Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 44-45

Ezekiel 44 continues to point us to Jesus in the various descriptions of the temple and its furnishings. Already foretold by the prophet in Ezekiel 34:23-24, “the prince” makes his appearance in Ezekiel 44:1-3. As this prince is described as the one shepherd and the seed of David, he can be none other than Jesus Christ the Lord. One quick note of translation clarification, and I mention this because I was a bit confused as I read — the NKJV capitalizes personal pronouns and certain nouns used in reference to Deity. However, in Ezekiel 34 and 44, none of the allusions (e.g. shepherd, prince) made in reference to Jesus are capitalized. Nevertheless, most commentators are in agreement as to the identity of the shepherd and prince in these texts. Also of interest is the admonition to note the ordinances of the Lord’s house and its laws concerning who may enter in. We should also be mindful of this lesson, for only those who are authorized may be granted entrance into God’s house, the church (cf 1 Tim 3:15). Matthew 22:11-14 reminds us that only those who are properly attired may enter into the king’s house and feast at his table.

New Testament reading: Romans 7-9

As Romans 9 is often misused in an attempt to teach the false doctrine of particular predestination. By particular predestination, we mean that God specifically chose each individual person to be saved or lost before He ever created the world. Calvinists run to verses 6-29 in a vain attempt to show that God predetermined every single person who would be saved or lost, when in fact, the text teaches nothing of the sort. I believe in predestination because the Bible teaches it. But I believe in the proper view of predestination. That is, that men who would be saved today were predestined according to a particular plan, and not according to a particular man. God’s intention to save man through Jesus Christ was in His mind before the world began (1 Pet 1:18-21). Romans 9 is a message to the Jews and to Christians of Jewish heritage that God always intended to save the Gentiles. Paul says as much when he explains the context in his summary statement of Romans 9:30-33. Romans 9 is about saving all men through Jesus, not just a select few.

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 42-43

Ezekiel 43 provides some interesting imagery concerning the temple. Nebuchadnezzar had completely razed Solomon’s temple, even to the destruction of its foundation. In the minds of the Israelites, reconstructing the temple would be vital to the restoration of the nation. Through the prophet, God promised the temple would be rebuilt. Moreover, of this temple He said, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever.” One should not read this text without thinking of the One whose feet would trod the floors of this temple. Indeed, God Himself, God incarnate (John 1:1, 14), worshipped in and identified with this yet to be built temple (John 2:19). One more thought concerning Jesus and this temple – Ezekiel says he was brought to the gate which faced toward the east. When Jesus was born, the wise men saw His star “in the East” (Matt 2:2). Also, the sun rises in the east to give its light to the world. Finally, the voice of God is described in Ezekiel 43:2 as “like the sound of many waters.” This is the EXACT description of the voice of Jesus in Revelation 1:12-18. This and the hundreds of other references are why it is so important for us to study these Old Testament texts!

New Testament reading: Romans 4-6

Here is a brief summary outline of Romans 6. Christians are freed from the PRACTICE of sin – “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (v 1-2). Christians are freed from the POWER of sin – “Sin shall not have dominion over you” (v 14). Christians are freed from the PRODUCE of sin – “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?” (v 21). Christians are freed from the PENALTY of sin – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (v 23). It must be noted that all these to whom Paul was writing had been baptized (immersed) into Christ (cf Gal 3:27). It was at their baptism that these had been raised in newness of life (i.e., born again – 1 Peter 1:22-23). There is neither freedom nor newness of life apart from the baptism commanded by Jesus (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 40-41

Following the defeat and utter ruin of Gog and his allies, Ezekiel turns his attention to a detailed description of the glory of the new Jerusalem and the new temple. Adam Clarke notes the similarities in the dimensions and ornaments of Solomon’s temple with the one of Ezekiel’s vision. Clarke commented that there was room to suppose that this was to assist the Jews who would rebuild the temple upon their return from captivity. Others (e.g. Barnes, JF&B) believe the vision and the various measurements were purely symbolic. I think Clarke is accurate concerning his comments regarding the temple based on what we will read tomorrow in chapter 43. The vision’s physical measurements of the holy city are obviously symbolic, as the measurements are far greater than the actual city before her destruction. Today’s reading and those that follow are quite tedious at times, with all the measurements, etc. However, from this vision I think we might infer that God has a pattern for His people and their worship and religious service (as we will also see tomorrow in chapter 43).

