Ezekiel 24 (résumé): The cooking pot

Ezekiel 24 marks the point where the judgement of the siege of Jerusalem started on January 15th in 588 BC. God then brings Ezekiel the parable of the cooking pot with the pot representing Jerusalem and the meat being cooked in the pot representing the people. "Woe to the city of bloodshed!... cook the meat well... and let the bones be charred... you will not be clean until my wrath against you has subsided... you will be judged according to your conduct and actions". Following the parable of the cooking pot comes the death of Ezekiel's wife which was a painful acting out of the loss of someone precious like Jerusalem is about to lose their precious temple, and Ezekiel was not even allowed by God to mourn his wife's passing! Finally with the news of Jerusalem's siege beginning "at that time your mouth will be opened... and be no longer silent... and they will know that I am the Lord".

Ezekiel 23 (résumé): Two adulterous sisters

Ezekiel 23 brings an allegory or parable of 2 sisters: Oholah who represents Israel (Samaria) and Oholibah who represents Judah (Jerusalem). Through this story God exposes his people's unfaithfulness showing why judgement is inevitable. These 2 sisters "became prostitutes in Egypt... Oholah gave herself as a prostitute to all the Assyrian elite and defiled herself with their idols... therefore I handed her over to the Assyrians... and they punished her... Oholibah her sister was even more depraved... she too lusted after the Assyrian governors, commanders, warriors, horsemen and handsome young men... she lusted too after the Chaldeans... and then the Babylonians... and I turned away from her in disgust as I did with her sister... yet she became more and more promiscuous... and lusted after Egyptian genitals that were like those of donkeys... so Oholibah I will stir up your lovers against you... the Babylonians, Chaldeans and Assyrians... and they will come against you with chariots... I will turn you over to them for punishment... and they will deal with you in fury... so I will put a stop to your lewd prostitution... you will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow... I have spoken declares the Sovereign Lord... judge Oholah and Oholibah... for they committed adultery with idols.... and desecrated my sabbaths... and sacrificed their children... you even sent for extra men from far away to have sex with... blood is on their hands... bring a mob against them... and I will put an end to lewdness in the land... and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry... then you will know that I am the Lord".

Ezekiel 22 (résumé): Jerusalem's sins

Ezekiel 22 is a powerful denunciation of Jerusalem's sin which makes judgement unavoidable. God starts calling Jerusalem a "city of bloodshed" which "defiles itself by making idols". You have "oppressed the alien, orphan and widow... and desecrated the sabbath... practiced sexual immorality and dishonour parents... so I will disperse you among the nations... and put an end to your uncleanness". Then God says that Israel is like dross and he will pour out his fire of judgement on Jerusalem to separate the dross from the metals of silver, copper, iron and lead. God then goes on to condemn all levels of Jerusalem society: "Her priests do violence to my law... her prophets whitewash things with false visions... her princes conspire... her officials commit violence and injustice... and her people practice oppression and robbery". Then God concludes saying: "I looked for someone to stand in the gap on behalf of the land... but I found none". 

Mud & Spit

I have prepared a sermon for tomorrow at Green Pastures on John 9:1-12 and the healing of a man blind from birth. Why Jesus used mud and spit in the healing process I don't know, but the great thing was that he was healed. It is one of three times that Jesus used spit in healings. 

Yesterday we had a time of prayer with a family from the Patos church whose daughter is unwell. We prayed for God's blessing and healing. 

The youth group from Basingstoke Community Church were in Barra de Oitis village yesterday and are in the village of Mata Oitis today. Tomorrow they will be in the town of Diamante.

Last night I led the prayer meeting and Bible study and it was an excellent service with a good number present. Lawyer Rayla gave a good study on 1 Samuel 5, the prayer and praise flowed beautifully and participations were blessed. 

Ezekiel 21 (résumé): Babylon, God's sword of judgement

Ezekiel 21 proclaims God's imminent judgement because of Israel's sin. The instrument of this judgement will be the Babylonians. Initially God describes his decision to judge as a drawn sword: "my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north... it is a sword sharpened and polished for slaughter". Then Nebuchadnezzar seeks an omen and opts to attack Jerusalem and the Jews will be reminded of their guilt and be taken captive. Then the text says that "the profane and wicked prince of Israel" (King Zedekiah) will be dethroned and the Davidic lineage to the throne "will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs (Jesus the Messiah)". Then the chapter comes to an end predicting judgement on the Ammonites too: "I will pour out my wrath upon you". 

England beaten

I saw England beaten by Argentina 2 x 1 in the World Cup yesterday. Sadly England threw the match away by trying to just defend for 35 minutes after having scored through Gordon early in the second half. As time went by it looked increasingly unlikely that England would survive the onslaught and they didn't. England only have themselves to blame for losing a semi-final with a whimper. Very sad. 😖All credit to Argentina for turning the game round from 1 x 0.

Ezekiel 20 (résumé): Rebellious Israel

Ezekiel 20 gives an overview of Israel's constant historical rebellion against God. Initially some elders came to consult Ezekiel but God forbid this. Then God reminds Israel how he brought them out of Egypt yet "they rebelled against me and would not listen to me... and they would not forsake the idols of Egypt". God however gave them the law and taught them to worship his alone, but they ignored the law: "They rejected my laws and utterly desecrated my sabbaths". Eventually God punished that generation by not allowing them to enter the promised land: "Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel". Then God said to the people: "Do not follow the statutes of your fathers... or defile yourselves with their idols... but keep the sabbath, reject idols and obey the law". Despite this the following generation also rebelled against the Lord! Even after entering the promised land they rebelled "sacrificing their sons in the fire... defiling themselves with idols... and worshipping in the high places". God then says "I will rule over you with a mighty hand.... I will bring you from the nations... and eventually I will judge you and bring you into the bond of the covenant... there on the holy mountain the entire house of Israel will serve me". The chapter ends with a prophecy of consuming fire on the southern forest (Israel) by the flames of Babylon.