Campina Grande

Yesterday afternoon we left Patos at 2 pm and drove 3 hours east to Campina Grande to preach at our Catolé church. It was a lovely service. After the service we held an excellent meeting with Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice and had a lovely meal together. We got home eventually to bed in Patos about 1.15 am, tired but rejoicing. 

It was good to see in Campina Grande the 16-strong youth team from Basingstoke who are with us for 2 weeks. Part of the team is our 19-year-old grandson Lucas. The team is led by Ben & Miriam Price.

In Patos the service was led by Missionary Sacha and Pastor Murilo preached the word from John 17.

Ezekiel 10 (résumé): The glory departs from the Temple

Ezekiel 10 describes the glory of the Lord departing from the temple. Initially a man clothed in linen is told by God to scatter fiery coals of God's judgement over the city. Then "the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim" and the cherubim each had 4 faces of a man, lion, ox and eagle, and they were completely covered by eyes. Beside each cherubim were intersecting wheels which gave mobility to the throne. Then the text says that the glory of the Lord departed and stopped at the entrance to the east gate. 

Ezekiel 9 (résumé): Idolaters killed

 Ezekiel 9 is a gruesome sad chapter with a vision depicting God's wrath upon Jerusalem because of their persistent idolatry. Initially those against the idolatry received a mark on their foreheads to protect them. The protected ones were "those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things" being practiced. Then the command was given to go to the rest in the city and kill everyone "without showing pity or compassion... slaughter men, women and children". Ezekiel cried to God asking him if he was going to kill everyone, but God would not budge saying "I will not look on them with pity or spare them".

England win

Last night all the family got together to eat pizza in our front room and watch England beat Norway 2 x 1 after extra time in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Both goals were scored by Bellingham but my congratulations go to Rodgers who made the superb shot which led to the winning goal. But Bellingham is an outstanding player. Now it's on to the semi-final on Wednesday against Argentina. 

This afternoon we will be driving 3-hours to Campina Grande where I will be preaching tonight at our Catolé church where Pastor Wostenes is the senior pastor. Please pray. They have asked me to preach on "The River of the Water of Life". (Revelation 22:1)

Ezekiel 8 (résumé): Idolatry in the Temple

In Ezekiel 8 the prophet is given a visionary journey to the temple by God where he saw the outrageous idolatry and defilement underway. Initially he was taken to see the idol that provokes jealousy. Next he went through a hole in the wall to see a secret chamber of idols where 70 elders were secretly worshipping their gods thinking they were hidden from the Lord. Then Ezekiel witnesses weeping for Tammuz, a pagan fertility deity. Finally Ezekiel saw 25 men worshipping the sun. God then drew attention to all the detestable things being practiced and said to Ezekiel that he would deal with the people in anger.

Ezekiel 7 (résumé): The end has come

God then spoke to Ezekiel that "the end has come upon the four corners of the land... I will unleash my anger against you... an unhear-of disaster is coming... doom has come upon you... I will judge you according to your conduct... then you will know that it is I the Lord that strikes the blow... the time has come, the day has arrived... every hand will go limp and every knee will become as weak as water... their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord's wrath... prepare chains because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence... calamity upon calamity will come... by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord". 

Ezekiel 6 (résumé): A prophecy against the mountains of Israel

 Now God instructs Ezekiel to condemn the mountains of Israel saying "I will destroy your high places. Your pagan altars will be demolished... and I will slay the people in front of their idols and scatter their bones round the altars... and you will know that I am the Lord". However God promises to spare a remnant who will be scattered around the nations, and there they will remember God and repent of their sins. Then Ezekiel is told to act out intense grief "striking his hands... stamping his feet and crying out Alas because of all the detestable practices of Israel... and people will die through plague, sword and famine.... and they will know that I am God".