Matthew 2:1-12 "What Wil You Do"

Matthew 2:1-12 “What Will You Do”

INTRODUCTION: The after Christmas questions are here, how do I fit this chicken napkin holder into my sailing theme kitchen? Where could I wear this sweater, and have no one see me? Should I just return this? Can I just re-rap this and send it to uncial Joe? You know this thing you sent us for Christmas, what is it? Should we just stop giving gifts to our brothers, sister, and friends? What do I do with Jesus? Where or how does Jesus fit into my life? That is the question of the Magi.

1. WHO THE MAGI WERE

A. WISE MEN, PREIST IN PERSIA,

B. POLITICAL RULERS WHO CORINATED THE KINGS OF PERSIA

C. PERSIA HAD BEATEN ROME AND TOOK JERSULAM FROM THEM

D. IT TOOK A 3 YEAR WAR TO GAIN HEROD BACK HIS THRONE

E. WHAT DISTURBES HEROD IS THAT THEY CAME TO WORSHIP OR CROINATE A KING.

2. THEY FOLLOWED A STAR

A. THEY HAD SEEN IN THE EAST (SEEN FROM THE EAST)

B. A SPECIAL STAR FOR ALL STARS MOVE WITH THE ORBIT AND ROTATION OF THE EARTH.

C. THIS STAR IS VISIBLE FOR A LONG TIME, SEEN, DESIDE IT’S MEANING, COMPUTE IT’S PATH, PREPAIR FOR THE TRIP, TRAVLE 400 – 500 MILES

D. HEROD KILLS ALL THE CHILDREN 2 YEARS AND YOUNGER, NO DOUBT KILLING THOSE A YEAR OLDER THAN JESUS JUST TO BE SURE.

E. THEN IT IS GONE AND NEVER SEEN AGAIN

3. WHAT THEY FOUND AND DID

A. WHAT THEY EXPECTED, A MONTH OLD TO ONE YEAR OLD BOY

B. GAVE HIM CORINATION GIFTS

C. PROTECTED HIM BY GOING HOME ANOTHER WAY

D. WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DID IS ALL RECORDED FOR US

4. WHAT WILL YOUR RECORD SAY

A. WHO IS JESUS TO YOU, FICTION, HISTORICAL, RELIGIOUS, SAVOUR?

B. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH HIM? PUT AWAY TILL NEXT YEAR, WORSHIP, FOLLOW?

C. WHAT WILL YOU GIVE HIM? MONEY, SPARE TIME, YOUR RESPECT, YOUR LOVE, YOUR LIFE?

CONCLUSION: What we do with Jesus is recorded. Recorded in the hearts, minds, and lives of our families, our children and grandchildren. Recorded in the people we share life with at school and work. Recorded in the people we see each day and the people we meet only once in our lives. What will we do with Jesus? What will we give Him? What will the record of our life say? We must choose wisely for it is our story to write.

John 1:1-14

John 1:1-14 “From the Beginning”

INTRODUCTION:

GOD KNEW

A. FROM THE BEGINNING

In Gen 1 God creates and it is all good yet God knows so John starts his Gospel there in the beginning and not in Bethlehem.

B. ADAM AND EVE WOULD CHOOSE TO DISOBEY

God knew that though the garden was a wonderful and perfect place there was danger there in allowing Adam and Eve a choice. He knew they would disobey, and hide from Him.

C. MANKIND’S SINFUL NATURE AND WHAT IT WOULD BRING

God knew that people would destroy and distort His creation. That we would be cruel and hurtful to each other. God knew that many if not most of the people who ever lived would reject Him and His love.

D. YOUR OWN ACTIONS AND CHOICES

Psalm 139 God has known before you were born the choices you would make. He knows the sinful things you have done and the ones you will do. He knows how you have forgotten Him in the past and how you will forget Him in the future.

GOD CHOSE

A. THE LOGICAL CHOICE WOULD BE NOT TO CREATE HUMANS

Many people think God made a mistake creating humans. He should make us behave, stop people from sinning, or kill all the bad people. But God did not want you to be a robot he wanted you to be free. And since at one point or another we are all bad people killing off all the bad ones would mean us too.

B. PARENTS AND PARENTING

We know they cry half the night, have dirty dippers, and we will have to carry enough equipment for a small army everywhere we go for their first couple of years. We know they will skin their knees and get hurt, go through childhood diseases and face dangers every day of their life. They will get their hearts broken and maybe even break ours. They may choose to love us and they may not. Yet we choose to have children. We don’t make them into robots or tie them up so they will behave or lock them away under protective doors. At some point we let them go on their own and make their own choices and pray they are good ones. Like God in the beginning we made a choice.

