Friday, April 15 2011
Ezekiel 20
Verse of the Week: V17 “Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.”
1. The Leaders (V1-17)
V3 “Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.”
The elders or leaders of Israel chose to pretend to enquire God concerning His Word yet they had no desire to know God and His Word but kept rebelling against Him. However, God was merciful and gracious and time and again spared them from total destruction.
V17 “Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.”
2. The Children (V18-32)
V18 “But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:”
Not only the people of Israel rebelled against God but even their children rebelled against God. It is important that parents not only teach their children of God and His Word but apply God’s Word in their daily lives so that their children emulate their godly examples.
V21 “Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.”
3. The Families (V33-49)
V32 “And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.”
Instead of choosing to serve the Lord, like Joshua and his family, the godly family in the past, the people of Israel and their families chose to serve wood and stone. It was a sad day for Israel as they rather chose to serve the creation of God than God their Creator.
Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me and my family to choose to serve the Lord, our Creator.