Ezekiel 2:1-3:21

Dear RTB’ers,

A couple of items that stood out for me…

And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.(v. 2:2) As Ezekiel is called, he is filled with the Spirit. This indwelling Spirit will guide him and strengthen him and give him ears to hear the Lord’s words to him. We have that same Spirit within us, for guidance, strength, and an ear to hear God speaking to us.

…a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. …and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. … Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. (vv. 2:9b-10, 3:3) Although Ezekiel would be delivering harsh words to the exiles, he would not be adversely affected in his speaking out. He would do what he had to do, in the strength of his indwelling Spirit.

In Ez. 3:4-7 the Lord tells Ezekiel that if he spoke words to a foreign people whose language he could not understand, they would ear and listen to him. But if he spoke these same words to the obstinate exiles, they would not listen because they have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. I love this contrast – it reminds me of how very intelligent people have a hard time accepting a “simple” message of salvation, a message more easily embraced by people who are less well schooled.

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and … I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal… (vv. 3:12a, 15a) Reading literally, we might imagine Ezekiel flying through the sky and landing by the canal. My sense, however, is that the Spirit simply moved Ezekiel to travel the distance necessary to join the exiles.

Finally, one confusion between two translations. The ESV has Ezekiel being overwhelmed in Ez. 3:15b, while the NASB says that his arrival caused consternation among the exiles. Very different understandings! Or maybe both are possible? As we surely know, even great minds can often differ! We will learn more as we read on!

Blessings.

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See also: July 22 (2023) / II Chronicles 36:11-12; Ezekiel 1:1-3:21; II Kings 24:20-25:3; Jeremiah 52:3-6.

Ezekiel 1

Dear RTB’ers,

Ezekiel. The STS and my Study Bible introductions are helpful. With help from these sources we learn that Ezekiel began his prophetic and priestly ministry in 593 BC when he was 30 years old and that he served for 22 years – two more than the normal priestly service. He was an exile, taken to Babylon in 597 BC, eleven years before the fall of Jerusalem. Today’s reading is his detailed account of a vision at three levels – first, a storm and four “creatures”, all well described; second, an “expanse”, reminding us of the expanse in Genesis 1 that separated the waters above from the waters below; then finally above the expanse a throne and a stunning brightness, a “likeness with a human appearance” (v. 26b), later referred to as “the likeness of the glory of the LORD” (v. 28b). Ezekiel is overwhelmed and falls on his face as he hears the beginning of a voice speaking.

How can we not read ahead to what the voice is saying??!!

Blessings.

Philippians 4

Dear RTB’ers,

I have mentioned it before, of Paul writing in other letters, “Be imitators of me.” So, here again: What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things. (v. 9) Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.. (v. 3:17) Paul is not afraid to set himself up as an example. So, what about us? Could we say to a young believer, “Be imitators of me”? If not, what’s lacking in our lives? What needs to change?

…think about these things … whatever is

• honorable,
• just,
• pure,
• lovely,
• commendable,
• excellent,
• worthy of praise… (v. 8)

…think about these things…

I’ll leave it at that. On to Ezekiel…

Blessings.

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See also:

• October 16 (2021) / Philippians 4:1-23
• December 16 (2023) / Philippians

Philippians 3

Dear RTB’ers,

…that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him … righteousness from God that depends on faith. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (vv. 8b-9, 15) There are more verses that precede the emboldened verse above, but I tried to grab a few to catch the meaning to which Paul was going – his faith in the Lord Jesus and people who believe otherwise. My point in the bold verse above is that people, both believers and non-believers will disagree with us, but it’s not our job to convince them otherwise. Our job is to set forth our witness, our faith, what we know as truth, and let the Holy Spirit work in us and in the hearts of those with whom we disagree. Share your faith as best you know how and leave the results up to God.

Blessings.

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See also: October 15 (2021) / Philippians 3:1-21.

Philippians 2:19-30

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we have Paul speaking about two of his fellow believers, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus is new to us; he is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible except for a later mention of him in this letter. We met Timothy long ago in the book of Acts (Acts 16:1-3) when Paul was in Lystra on his second missionary journey. We also read Paul’s two letters to Timothy during our first year in Search the Scriptures, plus Paul mentions him in a number of his other epistles, mostly as his traveling companion or as a sent messenger to cities where Paul has ministered. Paul has kind, loving words for this young believer (Philippians 2:20-22).

Both my Study Bible and an online commentary suggest that Epaphroditus was from Philippi, so mention of him and his service to Paul in this letter is fully appropriate. As with Timothy, Paul speaks highly of Epaphroditus – but he leaves me confused with the following verse: …for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. (v. 30) Something was “lacking” in the Philippians’ service to Paul? What’s that about?

