Dealing With Discouragement~Charles Stanley


Dealing With Discouragement

Psalm 42:1-8

How can we conquer discouragement? Let me suggest nine specific steps:

1. Look within. Prayerfully examine yourself for the underlying cause.

2. Admit that you are discouraged. It’s easy to avoid, ignore, or lie about it. But denial is deadly, and it guarantees failure.

3. Identify precisely what you are discouraged about. Name it; then face it.

4. Recall the nature of discouragement. Disappointments will come and go, but discouragement is a choice that you make.

5. Begin meditating frequently on God’s Word. This way, you can accurately judge what you feel by what is real (Psalm 3:2-4; 16:7-8; 63:6-8; 77:12; 119:15).

6. Take your area of discouragement to God in prayer. Ask Him to reveal what He wants to teach you in this area of your life.

7. Focus on God, not your situation. Ask Him to help you see this disappointment and its lessons from His perspective.

8. View the cause as coming from the Lord. If we understand that He allows disappointments, we can find an opportunity for growth, even in trouble.

9. Confess these three truths aloud: The Father is with me in the pain; He’s in control of my life and has allowed this for a reason; He is a good God, who will turn this disappointment into blessing.

Discouragement may sound harmless enough, but don’t ever underestimate its destructive power. By keeping watch, you can avoid this deadly trap. So write down these nine steps on an index card, and then review the list whenever disappointments start to consume your thinking.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.~Bob Hoekstra


Jesus Promising Spiritual Rest

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Two of the Lord's "exceedingly great and precious promises" (2 Peter 1:4) are found in our present verses: "I will give you rest" and "you will find rest for your souls." These promises supplement well our earlier studies on God's promises and God's rest. The first promise pertains to justification and spiritual birth. The second pertains to sanctification and spiritual growth.

The first promise is addressed to those who are struggling under the burden of guilt and condemnation related to sin: "all you who labor and are heavy laden." This is where everyone begins their earthly trek. David testified of this common starting point for humanity. "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me"(Psalm 51:5).

In order to enjoy the benefits of this initial promise of rest, a person must bring their sin and guilt to Jesus. "Come to Me." The Lord Jesus can remove this load of guilt, because He carried that burden of sin for us on the cross. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). For all who come to Jesus in humble repentance, forgiveness is granted. The promise is fulfilled. "I will give you rest."

The second promise is addressed to those who have found the initial rest of forgiveness, but their soul is restless. They are struggling under the burden of trying to produce a godly life by their own fleshly resources. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you nowbeing made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). They yearn for rescue from the crushing load of walking according to the flesh. "Whowill deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24).

In order to enjoy the benefits of this additional promise of rest, a person must yoke up with Jesus (walk with Him in daily intimacy)."Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me." This yoke is not for the purpose of pulling half of the load (like the yoke placed upon two oxen). "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." This is a yoke of relationship and communion. "Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart." Those who walk this path of growing communion with the Lord have this second promise fulfilled. "You will find rest for your souls."

Lord Jesus, I give You praise for granting me rest from the burden of sin's guilt and condemnation. Now, I seek You for that daily rest from a self-striving soul. I want to walk with You intimately, day by day, that I might learn of Your humble ways. I long to walk in humility and faith toward You, my Lord, Amen.

Are We Seeking God's Presence or His Presents?~Joyce Meyers



Are We Seeking God's Presence or His Presents?

August 12

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
—Psalm 16:11

Seeking God for who He is, not just for what He can do for us, is vital to our victory as believers. This was a major lesson for me. I had to learn to rejoice in God, not in what He was doing or not doing for me. The joy of the Lord is our strength (See Nehemiah 8:10), not the joy of circumstances.

We will have little or no strength against the devil if we are unstable and allow our circumstances to determine our joy. It took a while for me to make this transition, but what an awesome difference it made in my spiritual life.

Previously, I had always felt that I needed something, that something was missing in my walk with the Lord. I found it all in His presence, not in His presents. What we are looking for is not God's gifts, but God Himself. His presence is what sustains us and gives us life—abundant and everlasting life.

We must decide that we will serve God even if we never get what we want. Like Job, we must say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." (Job 13:15 KJV)

Leadership: Do you have a tendency to put your confidence in human logic? (79-4)~Barry Werner


Do you have a tendency to put your confidence in human logic? (79-4)

Most leaders do not have the problem of attracting too many volunteers! Read Judges 7:1-25.

To make sure He would get the glory from the victory over the Midianites, God led Gideon in an exercise to eliminate all but 300 warriors of the army that had assembled from several tribes. Some lessons that leaders can learn from this reduction of troops:

  • A committed godly leader can attract more people than are needed for the job. When they do, there is a danger they could put confidence in the team rather than relying on God.
  • God wants and deserves the credit for the victories of every Christian leader.
  • When the battle is at hand some troops (team members) would rather not be there if given a choice (man’s choice).
  • Sometimes God selects a team of His choosing and this means eliminating some people who want to be there but should not be there (God’s choice).
  • God doesn’t choose a team the way men choose a team.
  • God is more interested in quality of the team than the quantity on the team. When a team is chosen by God, there will be victory through God’s power.
  • God will reassure the obedient leader (and team) that they are on the right course. God even allowed Gideon to hear the enemies’ fear of God’s team.
  • God’s committed team members following God’s strategy will see victory even when it does not seem possible through human wisdom.
  • When a few triumph, the masses rally.

By our very nature leaders tend to be doers; people of influence and action. Do you have a tendency to put your confidence in human logic or numbers rather than seeking God’s strategy and plan? Do you generally start a project and then cry out to God only when you hit a problem that you cannot solve with your normal leadership skills and proven leadership tactics? If you answered yes to either of these questions and want to change, write a short paragraph prayer using scriptural truths that ask God to give you wisdom and His power to put Him first in all your plans and strategies.

