| When God Has Nothing to Say
As we saw in chapters 17 through 19, we also find in this chapter a clear example of God's judgment being met with His offer of mercy. Here we find leading figures of Israel coming to Ezekiel for counsel from God, yet God has nothing to say. The problem that they are obviously coming with ignorance about God and their nation's rebellious history against Him. Clearly, in the hearts and minds of most in Israel, God was just another of the "gods." Just another of their many deities that could be turned to for some form of supernatural help. On that basis, God will not respond to their requests until they are given a reality check. God asks Ezekiel to review for these elders the rebellious history that has been the source of the cycle of trouble their nation has gone through. Their elders need to face the fact that no "god" will be able to relieve their troubles until they repent and accept God's purpose for why they were chosen as a nation. First and foremost, they need to accept that they were chosen for relationship. Several times in the brief history of Israel, God restates this intention to be known by His people (v. 5, 9, 20, 26, 38, 42, 44). To know God and be known by God is the first and highest value in our lives, the purpose of our creation. It is not until we know Him that anything else in life will ever be fully known or understood. He is the source of all things, and all things cannot be seen correctly until we see them through His eyes. To know Him will always result in loving Him. And in loving Him, we will find a natural desire to please Him, to obey Him. But this brief history of Israel also reveals why things were so bad, why there was a continued cycle of trouble. Their rejection of God's offer to know Him had over and over again resulted in them choosing instead to pursue the gods and belief systems of a fallen world that chose to suppress the knowledge of God. These false gods nullified the very purpose of Israel's existence. They had to be forced, by trials and chastisement, to face the legitimacy of His Being and His right to order the affairs of those who He created and called, no matter how painful the process may be. His goal was always that they would know Him and make Him known among the Gentiles, and that His name would be understood ultimately in how God did not give Israel what their wicked deeds deserved. Instead, He worked all things toward bringing them back to Himself; to make them a "sweet aroma," and to make them a people who would reveal to the world the great perfection of God (v. 41). It would be in their repentance, by acknowledging who God really is, that these elders could then hear from God (v. 1-3). God has not changed. Until we honestly face ourselves and who God really is, there is really nothing else for Him to say. | |||
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Ezekiel 20:1-49  The Rebellions of Israel 1 It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you."' 4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers. 5 "Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, 'I am the LORD your God.' 6 On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, 'flowing with milk and honey,' the glory of all lands. 7 Then I said to them, 'Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' 8 But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, 'I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.' 9 But I acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. 10 "Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.' 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. 13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, 'flowing with milk and honey,' the glory of all lands, 16 because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. 18 "But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.' 21 "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24 because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols. 25 "Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; 26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the LORD."' 27 "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28 When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them, 'What is this high place to which you go?' So its name is called Bamah to this day."' 30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? 31 For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you. 32 What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, 'We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.' God Will Restore Israel33 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you," says the Lord GOD. 37 "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 39 "As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols. 40 For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles. 42 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed. 44 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My name's sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel," says the Lord GOD.'" Fire in the Forest45 Furthermore the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 46 "Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South, 47 and say to the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. 48 All flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched."'" 49 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me, 'Does he not speak parables?'" | |||
