Ez. 11-13
There were a few things of interest to me in this reading of Ezekiel.
- God told the house of Israel, “You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you” (Ez 11:8). This is a reminder to me to fear God alone. To fear something is to serve it, which is a violation of God’s first commandment to have no other gods before Him. And ultimately, it is God who holds the power over every other thing that I might fear. Far better to fear the God who can protect me from the thing I fear than to fear the thing itself, inciting God to turn me over to that which I choose to serve.
- God promised to gather His remnant and to restore them to the land of Israel. But the restoration He promised is a full restoration, not just one of location. “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ez 11:19-20). This is God saying that He will do a new thing. Instead of relying on the people’s own efforts, He will help them to be His people. This is God’s promise of His new covenant in Christ Jesus. What a beautiful promise!
- God sent warning to His people for a very long time, giving them plenty of opportunity to turn from their wicked ways. I believe I read that Jeremiah prophesied for 23 years, and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t the first. But the people missed God’s mercy. Thus, they viewed His delay differently. It seems they adopted this proverb, “The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing” (Ez 12:21. Because God did not act quickly (by our standards), they became even more complacent. We stand in the same situation now, waiting for Christ’s return. Many grow impatient and decide it is merely a myth. Many grow complacent, believing they have plenty of time to set things right. But Jesus warned us over and over to always be ready because there will once again be a day when God declares, “None of my words will be delayed any longer” (Ez 12:28b).
1 Tim. 6
Interesting, how the selfish ambition of man corrupts his every endeavor. As Paul pointed out, some even figure godliness as a means of gain. Paul is not saying in this passage that it is wrong to have gain or to be rich. He is, however, saying that wealth and gain should not be what we seek. When we pursue worldly things, we gain worldly things which a) we cannot keep and b) lead us to destruction. Instead we should, along with Timothy, “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Tim 6:11) and be content with whatever God provides, whether great or little.
For those who happen to be rich, or whom God chooses to bless with wealth, the same truth applies. Hope is found in God, our provider, and not in riches, which cannot save. The wealth should thus be viewed as a gift to be shared and used for the benefit of others. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that God can’t replace what we generously give away. And remember that He can always take what He gave. Far better, then, to trade in the worldly gifts God graciously gives for heavenly treasure that will benefit for eternity.