Again, from yesterday, verses worth repeating: Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (vv. 9-11)

Blessings.

Philippians 1:27-2:18

Dear RTB’ers,

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had… (vv. 1:29-30a) I can’t read this verse without my mind going back to Acts 16, the incident of Paul and Silas in prison in Philippi. It makes the whole epistle come alive, in that Paul’s readers can always identify with his imprisonment there.

Encouragement, comfort, participation, affection, sympathy… (v. 2:1) consolation, fellowship, compassion (NASB). Words that describe how Christians need to be living with one another. Other descriptors…?

“Joy” (or “rejoice”) shows up three times today. (Philippians 2:2, 17, 18)

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (vv. 9-11) GLORY!

Blessings.

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See also: October 14 (2021) / Philippians 2:1-30.

Philippians 1:12-26

Dear RTB’ers,

A really good passage today, with a couple of very strong truths proclaimed. First, after acknowledging that his example in his imprisonment has caused others of the brethren to preach the gospel, Paul maintains that not all are preaching from a true heart: Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. (v. 15) Recognizing that some of these preachers’ motives may be misguided, Paul does not continue to fault them, but rather sees the benefit of their preaching: What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (v. 18) I see an application today in our own situation. Although we have left the Episcopal Church and we have seen splits in the Methodist Church (just across the street from our own location), we have to recognize that there are millions of good people with whom we disagree, but who have remained “behind” and are still encouraging others in their faith. It’s like the truth that we see in today’s divisive politics in our own country, “What unites us is far more important than what divides us.” We need to be careful in how we speak of these divisions.

A second truth is one that I often cite: …to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (v. 21) It’s a truth that, in part, led me to the Lord. Jim was a young man who had (over the course of three years) been sharing the gospel with me. I saw the life that he was living and I reasoned that he could not lose: If God were real, Jim would spend eternity with Him, but if there were no God, Jim was fully enjoying the life that he was living. For him, to live was Christ and to die would have been gain. A simple, yet profound truth!

Yes, a really good passage today…!

Blessings.

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See also: October 13 (2021) / Philippians 1:1-30.

Philippians 1:1-11

Dear RTB’ers,

We now leave the Old Testament for a week to spend time with Paul in his letter to the Philippians – one of my favorites of all of Paul’s epistles. When I think of this letter, I think “joy”; this epistle bespeaks that feeling over and over. We see that even in today’s reading, the beginning of his letter. We see the word, itself, in verse 4, then feel it fully in the love that he has for these Philippians: For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (v. 8) Joy and love. That’s what we will be reading for the next week. Enjoy!

Blessings.

Lamentations 5

Dear RTB’ers,

Again, labels for each of the five chapters of Lamentations:

1. Jerusalem’s Misery and Desolation
2. The Lord’s Anger against His People
3. Judah’s Complaint – and Basis for Consolation
4. The Contrast between Zion’s Past and Present
5. Judah’s Appeal for God’s Forgiveness

Today, Judah’s appeal for God’s forgiveness. However, the first 18 verses sound very similar to yesterday’s reading – the difficult plight of Jerusalem’s survivors. But finally, to close the chapter and the Book, the writer (Jeremiah?) asks one more time for the Lord’s intervention: Why do you forget us forever, why do You forsake us for so many days? Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old — unless You have utterly rejected us, and You remain exceedingly angry with us. (vv. 20-22)

That last verse is particularly striking. I don’t believe that the Lord will ever utterly reject us. He loves us too much. But for that Jerusalem writer, it seemed, indeed that He might possibly did remain exceedingly angry. Could God remain that angry? I think not. But let’s not just presume that or take His love that for granted…!!

Blessings.

Lamentations 4

Dear RTB’ers,

Again, labels for each of the five chapters of Lamentations:

1. Jerusalem’s Misery and Desolation
2. The Lord’s Anger against His People
3. Judah’s Complaint – and Basis for Consolation
4. The Contrast between Zion’s Past and Present
5. Judah’s Appeal for God’s Forgiveness

Today, the contrast between Zion’s past and present. John’s link from yesterday asked us to put ourselves into Jerusalem after the fall, to see, smell, feel the horrors of what had happened. That’s a good suggestion for today’s reading, especially the first half of the chapter. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. (v. 10) Horrors upon horrors! It’s a very difficult read, if we truly visualize it.

Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. (v. 9) Possibly therein a message for us today, as millions of people around the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition? Again, let’s put ourselves into their stories.

A very difficult read today…

Blessings.

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See also: August 6 (2023) / Lamentations 3:34-5:22.