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Swine Flu Fever~Dry Bones

Swine Flu Fever

swine flu fears are growing, may affect Haj: Dry Bones cartoon.
By the "Fever" in "Swine Flu Fever" I am referring to the wave of flu fear washing across the Middle East. The upcomming pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca may be a casualty:
"TEHRAN/JEDDAH — As swine flu fears are growing, Iran has banned `Umrah during the holy fasting month of Ramadan while Saudi Arabia ordered mandatory measures for pilgrims during hajj.

"We will have no pilgrims in Saudi Arabia during the month of Ramadan," Health Minister Mohammad Bagher Lankarani said, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, August 5.

He said Iranian pilgrims will leave Saudi Arabia before the start of Ramadan, expected on August 22.

Lankarani said restrictions will also be placed on Iranians going on hajj, expected to begin on November 19." -more

* * *
Meanwhile, here in Israel we're taking a much more "pro-active" approach. In order to stave off the H1N1 virus, a plane-load of kabbalists has circled the country, praying, reciting incantations, and blowing trumpets and rams horns (shofars) while aloft. The story, as reported in Ynet:
"On Monday morning an Arkia airlines plane took off from Ben Gurion Airport carrying rabbis and kabbalists and flew over the country in a flight aimed at preventing the swine flu virus from spreading in Israel through prayers.

The purpose of the flight was to "stop the epidemic, thus preventing further deaths," explained Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri whose father, Rabbi David Batzri had initiated the flight. "We are certain that because of our prayers danger is already behind us," he added.

During the flight the passengers blew the shofar seven times and said prayers intended for abolishing illnesses." - more

Fighting the Flu
I found this photo in coverage by JerusalemOne.

* * *

So how is Swine Flu Fever in YOUR part of the world?

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Evangelistic history...20 years Harvest~Greg Laurie


Be a part of evangelistic history!

August 11th, 2009 Posted in Harvest Crusades, OC, Pastor's corner

It’s only two days until the Southern California Harvest! Can you believe it?

This is going to be a very special event in that we are celebrating 20 years of evangelistic ministry here in Southern California. The Southern California Harvest has not only become a part of summer here in the Southland, but it may also be the longest-running consecutive evangelistic outreach event in history.

I hope you are all planning on coming and, most importantly, bringing someone with you that does not yet know the Lord.

We have found that 85% of those who come forward at the invitation to follow Christ were brought by a friend. Someone like you.

Remember, God reaches people through people.

But I don’t live in Southern California!

No problem there. The Southern California Harvest will be webcast live in HD in real time. Even if you miss it, an archived webcast will be available soon after the event.

Our web audience now is larger than the in-person attendance, which often numbers around 100,000 for the weekend.

So you ought to invite a friend to watch it on your computer with you. Or send them a link.

Because we care

We need to all pray that God gives us a burden for people who do not yet know the Lord.

Sometimes Christians regard nonbelievers as the “enemy” that they must isolate themselves from. The truth is that the devil is the enemy and people who do not yet know Christ are his captives.

Paul reminds us that “God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands” (2 Timothy 2:24-26 THE MESSAGE).

They are, as Jesus said, “sheep without a shepherd” that need to be reached. The goal is not isolation but infiltration.

I pray that God will give you a heart and burden for people who need Jesus today. As the great evangelist D.L. Moody said, “Winners of souls must first be weepers of souls,”

We can be forgiven~David McGee


Romans 10:10

"For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
NKJV

Life Lesson

We can be forgiven.

---------------------

We are capable of doing incredible harm with our speech. With slash and burn efficiency, angry words sear into the lives of those around us. "I hate you!" "You're stupid!" "You'll never amount to anything!" What do little ears hear when you speak? What about your spouse? How many people carry around shrapnel from your tongue?

Philippians 2:11 "and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." NKJV

Let us be God's representatives of grace and love in this world. With the same mouth that we asked Jesus to forgive us, let us forgive others. Let us lead the world in the kind of love that desires to forgive even to the point of sacrifice. Let us commit ourselves to speaking things glorifying to the Lord even when we want to let a cutting comment fly. Let us be forgiving of others because God has forgiven us.

Dear Father:
Thank You that Your mercy is new every morning. Thank You for the grace and love You have given to me freely. Lord, forgive me for the times I have hurt others. Likewise, remind me to have the same grace toward others who have hurt me. Help me use my words in the way that is glorifying to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
reachthetriad.com
twitter.com/ccot

Everybody deserves to have a touch of the compassion of Jesus~Mike MacIntosh










So He began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."
Mark 6:34b-36

Everybody deserves to have a touch of the compassion of Jesus. But in these verses, you have to admit, the disciples didn't have the compassion of Jesus on their mind.

Jesus spent time with His disciples and taught them, listening to them and encouraging them. But He also knew that the crowds were hungry to listen and learn -- that they needed the Good Shepherd -- so He spent time teaching them. And as Jesus is teaching here, it's apparent that it's getting late and that people are getting hungry. But what do the disciples do? They start grumbling and complaining about all the people. Even while people are desperately reaching out for Jesus' tender touch, the disciples complain! And not only that; they are ready to physically send the people away. What a picture of love and compassion.

But how often have you and I had the same attitude? Very subtly, we allow ourselves to say, "I don't have time for it. Let somebody else do it." In essence, the disciples were saying, “Let these people tend to themselves; they are not our responsibility.” What a poor attitude to have.

