May 29 / Ezekiel 36:16-38

Ezekiel 36:16-38

Dear RTB’ers,

…My holy name… This phrase occurs three times in today’s reading, plus one other occurrence where “great” replaces “holy”. It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. (v. 22b) That is, the Lord’s punishment of Israel for their sinfulness – their military defeats, their exiles, their wanderings – leads their neighboring nations to feel that Israel’s God is weak, that He cannot protect His people. It makes Him (His holy name) look bad. So when He returns His people to His land, it is for the sake of His name, not because of any goodness within Israel: Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. (vv. 31-32) God is offering restoration, but also seeking repentance.

The Lord’s concern for His name hearkens back to His concern with idolatry, back to the first commandment, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:1-2) I heard a speaker once suggest that the other nine commandments are all subsets of the first commandment. Everything else that is sin is a direct result of us placing something else in higher regard than God. In every wrong thing that we do, we are placing ourselves or our goals or our wants above Him. But yes, He has provided a “way out” for us: And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules. (vv. 26-27)

I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it. … Then they will know that I am the LORD. (vv. 36b, 38b)

Blessings.

See also: August 12 (2023) / Ezekiel 34-37 (again).

May 28 / Ezekiel 35:1-36:15

Ezekiel 35:1-36:15

Dear RTB’ers,

Prophecies against Edom and in favor of Israel (both Judah and the Northern Kingdom)… Here is the Lord’s judgment in a single sentence (the Lord God speaking): Surely I have spoken in My hot jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and utter contempt, that they might make its pasturelands a prey. (v. 36:5) As the Northern Kingdom was being wiped out by the Assyrians and Judah by the Babylonians, the Edomites (and other hostile neighbors) were happy to move themselves onto this deserted land. However, the Lord God refers to this land as “My land”, what we refer to as the Promised Land, and He wants it back!

I like the Lord’s use of “because of…, therefore…”, justifying His punishment against Edom: because you did not hate bloodshed, therefore blood shall pursue you. … As you rejoiced over…Israel, because it was desolate, so I will deal with you; you shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. (v. 35:6b,15) Bloodshed, blood. Desolation, desolate. Nice pairings.

There’s a lesson for us in today’s readings – do not rejoice when your “enemy” fails (whoever or whatever your “enemy” is); rather, pray for him/her/its repentance and renewal. It’s a good lesson for me when I consider Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the challenges and difficulties that Russia and her armies are facing.

Blessings.

See also: August 12 (2023) / Ezekiel 34-37 (again).

May 27 / Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34

Dear RTB’ers,

A fairly straightforward reading today. Israel’s “shepherds” (kings, priests, prophets) are not tending their sheep properly: You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. (v. 3-4) So the Lord Himself will become their shepherd (Ez. 34:11-16).

The only confusion in the chapter is with reference to David: And I will set up over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken. (vv. 23-24) How would Ezekiel and his fellow exiles interpret these verses? Israel’s king had been deposed; would David’s line continue during their exile or after their prophesied return? Clearly we see these verses as referring to Jesus, our Messiah.

I see Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18) throughout today’s reading. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. AMEN!!

Blessings.

See also: August 12 (2023) / Ezekiel 34-37.

May 26 / Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel 33

Dear RTB’ers,

In previous chapters Ezekiel has been predicting the downfall of Jerusalem. Today we see that it has happened as predicted, In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has been struck down.” (v. 21) Ezekiel now has a new twofold mission, preaching individual responsibility and offering pastoral comfort.

Today’s first twenty verses are about individual responsibility. Much of what Ezekiel had been preaching in previous chapters had been about corporate responsibility – all of Jerusalem sinning – but now it’s individual responsibility. The word “each” is mentioned three times today, beginning with O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways. (v. 20b) Verses 23-29 then emphasize that personal accountability.

In today’s final paragraph we see the beginning of Ezekiel’s new mission of pastoral counseling. The exiles appear to be seeking the Lord, Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD. (v. 30b) Unfortunately, little has changed in their hearts: And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. (v. 31)

How often do I hear what I need to hear and resolve to do what I need to do, but then fail as I move forward. Sadly, like Jerusalem’s children I’m an exile on this earth, seeking Him and hearing Him, but failing in following Him. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. Wretched man that I am! (Romans 7:19, 24a) Yes, wretched…!

Blessings.

See also: August 9 (2023) / Ezekiel 33:21-33; 19; 22:23-31; 25.

May 25 / Psalm 89:38-52

Psalm 89:38-52

Dear RTB’ers,

It is helpful to recall yesterday’s reading, the beginning of this Psalm, where the psalmist speaks of God’s everlasting covenant with David and his children. Then today’s first verse jumps out like a monster in the dark, beginning with “But…” The psalmist then angrily charges God with bringing on all this destruction and renouncing His covenant. The words “You” and “Yours” are spoken fifteen times in today’s first eight verses where the writer’s anger pours forth, then another ten times in the final seven verses where the writer seeks God’s mercy. Is God behind all this? Yes. Does He have a plan? Yes. What is our best response? Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen. (v. 52)

So, have you ever been angry at God? I’ll leave it there…

Blessings.

