March 19, 2025

You cannot stop God. If He intends to make corrections because the people have strayed or denied Him, His plan will prevail no matter what a government tries to do. The phrase “nothing can stop what’s coming” seems to be a word we can count on. Those who reject Jesus and deny God’s sovereignty will have a rude awakening when Jesus comes to take his place as King. Egypt was haughty and thought they were too big to be taken down, but God told Ezekiel to tell His plan and lament over Egypt. Why a lamentation? Because God would rather they repent and come to Him than require His correction. It is the same thing today. God wants our submission, to accept His gift of Jesus for salvation, to humble ourselves, and to repent. If we would turn from our worldly pursuits, deny ourselves, and turn to Him, and pray, He might relent, but if our country continues on its path of rejecting Jesus and denying God, He will have no choice but to correct us. Keep praying and repent every day, even if you don’t think you sinned; make it part of your prayers. Offer heartfelt praise and thanksgiving as a way of life. We must do our part to give as much time as possible to bring our friends and family into the sheepfold before God’s corrections occur. 

Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 30:19

March 18, 2025

God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the pharaoh of Egypt. His complaint against him was that he was haughty in thinking he made and owned the river. 

Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. Ezekiel 29:3

We must consider this a warning not to become too pleased with our accomplishments. Had it not been for God, nothing we have ever said or done would have happened, nor would we own anything without Him giving it to us. Don't forget that He also gives us our abilities; we did nothing to earn them, but because God entrusted us with His plan, He gave us the knowledge we needed for that purpose. What good are you doing if you are not using your gifts to further the kingdom of God? Do you think you earned the wealth you've accumulated? You haven't. Everything God has given you can also be taken away by Him, just as it happened with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Thank God for everything you have because, without Him, we would still be dust. 

March 17, 2025

The king of Tyre was haughty and positioned himself as a god. Jewels and merchandise surrounded him. Because he thought of himself as greater than he ought, God sentenced him to die at the hands of strangers, like being thrown away at sea. God told Ezekiel to take up a lamentation for the king; in it, he described all his riches and that he was like a cherub in the Garden of Eden, guarding the entrance to paradise. Sadly, when you think of yourself as a god, the One True God will put you in your place, and that’s what happened to the king of Tyre. Compared to our current situation, I can see the current leader of the free world being a king similar to the king of Tyre, dripping with wealth and holding unimaginable power. I can see him resembling him more than David or the Persian king, but let’s hope that’s not the case; only time will tell. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what he is doing for our country, but I have no intention of putting him ahead of God, nor should you. God can use whoever he wants to bring about His plan. As a precaution, sleep in your armor, and God will do the rest. We are hidden in Jesus so we can rest peacefully knowing he has us covered, but if you must unsheathe the sword, remember that God fights for us, so we need not worry. 

And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God. Ezekiel 28:26

March 16, 2025

God told Ezekiel to write a lamentation for Tyre. If you remember, they rejoiced over the devastation of Jerusalem; we shouldn’t be happy over someone’s ruin. Ezekiel recounted all the attributes of Tyre; because of his description, it was a place that I would have liked to visit, with its wealth, beauty, and desirable merchandise, much like visiting a high-end Walmart with everything you could imagine, only better. God’s recount of Tyre through Ezekiel even made me lament their destruction. I feel like it was a beautiful place we never got to see. Its undoing made me think about what could happen to the United States and all the wonderful things we enjoy if God ever decided to punish us for what the extreme liberals have done by rejecting the sovereignty of God. Our beauty and fortune could disappear like Tyre. I hope He still considers us blessed because we are still free to worship Him and because there are more of us who honor Him than those who dishonor Him. Stand firm, mighty warriors of God, fight against the powers and principalities seeking to destroy our nation, and pray that God would route them in every endeavor to come against us, His beloved Church, the beacon on a hill that shines for all to see. 

