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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Ezek. 16
Two statements in this chapter caught my attention this morning. The first is in verse 14. “…for [your beauty] was perfect through my splendor”. Jerusalem was what she was only because of God. Yet she chose to trust in her beauty – in what she was – rather than in the God who made her what she was. The second statement is in God’s promise of restoration, both to Jerusalem and to other nations. God told Jerusalem that this restoration would come, “not because of your covenant”, but because “I will establish my covenant with you” (from Ezek. 16:61-62).
This tells me that salvation is from God alone. He made us what we are. It is His goodness and beauty in us and not our own. And it is His promise to us, in the person of Jesus Christ, that restores us to Him, not our own works. It is He who makes atonement for us. We can’t do it ourselves.
Ezek. 17
Once again I am seeing something in a passage I have read many times before that I have never seen before. This chapter shows how God used Babylon, Zedekiah, and Jehoiachin to show us our great choice in life. Babylon established Zedekiah as king through a covenant. Yet Zedekiah chose to rebel against that covenant and turn to Egypt. Zedekiah’s choice led to his own destruction. Jehoiachin, on the other hand, surrendered to Babylon and thus received mercy and a seat at the king’s table.
Likewise, it is God who establishes each one of us. He gives us everything we need to flourish and live. The deceiver steps in to take God’s place; to offer us what only God can give. If we choose to follow the deceiver, give in to the lusts of our flesh, and trust in things that are not God, we do so to our own destruction. If, however, we surrender ourselves to the One True God, we flourish and live by His great mercy.