Let this be a real wake-up call for all of us today. Jesus uses us to show His love and compassion to others. Our churches, our homes, and our individual lives should be a place where love is shining brightly; where forgiveness, compassion, and care are demonstrated. Wherever we are, we have a responsibility to unselfishly give of our time and efforts for the needs and concerns of others. Can you give just 5 minutes to pray with someone? Can you give maybe $5 to someone who needs some help? Can you take 10 minutes after a church service to help where there's a need, instead of rushing to your car? Don't allow the selfish, here-and-now things to keep you from the true joy and happiness of serving Him and His kids. You are loved by God and you are so needed in His kingdom.

Sin – The Giant ‘I’~Mark Balmer


Sin – The Giant ‘I’

Posted:

Based on “Under His Influence – The Battle” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 8/8-9/09,

Message #MB384;


Daily Devotional #2 - “Sin – The Giant ‘I’”


Preparing the Soil (Introduction): For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6-7) Every person has been born with a sin nature – a giant ‘I’ that sticks up right in the middle of the word sin, demanding to be self-centered and independent from God or anyone else.


Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): I was caught in a situation at work this week in which I found myself between my boss and my boss’s boss regarding a decision that has to be made next week, with each pulling me in a different direction. So naturally, (notice the word ‘I’) I began trying to determine what should be done in this situation. All day long I was anxious, overwhelmed, running to various people for advice, and at times on the verge of tears not knowing what to do. Of course, this all happened Friday, so I had all weekend to fret, worry, and stew over the problem. Not once did it occur to me to seek God’s wisdom and counsel until about 4:30 Saturday morning, when I shot up out of bed and thought to myself, “What am I doing? God knows the ins and outs of this situation. He knows what is best, and He knows the final outcome! Why have I not turned this over to God?”


It’s in moments like this that we realize how much of our old self we still really hold onto. Instead of living under His influence, His guidance, His wisdom, and His power, we choose self. We are born with a natural instinct to depend on self, and when we finally choose to crucify the old self the battle within us begins (Galatians 5:16-18). Self and Satan don’t want to lose the battle, and they will try every means possible to win. Sometimes we don’t even know we’re in a battle, but we must be aware that it is ever present.


We must constantly remind ourselves that we have been freed from sin – self and Satan--not by anything we have done, but only through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Romans 6:9-10) In the same way, we have been crucified with Christ, no longer allowing sin – the giant ‘I’ – to enslave us, but living to God. All day Friday I was enslaved to sin from that one situation. It wasn’t until I remembered whose influence I need to be under that I became free.


The Holy Spirit gave me a peace from my anxiety, worry, and fret over the situation. God hasn’t yet given me the answer to this situation, but I know the outcome because I am listening to His influence and not the giant ‘I’.


Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Have you ever been in a situation when the giant ‘I’ had overtaken or enslaved you and you didn’t even realize it? If you are going through a situation right now and haven’t been depending on God’s guidance and influence, I want to encourage you to take a moment right now and pray. Ask God to take over and crucify that old self once again.


Cultivating (Additional Reading): Romans 6:6-14; Ephesians 4:22-24

Getting it Right ~Greg Laurie


Getting it Right

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
--1 Timothy 4:16

Every now and then someone comes along and claims that believers can have a great new experience with the Holy Spirit, such as laughing uncontrollably or making animal noises. And my response is, "Excuse me, where is that in the Bible?" Because if I can't find it in the Bible, then frankly I am not interested.

If it is not in God's Word, then it is not of God. We should always be able to have a scriptural basis for what we are doing. By that I don't mean spiritualizing a text and taking it out of context. I mean truly having a biblical basis where we can say, "Here it is happening in the Book of Acts, taught in the Epistles," and so forth.

When someone claims to be a prophet of God with a new revelation for the church that has never been revealed before, just remember that if it is new, then it is not true. And if it is true, then it is not new. I am not looking for a new revelation; I have more than enough in the Bible.

Yet there are people today who are looking for "new words from the Lord" when they never have even read God's written word, the Bible, from cover to cover. There is plenty in Scripture to occupy ourselves with. So don't look for new revelations. Instead, look at the Scripture and always have a scriptural basis for everything that you say and do.

Just as an artist knows how to use her pens and brushes (and nowadays her computer software), just as a chef knows how to use his knives, and just as a soldier knows how to use his weapons, we need to know how to use the Word of God.

I Will Not Fear!~Dimitri


"The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6)


In the nineteenth century, Mary Slessor was one of Scotland's boldest and most fearless woman missionaries. Her calling was not an easy one. Assigned to a missions station in Nigeria, she had to stand up against the evil and wicked practices that were once prevalent in West Africa. These included idol worship, murder, the offering of human sacrifices, slavery, the torture of women and children, and the mutilation of infants.


In opposing these evils, Mary was resisted by tribal chiefs and witch doctors, and probably had more death threats and curses spoken over her than any other man or woman in Africa! Yet, none of these things moved her. Mary knew that the Lord was on her side, and that she was under His protection day and night. On one occasion she even physically restrained a witch doctor from harming his victim! The local people were amazed by her fearlessness and realized that it was the power of God that always protected her.



The courage of this great Scottish missionary reminds me of a well-known proverb of Solomon: "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1). Because the Lord Jesus Christ is always with us (Matt. 28:20), there is never any reason to become anxious or fearful. All who are in Christ are under His divine protection, day and night. Although darkness may be present in many different forms in Africa, the believer need never be alarmed by witch doctors, satanists, sangomas, and their evil spells and curses. These hold no power over our lives, for we have the God of Israel watching over us. ("For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel." Num. 23:23a).



