Ezekiel 47:1-48:35 ~ 1 Peter 2:11-3:7 ~ Psalm 119:49-64 ~ Proverbs 28:12-13
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Old Testament - We finish the book of Ezekiel today! The book of Daniel begins tomorrow! Ezekiel chapter 47's opening verses about the River of Healing are just beautiful. Verses 1 through 3 tell us - "Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing eastward from beneath the Temple threshold. This stream then passed to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the stream flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. Measuring as he went, he led me along the stream for 1,750 feet and told me to go across. At that point the water was up to my ankles."
As I was reading these verses about the River of Healing I imagined myself jumping into the river and just being refreshed and renewed and restored! Great stuff... This river is very reminiscent of the river in the Garden of Eden - and the River of Life described in Revelation chapter 22. Verse 9 in ch. 47 of Ezekiel sums it all up well - "Everything that touches the water of this river will live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live." Can you imagine this river of healing flowing from the temple? Can you imagine some rest & restoration & refreshment & healing through this river?
Today in Ezekiel chapter 48 we read about the division of land in Ezekiel's vision, which the map below details quite well (you'll need to scroll down a bit to view it all) -
Ezekiel chapter 48's last words - and the last words in the book of Ezekiel are simply this - "And from that day the name of the city will be `The LORD Is There.'" In Hebrew this is Yahweh Shammah. The Hebrew pronunciation of Jerusalem is Yerushalayim - which some say could be a wordplay on Yahweh Shammah. Jerusalem = The Lord is There...
New Testament - 1 Peter 2 verse 11 is powerful - "So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls." Do you believe evil desires fight against your soul? If so, will you keep away from evil desires? Will you not entertain those desires anymore?
Verse 24 today about Jesus is so strong - "He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds!" Are you dead to sin? Are you living for what is right? Do you believe you have been healed by Jesus' wounds? Will you accept this healing? Will you kneel down at the foot of the cross and be healed?
Psalms - Wow. I love Psalm 119 verse 54 today - "Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage." What a beautiful metaphor - God's principles being the music of our lives through all our years as we are on our pilgrimage. Great stuff! How might God's principles actually become the music of your life? Do you think you'd need to be reading God's Word frequently to tune into his frequency? (did you catch that - frequently & frequency? :) I commend you for reading the Bible each day this year as we go through the One Year Bible. I pray you'll continue to read the Bible daily in all of your years to come. I pray God's principles are and will be the music of your life.
Verse 59 today is a great verse for each of us to consider - "I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your statutes." Have you ever reached a mid-life or maybe even a quarter-life crisis where you pondered the direction of your life? Do you like the direction your life is heading now? Do you want to change that direction? Will you turn to follow God's way? God's Truth? God's life for you? Do you believe that God's plans for you are so much bigger than any plans of your own that you could dream up on your own?
Proverbs - Today in Proverbs 28 verse 13 we read: “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Are there sins you are concealing? Maybe even from your own consciousness? Do you believe concealed sin will affect your prosperity? (Not just financial prosperity, but your spiritual, physical, & mental prosperity?) Can you find a trusted friend or pastor to confess your sins to? Do you believe that in doing so you will find mercy? Will you confess and renounce your sins? Will you find mercy?
YouTube - Today's readings in First Peter remind me of Phil Wickham's song "The Day True Love Died:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." First Peter 5:8 (NIV)
Comments from you - 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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