New Testament reading: Romans 1-3

“When you point your finger at someone, remember there are three pointing back at you.” Romans 2 is a sobering text in this respect. After reproving the Gentiles as completely reprobate in Romans 1, Paul turns his attention to his Jewish counterparts. He accused them of hypocrisy, a sin I once heard called “the sin never confessed.” Paul condemned the Jews of bring  guilty of the very sins they condemned in others (v 1). This accusation is intensified in verses 17-24. Of particular concern is Paul’s statement that these Jews were storing up for themselves “wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (v 5). We are told in several New Testament texts of storing up treasures in heaven (cf Matt 6:19-21, 2 Tim 1:12), but what a dose of reality it is to think that we can also store up “treasures” in hell? We should be careful in our condemnation of others lest we find ourselves getting our britches caught on our own pitchfork! (Be honest! At the beginning, did you point at something to see if there were three fingers pointing back? J)

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 37-39

If there’s any phrase or text that people recognize from the book of Ezekiel, it is likely chapter 37’s “valley of dry bones.” Contextually speaking, this chapter is an extension of chapter 36 and God’s promise to restore Israel from her captivity. It should be understood as such. Unfortunately, many try to force this text into some kind of premillennial plan to recreate a Divine Jewish state in the modern era. We have addressed this error several times throughout the course of the past year as particular readings have allowed (see comments on Days 106, 131, 288). Suffice it to say that when Jesus comes again it will not be to establish an earthly kingdom, but rather to deliver up to God the already established kingdom (1 Cor 15:22-24). The latter half of the chapter refers to the reuniting of Judah and Israel in the restoration with a reference to one king to rule over them in verse 22. I believe this king is Jesus, and that this is borne out by verse 24 in the reference to David ruling over them (Jesus is the son of David – Matt 1:1, cf Ezekiel 34:23). Similar errors concerning this text include the ominous Gog and Magog (search www.christiancourier.com for good material on Gog and Magog).

New Testament reading: Acts 25-28

Johnny Ramsey was one of my favorite preachers. I heard him mention a sermon he had preached titled, “The Saddest Verses in All the Bible.” I heard him say this in the context of Jeremiah 8:20, “The harvest is past; the summer has ended, and we are not saved.” I never heard the sermon, though I have searched for it online, but I expect a verse in today’s reading must have been included in his list. In Acts 26:28, King Agrippa  said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Almost a touchdown is still a zero on the scoreboard. Almost cured is still infirmed (and perhaps dead). Almost a Christian is still lost! Any lost soul is an immeasurable tragedy and loss. But how much more a lost soul who was on the very precipice of finding salvation? Agrippa was so close, yet in the end he was just as far away as the vilest sinner. Friend, don’t almost become or be a Christian! Do whatever it takes to be completely converted and faithfully serve the Lord Jesus!

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 35-36

In Ezekiel 35, the prophet again takes up his prophecy against Mount Seir (Edom, cf 25:12-14). We often see in Old Testament literature how the evil intended by the wicked is returned upon their own heads (cf Jdg 9:57; Prv 1:10-11, 18). So it was with the evil Edom envisioned and perpetrated against Israel and Judah (35:11). You recall that the Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother (Gen 36:8). They tormented their brethren by cutting off their path of escape when Israel was pursued by her enemies (35:5; cf Obad 10-14). Moreover, they schemed to take the mountains of Israel for themselves once their Jewish brethren were removed (35:12).God condemned them as pitiless and bloodthirsty, declaring they would not profit at their brother’s expense (35:15). In Ezekiel 36, God in turn announces a blessing on Israel. Though she then bore the shame of her iniquity in the sight of all the nations, she would soon be restored, shooting forth her branches and bearing fruit for the people of Israel (36:8). God would bless Israel by removing her heart of stone and replacing it with one of flesh. That is, He would replace her cold, dead heart with a living one that would respond to His word.

New Testament reading: Acts 22-24

One thing we should do when talking with someone about their soul is to identify with them. By this, I mean that we present ourselves as equals, interested in the same goal. We must not come across as considering ourselves better than or in any way superior to them. Though he wasn’t ultimately successful in this particular case, this was Paul’s approach in Acts 22. First, he spoke to the audience in their native Hebrew tongue (21:40). This was rewarded with the silent attention of his audience (22:2). Second, Paul identified with them as a Jew, and not only a Jew, but a Jew who was zealously persecuting the church. Third, he more closely identified with them as a citizen of Jerusalem. Once these relationships were established, Paul recounted his conversion while en route to Damascus. They listened to him until he broached the subject that was sorest among them, the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan. We must prepare for kickback when dealing with today’s hot button issues, e.g., the one church, baptism, instrumental music, and male leadership.