Christian, "be strong and of good courage...And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed" (Deut. 31:7-8). Learn from the boldness of Mary Slessor. If you are a child of God, you may truly say, "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6)

In His strong love,
Demitri

Nehemiah 3:15-5:13 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 ~ Psalm 32:1-11 ~ Proverbs 21:5-7









Nehemiah 3:15-5:13 ~ 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 ~ Psalm 32:1-11 ~ Proverbs 21:5-7
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

Old Testament - Today in Nehemiah chapter 3 we read about the Israelites involvement in the various segments of the wall of Jerusalem being rebuilt! Below is an image by C.F. Vos titled "Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem":

Rebuilding20the20walls20of20jerusalem20b

New Testament - First Corinthians chapter 7 verses 32 through 34 are intriguing words from Paul: "An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him. But a married man can't do that so well. He has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided." I see his logic of these words - and these words have often rung so very true in my own life. But, I also see the blessing of the family. Of marriage. Of being part of a Holy Family. Obviously each of us came into this world because of the union of a woman and man. There are a billion reasons of why marriage is important - why the family is important. It produces people like us! :) Unfortunately in our world today I am afraid the concept of the "Holy Family" is not so strong. Family can turn into a negative word for many people, instead of the holy word it should be. All this to say - I believe many of us are called to family life - to marriage and to kids. But I also believe that many of us are called to singleness. I really do. And I do believe being called to singleness is truly a blessing - just as being called to marriage is a blessing as well. Have you spent much time in your life discerning whether God has called you to singleness or to marriage? I think it's worth reflecting upon periodically - but not to stress out about. It's better to ultimately remember Paul's words in verses 29 through 33: "The time that remains is very short, so husbands should not let marriage be their major concern. Happiness or sadness or wealth should not keep anyone from doing God's work. Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away. In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life." Whether you are single or married, do you believe these preceding verses are true for you? What does it mean to you that "the time that remains is very short"? How might this affect how you live your life?

Hourglass

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in First Corinthians titled "Undistracted Devotion" is at this link.

Psalms - Today we read Psalm 32, which is a wonderful testimony of joy about God’s gift of forgiveness to us when we confess our sins to God! In Psalm 32 verses 1 & 2 we read: “Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” Do you agree with this Psalmist that there is joy in forgiveness? Have you confessed your sins to God? Do you make a regular habit of examining your conscience and confessing your sins to God? After confessing your sins, do you continuously pray to God to heal you of sins that may be gripping you? Will you then move forward on the actions or corrective measures that God leads you to - to truly be healed of addictive sins? Will you seek the joy of God’s forgiveness? Will you seek to live your life in complete honesty to God? Below is the famous painting titled "Forgiven." Please take a few moments to meditate upon this painting. How does it speak to you today?

Forgiven

Proverbs - Today in Proverbs 21 verse 5 we read – "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." This is quite a convicting Proverb for me, as I often find myself acting very hastily. I like to hustle and move fast all too often - and then try to plan later. . . I had a great conversation recently with a friend who recently completed a 5 year strategic plan for her own life, which was fascinating to me and seemed incredibly beneficial to this friend. I have another friend that does this type of significant planning in his life as well. Now, I don't know that all of us are called to have 5 year strategic plans for our own lives! :) However, I do think this Proverb advocates planning. Planning is diligent. And planning leads to profit – whereas haste leads to poverty. So, how do you plan in your life? Do you pray to God regularly to show you what His Plan is for your life? Do you then seek to follow what God's plan is for you? Do you set goals and plans based on where you believe God is leading you? Do you think there would be value in setting goals and plans in your life?

Planning

Worship God: My thoughts above on marriage reminded me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song "I will be Here", which I have heard performed a few times at weddings. Here's another artist covering this song live:

Do you believe God is there for you? Click here and He will be there!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "The joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

Comments from You & Questions of the Day: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike


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Spiritual Adultery~Bob Caldwell













Spiritual Adultery

23:29-30 They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotry. I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols.

Sexuality is God's gift of emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy to those who have committed their lives to each other in marriage, for as long as those two may live. God chose this unique bond of intimacy reserved for a man and woman in marriage as an example of the commitment and intimacy that is to be between Him and His people.

This imagery is often used in both the Old and New Testaments. In the New Testament, we find this in Ephesians 5:31-33 and 2 Corinthians 11:2. However, this imagery is also used to convey the depths of loss and pain that is the result of infidelity. God makes it clear that when we, as His bride, give ourselves to those things that replace Him, it is an act of spiritual adultery.

The graphic description of the twin sisters who gave themselves not just to an act of adultery but to ongoing harlotry with countless men refers to the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. Both kingdoms turned to foreign empires for help rather than to God. God declared to them, "You have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your backs. Therefore, you shall bear the penalty of your lewdness and your harlotry."

They traded God for foreign pagan gods, armies, and power to be their hope. But in the end, it was a false hope. Yet, it was these foreign empires that would remove their noses and ears, take their children, and strip them of their clothes and jewelry (23:25-26). For we who belong to God as a wife belongs to her husband, there is no happy ending when we turn our backs on Him. Satan will make sure of it. Just as the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Babylonians sought to destroy Israel, so Satan will do to each of us. He loves to take a child of God, one betrothed to Christ, and seek to steal, kill, and destroy all that God has given us in our relationship with Him (John 10:10). Becoming a "Christian" is not simply joining a church or choosing a religion. It is entering into an intimate and eternal relationship with God, in which His love for us is too great, too pure, and too strong to freely share our hearts with other "gods."

This concept is behind the greatest of all commandments—to love God with all that we are. To claim to be a Christian, yet feel no loyalty to the relationship we have been brought into with God, is the greatest and most destructive deception we can entertain.


