Derek Neises
8.22.2020
Ezekiel 20-23
Summarize what you read in one paragraph:
In Chapter 20 we see God telling the story of the Israelites since they were in Egypt. The pattern is that God gives his people a way out in the form of a blessing, the people rebel, and God gets angry, but still gives them the blessing because of his names sake amongst the other nations. We also see a prophecy about Israel getting taken captive by Babylon. Then finally we read about the story of the two adulterous sisters. It uses a lot of coarse imagery to communicate the vileness of both Jerusalem and Samaria.
What is one key verse?
Ezekiel 20:9 But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites.
How does what you read change your vision of God?
These chapters clearly communicate the lewdness and detestable practices of Israel. Sacrificing Children and all sorts of crimes. Yet God is still desiring them to turn back to them and sets in part a plan to rebuke them. Considering what they have done, it doesn’t make sense for God to spare his people, but he still longs for them as a Father longs for a wayward Son.
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?
Even though the people were actively rebelling against God, God was still trying to redeem them. This gives me hope that when God claims someone as his own, he will constantly be there for them to bring them back into his presence. This is comforting to me because my faithfulness is not as consistent as Gods and I thank him for that grace he gives.
How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)
Gods way is always better. Gods plan of redemption for Israel was to completely destroy their strongholds and humble them out. God says that after this, they will realize that the Lord is their God. I thank God that he always has a plan of redemption, but I also hope that for me I will always seek him so that I won’t have to be humbled out in the same way the Israelites were.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)
In Ezekiel 20, God tells the story of him redeeming Israel from the time of Egypt. Every time God brought Egypt out of a bad situation it wasn’t because of Israel’s righteousness. It was because of “his own names sake” so that it wouldn’t be looked down on by other nations. I think this is similar to now with Jesus. God does so much on our behalf for Jesus names sake. It is only because of the name of Jesus that we are able to have any sort of relationship with God. Praise God that he doesn’t deal with us according to our ways, but deals with us according to what Christ did on the Cross.
2020 Bible Vision 