Ezekiel 4 (résumé): Siege of Jerusalem symbolized

 In Ezekiel 4 God commands Ezekiel to act out and dramatize different things so as to transmit to Israel the seriousness of the imminent Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Initially God tells Ezekiel to make a clay model or toy city of Jerusalem under siege, and then put an iron pan between himself and the model probably to represent the separation between Israel and God by their sin. The second stage of Ezekiel's dramatization involved him lying down on his left side tied up with ropes for 390 days representing 390 years of Israel's sin. Then he turned similarly on his left side for 40 days representing Judah's 40 years of sin. Then in the final part of the chapter to the imminent starvation and thirst situation in the siege of Jerusalem it was acted out with Ezekiel lying down and restricted to 220 grams of food per day which had to be cooked initially using human excrement, though this was later changed to cow dung! On top of this he could only drink 0.6 litres of water per day. There was going to be lots of starvation and thirst in Jerusalem!

Anniversary Service

Last night we went and preached at the 30th anniversary service of our Matureia church an hour's drive up the mountain on Patos's south side. Local Pastor Renilson led the service, the local praise and worship group led the singing and playing, and I preached on integrity from Proverbs 10:9. It was a beautiful service with the church nearly full on a Friday night. After the service we had a good chat to Pastor Renilson whilst we ate hotdogs and drank coke.

Ezekiel 3 (résumé): Eat the scroll & warn Israel

 Ezekiel 3 tells of Ezekiel receiving a scroll from God to eat, and it was "sweet as honey" prior to taking the message to the rebellious, hardened and obstinate people. God sent Ezekiel as a "watchman for the house of Israel" and is responsible for warning the wicked, for which he will be accountable if he fails. God temporarily made him mute: "I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth... but when I speak to you then you will speak to them in the name of the Sovereign Lord". Ezekiel could thus only speak when authorized by God.

Ezekiel 2 (résumé): Ezekiel's Call

 Ezekiel says that God told him to stand so that he could speak to him and the Spirit came into him. God said he was sending him to the Israelites who were a rebellious nation, obstinate and stubborn. He was to tell God's message straight without fear. For "you must speak my words to them whether they listen or not". God then told Ezekiel to eat the scroll he was giving him symbolic of the internalization of the difficult message he had to deliver.

Ezekiel 1 (résumé): The living creatures & the glory of the Lord

The Book of Ezekiel was written by Ezekiel the priest during the Babylonian exile and it covers the judgement of God owing to the Jews idolatry, it highlights that God is sovereign, and it points to eventual restoration with a new covenant. 

In Ezekiel 1 Ezekiel receives the initial call of God in Babylon by the Kebar River in 593 BC. He had a vision of the glory of God and in the fire he saw 4 living creatures like men and each of them had 4 faces and 4 wings. Their faces were of men, lions, oxen and eagles. Accompanying the creatures were 4 very big wheels whose "rims were high and awesome, and all 4 were full of eyes all around". Above all this the was an "expanse" and above this there was "a throne of Sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man". "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord", and the whole vision would seem to be symbolic of the majesty of God.

Highest Point

I will be preaching at the anniversary service of our Matureia church this evening. Matureia has the highest point in our state of Paraiba which is 1,208 metres (3,963 feet). I have been asked to preach on 'Walking in Integrity' from Proverbs 10:9. The pastor there is Pastor Renilson. 

Yesterday we visited Pastor João George in hospital in Patos where he is ill with a Gall stone which has made its way to his liver and it will need to be removed some way or another. Please pray for him.

I have finished my résumé of the Book of Lamentations so now it's on to another of the major prophets: Ezekiel.

Tomorrow a group of young people, including our grandson Lucas, are coming to Brazil for a 2-week visit led by Ben and Miriam Price who used to work with us here. The group of 18 is from the Hub Community Church in Basingstoke. They will be based at Ibiara and will be going round churches in that area plus Campina Grande, João Pessoa and Green Pastures.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and fireman Romildo brought the study on Titus 2. It was a good service.

Lamentations 5 (résumé): What has happened to us?

Lamentations 5 acknowledges hereditary sin as the Jews cry for God's mercy and restoration. "Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment... our inheritance has been turned over to aliens... we are feverish from hunger... our women have been ravished... princes have been hung up by their hands... joy is gone from our hearts... retore us to yourself O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old... O Lord reign forever!"