Category: Ezekiel

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Ezekiel ends his prophecies with a section that recalls the division of the land of Palestine under Joshua. God will give His people an eternal inheritance, a real inheritance, a place on the new earth. The LORD is there! Hallelujah!

SJA Notes

* God of Light, please shine Your word on our hearts today.

“And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.”

While most of today’s passage is taken up with specific allotments of God’s people, this final sentence encapsulates all of Ezekiel.

Because like the rest of God’s word, the book of Ezekiel stirs within us the hope of glory.

THE LORD IS THERE

What depth of love and mercy, of grace and favour can be found in this name.

There is none of the corruption we see us humanity falling into time and again throughout history and in our world today.

Instead, this is a city of absolute rock-solid hope.

A better world. A better place. A better country.

Are we resting our own hope in this most-precious truth?

* Father God in Heaven,

Thank You for the hope of the new heavenly city that we read of throughout Your word.

Thank You that the name of this city is that YOU ARE THERE.

We long for Your return Lord God.

Please fit us for glory.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The river is associated with Eden, the place where God walks and talks with man. Ezekiel’s Jerusalem Above is Eden Regained. The Scripture trail is Genesis 2:10 and Zechariah 14:8 and Revelation 22:1,2. God alone can regain Eden for man!

SJA Notes

* Loving God, may Your word be our guide today.

“And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kids of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Water is important. It is life to the parched thirst.

John 4 shows us that Jesus brings the water of life, and that if we drink from this living water, our spirits will never thirst again.

Water brings growth.

In Revelation 22 we read of the river of the water of life, directly linking with what we read here in this temple Ezekiel saw,

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

These trees are watered by the water of life.

In John 15 we read of the vine, the branches grafted in and bearing fruit. That growth comes from abiding in Jesus.

If Jesus brings the water of life in the now, and if we are plants that grow and bear fruit while on this narrow road, then how much better our life and growth will be in glory – Where the river of the water of life itself flows!

What a hope we have.

* Mighty God,

Please help us see our need for You today.

Thank You that You bring the water of life to our parched thirsty spirits.

Please Lord, please draw those around us to You, that they might drink of this water!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

There are many echoes of Ezekiel in Revelation eg Revelation 10:9-11 = Ezekiel 3:1-6. The prince brings our captivity captive (by offering Himself on the cross as the Lamb) and gives gifts unto men – Ephesians 4:8.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please help us see Your truth today from Your word. Please open our eyes and unstop our ears.

“The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.”

The idea of promised land (property in the above verse, given in promise) is very strong throughout God’s word.

We have the lot of land that Abraham purchased in the (at the time) not-yet promised land.

We have Joshua’s entry into the promised land with God’s people.

We have the exile of God’s people from the promised land due to their sin, their idolatry (turning away from God).

We have the return from exile (Nehemiah and Ezra tell of this).

But what for us – Should we set our hopes on a piece of land here on earth?

In Hebrews 11 we read of Abraham,

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

While Abraham had the promise for his biological children that they would enter into the promised land in Canaan (where he purchased a plot of land), this was not his great hope, the greater promise!

Why?

Because he desired a BETTER COUNTRY, the new heavens and earth (Revelation 21).

Do we desire the better country, the greater promise, that God is preparing for us?

* Father God,

Please fix our eyes on You, please help us to trust Your promises to us, please set our hearts on a better country than that which we live in.

Please put within us the steady and unshakeable hope of glory.

Amen.