, I'm still in Ezekiel and finishing it up. Ezekiel is the hard book for me to read. It deals with judgment and future events as well. All of the verses are long and the chapters are usually too, so you read more than normal as you separate the Bible into 10 chapters a day. Here are a few verses I want to comment on:
1) HOW ARE WE TO LIVE? That question is asked in Ezekiel 33:10, and here is what the verse says to get the context of it properly: "Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Francis Shaffer was a Christian Philosopher from Sweden, and rather well known in the seventies. He wrote many thought provoking books examining culture in light of God's Word. He lived in a commune of sorts with other Christians. But one book I remember well is: "How Should We Then Live?" It was a rather big book, but it said in light of the cultures departure of God and God's judgment upon any such nation, how are we then to live? God has Ezekiel ask the same question, and Mr. Shaffer borrowed it from Ezekiel. BUT... in America, when we see the nation departing from God and God's judgment upon us, how are we to live? Here is a few suggestions: 1. Live in Repentance.... God judges a nation for the sins of His people. Wicked live wicked, but Christians are to live godly and don't!! Ask God for forgiveness for worldliness in thoughts and actions. Live in Repentance! 2. Live Humbly... Walk humbly before God and not in sinful pride. 3. Live Godly... let us remove ourselves from sinful attractions and time wasters! 4. Let us rally around the two institutions God created: The Home; and The Church. This will answer to some degree.... "how should we then live?"
2) BAD SHEPHERDS- How did the people get in such bad shape? (and America?) Bad Shepherds! Ezekiel 34:8 says: "As I live, saith the LORD God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;" God had shepherds (spiritual leaders, pastors) to take care of His people, but they did not do their job. Just as God judges a nation for the sins of His people, a Church is judged for the sins of the Shepherd! By that I mean, that the moral state we find ourselves in is caused by Pastors who do not faithfully preach the Bible as the Word of God and then do not live what they preach! God help us!! If you have a good Pastor, then thank God for him!
3) THE LORD IS THERE- These are the last words in Ezekiel. They are found in Ezekiel 48:35. It means that the city of Jerusalem will one day be called: "The LORD is there." When that happens, we get to live in that city! What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see...!! By the way, the LORD is here as well!
1) HOW ARE WE TO LIVE? That question is asked in Ezekiel 33:10, and here is what the verse says to get the context of it properly: "Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Francis Shaffer was a Christian Philosopher from Sweden, and rather well known in the seventies. He wrote many thought provoking books examining culture in light of God's Word. He lived in a commune of sorts with other Christians. But one book I remember well is: "How Should We Then Live?" It was a rather big book, but it said in light of the cultures departure of God and God's judgment upon any such nation, how are we then to live? God has Ezekiel ask the same question, and Mr. Shaffer borrowed it from Ezekiel. BUT... in America, when we see the nation departing from God and God's judgment upon us, how are we to live? Here is a few suggestions: 1. Live in Repentance.... God judges a nation for the sins of His people. Wicked live wicked, but Christians are to live godly and don't!! Ask God for forgiveness for worldliness in thoughts and actions. Live in Repentance! 2. Live Humbly... Walk humbly before God and not in sinful pride. 3. Live Godly... let us remove ourselves from sinful attractions and time wasters! 4. Let us rally around the two institutions God created: The Home; and The Church. This will answer to some degree.... "how should we then live?"
2) BAD SHEPHERDS- How did the people get in such bad shape? (and America?) Bad Shepherds! Ezekiel 34:8 says: "As I live, saith the LORD God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;" God had shepherds (spiritual leaders, pastors) to take care of His people, but they did not do their job. Just as God judges a nation for the sins of His people, a Church is judged for the sins of the Shepherd! By that I mean, that the moral state we find ourselves in is caused by Pastors who do not faithfully preach the Bible as the Word of God and then do not live what they preach! God help us!! If you have a good Pastor, then thank God for him!
3) THE LORD IS THERE- These are the last words in Ezekiel. They are found in Ezekiel 48:35. It means that the city of Jerusalem will one day be called: "The LORD is there." When that happens, we get to live in that city! What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see...!! By the way, the LORD is here as well!
Well, I've not written about many verses, but I enjoyed the writing. So many of these thoughts would be great sermon ideas as well, but I just write down the thought undeveloped. Hope they are a blessing to you as well. May God richly bless you!!
Pastor Mike Mutchler
Pastor Mike Mutchler
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