August 30, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Ezekiel 13 - Covering up cracks in the masonry with paint doesn't mend the masonry.  What God is disturbed with in this chapter is the "cover-up" of false prophecies with the false claim, "...the Lord says..." when He didn't say it at all!  You'll see a verse in this chapter, verse 19, which could be used as a rebuttal against abortion, "...killing people who should not die..." and giving grounds for capital punishment, "...keeping people alive who should not live..."  Think about that.

Ezekiel 14 - Too often God's prophets have been approached by supposedly sincere seekers for truth from the Lord but who already had a devotion to false gods, verses 1-3.  God sees right through their insincere worship.  Later in this chapter God tells Ezekiel that if "Noah, Daniel, and Job" were to live in Jerusalem they could not keep God from destroying the city.  They, alone, would be saved.  This obviously shows that Ezekiel, being amongst the Babylonian captives, had knowledge of Daniel who was still alive during that time period.

Ezekiel 15 - Wiersbe suggests that vines are good for too things:  "bearing or burning."  If the vine isn't going to produce fruit, its useless for anything else but to burn.  So Israel was like a fruitless vine.  Note John 15:6.