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| Ezekiel 20:1-49 v. 1 Seventh year – The giving of this prophecy took place in the seventh year of the captivity of the Jewish King Jehoiachin, or during the seventh year of the reign of Zedekiah. Thus, this prophecy is given just over two years after the call of Ezekiel found in Ezekiel 1:2 and just over a year after the prophecies given starting in 8:1. This section introduces a series of prophecies about God's judgment on rebellious Israel. These prophecies come less than four years before Babylon would destroy the Temple of Jerusalem and lead the remainder of the people of Judah captive into Babylon. Fifth month – the Hebrew month of Ab, corresponding to our July-August Elders of Israel – the leaders of the Jews that had been taken into captivity under King Jehoiachin with Ezekiel Inquire of the Lord – These elders of Israel knew Ezekiel to be a prophet and a man of God, and had already observed some of his prophecies come true. They were thus asking him to tell them what the Lord's plan was for the nation. v. 3 I will not be inquired of by you – God had repeatedly spoken to the nation of Judah of its impending doom at the hands of the Babylonians through the mouths of the prophets, but the children of Israel had not listened. Here God is telling the elders that, because of their continuous rebellion against the words He has spoken to them, He will no longer tell them of the things to come. In responding this way, God is letting them know that he does not have a favorable report to give them. v. 4 Will you judge them? – Here God is giving Ezekiel a command in the form of a question in order to emphasize the urgent need for judgment upon this nation. The fact that God calls upon Ezekiel to judge the nation is done for dramatic effect, showing that Israel is so deserving of God's judgment that a mere man could see the need for it. Abomination of their fathers – This statement provides an introduction for the rest of the chapter. In what follows God is going to tell these Jewish elders that, in spite of His repeated faithfulness to them, they have continuously rebelled against His commands. v. 5 I raised my hand in an oath to them – A common practice when taking oaths in that day was to raise one's right hand and swear (much as it is today). God is pointing out that, from the beginning of Israel's history, He had promised to make them His people and to bless them. Several times in what follows God will assert that He has taken such an oath for Israel. Jacob – Jacob, who was the grandson of Abraham, was renamed Israel later in life (Gen. 32:28, 35:10). The nation of Israel is descended from this man and the term "Jacob" is often used synonymously with the term Israel. Made myself known…in Egypt – Refers to the story of the Exodus, in which God set Israel free from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 1-15). Your God – In all of this, God is contrasting His own faithfulness with the faithlessness of the nation. In doing so, He shows that Israel was a rebellious nation from its inception and had repeatedly rebelled against God. He also, implicitly points out the fact that He has been very patient with them in mercifully keeping them from judging for so long. v. 6 Land…flowing with milk and honey – This refers to the land that the Israelites would eventually come to inhabit, which formerly belonged to the Canaanites. I searched out for them – Again, the Lord pleads the justice of His cause, by pointing out that it was He that sought out the land out for them. In spite of all their wickedness, He always was good to them. v. 7 I said to them…throw away the abominations – This is a general statement speaking of God's commands to the nation to keep themselves from idolatry. v. 8 But they rebelled against me and would not obey me – This section is to be contrasted with the previous four verses: Israel's infidelity versus God's love and mercy. Abominations – Although this term can be used of any particularly heinous sin, here God uses it to speak specifically of idol worship. Idols – Here God is using a figure of speech called a parallelism in which he repeats a previous thought in order to provide emphasis. God is emphatically telling the people that they refused to get rid of the idols in their lives and follow after Him. Pour out my fury – Having shown the Israelites that, in spite of God's goodness, they continue to worship idols, God here tells the Israelites that He is justified in judging them and bringing His wrath on them. v. 9 My name's sake…it should not be profaned…gentiles – God's judgment must come upon Israel, or else the rest of the nations might think that the God of the Jews was either a farce or too weak to do anything about the blasphemies that were being brought against His name. This would inspire the Gentiles to reject Him as well. Here, He is saying that He must make an example of the nation. v. 10 Out of Egypt – Here God reverts back to the line of reasoning ended in v. 7, reminding the people of His faithfulness to Israel. Into the wilderness – This refers to the period of time from Exodus 15 through the end of Deuteronomy in which the Israelites wandered without a homeland in the desert areas between Egypt, Canaan, and the Arabian Peninsula. v. 11 Statutes…live by them – The Lord gave Israel commandments recorded in the Law of Moses (Ex. 20-Deut.). The Israelites were to implement the commandments God gave to Moses and use them to govern the land He would give them. Here God gives this as one more example of His mercy toward the people. v. 12 Sabbaths – These were holy days on which Israelites were to do no work, but were to dedicate the day to rest and the worship of the Lord. The seventh day of the week was but one of the Sabbaths God gave to the nation. Others included the day of the new moon as well as special feast and fast days such as the first day of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23). They might know – One reason for the giving of Sabbaths was to provide a memorial throughout the generations of Israel that God was the God of the Jews and had marked them as special. v. 13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled – Here the second contrast is being given. This specifically refers to Israel's rebellion during its desert wanderings. v. 15 Would not bring them into the land – Because of Israel's fear of the people inhabiting the land of Canaan resulting directly from their lack of faith in the Lord, God refused to let the Jews that had been freed from captivity enter the land of Canaan (Num. 13-15). These, instead, were consigned to wandering in the desert for 40 years until that generation had died out. The glory of all lands – Here, the land of Canaan is described as the very best of all lands in terms of its beauty and fruitfulness. This is what was offered to the nation and is what they rejected. v. 17 My eye spared them – It is only because of God's patient mercy that this impending judgment hadn't been brought upon them already. He had mercifully held His wrath back for too long and it would be unjust for Him to continue to withhold justice. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness – God would have been completely justified in wiping the nation out entirely during their wanderings in the wilderness and the nation should marvel at His mercy and not complain about His justice. v. 21 Notwithstanding – Verses 18-26 follows the same pattern as verses 5-9 and 10-17, contrasting God's mercy and patience in the face of Israel's continuous rebellion throughout their history. Shall live by them – Here God is pointing out that a person that kept His commandments would find life, not death and judgment, but since Israel had not kept His statutes, they were receiving judgment and death. v. 23 Scatter them among the Gentiles – This refers to a prophecy God had made many centuries earlier that should Israel continue in their rebellious ways, they would be uprooted from the land and forced to live as slaves among the foreign nations (Lev. 26:33; Deut. 4:27-28). In saying this, the Lord is pointing out that he is under obligation to keep His word. This prophecy would shortly be fulfilled in 586 BC when the Babylonians were to destroy Jerusalem and take the remaining Jews into captivity. v. 25 could not live – This is not saying that the Lord's commands were morally evil, rather, it's saying that the laws that the people of Israel were subject to were too much for them to keep and, as a result, produced judgment and condemnation rather than life, which was the purpose of the Law. This verse is more easily understood when read in the light of Galatians 3:15-25, which tells us that the Law was given to us, not to save us, but to show us our inability to keep it and, thus, reveal our need for a savior. v. 26 Unclean – Under the Old Testament law a series of behaviors could render a person "unclean." Some things were intrinsically unclean, such pig meat, and if eaten would render the eater unclean himself. Others were made unclean by something that happened to them. Once a person was made unclean in this way, he was to undergo a series of rituals that included burnt sacrifices before he would be deem clean again. While unclean, a person was not allowed to fellowship with the people of Israel in the Tabernacle or Temple of the Lord. Ritual Gifts – These sacrifices and offerings were given in worship to pagan gods, or, if offered to God, were offered in ways contrary to the commands laid down in the Law. Firstborn – literally, "the one that opens the womb" Pass through the fire – As had the Canaanites who inhabited the land before them, the Israelites engaged in human sacrifice to the gods of the surrounding nations. Most commonly it was firstborn sons that would be burned alive in this kind of sacrifice, often to the god Molech. That they might know that I am the Lord – The judgment of God will serve as proof to the rebellious Israelites, as well as the surrounding Gentile nations that the Lord is the one true God. v. 28 Therefore – After giving several examples of Israel's unfaithfulness in the past, God now turns His attention to the practices of the Jews at that time, accusing them of committing the same kinds of offenses that their fathers had committed before them. Blasphemed – to have held the Lord in contempt and has brought dishonor to His name High hills and thick trees – The adjectives "high" and "thick" are included to remind the Israelites of the abundance of the land and how good it was. Again the Lord is emphasizing His loving care of and provision for the people. Sweet aroma – The burnt offerings commanded in the Law were said to provide a "sweet aroma to the Lord" (Lev. 1:9). Here God is using sarcasm by calling the false sacrifices of the people "sweet." They were not sweet to Him. As He said but a moment before, such offerings "provoked" Him. Drink offerings – One common offering given under the Law was the drink offering, customarily offered by pouring out a portion of the wine produced during the yearly vintage. v. 29 High place – Shrines were built on the tops of hills and mountains and were commonly visited by the people, who would offer sacrifices to the gods. These shrines were built on the high places primarily because, as people went to higher altitudes, they felt closer to the gods. What is this…? – This is a rhetorical question, that is, one that is not given in search of an answer. God knows why they go to the high places, here He is trying to drive them to realize that there visits to these places are of no avail to them. Their worship of these gods and their visits to these high places have been in vain. Bamah – A Hebrew word meaning "High Place." Even though worship on the high places was common, the term had developed a negative connotation because it implied false worship. God is saying that the land of Israel itself has become one gigantic "high place." This was meant to be an insult to the people. v. 30 Harlotry – Technically, harlotry was the act of visiting a prostitute, but God frequently uses this term as a metaphor to describe the idolatry of the Israelites. This metaphor is rooted in the idea of Israel as the bride of God, and Israel's decision to worship the gods of other nations is described as an adulterous relationship. v. 31 Shall I be inquired of you? – Again this is a rhetorical question and as such needs no answer. God is indicating that on account of their frequent idolatries and unfaithfulness, He will no longer give them the answers that they seek. They can no longer come to His prophets to seek advice as to what to do or what is going to happen in the future. I will not be inquired of you – Although the above was stated as a rhetorical question and needs no answer, God answers the question in order to provide emphasis to the fact that the people can no longer inquire of him. This statement ties together the entire section we've been looking at starting in verse 3. The elders had come to inquire of the Lord through Ezekiel and God gave several reasons why He would not allow them to seek information. v. 32 In your mind…shall never be…like the Gentiles – The Israelites saw the prosperity of some of the Gentile nations such as Egypt and Babylon and came to believe