Ezekiel 23:1-24:27 Two Harlot Sisters

1 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying:

2 "Son of man, there were two women,
The daughters of one mother.

3 They committed harlotry in Egypt,
They committed harlotry in their youth;
Their breasts were there embraced,
Their virgin bosom was there pressed.

4 Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister;
They were Mine,
And they bore sons and daughters.
As for their names,
Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

The Older Sister, Samaria

5 "Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine;
And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians,

6 Who were clothed in purple,
Captains and rulers,
All of them desirable young men,
Horsemen riding on horses.

7 Thus she committed her harlotry with them,
All of them choice men of Assyria;
And with all for whom she lusted,
With all their idols, she defiled herself.

8 She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt,
For in her youth they had lain with her,
Pressed her virgin bosom,
And poured out their immorality upon her.

9 "Therefore I have delivered her
Into the hand of her lovers,
Into the hand of the Assyrians,
For whom she lusted.

10 They uncovered her nakedness,
Took away her sons and daughters,
And slew her with the sword;
She became a byword among women,
For they had executed judgment on her.

The Younger Sister, Jerusalem

11 "Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister's harlotry.

12 "She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians,
Captains and rulers,
Clothed most gorgeously,
Horsemen riding on horses,
All of them desirable young men.

13 Then I saw that she was defiled;
Both took the same way.

14 But she increased her harlotry;
She looked at men portrayed on the wall,
Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,

15 Girded with belts around their waists,
Flowing turbans on their heads,
All of them looking like captains,
In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea,
The land of their nativity.

16 As soon as her eyes saw them,
She lusted for them
And sent messengers to them in Chaldea.

17 "Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love,
And they defiled her with their immorality;
So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.

18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness.
Then I alienated Myself from her,
As I had alienated Myself from her sister.

19 "Yet she multiplied her harlotry
In calling to remembrance the days of her youth,
When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.

20 For she lusted for her paramours,
Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys,
And whose issue is like the issue of horses.

21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth,
When the Egyptians pressed your bosom
Because of your youthful breasts.

Judgment on Jerusalem

22 "Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD:

'Behold, I will stir up your lovers against you,
>From whom you have alienated yourself,
And I will bring them against you from every side:

23 The Babylonians,
All the Chaldeans,
Pekod, Shoa, Koa,
All the Assyrians with them,
All of them desirable young men,
Governors and rulers,
Captains and men of renown,
All of them riding on horses.

24 And they shall come against you
With chariots, wagons, and war-horses,
With a horde of people.
They shall array against you
Buckler, shield, and helmet all around.

'I will delegate judgment to them,
And they shall judge you according to their judgments.

25 I will set My jealousy against you,
And they shall deal furiously with you;
They shall remove your nose and your ears,
And your remnant shall fall by the sword;
They shall take your sons and your daughters,
And your remnant shall be devoured by fire.

26 They shall also strip you of your clothes
And take away your beautiful jewelry.

27 'Thus I will make you cease your lewdness and your harlotry
Brought from the land of Egypt,
So that you will not lift your eyes to them,
Nor remember Egypt anymore.'

28 "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will deliver you into the hand of those you hate, into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself. 29 They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotry. 30 I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols. 31 You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.'

32 "Thus says the Lord GOD:

'You shall drink of your sister's cup,
The deep and wide one;
You shall be laughed to scorn
And held in derision;
It contains much.

33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
The cup of horror and desolation,
The cup of your sister Samaria.

34 You shall drink and drain it,
You shall break its shards,
And tear at your own breasts;
For I have spoken,'

Says the Lord GOD.

35 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

'Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back,
Therefore you shall bear the penalty
Of your lewdness and your harlotry.'"

Both Sisters Judged

36 The LORD also said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them. 38 Moreover they have done this to Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and profaned My Sabbaths. 39 For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed thus they have done in the midst of My house.

40 "Furthermore you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and there they came. And you washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments. 41 You sat on a stately couch, with a table prepared before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil. 42 The sound of a carefree multitude was with her, and Sabeans were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort, who put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 Then I said concerning her who had grown old in adulteries, 'Will they commit harlotry with her now, and she with them?' 44 Yet they went in to her, as men go in to a woman who plays the harlot; thus they went in to Oholah and Oholibah, the lewd women. 45 But righteous men will judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.

46 "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Bring up an assembly against them, give them up to trouble and plunder. 47 The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire. 48 Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness. 49 They shall repay you for your lewdness, and you shall pay for your idolatrous sins. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.'"

Ezekiel 24 Symbol of the Cooking Pot

1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day. 3 And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:

"Put on a pot, set it on,
And also pour water into it.

4 Gather pieces of meat in it,
Every good piece,
The thigh and the shoulder.
Fill it with choice cuts;

5 Take the choice of the flock.
Also pile fuel bones under it,
Make it boil well,
And let the cuts simmer in it."

6 'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

"Woe to the bloody city,
To the pot whose scum is in it,
And whose scum is not gone from it!
Bring it out piece by piece,
On which no lot has fallen.

7 For her blood is in her midst;
She set it on top of a rock;
She did not pour it on the ground,
To cover it with dust.

8 That it may raise up fury and take vengeance,
I have set her blood on top of a rock,
That it may not be covered."

9 'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

"Woe to the bloody city!
I too will make the pyre great.

10 Heap on the wood,
Kindle the fire;
Cook the meat well,
Mix in the spices,
And let the cuts be burned up.

11 "Then set the pot empty on the coals,
That it may become hot and its bronze may burn,
That its filthiness may be melted in it,
That its scum may be consumed.

