Category: Ezekiel

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Read through Revelation 19:11-21 and 20:7-10. While some see these nations as specific end-time nations, I believe that they apply to all such nations, for the promise in v.25-29 was fulfilled at Pentecost.

SJA Notes

* Lord God, please help us understand Your word to us today.

“I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

This passage has some confronting pictures and hard words.

What can we understand?

One truth deep and profound is that it is better by far to be humbled before the Lord here on earth than to remain stubborn in rejection of God to death and come before Him on the day of final judgement.

God WILL have His name hallowed and made holy. He is JEALOUS for His holy Name.

The Lord WILL set His glory among the nations and deal in judgement according to sin, according to our state of cleanliness.

We can be encouraged that if we own Jesus as Lord and King we are judged according to His righteousness instead of our sinful dirt-ridden hearts.

We can be convicted to walk in humility, hallowing God’s Name in the world, keeping it holy. We have been saved, and that nothing from ourselves!

Let us take every opportunity given to point people to Jesus.

* Lord God,

Every part of Your word is important and meaningful and powerful.

When we cannot fully understand and comprehend Your word, we come before You knowing that You are wiser than we are, and that You will let us know all that we need to for this life.

Please Lord, continue to place within us a desire to be holy as You are holy.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Gog and Magog are those who conquer through terror and war. Notice in verse 22, the plagues of Egypt. The ruthless don’t get the final victory. They too will tremble at His presence.

SJA Notes

* Gracious Heavenly Father, please help us see Your wisdom for us today from Your word.

“So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

As has been a constant refrain in Ezekiel, God’s desire is that we KNOW HIM.

Today’s passage features the vast martial host of Gog and Magog.

In Revelation 20 we read,

“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.”

We can see that this army represents nations such as Assyria and Babylon, who we know God used as vehicles for His purposes.

And from Revelation we can see that this army will continue to represent the same throughout the ages, until the last battle, until the last trumpet sounds.

So what do we do with this? What value does it have for us today?

Think about the landscape of the world around us. Think about powers and movements, politics and wars.

And think of God’s purposes.

THAT WE WILL KNOW THAT HE IS THE LORD.

God will continue to work out His purposes, amidst all the evil we see in the world, all the things going wrong.

He works good even amidst terrible evil.

And that brings us to Jesus, the greatest good brought through the greatest evil.

How do we KNOW God?

We need to come to Jesus. If we know Him, we know God.

Do we know Jesus today?

* Father God,

Thank You that through Jesus we can know You.

Please save those around us, please open their eyes to their need for You, to be set free!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

When we believe that the church has no future, God delights to show us that He has remembered His covenant, even if we think it is impossible for Him. He is the God of RESURRECTION! Also see the twin things that must happen – cleansing from sin and death, and the breath of new life – atonement and the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said the same thing regarding Jesus in Matthew 3:11.

SJA Notes

* Lord God, please teach us Your word today.

“So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

Here is a picture for the exiles, and for those few remaining in the land of Israel, and for us today – God will breathe new life into dry dead bones!

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2,

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked,”

We were dry bones, scattered upon the ground.

As God spoke in the previous passage, and as we see today through the prophesying of His word – Dead hearts are made new, spirits and made alive – Dry bones having life breathed into them!

How good it is that God points us again to Jesus, who brings life to our dead bones,

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd.”

One shepherd. The Good Shepherd!

* Father God,

Love above, God of mercy and grace, giver of life to our dry bones.

Thank You!

Please help us to witness and speak truth, to prophesy to those around us Your word, Your truth – The truth of Jesus, the good news!

Amen.