that their successes came from their gods. Thus, it is for this reason that many of the Jews came to worship pagan gods, thinking that they would bring the same kinds of success to their own nation.. v. 33 Mighty hand…outstretched arm – These metaphors call to mind the slave driver that would beat his slaves to get them to do what he wanted them to do. In this word picture, God is telling the people that because they would not obey Him voluntarily, He will discipline them. This is, of course, referring to the judgment being brought upon the people at the hands of the Babylonians. v. 34 Bring you out from the peoples…into the wilderness – Remember that here the Lord is already speaking to people in captivity. These are the captives that were taken from Judah when Jehoichin was dethroned by Nebuchadnezzar. Here the Lord is telling them that things are actually going to get worse for them as they are about to be taken from the countryside amongst these foreign nations and be driven into the deserts and wilderness. v. 35 I will plead my case – God is bringing judgment upon these people, but is doing so to make them see the justice of His cause. Even in His wrath, He is trying to teach the Israelites to trust and obey Him, because it is right and it is what is best for them. Face to face – This is a metaphor. God is not saying that He will actually appear face to face to the people, but is driving home the point that His words to them through this time will be very personal due to the nature of the judgment. They will no longer be able to go to the prophets for help, but will have to go the Lord personally to try to deal with heartache and trial. v. 36 Fathers in the wilderness – Again, God likens the current judgments upon the people to the judgment He brought upon the fathers when in the wilderness wanderings after their release from Egypt. v. 37 Pass under the rod – This is a metaphor referring to the beating of slaves. Here the Lord is saying that the people will once again become slaves. Bond – another term used to invoke images of slavery Covenant – Here God reminds the people that they are being enslaved with a purpose, to bring them back to the realization that they need to keep their covenant. This shows us that the primary purpose of this judgment is to teach the Israelites of their need to repent. v. 38 Purge the rebels – Another purpose behind this judgment is to rid Israel of the hard hearted, who have completely rejected the Lord and will not return to Him. Shall not enter the land of Israel – The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel would be in captivity to the Babylonians for 70 years, after which time they would be released and allowed to return to the land of Israel (Jer. 25:11). Here God is indicating that, like the generation that died in the wilderness prior to first entering the Promise Land, those rebellious and hard hearted that will not repent will not be allowed to go back. v. 39 Go serve…idols…but profane My holy name no more – This is a warning against further hypocrisy. The people had been playing as if they served the Lord, while disobeying His commands, forsaking His covenants, and worshiping false gods. Here God is telling them that He would rather that they worship their false gods openly and cease offering Him defiled sacrifices. v. 40 My holy mountain – Jerusalem All the house of Israel shall serve me there – After God has finished purging the people of the rebellious ones and has led the remainder to repentance, then the people will come back to the land and worship God in the Temple in Jerusalem. Firstfruits – The Israelites were instructed in the Law to give the first of the harvest to the Lord. v. 41 Sweet aroma – Unlike the unlawful sacrifices mentioned in verse 28, God indicates here that the nation itself will become like a sweet aroma to Him before He brings them back into the land. Gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered – This is referring to the event of the Israelites coming back into the Promise Land, recorded chiefly in the book of Ezra. Hallowed in you before the Gentiles – In doing all of this, the Gentiles will see that the Lord truly is God. This is significant, because it reminds us that God's faithfulness to Israel is meant to be a sign to the rest of the world that the God of the Jews truly is God. v. 43 Loathe yourselves – The Israelites will develop a truly repentant heart while in the land of Babylon. v. 44 Not according to your wicked ways – God is here affirming that He has been lenient in His judgments; not punishing them as they deserve. Their sins warranted their utter destruction, but God promises here to spare them and bring them back to their homes. Here again God shows His great mercy. v. 45 Word of the Lord – This provides a transition to a new set of prophecies delivered unto Ezekiel. v. 46 South – Ezekiel faces southward and begins to make this prophecy, signifying that Judah, which was to the south of Babylon, would be utterly destroyed. v. 47 Fire – God uses the metaphor of a forest being set to fire to create an image in the hearers of what the Babylonians will do to the nation of Judah, tearing its buildings down and destroying the cities with fire. It is done to create a vision of complete destruction. south to the north – This is used to indicate that the whole land will be judged in this way. v. 48 All flesh – Everyone that knows about this will understand that it was the Lord that did this and will glorify Him for it. v. 49 Parables – Ezekiel is here lamenting the fact that prophecies such as this one make no sense to the people. | |||
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| "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you."' –Ezekiel 20:3 Lord, we see in Your word today that You will not be included as one of many "gods" in our lives. You, Lord, as our Perfect Creator, will not share our hearts with the other things that seek to take our love and attention. For any whose hearts are not fully You, God, search them for the darkness that may be within and shine Your Holy and powerful light there. | |||
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20:3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you."'
Children's Ministry
