[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
[4:05
pm, 09/07/2022] S.R: πΌπ«πππππ ππ:ππ
"All
the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree,
exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am
the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it."
This
is a parable. It's really not about trees. It's about people. Human beings are
much more above and more worthy than plants or animals.
In
the book of Daniel, God also said about establishing kings and kingdoms and
also destroying them. However, this happens very slowly from our perspective.
It takes time for nations to prosper and to decline, but surely it shall. The
Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans had their time. It
doesn't happen in a day.
If
we are godly and lowly now we may still be lowly and be oppressed all our life time
and even in the few generations of our offspring, but then God shall fulfill it
at the right time.
The
ungodly who are exalted now may still remain exalted throughout their lifetime
and even a few generations after them, but they shall be gone.
The
delight of the godly is [primarily] the Lord, not even of his exaltation or the
downfall of the wicked. May we delight in God, not just in His doings. In other
words: May we love the Giver, not just the Gifts.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ :ππ
“"Do
I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD,
"rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?"”
That's
why every sinner is alive till now. That's why every sinning Christian is still
alive. God wants people to repent. And in the repentance of people, God is more
glorified.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ‘:π
"When
she saw, as she waited, That her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs
And made him a young lion."
The
pain of the mother of the fate of her wayward child. Judah with its ungodly
king.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π
""Son
of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,
"Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live," declares the Lord GOD,
"I will not be inquired of by you."'"
The
Lord withdrew Himself from His people because of their abominable lifestyle.
Our sins will hinder our prayers to be answered by God. We do need to confess
our sins before God.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π
"Because
I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will
go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north."
Sometimes,
the Lord protects the righteous and punishes the wicked in times of judgment.
Sometimes, He just let both the righteous and the wicked perish but remember
that shall be the mercy of the Lord for the righteous. Because sometimes early
death is better than horrible life, yet God decides that, not us.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:ππ‘-ππ
"The
people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they
have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without
justice. I searched for a man among them
who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so
that I would not destroy it; but I found no one."
Striving
for justice, kindness to people and even animals around us, and generosity to
all the poor and needy are expected of God's people.
I
wish to develop these virtues in me, more and more. And of course, we develop
by practicing them. Scriptures have commanded, and have given a lot of examples
too.
To
be gracious. To be generous. To be compassionate. Oh!
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π
"Their
names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and
they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and
Jerusalem is Oholibah."
God,
using this parable to demonstrate how much He loved His chosen people in spite
of their sins. He wanted them to turn away from vain things and come back to
Him.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:ππ-ππ
"Son
of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a
blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not
come. Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and
put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the
bread of men."
God
expects and requires Ezekiel to fear/love Him more than he loves his wife. It
was so of Abraham concerning his son.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π-π
"For
thus says the Lord GOD, "Because you have clapped your hands and stamped
your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against the land of
Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you and I will
give you for spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and
make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I
am the LORD." Moab."
God
punished the Israelites because of their sins. The Lord let them be captured by
enemies. And here, God is judging the other nations for rejoicing in the
suffering of His people.
Don't
rejoice in the fall of the godly people. Be fearful. Tremble. The Lord doesn't
have pleasure, even in the death of the wicked.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π-π
"Son
of man, because Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, 'Aha, the gateway of the
peoples is broken; it has opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid
waste,' therefore thus says the Lord
GOD, 'Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up many nations
against you, as the sea brings up its waves."
Who
among us is not guilty of schadenfreude? Who among us is free from envy,
jealousy, and slandering? God is not happy with such. Let's keep working on our
sanctification!
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π-π
""And
you, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; and say to Tyre, who dwells
at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, 'Thus
says the Lord GOD, " "O Tyre, you have said, 'I am perfect in
beauty.'"
Tyre
was proud and God had to humble her. God hates the proud!
πΌπ«πππππ ππ :ππ
"Your
heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason
of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they
may see you."
This
passage is well compared to Lucifer because of its denunciation. No matter who
the real identity is, it's clear that Tyre had the incomparable privilege that he
misused it and wanted more. Let's learn to be grateful, gracious, and humble!
πΌπ«πππππ ππ‘:ππ‘
"Therefore
thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And he will carry off her wealth and capture
her spoil and seize her plunder; and it will be wages for his army.’"
Was
there a king as great as Nebuchadnezzar? Yet, we used to name Alexander,
Napoleon, Genghis Khan for comparison. Maybe time to be more biblical and name
Nebuchadnezzar often in our conversation for a comparison! π
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π-π
"‘Ethiopia,
Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya and the people of the land that is in league will
fall with them by the sword.’ 'Thus says the LORD, "Indeed, those who
support Egypt will fall And the pride of her power will come down; From Migdol
to Syene They will fall within her by the sword," Declares the Lord
GOD."
When
a person suffers his companions suffer too. In World War 2, the axis power
suffered along with the Nazis.
More
so here. Egypt and its allies who were haughty, wicked, and idolatrous had to
fall!
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:π
"'Behold,
Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon With beautiful branches and forest shade, And
very high, And its top was among the clouds."
The
happenings around us must be lessons for us just as Ezekiel asked Egypt to look
at Assyria.
πΌπ«πππππ ππ:ππ
"For
thus says the Lord GOD, ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come upon
you.’"
My
favorite person in the Bible whose salvation is doubtful is King
Nebuchadnezzar. If I were to be an ungodly guy, I would choose the life of him.
ππ
See! He rules over all!