These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. Ezekiel 27:24-25

March 15, 2025

Just when I thought I couldn’t learn anything from God’s vengeance on the enemies of Israel and Judah, He opened my eyes to the truth. What could we possibly learn from these other countries? Tyre wasn’t an enemy of Judah and Jerusalem but was a rival. When Jerusalem fell at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, they were happy because now they could prosper more by filling the needs of Jerusalem’s customers. God doesn’t see things the same as we do, and He was not happy with them for rejoicing over the destruction of His people and sent Nebuchadnezzar to take over their country, too. Their destruction was so bad that they would never be heard from again. We should learn from their experience and shouldn’t be happy about the destruction of others because the recompense of God will come down hard on those who are delighted over someone’s misfortune. God expects us to love our neighbors, so we should expect His correction if we provoke Him for not keeping His commands. Like a dear friend reminded me, vengeance is not as satisfying as you would expect. Let God handle the correction, but do not rejoice in the misfortune of others, even your enemy. 

I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 26:21

March 14, 2025

Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. In the following seven chapters of Ezekiel, he prophesies against Israel's enemies. When God corrects us, it is loving, but when he corrects others for oppressing His children, especially those who reject Him and seek after fake gods, it is wrath! When someone hurts me or my family, I seethe with anger and desire to lash out against them with revenge. However, that's not the best idea because who can cause more harm to them than God? Rather than take things into your own hands, pray that you might see the outcome of His vengeance. Now remember, seeing it may not be part of God's plan, but it would sure feel good to know that the pain they caused us doesn't go unpunished. You can be sure that even if you don't get to witness God's vengeance on your behalf, there will be consequences for their actions against you. Cry out to God and allow Him to relieve your anger. Ask Him for justice. He is loving and will calm your anger and soothe your pain. Don't forget, He wants your enemy to turn away from evil and seek Him, too, and turn to His Son, our Savior, Jesus, and come under His covering. At the time, we may wish they burn in hell for the rest of their lives, but we don't understand that kind of pain and should never want that for anyone. The best revenge is to see them turn themselves around and come to know the Lord, which will make things better for everyone.

And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them. Ezekiel 25:17

March 13, 2025

Nebuchadnezzar went against Jerusalem as Ezekiel had predicted. He informed the people in captivity with him of the siege by boiling meat and using some of the bones as kindling for the fire. Again, Ezekiel had to act out the news so the people would understand him, much like children and cartoons. God gave him this word, and that very same day, it happened just as He said, giving the people proof that the words coming from Ezekiel were the words of God. Then, a heartbreaking thing happened to Ezekiel: his wife died. God had forewarned that this would happen, but are you ever prepared for such an event? However, what's even more sad is that God told him not to mourn for her, that he wasn't allowed to shed a tear. He had to continue carrying on like nothing had happened. The act of not grieving was also a sign to the people that they wouldn't be able to mourn for the loss of the sanctuary and that it would be dissolved, and their sons and daughters would die by the sword. We can see from this and already know that God looks at marriage as a sanctuary. Doesn't this all make sense, even for those who are slow to understand? We can count on God keeping His word; if He vows destruction, it will happen; if He vows relief, we can count on it. His words are trustworthy and true. We may not like how they happen, but He is the One we can count on. 

And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 24:23-24

March 12, 2025

God gave a word to Ezekiel to prophesy, calling out Jerusalem and Samaria for their whoredoms, calling them sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, for going after the gods of Assyria and Egypt. He admonished them for sacrificing their children to Moloch, shedding their blood, and burning them with fire. It was such a grotesque act and showed their love for their fake gods was more than for their children and the One True God, to whom they had committed. The same thing is happening today but may look slightly different. I would compare it to abortion, child trafficking, using children to satisfy their sick desires, and parents seizing the minds of their children, allowing them to think they were born in the wrong body and committing the heinous atrocity of cutting off parts of their bodies before they are old enough to consent. Many Hollywood stars sacrifice their children this way so they can have a career in the spotlight. There is no doubt that it’s a sick, satanic ritual that they must participate in because of the deals they’ve made with the devil. Even ordinary people do such disturbing acts to their children. If people would stay faithful to God and keep their faces looking toward Him, it is less likely that these types of demonic rituals would happen. We don’t want to believe such things are going on today, but a simple surface-level internet search will show you the truth about how sick people are.  God cleansed Jerusalem and Samaria by removing the people and allowing them to lay desolate for seventy years after the people were carried into Babylon. What’s going to happen to us? Time will tell. Pray for our country that the people committing such atrocities are brought to justice. 