C. TO LOVE, TO DIE, TO FORGIVE

D. TO MAKE YOU CHILDREN OF GOD

THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

A. GOD HAD A PLAN

B. GOD STILL HAS A PLAN

C. GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL

CONCLUSION: This year as you set up the manger scene or walk past one, as you read the Christmas story together as a family, send someone a card, or listen to favorite Christmas Carol, remember that the true meaning of Christmas is that God choose to love you before the world began. He chooses to still love you today, and will continue to love you tomorrow.

Isaiah 42:1-7 light in our darkness

Isaiah 42 is a rich chapter of the Bible. You notice from the start the words proclaimed by God from heaven at the baptism of Jesus. Later when Jesus is asked by John the Baptist “are you the one? Jesus’ answer includes fulfillment of Isaiah 42, “The blind see and the Deaf hear.” This is a chapter that tells of the great mercy of God, the rejection of God by Israel, and the judgment of being concurred and taken into exile. In verse 42:4 the continents of the earth are mentioned. Today I want to focus on sight and light. All around us are lights especially this time of year. Three lights, store lights, house lights. I have to wonder if all these artificial lights keep us from seeing the true light of Jesus in our world. Verse 6 and 7 hold great promise to our world and to us.

1. TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND

A. WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF BLINDNESS

B. FLASHLIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, NEON LIGHTS

C. A BLINDNESS OF THE HEART

D. A BLINDNESS OF SPIRIT

E. A BLINDNESS OF THE MIND

F. 1 COR 2:14

G. JOHN 16:12-15

2. SET FREE THOSE IN A PRISON OF DARKNESS

A. WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF DARKNESS

a. ECONOMIC

b. POLITICAL

c. SOCIAL

d. EMOTIONAL

e. FLOOD AND FAMINE AND DISEASE

B. EPH 6:12 OUR FIGHT “DARK WORLD”

3. REFLECTING THE LIGHT

A. SPEAKING IN PARABLES MATTHEW 13:13-16

B. BLESSED WITH VISSION

C. REFLECTING THE LIGHT

CONCLUSION: What will we do with what we have seen? Is there a part of your life where you have been blind to God? Is there a place where you have not let the light of Jesus transform you? A relationship, a habit, your job, at school, friendships? Let Jesus transform them, you, today.

Have you been living surrounded by darkness? Friends, coworkers, people at school, or family that surround you with darkness and hold you like a prison? The dark dungeon of the past or the prison of abuse? No matter what prison holds you or dark dungeon you are in Jesus has the key to the locks and the door. Step into the light of forgiveness, reflect the light of God’s grace.

Genesis 24:1-8 “A Moment of Trust”

Genesis 24:1-8 “A Moment of Trust”

INTRODUCTION: The story of Isaac and Rebekah are well known. You have hopefully heard how the servant finds Rebekah in far away Nahor and prays for guidance and God shows him Rebekah. You have heard about the kindness of Rebekah who waters the camels and invites the servant to dinner. You hear about how much faith Rebekah has to travel back to Hebron to marry Isaac, and how much Isaac loved her. But we often overlook some very important details. There is a change in Abraham that brings this whole string of events about.

1. A FAIURE TO TRUST

A. GOD PROMISED THE LAND TO ABRAHAM

B. IN TIME OF FAMINE HE LEAVES IT FOR THE SAFTY OF EGYPT

C. GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM AND SARAH A SON

D. ABRAHAM GOES FOR THE EASY WAY WITH HAGAR AND ISHMAEL

E. HE IS PROMISED PROTECTION BY GOD

F. HE LIES ABOUT SARAH’S IDENITY TO PROTECT HIMSELF

G. HE NEVER CLAIMS OR POSESSIS THE LAND

2. A NEW LEVEL OF TRUST

A. AT SARAHS DEATH HE BUYS THE FIELD IN HEBRON (23:4)

B. SEND THE SERVANT TO GET A WIFE HE DOES NOT LEAVE THE LAND

C. HE DOES NOT SEND ISAAC TO FIND A WIFE

D. HE HAS THE SERVANT SWEAR AN OATH NOT TO LET ISAAC LEAVE

3. TRUSTING GOD IN OUR OWN LIVES

A. HOW OFTEN HAVE WE SOUGHT OUR OWN WAY

B. WE CHOOSE A SPOUSE AND NOT EVEN CONSIDER LETTING GOD GUIDE US.

C. WE CHOOSE A VOCATION WITHOUT A PRAYER

D. WE MOVE NEVER ALLOWING GOD TO GUIDE US

E. WE KEEP TRYING TO EARN GODS LOVE EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HIS PROMISE.

F. WE KEEP ON FEELING GUILTY EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HIS PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS.

G. WE KEEP TAKING CARE OF THINGS ON OUR OWN INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD TO GUIDE US.

4. A NEW LEVEL OF TRUST

A. IT’S TIME TO BELIEVE IN GODS PROMISSES

B. TO STAND FIRM IN STEAD OF RUNNING

C. TO STAND OUT IN STEAD OF BLENDING IN

D. TO BE HEARD IN STEAD OF BEING SILENT

E. TO PRAY MORE AND THINK LESS

F. TO ACCEPT THE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF GOD

G. TO DROP THE BURDEN AND RESPONSABILITIES THAT GOD HAS OFFERD TO CARRY.

H. ISN’T IT TIME THAT LIKE ABRAHAM YOU START BELIEVEING GOD AND FIND A NEW LEVEL OF TRUST?

LOL

Gen 17:17 & Gen 18:10-18:15

INTRODUCTION: I hope you took the time to read Gen 11-20. Some of the great issues of the day are found there. The promise land and the blessing of those who bless Israel and the curse against those who curse it, and there is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Presbyterians anti Israel agenda and the effort to remove or circumvent ordination standards are both hot issues which threaten to tear the church apart. But in the middle of all this are these people laughing. I think this struck me because I don’t laugh like I used to. One day I was texting someone and I got back LOL. Puzzled about it I texted back what and a question mark, to which I received LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL!!!! Laughing out loud. Like I said I do not laugh like I used to, and here are these people laughing and laughing at God.

1. AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION

A. ABRAHAM IS 100 AND SARAH IS 90, PREGNANT AT 90.

a. WHERES MY TEETH AND GET THE WALKER IT’S TIME

B. GOD HAS WAITED, PREHAPASE BECAUSE OF ABRAHAMS LACK OF TRUST BEFORE?

2. LAUGHING AT GOD

A. ABRAHAM LAUGHS AT GOD 17:17

B. SARAH LAUGHS AT GOD 18:12

C. GOD LAUGHS WITH THEM “ISAAC” MEANS HE LAUGHS

D. ABRAHAM LAUGHS BY OFFERING GOD A REASONABLE WAY 17:18

3. YOUR OWN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION

A. LEAD A YOTH GROUP, TEACH A CLASS, FORM A BIBLE STUDY GROUP

B. PREACH A SERMON, GO ON A MISSIONS TRIP, CHANGE SOMEONES LIFE.

C. HEAL A RELATIONSHIP, BREAK A HABIT

D. HAVE YOU BEEN LAUGHING AT GOD?

E. HAVE YOU BEEN OFFERING HIM ANOTHER WAY?

F. LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT.

CONCLUSION: Maybe it’s time to stop laughing at God and start laughing with God. God likes to start where things look impossible, laughable. If we are not laughing out loud at the mission before us, maybe we are not thinking big enough.

Gen 11-20

Noah’s descendants come out of the hills of what is now Armenia and Turkey gathering in present day Iraq in the town of Babylon. Babylon was the site of a ziggurat, a stairway to heaven. This brick tower was to reach to heaven where God is and to make a name for themselves. Back to the sin of the Garden where Adam and Eve want to take over Gods place, here the people think they can build their own way to heaven and gain control over their future. Ziggurats can be found in many places in the Middle East. The brick towers built in a stepped fashion with a small shrine at the top.

Vs 6 God notes that these people will be able to do anything when they speak the same language and cooperate with each other. Today we are coming into an age of one language and increased cooperation. We may be tempted to think that the is nothing we cannot do and yet the more we advance in technology the more we see natural occurring things like earth quakes, hurricanes, floods, and tornados leave us helpless. In our communication age we might picture our world if every phone, TV, radio, and computer suddenly quit working or the loss of all electric power.

From this center we see civilization start to spread out to cover the earth.

Vs 10-32 Noah lived much like his ancestors to an age of 950 years old, living some 350 years after the flood. Noah’s children who were 100 years old at the time of the flood lived a total of 600 years, while their children lived to 450 years old. Each generation saw their lifespan shorten until Abraham lived 175 years. What ever happened during the flood one of the results was that God’s declaration of Gen 6:3 that man’s days would be numbered 120 years. Was this change caused by a change in the protection the preflood atmosphere gave us or was is it do to genetic degrading, or even the result of the introduction of bacteria or viruses. Whatever the cause for the decreased lifespan, it is connected with the flood. This also gives us our own limits for life. With all our science and technology we still cannot push life past 120 years.

Chapter 12

God gives a call to Abram to leave the country where he lived and go to a new land that God would give to him. Much of the trouble in the Middle East is traced to this promise. In vs. 6 it notes the Canaanites were in the land and someone has been in the land ever since. Abram is promised the land from the Brook of Egypt on the south to the Euphrates in the north, the Mediterranean one the west and the Jordan River on the east. This area is described here in chapters 12 – 20 and in Numbers 34:1-12 and Ezekiel 47:13-20.

This area would include Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, the Golan Heights and parts of Syria. The fight over the possession of this land continues on today. The various tribes of people including the Canaanites and the descendants of Ishmael make up the Arab tribes still found in the area today. Though many people like to connect Ishmael, Muslim and Arabs together as one group they are not. The tribes of Ishmael blend with the tribes of people that were in the land at the time. This promise of the land to Abram could lead us to believe that present day Israel will continue to expand with more war to come.

The promise of God found in 12:3 includes all the people of the earth, who will be blessed or cursed by their treatment of Israel. The United States has been a strong supporter of Israel, and many who work for the continued support of Israel go to this passage for their reasoning.

12:10-20 find Abram leaving the Promised Land and going to Egypt. Egypt is place the people would run to several times. Joseph and his brothers seek refuge there, and later Joseph would take Jesus to Egypt for safety. When Abram goes into Egypt he makes up a story about Sarai being his sister to protect himself. Both leavening the Promised Land and lying about Sarai both show a lack of trust in God’s promise. What fears are there that make us abandon God’s promise? Here even Abram’s lack of faith God turns to his good as he leaves Egypt with all he had acquired while he was there.

Abram and Lot split up and then Lot gets in trouble with the surrounding tribes and needs rescuing by Abram. While returning to his home Abram is met by Melchizedek the “Priest of God Most High”. Abram connects this “God Most High” creator of heaven and earth as the same “Lord” who has been leading and protecting Abram. Then giving of a tenth of everything shows that Abram recognized the “God Most High” as his true king. Later in the Law of Moses a tithe, or tenth, of income was designated as an offering to God. This was a show of respect and acknowledgement of God as their true king. One of the purposes behind the tithe today is the showing of respect to God.

Chapter 15

Here the promise that God has given Abram is repeated but this time with a covenant or an oath made between two parties. The covenant is in response to Abram not having children and his doubts about God’s promise. Even after the covenant with God Abram shows his doubt when he tries to help God out by seeking another way to fulfill the promise with Hagar. The result is a son and a tribe of people that will cause Israel pain. How often do we seek to give God a hand in taking care things on our own? The result is that we make things more difficult for ourselves and often settle for less than what God had intended for us. Because of his lack of trust in God Abram would have to face sacrificing Isaac.

Chapter 17 God again affirms His promise to Abram, even giving Abram a timeline for the birth of Isaac. Abram and Sarai are given new names, Abraham and Sarah. But now God wants a sign of faith from Abraham which will set him apart from all other people, circumcision. This act of covenant between Abraham and God is done a year before the birth of Isaac. We have to wonder if the lack of faith Abraham has shown in the past continues to make things difficult for him.

Both Abraham and Sarah thought the promise of the birth of Isaac to be something to laugh at. In 17:17 Abraham falls down laughing at this promise of God. In 18:12 Sarah laughs at the idea of bearing a child at 90 years old. Many of the things God promises or says seem laughable to us, yet God proves Himself over and over again. God is not put off by their skepticism; He joins them in their laughing when he commands the boy be named Isaac, which means “he laughs”.

In 18:20 it is revealed to Abraham that God is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham has no questions of their wickedness but he is worried about Lot. Lot it seems needs to be rescued again. Abraham bargains with God to save the city if only 10 righteous people could be found. Somewhere in the bargaining from 50 down to 10 peace comes to Abraham that Lot will be saved. Here is a case where the company you like to keep can bring you disaster even if you do not join in with them. Lot liked the party town and the party life around him even if he did not join in with them.