12 She has grown weary with lies,
And her great scum has not gone from her.
Let her scum be in the fire!

13 In your filthiness is lewdness.
Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed,
You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore,
Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.

14 I, the LORD, have spoken it;
It shall come to pass, and I will do it;
I will not hold back,
Nor will I spare,
Nor will I relent;
According to your ways
And according to your deeds
They will judge you,"

Says the Lord GOD.'"

The Prophet's Wife Dies

15 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16 "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. 17 Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man's bread of sorrow."

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded.

19 And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?"

20 Then I answered them, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21 'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul; and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. 22 And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips nor eat man's bread of sorrow. 23 Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another. 24 Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.'"

25 'And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters: 26 that on that day one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears? 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the LORD.'"


Ezekiel 23:1-24:27

v. 2 Two women – The Lord is now going to speak a prophetic parable in which he compares the two nations of Israel with two women. It is important to remember that after Solomon died, the nation of Israel was divided into two with ten tribes forming the nation of Israel and two tribes forming the nation of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel would have several different kingly lines, but Judah would follow the descendants of David. Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon remained in the southern kingdom of Judah as well. The northern kingdom of Israel had already been utterly wiped out by the Assyrians over a hundred years prior to this prophecy, but the nation of Judah would persist for a few more. These nations are compared to women again, because of the frequent reference to Israel as God's bride or wife and her idolatries as adulteries.

Daughters of one mother – This is to signify that both nations came from one family line: the line of Jacob.

v. 3 Harlotry – prostitution. This term is used metaphorically of Israel's idolatry.

Egypt – Israel grew into a nation during its time in Egypt, thus, this is communicating that, from its very inception Israel has been given over to idol worship.

Breasts…virgin bosom…pressed – Much of the imagery used by the Lord in this chapter is very sexual. It is used to provide emphasis: in describing these women and their adulteries in detail, God is showing the people just how abominable their idolatries were to Him.

v. 4 Oho'lah – a Hebrew word meaning "her own tabernacle"

Ohol'ibah – a Hebrew word meaning "My Tabernacle is in her" – Oho'lah represents the northern kingdom of Israel and is so named because they worshipped their gods wherever they so desired, but Judah is named Ohol'ibah because the Temple of Yahweh resided in the city of Jerusalem.

Samaria – The capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel. Here the Lord, using the capital city to represent the whole nation, defining for us explicitly that Samaria is to be equated with Oho'lah.

Jerusalem – The capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. Here again, the Lord uses the capital city to represent the whole nation and identifies Judah with Ohol'ibah.

v. 5 Lusted – Again, sexually explicit metaphors are used throughout this chapter to describe the idol worship of Israel.

Assyrians – The Assyrians were a powerful empire located in the northern part of what is today the nation of Iraq. The Assyrians would ultimately destroy the northern kingdom of Israel in the year 722 BC, more than a hundred year before this particular prophecy was given. The Assyrians destroyed the cities of the Israelites, removed the people from the land, relocated them throughout their empire, and brought foreigners into Israel to settle them their. The Assyrians were particularly cruel in their conquests.

v. 6 Clothed in purple – Purple dye was very difficult to come by, as it could only be found in an extremely rare shell fish found off the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Only the rich could afford to own purple clothing, thus, it was very desirable and became associated with royalty, wealth, and power.

Desirable young men – Again, using the sexual metaphor, the Lord here points out that the nation of Israel began to worship the gods of the Assyrians. As was common, this was often done out of a belief that the strongest people had the strongest gods. Since Assyria was the strongest nation at the time, it was natural for people to think that she had the greatest gods. Israel therefore longed for or lusted after her power and wealth.

v. 8 Never given up her harlotry – Throughout Israel's history, it never had turned from its idolatry.

v. 9 Delivered her into the hands of her lovers – Since Israel wanted to worship the Assyrian gods so badly, in a stroke of poetic justice, God delivered the nation into the hands of the Assyrian army and allowed them to be plundered and destroyed.

v. 10 Uncovered her nakedness – This refers to the shameful act of stripping a woman in public in order to humiliate her. In this metaphor, Israel is the one being stripped and humiliated in front of all of the other nations.

Took away her sons and daughters – These were they that were taken into captivity into the land of Assyria.

Byword – The story of what happened to Israel was known amongst many nations and often told in mockery of its people.

v. 11 Although…saw this – The purpose of this prophecy now comes to plain view. All this time, God has been speaking of what happened to Israel to show the nation of Judah that, as she has committed the exact same crimes, she would receive the exact same punishment. Only this time, the judgment will be at the hands of the Babylonians instead of the Assyrians.

More corrupt – The sins of Judah exceeded the sins of Israel in severity and frequency.

v. 12 Lusted…Assyrians – Again using the sexual imagery, God points out that Judah had also gone after Assyria's gods.

v. 14 Increased her harlotry – In spite of the fact that Judah observed what had happened to Israel, she continued to worship false gods. Their idolatry would actually culminate under the reign of the wicked king Manasseh, who came to power after Israel had already been destroyed by the Assyrians (2 Kings 21:1-17, 2 Chron. 33:1-20).

Chaldeans – Another term for the Babylonians. In the description that follows, God points out that the worship of their gods had become desirable to the Jews.

v. 18 She uncovered her nakedness – As the metaphor goes, Oho'libah, in essence, stripped herself in front of everybody, thinking that she would be loved, but only brought more shame upon herself than her sister; for, at least her sister waited till somebody else stripped her. This is all to say that Judah brought her own shame upon her own head. Nobody else forced it upon her.