See also:

May 24 / Psalm 89:1-37

Psalm 89:1-37

Dear RTB’ers,

From its beginning this Psalm is about David and his relationship with God – God’s choice of him to be king (Ps. 89:19-20), God’s covenant with him (Ps. 89:3, 28, 34), his victorious reign (Ps. 89:20-27), and finally, his descendants (Ps. 89:30-37). In addition we have a long section (Ps. 89:5-18) where the psalmist praises God for His creation and His power.

I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. (v. 29) As Christians my Study Bible noted that we see this verse fulfilled in Jesus, but as our STS companion book suggests, the psalmist himself might be a bit confused as to the Lord’s faithfulness. We’ll read about that in the rest of this Psalm tomorrow.

Blessings.

See also:

May 23 / Psalm 88

Psalm 88

Dear RTB’ers,

Today, a very unusual psalm… Except for the first verse (O LORD, God of my salvation…), the entire Psalm reads like a lament – except that, unlike a lament the writer does not explain his situation, what he is lamenting and why. He seems to be near death, or very ill at a minimum. There is one part of a verse where he might be a prisoner, I am shut in so that I cannot escape… (v. 8b), but even there we do not know where or why. He seems to blame God for his situation: You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me… (vv. 6-7a), but again no further information. He sounds a lot like Job, You have caused my companions to shun me… You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me… (v. 8a, 18a) Here’s Job 19:13-14: He has removed my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances have completely turned away from me. My relatives have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me. He continues to cry out to God, But I, O LORD, cry to You; in the morning my prayer comes before You. (v. 13) However, even that does not seem to be much of a prayer of faith.

A very unusual psalm… Your comments?

Blessings.

See also:

May 22 / Psalms 86-87

Psalms 86-87

Dear RTB’ers,

Two psalms today, the first a deliverance prayer by David, the second a recognition of Zion (Jerusalem) as God’s holy city.

My Study Bible noted that Psalm 86 is the only psalm written by David that is included in Book 3 of the Psalter. Like so many of David’s psalms from Book 2, David speaks praise in the first thirteen verses before he gets to his need for God’s deliverance in the last four verses. It’s a pattern that I would do well to copy! So often my prayer moves so quickly to the many needs I have for myself and my family and friends. I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever. (v. 86:12) Yes, it’s a good pattern to follow.

Glorious things of you are spoken… (v. 87:3a) How many of us can read those words without singing them! Yeah, we would replace “you” with “thee”, but it’s a standard song in any church hymnal. Written by John Newton (“Amazing Grace”) in 1779, it has clearly stood the test of time. On the holy mount stands the city He founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. (vv. 87:1-2) I hope to visit Jerusalem someday, but it looks more and more that it’ll be the end times before I get there!

Blessings.

See also:

May 21 / Psalms 84-85

Psalms 84-85

Dear RTB’ers,

Two psalms today instead of only the one that STS has in their schedule. This correction is our third for our falling short by four days last year.

In today’s first psalm the writer expresses sadness at not being near the temple: My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD… (v. 84:2a) He may be in exile in Babylon, or he could be in Jerusalem but shut out from temple worship after Jerusalem has been overtaken. But in later verses (Ps. 84:5, 6) he appears to be a pilgrim on one of his annual journeys to Jerusalem. Whatever the cause for his being away from the temple, his heart clearly longs for that time again: For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (v. 84:10) Well said!!

Today’s first psalm speaks of the writer’s absence from the temple; the second psalm (essentially) speaks of his absence from God – for himself and those around him: Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away Your indignation toward us! Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? (vv. 85:4-5) Even as he asks these questions, he is certain of God’s ultimate favor: Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. (v. 85:9) He then lists a few descriptors for God: Steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, peace… (v. 85:10) We could list many more. Think of His mercy, His patience, His power… and many more!

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (v. 84:11b) Somehow, somewhere long ago someone gave me this verse. I don’t remember who or why, but it stuck with me. I have been blessed with many “good things” and I am humbled at the thought that I might have been “walking uprightly”. And if so, it was only because God’s Holy Spirit was walking beside me, leading the way. Way back when and continuing today… Glory!

Blessings.

See also:

May 20 / Psalm 81-83

Psalm 81-83

Dear RTB’ers,

Three psalms today, and not much in the way of a common denominator.

Psalm 81 starts as a worship psalm with the psalmist recalling God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Then God expresses His frustration with His people: But My people did not listen to My voice; Israel would not submit to Me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! (vv. 81:11-13) And that’s how the psalm ends, without the standard closure of a writer’s confidence in Israel’s repentance and God’s forgiveness.

In Psalm 82 God is dealing with unjust judges. He has simple commands for His judges: Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (vv. 82:3-4) The weak, the fatherless, the afflicted, the destitute, the needy. Yes, God loves us, each and every one of us, but He seems to have a particularly warm feeling for the downtrodden. Do we as a people, as a church, share His concerns?

Finally, in Psalm 83 the psalmist is asking for deliverance from Israel’s enemies, especially from their nearby neighbors. His belief is that they want Israel eliminated: They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” (v. 83:4) Several thousand years later, not much seems to have changed. His plea for his own (Israel’s) deliverance is also a concern for God’s “reputation” as we saw yesterday: …that they may seek Your name, O LORD… that they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth. (vv. 83:16-18)

…that You alone are the Most High over all the earth…

Blessings.

See also: