Summary: In reading these chapters, I am somewhat impressed with the repetitiveness of the punishment from the Lord on one nation after another. There’s not alot of uniqueness in Ezekiel’s repetitive reality of Hellfire. When we are spiritually dull, our sin can seem so exciting, and godliness a bit boring; however, the opposite is true in the afterlife. Sin and its consequences are painful and repetitive. Whereas, Jesus makes all things new, every day, for all eternity. This is why our hope is “in Christ” not “out of Christ. If you really believe, how can you not share your faith.
Key verse: Ezekiel 29:21 “On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord .” (ESV)
View of God: Ezekiel 30:24 Reminds me of when Moses raised his arms the Israelites prevailed in their battle with the Amalekites. But when his arms weakened the enemy got the upper hand. When Moses’ assistants saw this they held up his arms… Here God is holding up the arms of the king of Babylon, and He’s breaking the arms of the Pharaoh. All that God does – His blessings and His judgments – are for one ultimate purpose – that the world will know that He is the Lord!
Change to me: I see that I need to open my mouth throughout my daily life and allow others to see/hear my faith so that they come to know God and make Jesus their Lord.
I’ll go forward with God with a renewed commitment to share my faith and spread the Gospel.
I see Jesus in that He makes all things new, every day, for all eternity. This is why our hope is “in Christ” not “out of Christ”. If I really believe, how can I not share my faith.
Summary: “For four years, Ezekiel has been foretelling the disasters that would come upon Jerusalem. He was apparently respected by his countrymen but they completely disregarded and refused to believe his prophecies. Now that the city had fallen, the voice of prophecy would cease, as far as God’s people were concerned. God moves on to provide Ezekiel prophecies against all the neighboring nations surrounding Israel that had led her astray.
Key verse (~ 10 times Ezekiel 24:26; 25:7, 11, 14, 17; 26:5, 14; 28:10, 23, 24, 26) “Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
View of God: These chapters remind me that God’s plan is for us to prosper…he does not spare the rod and he will discipline us but ultimately it is for our benefit. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
Change to me: I have faith and I love God but because of the current condition of the world, I can sometimes lose sight of Hope. I need to hang on to Hope in a positive way knowing that God’s plans for us are to prosper.
I go forward with God knowing that if I strive to learn His lessons during difficult times I will continually move towards PEACE. Hebrew 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (ESV)
I see Jesus in the prophet Ezekiel. God calls him “son of Man” many times and gives him the Word to pass on to the Israelites. Like Jesus, Ezekiel prophesied to bring the Israelites back into a right relationship with God. He was not the judge but the bringer of the message.
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.
The Lord speaks through Ezekiel to tell them about the sins that they have committed and the consequences of their sins. In the process, the Lord talks about specific sin, uses a parable to explain how He was wronged, and explains what will happen to those who are righteous versus wicked.
Key Verse:
““But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
Ezekiel 18:21-23 NIV
How does what you read change your vision of God?
I see more of how much God wants us to turn away from sin. The fact that God does not take any pleasure in seeing us sin, but is pleased when we turn from that sin to live for Him, motivates me to press forward and repent of sin in my life.
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?
The fact that God is so patient with us and when we sin against Him, and He longs for us to repent shows me that I need to show more grace towards myself and others that might sin against me. To be buried in guilt can be a scary thing, but at some time I have to move forward and try again. This can be applied to others as well. Instead of holding grudges against others, I should be ready to forgive and show grace if I have been sinned against.
How will you Go With God because of this reading?
I will be looking for areas in my life where sin is present and repent from them. Even if it is a challenge, I will incorporate God more into this task by praying & asking others to pray for me as well.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters?
I saw Jesus in the key verse. The way that the Lord talked about how sin leads to death, but those who turn away from sin will live reminds me of Jesus’s mission on Earth. How he came to lead and eventually die and rise up again to give us the chance to reconcile with God and repent of our sin. God was explaining that same opportunity to the Israelites in the key verse.
In chapter 12, God commands Ezekiel to pack up his belongings and act as though he is going into exile. God uses this as a warning to the people that they would be going into captivity. Ezekiel listened to God, and he served as a sign for the people that destruction was coming soon. Ezekiel also did what God commanded him as a way to show the rebellious people God’s sovereignty. In chapter 13, God tells Ezekiel about the false prophets and their false visions. God makes it clear that these false prophets are telling lies and that their visions will not come true because they are not from God. He also talks about his brutal punishments for these false prophets, and he says that this will let people know that he is the true God. In chapter 14, elders of Israel approach Ezekiel. They have been worshipping idols, so he asks God if he should let them speak to him. God tells Ezekiel to tell them to repent and turn away from idols. God says that he will take care of it and he will cut off these people. In chapter 15, God compares the people of Jerusalem to a vine that is only good for burning in a fire. He goes on to explain that the vine would burn in a fire and then would be useless after that. The people of Jerusalem have been rebellious and unfaithful, so God is going to consume them with fire. While this is a harsh judgment, God uses this analogy to exemplify his anger with their rebellion and emphasize his great sovereignty.
A key verse from these chapters is Ezekiel 12:1-3, which says:
“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.’”
This verse changes my vision of God, as it serves as a reminder to seek God first in every circumstance. The people of Israel were rebellious against God. They had the word of God, the priesthood, the prophets, and the temple. They had all the resources around them to see and hear the truth, yet they chose not to see or hear. This verse encourages me to examine my own heart and turn back to God. If we are not paying attention to God and his will for our lives, then what are we doing with our time? What are we saying to God when we choose to watch a Netflix show for hours upon hours yet we cannot give God a minuscule amount of time each day? We need to repent and listen to what God says in his word. This reading serves as a great reminder that God always remains faithful to us even when we do not seek after him in every circumstance. God is always there for us. As I reflect on this reading, I will go with God and seek after God when I feel exiled or lost in the daily tasks of life. I will strive to turn back to God, and I know that he will be there.
I see Jesus in Ezekiel 12:23-24, which says, “The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision. For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.” Jesus was the ultimate vision for the people. The people no longer needed prophets, temples, or animal sacrifices. The people had the son of God. God knew from the beginning that his ultimate plan was to bring Jesus to walk among us. Every vision was fulfilled with Jesus’s sacrificial love for us. Jesus is the ultimate vision for all of us.
Summary: Chapter 7 is all about God’s judgement and wrath toward the people of Israel. They have taken to idol worship and other evil ways in their hearts.
In Chapter 8, Ezekiel is then brought to Jerusalem in a vision. He is shown all of the practices and idol worship that is happening inside the temple of the Lord. He sees 70 elders of Israel at shrines to different idols, women worshipping Tammuz, and men bowing to the sun in the east.
In Chapter 9, God’s wrath is brought about to the people of Israel and Judah. The glory of the Lord has a man mark the heads of those who grieve and lament over the detestable things being done in the city. All others without the mark are told to be killed.
Chapter 10 describes the cherubim that Ezekiel sees. Each one had four heads. There were also four wheels that intersected each other and could move in all ways. Whichever way the head was pointing, the cherubim went.
In Chapter 11, Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the people of Israel. Ezekiel asks God if He will destroy all the remnants of Israel. God then replies back that he will be with those in foreign countries and return them to the land of Israel.
What is one key verse?
Ezekiel 11:19 “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”
How does what you read change your vision of God? This reading changes my vision of God as less of the grace-filled loving God but as the truth and justice of God. He pours out his wrath on the people but in the end he gives hope and light to the people that he will restore their hardened hearts.
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others? I think for me I need to remember that there truly is judgement coming. Fortunately for us Jesus has taken our place in this judgement. It reminds me to always have a confessing heart and a heart that isn’t stoned and hardened.
How will you Go With God because of this reading? I think this passage will lead me to be more aware of the attitude of my heart. I want to not fall into the idolatry of the world but make sure that my heart is open to see God and be used to worship Him alone.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? The compassion that is shown by Ezekiel as he is prophesying and watching the city be slain reminds me of the compassion Jesus has for us who would have been slain. Also as God tell Ezekiel that he will restore the land of Israel and its people, I think of how Jesus is the way he accomplishes this.
This takes place a few years after the Babylonian’s first attack on Jerusalem. They didn’t destroy the city, but they took many of their people off into Babylon as exiles. Ezekiel (who would have been a priest if he was still in Jerusalem) is among them.
Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord (in physical form) before him and God instructs him to communicate a warning to the Israelites. Because of their idolatry and sin, destruction will befall Jerusalem. He was to communicate this prophetic warning through symbolic street acting, which symbolized Jerusalem’s destruction and the consequences of their defeat. And God told Ezekiel they would not listen to him.
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, whether they hear or refuse to hear.”
Ezekiel was commanded by God to go to the people and warn them, if you do not obey the will of God it will end in your destruction (whether in this life or the next).
How does what you read change your vision of God?
These chapters of Ezekiel remind me that God always fulfills his promises. If you do the will of God you will receive your due reward. If you do not, you will receive justice instead of God’s mercy.
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?
This reminds me that we are incredibly blessed to know the will of God and have it spoken plainly to us. To be honest, if I had grown up in Ezekiel’s time I probably would’ve just seen him as some crazy guy on the street like everyone else. And my lack of understanding would have brought about continued rebellion and my own destruction (just like the Israelites).
How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)
This challenges me to more frequently speak God’s truth to others, despite the fact that they may not listen to it.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)
I see Jesus in the last part of the key verse…”that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”
I feel so lucky to be under a new covenant with Jesus. Where his blood covers over all of my sins, and I don’t have to worry about falling short of the first covenant laws. As long as I seek God’s will with a repentant heart I will receive his forgiveness.
I hope this helps you see the bible with new vision!
Lamentations was written by Jeremiah out of his intense sympathy for Jerusalem. Throughout, you see a strong theme of anguish and sorrow within his writing. The beginning chapter mentions the desolation of Jerusalem. The second chapter depicts God’s anger against Jerusalem. In fact, God is portrayed as Jerusalem’s enemy. At the beginning of chapter 3, Jeremiah shares in his nation’s affliction, but towards the middle of the chapter, things begin to change. In verse 22, Jeremiah speaks of God’s faithfulness. This is a great turn around from the themes of sorrow and suffering that Jeremiah was speaking on during the first couple of chapters. Chapter 4 speaks of the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem. Lastly, chapter 5 is a prayer to the Lord.
What is one key verse?
Lamentations 3: 40 “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”
How does what you read change your vision of God? While reading these chapters, I couldn’t help but think: “If only Jeremiah and the people of Jerusalem would look at themselves and see what they need to change, or how they could turn back to God.” Finally, verse 40 of chapter 3 comes along. We can so easily blame God for our pain and our situations we are in. It’s easy to question God and to get angry with Him, knowing he is the Creator of all things, it is easy to blame Him because He didn’t “do this or that” for us. But sometimes we need to just take a hard, long look in the mirror and ask ourselves: “What have I done that could’ve brought me here? Who have I wronged? How have I sinned against God?” These are just a couple of questions to ask ourselves. This can be very difficult because it’s easier to lay blame or to make excuses for ourselves… But once we take responsibility for our current state we are in, then we can experience true freedom and peace in God. That is how this passage changed my view of God. It helped me to see that we can blind ourselves with our own pride and stain His perfect image, when really WE are the ones who are at fault.
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?
It’s evident that man is prideful. I struggle with pride myself. It is one of the most difficult sins because it can creep into everything, as it could be someone’s root, or core sin. This scripture made me realize how prideful I, or any other person can be. But with humility and truly taking responsibility for ourselves, we can praise and worship God without any hesitation or complaint because we know He works all things together for our good.
How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?) I will now be extremely aware of myself. It is good to reflect and to examine your heart, but it is evident that if our hearts are in the wrong place then we can tend to lay blame on the wrong people. I desire to talk with God and ask Him to reveal any pride in me so that I can see Him in His perfect image and not get so caught up in myself. In my daily prayers, I will now be asking for God to make it clear where I can die to myself so that I may glorify Him and be grateful for everything He has done.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)
In chapter 3, verse 52, Jeremiah speaks of his prison sentence. He says that “Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird.”
This makes me think of Jesus because he had many enemies hunting him day and night. He would call out to God for help and guidance, and although the situations he would be in were very hard, he never lost hope. Jeremiah expresses that in speaking to God, he told him to not fear. This reminded me of Jesus’ amazing surrender, knowing that God always had his back.
Jeremiah chapters 46-52 primarily explain the judgments that will come upon the nations surrounding Judah and finally the fall of Jerusalem.
Chapter 46 Talks about King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacking Egypt. It also Briefly describes how Jacob (Israel) would also face punishment but also that God would eventually have mercy on them.
Chapter 47 is about God’s judgment upon the Philistines.
Chapter 48 is about the judgement upon Moab. God is both angry over their wickedness and idolatry but also sad that it has come to this.
Chapter 49 is split up into five sections which describe the judgements to come on the peoples of Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam.
Chapter 50 & 51 are much longer and detailed then the other chapters and describes the judgment and destruction of Babylon.
Chapter 52 Tells of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. The city was Sieged for over a year and eventually fell. The wicked King, Zedekiah was captured and taken to Babylon where he died in prison. The temple was looted and destroyed. The prior king of Judah, before Zedekiah, was released from prison in Babylon and given a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon.
Key Verse?
Jeremiah 48:29-31
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab—
he is very proud—
of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,
and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his insolence, declares the Lord;
his boasts are false,
his deeds are false.
31 Therefore I wail for Moab;
I cry out for all Moab;
for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.
Vision of God
From the key verse and a few other sections in this reading, it is clear that God is very angry about the pride, arrogance and idolatry of the nations, but He is also sad. The destruction of these nations was not something He was happy about, but it was the consequence of many years of wickedness.
Vision of self
As I read about the wickedness of all these nations, I think about how I can be guilty of many of the same things. I may not worship other god’s directly, but I do often put entertainment or my own comfort above what God calls me to do. This is in a way the same as idolatry.
Go with God
I will do my best to be humble and remember that God needs to be my number one priority. Too often I lose track of this, and then start living for myself. Everything starts to revolve around what I want to do, and I start to worship myself.
Where’s Jesus?
It’s kind of hard to see Jesus in the midst of all the destruction, but one thing that is very clear is that we need a savior. All these nations were destroyed due to many years of pride, arrogance and idolatry. We would all face similar judgments if Jesus had not taken our place.
Summary: Chapter 40 picks up after King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the captain of his guard, Nebuzaradan, was charged with caring for Jeremiah. When they reached Ramah, Nebuzaradan released Jeremiah and told him to go to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and stay with him and the people who were left behind in the land. Gedaliah had been made governor over the land. The poorest not exiled, as well as Jews from Moab, Ammon, and Edom, all returned to Mizpah.
However, Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, hatched a plot to kill Gedaliah. After he murdered Gedaliah and the Jews with him, he went about committing horrible atrocities around the city, killing more Jews. He left 10 alive, taking them captive and left for the Ammonites. But Johanan, who had warned Gedaliah of Ishmael’s plan, set out with his officers and recovered these captives from Ishmael.
Johanan then calls upon Jeremiah to pray to the Lord for guidance. The Lord commands Jeremiah to instruct the remnants of Judah that if they stay, instead of turning to Egypt, he will protect them and provide for them. But Johanan and the others refused to believe Jeremiah and disobeyed the Lord. They left for Egypt and took Jeremiah with them. They continued to be prideful and forgetful of the desolation that the Lord brought upon them in King Nebuchadnezzar. They had no faith. Chapter 45 closes with Jeremiah speaking to his scribe, Baruch, with a message from the Lord about his negative attitude.
What is one key verse? I feel that Chapter 45 verses 3-5 are really important.
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You have said, ‘I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest.’ “Baruch, this is what the Lord says: ‘I will destroy this nation that I built. I will uproot what I planted. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
This verse shows that God is listening to us when we reach out in prayer; when we cry out in sorrow and grief. But it also teaches us to be humble and fear the Lord. To trust His great plan and not blame Him when things get tough.
How does what you read change your vision of God? Considering the pandemic situation we’ve been in for over 5 months now, I feel that my vision of God has changed in that I see Him even more as the Father that he is to all of us. I’ve had to make some difficult decisions for our children in the last 5 months and deal with a lot of disobedience, but nothing compared to the remnants of Judah. The patience that God has had with His people over the years is astounding!
How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others? Playing off of the previous question, these chapters have shown me that my problems right now are miniscule and I can certainly persevere. If God could be patient, but also a stern and loving Father through all of the disobedience and idolatry, then I can learn to be more patient and loving with our children.
How will you Go With God because of this reading? I will Go With God by making sure to be more prayerful, especially when I am feeling sorrowful or grieving, and remember to always be humble and thankful as I patiently wait for God’s plan to come to fruition.
Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? I saw Jesus in Jeremiah in these chapters. Jeremiah was so patient and sacrificial, even through being held captive and having to watch the people continue to make bad decisions. And he still made every effort to help them despite the circumstances.
2020 Bible Vision 