Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 12-14
As the prophet was commanded to personally picture Jerusalem’s besiegement in chapter 4, he is now commanded to picture her captivity. Specifically, Ezekiel portrayed the capture and imprisonment of Zedekiah, who sought to escape the armies of Babylon but was caught and brought to Babylon. Zedekiah died in Babylon, but he never saw the city itself, for the king of Babylon executed Zedekiah’s sons before his face at Riblah before putting out his eyes and carrying him to Babylon. Compare the account of Jeremiah 52:7-11 with Ezekiel’s prophecy of Ezekiel 12:12-13, and know that Ezekiel penned this more than 5 years before the events and from several hundred miles away. I never cease to be thrilled by the power and testimony of predictive prophecy! Later in chapter 12, Jehovah rebukes Israel for the rejection of His promised and prophesied punishment. God tarried to give them space to repent (cf Rom 2:4), but Israel interpreted His patience as a failure to keep His word (cf 2 Peter 3:1-9). Note also Ezekiel 14:14, where God mentions the righteousness of Noah, Daniel and Job. Daniel was a contemporary of Ezekiel in Babylon at that time, so he was already of considerable fame among the Jews.
New Testament reading: John 19-21
John 19:25-27 reminds us of the unbelief of Jesus’ brothers, even up to the time of the cross. Twice in the gospels, His brothers’ unbelief is noted (cf Mark 3:20-21; John 7:1-5). The fact that they did not believe in Jesus also testifies to the fact that they did not believe in the righteousness of their own mother. In their minds, the Jews were right when they accused Jesus of being born (conceived) in fornication (John 8:41), especially since no answer or defense was made against the charge. Thus, Jesus committed the care of his mother into the hands of John the apostle. Jesus was Mary’s oldest son, and with her husband Joseph no longer in the picture, He was charged with the responsibility of His mother’s care. Imagine the shame brought upon His brothers as Jesus deemed them unfit to care for their own mother! The shame they had long believed belonged on their mother has now been turned back on their own heads. Unbelief oftentimes has unintended consequences!
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