The situation in the town is so bad that Lot tries to direct the angels to his own home for their safety. The way of life and partying in this town is such that the men surround Lots house wanting to have the two men who have just arrived in town. They take this to the point of breaking down the door. While the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is homosexuality, this goes beyond that.

Lot’s judgment is so poor that he not only lives in the town but then is willing to sacrifice his daughters to please the crowd. When forced to leave Lot’s family is told not to look back. God wants them to leave that life and cut off all connection to it. Lot’s wife has her heart set on the life of the city and looks back. How many Christians are like Lot and his family? They like to live on the fringes of wickedness. They may only dabble in that sinful life but they enjoy being around it. Like Lot they find themselves in constant conflict with God. How much better would our lives be and the world be if we as Christians would refuse to live around that life.

Gen 19:30 If we remember the life of Sodom and Gomorrah that Lot lived in the idea that his daughters come up with is not that difficult to understand and it would not have taken much wine for Lot to be open to the idea. Lot and his daughters could have sought a solution by going to Abraham’s family to find husbands for the two women. Living in and around sinfulness breaks down our defenses and clouds our good judgment.

Gen 20 Good judgment seems to be lacking in Abrahams life as well, when for a second time he tells people Sarah is his sister. Again God intervenes and saves Abraham from his lack of judgment. God has the king not only confront Abraham but also has Abraham pray for him. At this point Abraham had every right to be in fear of the king and yet God says pray for him. Jesus would later give the same command, to pray for your enemies and bless those who persecute you. The idea may be as laughable as Sarah and Abraham having a child, yet God works in ways we can never understand.

Ezekiel 3:16-21

Ezekiel 3:16-21

INTRODUCTION: Ezekiel is a fascinating book. He is given a wonderful vision of God and describes it so well. The prophecy against Jerusalem which comes true in Ezekiel’s time and continues to 70 AD when the Romans lay siege to Jerusalem and latterly fulfill the words found in 5:8-17 . Ezekiel is told to go lay in the dirt where everyone can see for over a year attacking to a map of the city and preaching to the people that pass by. But I want to focus on Ezekiel’s call found in 3:16-21.

1. THE CALL OF EZEKIEL

A. EZEKIEL IS NEVER GIVEN A CHOICE

B. TELL THE UNRIGHTOUS AND THE RIGHTOUS

C. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR REACTION

D. EZEKIEL IS RESPONSIBLE IF HE FAILS TO WARN THEM

2. GOD’S INTENT

A. CONFRONT, CONFESS, REPENT, FORGIVE, HEAL, UNDERSTAND

B. MATTHEW 28 19-20 GO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TEACH THE TO OBEY

C. MESSY- SCARY- DIFFACULT EVEN OFFENSIVE

D. MISSED SEEING THE CONFIRM STUDENTS

E. BEING CONFRONTED AND CONFRONTING AND LOST SLEEP

3. THE TEMPTATION

A. COMPROMISE THE COMAND OF GOD TO FIT OUR COMFORT LEVEL

B. EXCUSE SIN

C. NEVER REPENT

D. NEVER FORGIVE

CONCLUSION: CAN WE BE THAT CHURCH?

THE PERFECT CHURCH IS DOWN THE STREET

THE RIGHTOUS CHURCH IS ACROSS TOWN

THE MESSED UP SINNERS STRUGGLING TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD, YOU HAVE FOUND. GOD HAS GIVEN US A MISSION AND WE MUST NOT NEGLECT IT.

Ezekiel 1 – 5

The book of Ezekiel is an amazing book with Ezekiel’s ministry spanning 22 years which includes the darkest day in the history of Israel. Ezekiel is a colorful book filled with vivid images. As with other books like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zephaniah, Ezekiel follows a pattern of prophecies of judgment against Israel, the nations, and then consolation for the people of Israel. The picture being that the nations will be used to punish Israel and then the nations are judged for their own rebellion against God as Israel is restored.

The book of Ezekiel starts with the call of Ezekiel which happens in 597 B.C. We learn that Ezekiel is an exiled priest who receives his call as a prophet through a vision of God.

Ezekiel’s vision starts with something that appears as a windstorm that turns out to be the throne room of God. The four living creatures are called Cherubim; they are the attendants of the throne. The four of them form a square which moves on wheels in all four directions. Once the throne is in place they stop moving and it is time for Ezekiel to meet God. Like other prophets who try to describe the sight of God, Ezekiel is overwhelmed by the brilliance of the sight. Fire, burning metal, brilliant rainbow, and intense light. Ezekiel does not hear a still small voice; he hears thunder, something that roars like an army on the march, or the roar of the ocean waves.

Chapter 2 verse 1-3 start the call of Ezekiel which is not a request or a volunteer situation but an order or assignment from God. We see that Ezekiel never seeks the call or assignment from God, God chooses to call Ezekiel.

Often we picture the call of God upon individuals and the church as some kind of cooperative arrangement, but that is not the case here. God has an assignment for us and we are to carry it out regardless of our own ideas or desires. Notice when you get to 3:16-21 that God intends to hold Ezekiel accountable for carrying out his assignment. Also notice that Ezekiel never accepts the assignment he just starts carrying it out.

The judgment Ezekiel proclaims against Israel is due to their failure to live as God’s obedient people. This stands in sharp contrast to Ezekiel who never questions or agrees with God but simply does what he is told.

This makes me wonder where the church stands. Where do we stand as individual believers? Do we listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit and then follow or we trying to help God run things? Do we fail to hear the voice of God because when we do, we try to judge or evaluate it and then negotiate or amend it like a bill going through congress? The brilliant burning metal God of Ezekiel is not leaving things to be discussed, negotiated or agreed upon.

Ezekiel is told why he is being sent and that the results are not his responsibility. Ezekiel’s responsibility is to go and speak. As you read the book of Ezekiel you might see that he is very confronting even insulting at times, with some slick packaging of his message he could have got better results. If Ezekiel softened the edges of his message so he could get better results we might like it better. I have to wonder if we soften the edges of our faith, both as individuals and as churches to make it sell better. In the effort to “get results” we compromise the Word of God to make it more appealing, or politely correct. Ezekiel was told not to worry about results but worry about the message.

Once given the task, Ezekiel is given a scroll to eat which symbolize God putting His words in the prophet’s mouth. The words are sweet to taste because they are the words of God, yet he will find them difficult, and they leave him feeling bitter vs. 14. In Rev 10:9-10 the prophet says the scroll is sweet but turns his stomach bitter. This is so true of God’s Word, the words of the Old and New Testaments are sweet to those who listen and receive it. The words are ones that bring us peace, forgiveness, grace and joy. But to the person who rejects it the word brings judgment. While we love the sweetness of the words to us are we really aware of the fate of those who fail to listen. Do we truly hurt for the lost who will suffer?

In 3:16-21 Ezekiel is told to speak to people, some of them righteous and others not, yet the same goal exist for both, to get them to turn from evil. If they repent from evil at Ezekiel’s words then they will be saved and the prophet will save himself. If they do not turn from evil they will die but the prophet will have saved himself. But if for some reason Ezekiel fails to deliver the warning, Ezekiel will be held accountable for that person’s death. What a heavy weight Ezekiel has been given to carry. Notice again Ezekiel is not responsible for the results but he is responsible for giving the warning. The Church has been given the orders in Matthew 28:19-20, to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Jesus does not ask us to agree to this task, a go if you want to kind of thing. Jesus also does not give us editorial powers, we are to teach “everything I have commanded you”. Like Ezekiel we are given words of life for a dying world and God will hold us accountable for what we do with that word. We are not to worry about the “results” the numbers but we are to worry about telling the Word we have been given. If we leave parts of the word out to make it more appealing or comfortable then it stops being the Words of God, and will we not be held accountable for not delivering the entire word of God?

3:22-27 find Ezekiel being moved about by the Spirit and being told to shut himself up in his house and be silent until God tells him to speak. He is told they will bind him with ropes. This was a common practice to control those who were thought to be insane. Jesus finds one man had even been tied with chains.

What Ezekiel is told to do to most would seem insane. He is told to make a map of the city of Jerusalem and then pretend to attack it. He is to lie in front of the people most likely a town square on his side for 390 days; this would be one day for every year from Solomon until the fall of Jerusalem. Lying in the middle of town for a year, cooking food over cow manure proclaiming the sins of Israel while attacking a map, the people might think him insane. Many people today think Christians to be weak minded or insane.

The judgment of Israel reads like a history book. The real siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD inflicted unbelievable suffering on the people, then they are scattered to the nations where they are persecuted. This not only takes place in Germany but in many other countries, and continues even today. In the end only a few strands are left to return to Israel.

The rest of is a book that continues to read like a history of Israel written before it ever happens. I hope you will explore this book even further.