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 33-34

The watchman is his brother’s keeper. So says the Lord in Ezekiel 33:1-9. His job is to sound the alarm whenever there is danger. Those who heed the warning will save themselves, while those who do not will die in their iniquity. In both cases, the watchman is faithful. However, if the watchman does not warn his people, they will die in their iniquity, but he is held accountable for his failure to sound the alarm. As Ezekiel was God’s watchman, so also are God’s preachers. They are God’s warning system. Some derisively refer to watchful preachers as “watchdogs” rather than watchmen. There is a difference between the two. A watchdog barks at everything, while the watchman is discerning, only awakening the people when danger is truly present. Admittedly, some preachers sound the alarm at inappropriate times. They do not realize their warnings eventually go unheard, even when they are justifiable. As a preacher, I try to exercise discernment in my warnings, lest my incessant “barking” also fail to arouse the senses of those truly in danger.

New Testament reading: Acts 20-21

While most are familiar with Jesus’ words in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” many miss the context wherein they are made. In verse 24, Paul spoke of how he had labored to make his own way while he preached in Ephesus, saying, “These hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.” Paul declared that his labors to provide for himself and those with him were actually a gift to the Ephesians. This was not the only time Paul “paid his own way.” In Acts 18:1-4 we find Paul making tents alongside Aquila and Priscilla. This is where the term “tent-making” preacher originates. It means a preacher who works to provide for himself so as not to be a burden on the brethren. There are many advantages to such an arrangement. First, the preacher’s influence is wider when he is among the people daily. Paul used this relationship to convert Aquila and Priscilla. Note how they are called Jews in Acts 18:2, not brethren or disciples. Second, the preacher is not beholden to anyone in such a way so as to affect his preaching. He will not be tempted to change his message or avoid sensitive subjects for the sake of keeping his job.

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 31-32

The prophet concludes his prophecy against Egypt. First, there is the Divine recognition of Egypt’s beauty and greatness. The Lord compares Egypt to a great cedar of Lebanon and the great Assyrian empire in its exaltation and glory. So towering was this cedar that the cedars of God’s garden could not hide it. So glorious was this cedar that all the trees of Eden envied it! But alas! As the unsinkable and glorious Titanic became a poster child for the dangers of pride and arrogance, so also would this great tree suffer an ignominious death. She would be cut down by the mighty one of the nations (Nebuchadnezzar, 31:11) and left for plunderers and scavengers (31:12). And, as the king of Tyre was lamented in chapter 28, so also is Pharaoh lamented as a young lion and a monster in the sea. Once capable of muddying the Nile with his feet (32:2), his light will soon be snuffed out, bringing darkness over all the land (32:7-8). Egypt will take her place in the grave of nations, including Assyria and Edom.

New Testament reading: Acts 17-19

Much has been said and written concerning “the noble Bereans” of Acts 17:11. The New King James gives the rendering of “fair-minded.” One thing I think gets lost in most discussions of this text is that the individuals under consideration are the Jews of Thessalonica and Berea. By and large, the Jews of Thessalonica were not persuaded by Paul’s preaching (17:5). Not content in their unbelief, they gathered a mob and took several brethren into custody and attempted to defame them before the city leaders (vv 6-8). On the other hand, the Jews at Berea (v 10) “received the word with all readiness, and searches the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (v 11). This is all we really ask of any person, to give the gospel a fair hearing in light of the testimony of Scripture. The difference in results of these two groups is significant. Whereas only a few (“some”) of the Thessalonian Jews obeyed (v 4), “many” of the Berean Jews believed, along with a sizeable number of Gentiles and prominent people of the city, both men and women (v 12). One thing I might add – We ought to give all men a fair hearing in such matters, especially when we do not agree with them.

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 29-30

In chapters 29-32, Ezekiel takes up his prophetic mantle against Egypt, the seventh heathen nation to fall under Divine condemnation. The sins of Egypt were many. She had learned nothing from the great plagues and witnessing the mighty hand of God. In yesterday’s reading, we noted how Nebuchadnezzar had sieged Tyre for thirteen years, only to break through and find that many of the people and potential spoils had moved offshore. Ezekiel 29:17-21 is intriguing, as God notes that Babylon had labored hard against Tyre without receiving any wages in return. In verse 20, the Lord is clear that Nebuchadnezzar was doing His bidding, saying of Babylon, “they worked for Me.” In an act demonstrating God’s great sense of justice, even when dealing with the heathen, the Lord declares that He is giving Egypt and her spoils to Nebuchadnezzar as wages for his labors against Tyre. This payment of wages was begun at the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. There is a brief article on Wikipedia noting Egypt’s defeat and the dispersion of her people (cf 29:12), her failure to return to a world power (cf 29:14-16), and the utter defeat of Egypt and her allies (cf 30:5-12). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carchemish

