August 28, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Ezekiel 5 - Ezekiel was called by God to show an illustration of using his own hair.  This would especially touch a Jew for a man's hair was important.  A shaved head was a disgrace.  But that's what Israel was like because of their sin.  Ezekiel was to cut his hair off be divided three ways to show what judgments Israel would face:  death by famine, death by sword, and dispersion among the nations.

Ezekiel 6 - Ezekiel preached against the mountains and valleys where Israel conducted its idolatrous practices.  The whole system would be destroyed.  God will still leave a remnant who would escape and they would know that He was at work because He remembered them among the nations.

Ezekiel 7 - Four times over, verses 3,4,8,9, God says He will "repay" Israel for their sins.  All the things Judah trusted will not help them:  not money, verse 19; not idols, verses 20-22; not their leaders, verses 23-27.

Ezekiel 8 - Ezekiel is given a vision of the defilement of the Temple.  What was happening in the Temple was happening in the nation: idolatry overran it.  Even the inner chambers of the Temple, hidden from outside view, evil practices were happening.  Nothing was hidden from God's view.