Ezekiel, Day 5 Readings

The Valley of Dry Bones and God's Presence Returns 

Today's first reading is a famous prophecy for the exiles in Babylon -- from among them (at least from among their descendants), God will restore Israel.  This restoration will be like the dead being raised to life.  Imagine skeletons of bones climbing out of graves and then having muscles and then skin placed on them.  In this way, God will recreate an entire nation of faithful people, led by a faithful king who follows the example of David.

Read Ezekiel 37:1-28  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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The second reading is a part of the long prophecy about the rebuilding of God's Temple in Jerusalem.  The dimensions and construction are described in detail, including the sacred "Holy of Holies" space where the Ark of the Covenant was kept in the original Temple.  This was the place where the presence of God departed in the famous vision with the wheel of Ezekiel 10-11 (which was the Day 2 reading).  Now, in the rebuilt Temple, is a vision promising the presence of God returning and filling this "Holy of Holies" again.  And the presence of God will make the entire mountain where the Temple is built holy -- the sacred place in the center of Jerusalem.

Read Ezekiel 43:1-12  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezekiel 40-48 today.

Ezekiel, Day 4 Readings

The Lord Is Israel's Shepherd and Coming Renewal 

Today's first reading is a longer exploration of the description of God as a shepherd of Israel.  It goes into greater depth than the famous 23rd Psalm.  First, it compares God's care to the Jewish leaders who were bad shepherds, known for their selfishness and faithlessness.  Now, like a shepherd, God will go out and seek His sheep (the Jews) who are scattered in exile and bring them to a place of safety and comfort.  It is a prophecy of both the reasons for suffering in exile and the reasons for hope.

Read Ezekiel 34:1-31  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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The second reading provides the ultimate rationale for why the Jews will have another chance to live freely.  In many ways, the sinfulness of the Jews has embarrassed God in the eyes of the world.  In order to restore respect, God had to punish these people for failing to actually treat God as God.  Before they can be allowed to live freely, they must learn to be faithful.  God will have to forgive their previous sins and give them hearts capable of following God's laws.  After that, and only after that, they can return to inhabit God's promised land.

Read Ezekiel 36:16-38  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezekiel 29-39 today.

Ezekiel, Day 3 Readings

A Just God Offers Hope, But Also Some Hard Truth 

Today's first reading is a promise of hope buried in a prophecy of punishment.  It reinforces that God is just, punishing those who disobey God's laws.  However, God will judge people based on their current actions and regard for God's teaching.  If they have previously sinned, but reform, they will not be punished.  Even more, despite the actions of their ancestors, if they do what is right, God will treat them well (which is a cause for hope for the exiles, who are suffering because of the sins of their ancestors).

Read Ezekiel 18:1-32  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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The second reading provides a list of Israel's repeated rejections of God through the generations.  Evidently, a group of Jewish leaders came to Ezekiel demanding answers for God allowing them to be defeated by the Babylonians.  However, God clearly views these leaders as completely unfaithful.  In response to their questions, God offers a list of times that the Jewish people have ignored God's teachings in favor of worshiping the false gods of other nations.  Interestingly, God says this faithlessness dates all the way to slavery in Egypt and the exodus from Egypt in the wilderness.  And the faithlessness of God's people happens again and again, leading to the punishment of defeat and exile.

Read Ezekiel 20:1-44  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezekiel 20-28 today.

Sermon - "Accepting Punishment" (Lamentations)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about Lamentations, the reflection about the pain of exile that is included among the Hebrew prophets.  Though the placement is odd -- in some ways, Lamentations feels similar to the wisdom literature -- it probably is due to its focus on the exile in Babylon (a central issue for several of the prophets).

With evocative language, Lamentations explores the deep emotional pain that those in exile felt.  However, it also exhibits a deep promise that God has a purpose for the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity in Babylon.  There is a painful admission that the consequences -- which feel like punishments from God -- were necessary for the long-term good of God's people.  Perhaps defeat and exile was the only way that God could correct the mistakes they were making.

Lament is something that we frequently do, worrying about the negative consequences of decisions we have made in our lives -- about things we've done or not done.  Sometimes the lessons we learn are hard ones, especially when our actions seem to lead to uncomfortable situations.  Sometimes, though, hard situations are simply the result of changes beyond our control.  When we identify negative consequences caused (at least in part) by our decisions, it is important to learn from them -- with God's help -- so we don't make the same mistakes again.

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the related Communion meditation and closing benediction.

Ezekiel, Day 2 Readings

Ezekiel Sees a Wheel and God's Exit from Jerusalem 

Today's reading is a dramatic vision of a wheel, spinning above Jerusalem, surrounded by angels.  Somehow, this wheel accompanies the presence of God, which leaves the Temple (and the Holy City), symbolizing God's complete disgust with the disobedience that the city -- and its inhabitants -- have come to represent.

God does not only offer a vision of despair, though.  While God's presence is leaving, the vision also contains a promise for God's people in exile.  Though they have been scattered among other nations, God will again unite the Jews and return them to Jerusalem, where they will again live as God's chosen people.

Read Ezekiel 10:1-11:25  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezekiel 12-19 today.

Ezekiel, Day 1 Readings

The Calling and Sending of Ezekiel 

Today's first reading is the brief prologue of Ezekiel, the prophet who gave instruction and hope to the people where were exiled in Babylon.  Ezekiel is a trained priest who becomes the main spokesman for God during this period.

Read Ezekiel 1:1-3  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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The second reading offers the more specific details of Ezekiel's purpose, to share a message of punishment and hope.  Part of the vision of Ezekiel's calling is a scroll, which the prophet eats in order to gain the word of the Lord.  Then Ezekiel is told that he will carry God's teaching first to those remaining in Jerusalem, then to the exiles in Babylon.  However, he is warned that those left in Jerusalem have stopped listening to God, so they will not listen to the prophet.  Still, though, Ezekiel is to share God's teaching with them.

Read Ezekiel 2:1-3:15  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezekiel 1-11 today.

Ezekiel, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 26 - Ezekiel 

Ezekiel was a priest chosen by God to be a prophet during the time when Jews were exiled in Babylon.  At the beginning of the exile, some Jews remained in Jerusalem; however, after another rebellion, the Babylonians returned and completely destroyed the city and the Temple.

This historical fact is important because there are two main audiences for the prophecies of Ezekiel: first, those remaining in and around Jerusalem and, second, those in exile.  To the first group, Ezekiel has increasingly awful news.  Due to generations of faithlessness, especially the worship of idols, God has completely lost faith with the people in Jerusalem.  In fact, God's presence has left the city, which means that it will be defenseless against a future attack.

However, God still believes that there are a few who can learn to be faithful.  So, to the second group, Ezekiel offers prophecies of punishment and hope.  Those in exile need to understand why God is unhappy and why they deserve this punishment.  However, they also need to understand that God's people will again live freely in the Holy Land.  Like seeds, God will take faithful people from exile and "plant" them in Jerusalem, where they will grow in numbers and restore Israel.

Some of Ezekiel's prophecies are highlighted by dramatic visions -- of angels, wheels in the sky, and bones that rise from graves and become living human beings again.  The final vision (which lasts for the final 9 chapters of Ezekiel) is of the new Temple that will be built in the restored Jerusalem.  It also contains a powerful promise -- God's presence will dwell in the rebuilt Temple.