New Testament reading: Acts 15-16

How did the Lord open Lydia’s heart? By the same means he closed Pharaoh’s… through His word. I once heard an apropos statement in this regard: “The same sun that hardens clay also melts wax.” So it is with my heart. God’s word can soften my heart like wax and make it more pliable to conform it in the image of Christ, or it can harden my heart when I reject its teaching. Repeated rejection of God’s word leads to a callousing of the heart, making change more difficult as time passes. Also, chapter 16 also contains one of the most misused passages in all the New Testament in attempt to teach salvation by faith only (v 31). If one will read the verse carefully, then continue to read through verse 34, it would be helpful to correct and dispel this error. If one uses Acts 16:31 to teach salvation by faith only, he must also teach that one can be saved on behalf of another, for Paul added “and your house” to the singular imperative verb “believe.” The jailer and his family were saved when they heard the word of God, believed it, and were baptized that same hour of the night.

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 26-28

Today’s reading is a bit longer than usual as I wanted to maintain the continuity of the text. (Hey! I gave you a shorter reading yesterday!) Ezekiel 26-28 is a condemnation and prophecy against Tyre (ch 26), a lamentation for Tyre (ch 27), and a final word against the king of Tyre (ch 28). The detail of Ezekiel’s prophecy is incredible, which makes its fulfillment even more so! Let’s note some of the specific prophecies and fulfillments from chapter 26. First, Tyre’s destruction would be accomplished by many nations (v 3). While Nebuchadnezzar was the first to come against Tyre, her total destruction was not completed until more than 200 years later during the conquest by Alexander the Great. Second, the site of the city would be scraped clean like a rock and swept into the sea (v 4, 12). Alexander scraped the city bare, pushing the ruins into the sea to build a causeway to the island some one-half mile offshore where inhabitants had fled from Nebuchadnezzar more than two centuries earlier. Third, Tyre would be seiged by Nebuchadnezzar (v 8). Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Tyre lasted 13 years. More details about Tyre’s history can be found at www.padfield.com/1994/tyre.html.

New Testament reading: Acts 13-14

Acts 14:22-23 teach us two very important things about the church of Christ. First, verse 22 reveals to that the kingdom was in existence in the first century and is not some earthly institution that is yet to be established. Luke speaks of the kingdom of God and the church interchangeably in Acts 14:22-23. This is not unusual. Jesus did the exact same thing when He spoke of the church and the kingdom in Matthew 16:18-19. Other references to an established, first century kingdom include Colossians 1:13 and Revelation 1:9. Verse 23 also points us to the truth that all congregations of God’s people should have elders appointed to direct the affairs of the flock. While these elders may have been new Christians, this does not necessarily make them novices (1 Tim 3:6). Per our Day 315 reading, Paul was no novice after he obeyed the gospel. We would also do well to remember that the ability to shepherd (pastor) the flock was a first century spiritual gift (Eph 4:11).

Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 24-25

Ezekiel exemplifies the power of the human will when it is in submission to the will of God. In an unspeakable series of events, God again uses the prophet as a living picture and lesson for Judah. In Ezekiel 24:16-17, God tells the prophet, “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke. Yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead… and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.” The following morning, Ezekiel gave his people the parable of the boiling pot, and that evening his wife died. Moreover Ezekiel did exactly as the Lord commanded him. So obvious was Ezekiel’s demeanor in light of such a great tragedy that the people instinctively knew it involved them, asking, “Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?” (v 18). Ezekiel tells them that they shall act as he has when they hear of the destruction of Jerusalem. The picture of their silence is not a lack of emotion, but to be stunned by the magnitude of the loss. In times of great tragedy, tears fail because they are insufficient to express one’s grief and we must be comforted as we “sigh in silence” (v 17).

New Testament reading: Acts 11-12

“And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God.” So begins the curse of death upon Herod. But why would the people of Tyre and Sidon shout concerning Herod, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”? Josephus records that Herod had worn a garment made wholly of silver and had entered the theater as the sun began to rise before his face. The reflection of the sun on the woven silver “was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intented upon him.” It was at this moment they began to cry to Herod, “Be thou merciful to us (cf Acts 12:20); for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Herod did not rebuke their blasphemous praise, and was struck by God, eaten of worms and died. Note the order of events. Not died and eaten of worms as we might think. Herod’s curse was excruciatingly painful, lasting several days before he died. (For more on this account, see Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 19.343-350).