Alienated Myself…as I had alienated…her sister – Here God is saying that he separated himself from Judah and removed his protective hand from being over her in the same way that he had done with rebellious Israel.

v. 20 Paramours – Unlawful or adulterous lovers. The Lord continues with the adultery/idolatry comparison.

v. 21 Youth…Egyptians – Again, the frequent reference to youthfulness, as well as to Egypt, points to the fact that Judah had been unfaithful to the Lord from the very beginning.

v. 22 Your lovers – As with Israel it is ironic that the very people Judah would emulate, would be the ones that would destroy them.

v. 23 Pekod, Shoa, Koa – Cities and peoples under Babylonian control. These would be mustered alongside the forces of the Babylonians and invade Israel.

Assyrians with them – In 605 BC, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Assyrians and subjugated many of its people to his rule and authority. Thus, his invading army would consist of Assyrians as well as the other peoples mentioned here, along with many more.

v. 24 Chariots, wagons…a horde of people…buckler, shield, and helmet – These were the weapons and resources of warfare used in the ancient world. In saying this, the Lord is stirring up the minds of the people to envision the overwhelming attack that they are about to deal with.

v. 25 My jealousy – The Lord is saying to the people that the Babylonians are his tool for judgment. He is bringing them upon Judah because of his jealousy at their frequent idolatries.

Nose and ear – Disfiguration was a common practice that invading soldiers would inflict on their conquered foes.

Take your sons and daughters – Just as Israel's sons and daughters had been removed from the land and taken into captivity, so too, Judah would see her sons and daughters carried away into Babylon as slaves.

v. 27 I will make you cease your lewdness – All of this is done to put an end to Judah's rebellious ways. At the end of this all, Judah, as a nation would repent of her sins.

v. 31 Sister…her cup in your hand – This metaphor is given to call to mind the picture of a person being forced to drink something that she doesn't want. As her mouth is opened and the drink pours down her throat, much of the drink spills out of her mouth down her neck and shirt. This word picture is often used to symbolize judgment and trial, and here the Lord is telling the Jews that they would have to endure the same kind of judgment and trial that Israel had to face.

v. 32 Scorn…derision – Judah was to become a laughingstock and a mockery amongst the surrounding nations.

Contains much – The cup of wrath from which Judah would have to drink was very full, signifying that Judah was going to have to endure much tribulation before it was all said and done.

v. 36 Judge…declare – Again Ezekiel is called to pronounce the judgments upon the two nations and to point out the specific nature of their sins. In what follows, Ezekiel will specifically enumerate the kinds of sins that had been committed within the boundaries of the nations of Israel and Judah.

v. 37 Adultery – This is referring to actual adulteries committed by the actual people. At this point Ezekiel is not using the metaphor of the adulteress, although he will resume that shortly. Here he is specifically naming the crimes of the Jews and Israelites.

Sons…passing them through the fire – Children would be offered in sacrifice to false gods, by being burned alive.

v. 38 Midst of my house – The people were so bold as to sacrifice their own children on the altar of Yahweh in his Temple.

v. 40 Washed yourself…ornaments – Here Ezekiel again picks up the metaphor of Oho'lah and Ohol'ibah, likening the two nations to prostitutes.

v. 45 Righteous men – People that know what's right will see God's judgment upon these nations and recognize that it was just for him to do as he had done.

Blood is on their hands – This is an idiom describing these people as guilty of murder.

v. 46 Assembly – In the Law of Moses, God commanded that crimes such as the ones mentioned above should be dealt with by putting the offender in front of the assembly of the people, at which point, the people would hurl stones at that individual until death. Here the armies gathered together against Israel and Judah represent the assembly, and their attacks are symbolized by the stoning that the congregation would give. Stoning was to be done in front of all the people so that others would be afraid of committing the same crime. In this metaphor, Judah is to be judged in front of all nations, so that the surrounding nations will be afraid to commit the same offences against the Lord.

v. 48 Lewdness to cease – The Lords desire here is not to get revenge, but to put an end to wickedness. This is the ultimate goal of the judgment being brought against these people.

Ezekiel 24

v. 1 Ninth year – This is the ninth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity and the ninth year of the reign of King Zedekiah. This prophecy takes place more than two years after that mentioned in chapter 20 verse one, and about a year before the Babylonians were to complete the destruction of Jerusalem.

v. 2 This day…siege of Jerusalem – This prophecy marks the beginning of the year long siege of Jerusalem. A siege takes place when an army surrounds a walled city and prevents anyone or anything from coming into or out of that city. One of the chief goals of a siege is to cut off the enemy's food and water supplies and pressure them into surrender.

King of Babylon – The king of Babylon at this time was King Nebuchadnezzar, about whom much is written in the Scriptures, especially the book of Daniel.

v. 3 Parable – a metaphor of sorts, making a comparison between two things that are relatively unlike in order to emphasize some feature that they have in common

v. 4 Pot – In what follows, Ezekiel likens the city of Jerusalem to a pot of boiling stew and what happens during the time of the boiling is meant to be compared to the trials that the nation will face under the siege of the Babylonians.

Meat – The meat represents the people of the city.

The Choice cuts – These are the nobility and the upper class of Jerusalem.

v. 5 Bones – In the metaphor, the bones serve in the place of wood as fuel for fire upon which the pot is boiling. This is to conjure to mind the image of bones burning within the city walls of Jerusalem.

Simmer – The pot of stew is to be slowly brought to a boil as the city will slowly be brought to ruin. The Babylonians will lay siege for the better part of a year, while the inhabitants of the city will starve inside. These trials will continue to slowly afflict the people, until they weaken so much that the Babylonians may attack, taking the city by storm.

v. 6 Scum – This refers to the sticky substance that rises to the top of the pot of stew as it simmers. This substance is typically removed. Symbolically the scum is referring to the wickedness of the Jews which will be removed during this time of judgment. This metaphor fulfills much the same role as that of the silver and dross.

