How God Grieves Over Sin

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Don’t delay to humbly repent and surrender fully to God (Ezk 11:22-24). #GodsGrief #TurnNowToGod #RepentTowardsGod

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

This may be one of the saddest days in Israel’s history. The Glory of God, his presence, left the Temple, then the city of Jerusalem.

But the Glory of God stopped above the Mount of Olives and hovered there. Presumably it then ascended into heaven.

I wonder if, in that hovering, God stopped to look one more time at Jerusalem, grieved and weeping over Israel’s sin and rejection.

Jesus, The the Radiance of God’s Glory Weeps over Jerusalem

I wonder if Jesus (as God, the radiance of God’s glory) remembered that moment in the Old Testament when he saw the sin and rejection of Israel happening all over again [Jesus wept and spoke words of deep grief – Luk 19:41-44].

Jerusalem would continue to be devoid of God‘s blessing until his Glory returns for the final time in the millennium (Ezk 43:1–7; Acts 1:11–12). Ezekiel‘s vision ends here. He was then moved by the Spirit of God to go and share with the Jewish exiles in Babylon all that he had seen and heard.

Lord, my delay to repent of sin, cuts deeply into the heart of God. May my words be few and may they speak surrender.

Promise Made, Promise Kept

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Put faith in all the promises of God (Ezk 11:17-20). #PromiseMadePromiseKept #GodIsFaithful

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

This passage is a prophesy of the return of those Israelites exiled to Babylon back to Jerusalem (538, 539 BC) after King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon. The Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah record one of those returns.

But this passage also has eschatological meaning. It points to spiritual renewal. The word “spirit“ in verse 19 could also be translated “Spirit,“ as in God‘s Holy Spirit. Whereas, God‘s Spirit would indwell certain people at certain times for certain work, this is a reference to an indwelling of the Spirit in all Believers. This was inaugurated after the death of Christ (Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4,7). Full restoration of Israel in their hearts toward God will come to full fruition in the millennium when Jesus Returns (Isa49:6-18).

Lord, may I have faith your word as promises made, promises kept and promises yet to be fulfilled.

Stone Cold

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Remain open to God for a new heart (Ezk 11:14-21). #HeartOfGod #StoneColdHeart #NewHeart

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

God speaks to Ezekiel in response to his prayer in verse 13. Those in Jerusalem spoke arrogantly and pridefully about those who had been taken into exile and Babylon.

They were the ones considered far from God, far from the temple in Jerusalem “where God was.“ But God‘s presence was about to leave the temple. God promises here to himself be the sanctuary of those in exile in Babylon.

It is not about a building. It is about a surrendered heart. Those remaining in Jerusalem were not repentant and knew nothing of that. God promises, Ezekiel and those in exile, to return them to their homeland.

They would return with a new spirit and a new heart (also 36:25-27). They would obey God faithfully and be his people. He would be their God.

Lord, thank you for not only the promise, but the reality of changing the stony cold heart of this old sentry into one that is new and surrendered to you.

Struck Dead

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Do not persist in sin until God must act dramatically in your life (Ezk 11:13). #TurnNowToGod #Repent

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

Whether still seeing the judgment of Judah (Jerusalem) in a vision or thereafter prophesying to the people what God told Ezekiel in that vision (vv24,25), one of the named officials (Pelatial) in verse 1 was struck down dead.

This death was an affirmation of the seriousness of the coming and eminent judgment of God for sin (see also Acts 5:1-11). Ezekiel is so shaken by this death that he falls face down crying out to God – would God kill everyone in Israel? Lord, may I not persist in sin, causing dramatic acts of God in my life.

God’s Word, Like A Rock

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Put your full faith in God‘s word as true & reliable (Ezk 11:10,11). #TrustGodsWord #GodsWordIsReliable

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

Versus 10 and 11 are not mere hyperbole or some metaphor used to explain God‘s judgment. This prophecy became Jerusalem‘s reality when Babylon took over Jerusalem and destroyed the temple, 596-581 BC (Jer 52:8-11, 24-28).

Further, God‘s people thought they were impregnable because God had given them their land – but God had also warned them if they did not follow him wholeheartedly he would remove them from it (Deu 28:15, 36, 64-68). HE DID! But in their near future God would return them to their land (11:17-19). Ezekiel also predicts Israel’s full restoration to the land as yet to unfold at Christ’s return (Ezk 36:24-28; 37:21-28).

God’s word is trustworthy and reliable. It is able to discern the hearts of men (Heb 4:12). Lord, may I know an unwavering faith in the truth and reliability of your word.

Can’t Run, Can’t Hide

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Remain humble and open to God’s conviction (Ezk 11:1-12). #Can’tRunCan’tHide #RemainOpenToGod

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

The leaders of Jerusalem were leading God‘s people away from God. They believed that they were insulated from further Babylonian attacks (our city is like an iron pot; we the people are like meat safe in the pot). Neither the leaders, nor the people of Israel would acknowledge their sin.

Arrogance, pride, worship of pagan gods, ignoring God‘s word and his warnings was a recipe for failure and God‘s judgment/discipline. It was for Israel then and it is for us today. God put his finger directly on their faulty thinking – he knows our thoughts. Hiding from God is futile. Lord, keep the heart of this ol’ sentry from arrogance and pride.

Driving God Away

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

Do not neglect the glory and salvation of the Lord (Ezk 10:9-17). #SeekGodsPresence #live#LiveToGodsglory

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

These verses comprise half of Ezekiel 10. They are Ezekiel’s description of the cherubim, the mobile throne and glory of God. This was seen in Ezekiel chapter 1. All of this informs us of God‘s intent to judge sin in Israel and in the nations, even for us today; all of us individually.

Colossians 1:27 tells us that “Christ in us is the hope of glory.“ Ezekiel teaches that God will only stay where he is wanted and obeyed. God never wants to withdraw his presence from his people. But when we (I) fill our lives with idolatrous worship we drive God’s presence from us (Isa 42:8).

Lord, your word warns not to neglect so great a salvation (Heb 2:1-3); we (I) need to wake up (Rom 13:11), hear your message and turn now to God.

Forever Glorious

PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH & NATION:

May you see the glory, faithfulness, purity and eternal righteousness of God (Ezk 11:22,23). #ForeverGlorious

MORNING WATCH NOTES:

I am skipping ahead to the movement of God‘s glory from the east gate to the mountain on the east side of Jerusalem (that would be the Mount of Olives). From there, the glory of God would ascend into heaven and not return to the Temple.

Centuries later, Christ, the radiance of God‘s glory (Heb 1:1-3) would return in fulfillment of many prophecies concerning his birth, death and resurrection. Much of the later ministry of Christ centered in and around the place of God’s departure from Israel, the Mount of Olives in Ezekiel’s vision.*

Lord, may I not get bogged down in the daily struggle through the imagery of the prophets, time lines and prophetic utterances. May my reading, study and meditation on the your word lead me to see the glory of God, the faithfulness of God, purity of God, the patience of God with man and God‘s ultimate judgment of sin and God’s deliverance of his righteous ones into the eternal glorious homeland of Heaven.

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* Hailed as King of the Jews, Christ would make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem by an east gate (by that time Jerusalem and the Temple of Ezekiel’s day would have been destroyed and rebuilt).

One week later Christ would be crucified and resurrected from the dead. 40 days after that Christ would ascend from the Mount of Olives back into heaven (Acts 1:9-12). He would fill all believes with his glory (Col 1:27). He will one day return again descending in this same place (Zec 14:1-4; Acts 1:10,11). He will return as the reigning king over his new eternal Kingdom (Rev 11:25).