March 2, 2010 (Ezekiel 9-31)

Wow, I guess I haven't blogged for a while...I didn't read all the above today. Those chapters have been covered over the last couple of days. I will have to go back and try to find the highlights. Ezekiel is another one of those books that I honestly don't like. And wouldn't you know it is extremely long. Again, it is pretty much all about Ezekiel proclaiming doom and destruction, not only for the nation of Israel, but for all the surrounding nations. As I look at the overview of the book, it looks as if the "Restoration of Israel" doesn't happen until chapter 33, so I guess I have a few more chapters of "doom and gloom".

So, I will copy below some of the verses I highlighted:

^Ezekiel:1 Again a message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.

²⁴ “There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel. ²⁵ For I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

²⁶ Then this message came to me from the Lord: ²⁷ “Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.’ ²⁸ Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”

^{Ezekiel 14:3} “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? ⁴ Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. ⁵ I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’

⁶ “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins. ⁷ I, the Lord, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. ⁸ I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

^{Ezekiel 18:23} “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. ²⁴ However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you? ²⁶ When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. ²⁷ And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. ²⁸ They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. ²⁹ And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I.

^{Ezekiel 20:13} “But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life.