No lot has fallen – Casting lots was a game of chance, which much resembled the rolling of dice. It was frequently used to make chance decisions and is here used as a metaphor to describe the practice of saving some and killing others. Here the Lord is saying that none will be saved "by lot", that is, none will be spared the judgment to come.

v. 7 Blood – This refers to the crimes committed by the Jews, especially the crime of murder.

Cover with dust – This speaks of the flippant manner in which the Jews sinned against the Lord. They were unashamed of what they had done and didn't even try to hide it.

v. 8 On top of a rock…not covered – Here the Lord is saying that there is no use in the Jews trying to cover their sins now. He has exposed them for everyone to see and judgment is coming regardless of what they do. There will be no making amends at this point.

v.9 Bloody city – Jerusalem

Pyre – a bundle of wood upon which a dead body would be burned – Here the Lord is speaking of the funeral pyre of the city of Jerusalem.

v. 10 Heap on the wood – Here Ezekiel returns to the metaphor of the boiling pot.

v. 11 Empty on the coals – In this metaphor God is telling the people that all of the scum and filth of their unrighteous deeds will be removed. Nobody will be left to continue their evil practices. In this picture the empty pot, the melting bronze, and the removal of the scum signify that every one and every thing is going to have to pass through this fiery trial.

v. 12 She – again referring to Judah or Jerusalem

v. 13 I have cleansed you…you were not cleansed – Here the Lord is reminding Judah that he has given them trials and tribulations before with a view to disciplining her and setting her free from her sins, but she would not repent, regardless of what he allowed to pass her way.

You will not be cleansed…until…My fury – This is an assertion that this judgment will not stop until God's wrath is completely satisfied, because the people will not repent until the full measure of judgment is brought upon them.

v. 14 I will do it – This is a reminder that, in the end, it is the Lord that is bringing this judgment and not the Babylonians.

Relent – The Lord is not going to bring an end to this action, until the Babylonians are done. He is not going to change his mind.

They will judge you – This is a very significant theological point: in the end, God does not need to judge the people, because their own wicked deeds have already pronounced judgments upon them. This verse reveals the very important principle that sin itself brings judgment naturally.

v. 16 Desire of your eyes – The desire of Ezekiel's eyes we will find out in verse 18 is his wife.

v. 17 No mourning…bind your turban…put on your sandals – Ezekiel is being commanded not to go through the customary practice of weeping, tearing his clothes and sitting in sackcloth and ashes, but, rather, is to put on traveling clothes. In doing this, he becomes a sign to the people of the fact that they are not going to have time to mourn their loved ones or to bewail the loss of their land, but will have to leave immediately as slaves under the hand of their Babylonian oppressors.

v. 18 My wife died – It seems cruel that God did not allow his servant to mourn for his wife, but this entire series of events ends up being a teaching tool that God uses to speak to the nation of Israel.

v. 19 Signify – The prophets were often asked to do strange things for the purpose of gaining an audience. In this, the prophet becomes the metaphor that God uses to speak to his people. When the people saw Ezekiel walking around without mourning the loss of his wife, they asked him what his behavior meant symbolically. Since they understood him to be a prophet, they knew he had a divine message to deliver through this practice.

v. 21 Profane my Sanctuary – This refers to the fact that the Babylonians are going to destroy the Temple of Yahweh.

Desire of your eyes – Here the Lord is explaining the metaphor that Ezekiel was living. Just as he had lost the desire of his eyes and had to wander through the streets and refrain from weeping, so too, the Jews would lose the desire of their eyes: their sons, daughters, wives, husbands, and parents, as well as their city, and would not have time to mourn them, but would have to go immediately into captivity.

v. 22 Cover your lips – To cover one's mouth in sorrow is a common reaction from people experiencing grief.

Man's bread of sorrows – bread given by mourners to the family of the deceased – This was often done as a token of love, as friends would try to take care of and meet the needs of the grieving family.

v. 23 Pine away – The outward signs of grief were a coping mechanism and, since the people would not have the ability to grieve properly, they would slowly waste away in spirit as they dwelt upon their sorrows.

With one another – Everyone will be in mourning together and there will be nobody there to comfort them.

v. 24 Sign – Here we see that the prophet himself becomes the metaphor or the sign of what God's is saying.

v. 26 On that day – After all of these things come to pass, the survivors of the Babylonian onslaught will come to know that Ezekiel was indeed a prophet and they will come to him and ask of him the will of the Lord.

v. 27 Mute – Ezekiel has spoken much to this nation, but they would not listen. This passage is telling us that, after all these things come to pass, the people will believe him and listen to what he has to say.


They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotry. I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols. –Ezekiel 23:29-30

These are painful words we read today, Lord. To know that we are Your bride, Your wife, Your beloved, yet we have turned our hearts toward other lovers is a harsh and convicting word picture. Help us to truly see, God, that committing our lives to You is entering into a vow just like one of that between husband and wife. We pray for hearts that take our dedication to You as seriously as we would an official marriage.


Grace Works

Recently we contacted a woman who had requested some information and answered many of her questions. After about an hour conversation, she decided to give her life to Christ. Praise God! She was a little apprehensive, stating that she wanted to know what the contract said before she signed it. I basically told her that the contract is her life for Christ's. She was apprehensive before we prayed, but almost instantly after praying her apprehension turned to excitement.

Prayer Points
  • that we will continue to reach out to Mormons and tell them the truth about the Lord
  • that the Lord would break into the lives and hearts of those who are in the LDS church and that we would be powerful witnesses to the grace and truth of God

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