And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 23:49

March 11, 2025

Know this: God sees those who oppress His children. As Americans in the United States, we have had our minds seared into believing we are free, and to an extent, we are, considering we are free to worship God as long as it doesn’t interfere with the plans of the wicked. As a reminder, look back at 2020 as an example; in most places, the churches were closed and barred from collective worship. The World Health Organization declared the pandemic on March 11, 2020! That time was a good reminder of how free we are not! It was a wake-up call for our people; many woke up, but many are still oppressed by it; we know this because so many are still wearing masks, even when alone in their cars. What does this have to do with Ezekiel? Like many countries today, the powers in Judah and Jerusalem were oppressing the poor, laws were broken and overlooked, the prophets were deceitful, and God couldn’t find a man among them to pray for the people or stand in the gap for them. The difference between then and now is that we have people to intercede and go before God on behalf of the people and pray that they turn back to righteousness. We are in dire straits; are you praying? Make it your mission to stand in the gap and call for repentance to help turn away the wrath of God from those who don’t believe that they would see their wrongful ways, turn to Jesus, and become saved. The lessons of the past should be a stark reminder that God is just and will set things right, one way or another.

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. Ezekiel 22:27-28

March 10, 2025

It is sad when the wicked do not turn from their ways because God will not relent in their punishment. Unfortunately, there are times when the righteous are caught in His fury. However, God will make it up to the righteous in other ways, namely, dwelling with Him in the heavenly realm. Ezekiel warns Judah and Jerusalem of the coming sword, that it will be sharpened and polished for the slaughter and will take everything in its path as it goes forth. This was a warning to those left in Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar would make a third and final pass over the country and would bring an end to Israel and Judah. Of course, they didn’t listen and did not shudder at the implications of what was about to come down on their heads. God told Ezekiel to sigh to indicate his fear of what was coming at His hand. Remember, God can and will use His enemy for whatever purpose He wants. So if your enemy comes after you, it may not be Satan or demons trying to destroy you, it might be God trying to correct you. Don’t believe the lie that God is not disciplining you for your sins; what if He is and you deny the correction? He may come down harder to show you the truth of your misbehavior. If you are saved, there is no longer eternal punishment, but do not doubt that He will correct you. Stay constant in prayer, repentance is necessary, and avoiding the continuation of your sin is required to stop or slow the process of discipline. God corrects those he loves; have no doubt that He loves you. 

And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 21:7

March 9, 2025

God told Ezekiel to write a lamentation for the past kings of Israel and Judah since an end had come to their kingdom because of their captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel compared the children of Israel to a lioness, producing whelps that became lions (kings) who used their positions of power to do whatever they pleased rather than what was best for their constituents. Other countries saw this, exploited their weakness, and devoured them, and God allowed it to happen. Mourning for the loss of what once was is something we can all understand. When a light is shined on corruption, and the dirty laundry is laid out for all the world to see, it is embarrassing and shows weakness, allowing the nation's enemies to overtake; that's what happened to the kings of Israel and Judah. This lamentation is relevant today. We see nations crumbling all over the world at the hands of tyrants, including our USA. We hope and pray that the hand of God is resting on our current leader and that he will turn things around for the better. Eventually, we will see God's plan unfold, whether it is for good or if we are being disciplined. 

Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit. Ezekiel 19:8

March 8, 2025

God doesn’t want anyone to die in sin and is delighted when we turn away from it to live eternally in His presence. If we continue in evil disobedience, were we genuinely saved? Not likely. A sure sign of our salvation is regretfulness when we do something we know is not right in the eyes of God and repent.

How do you know if you are truly converted?

1. You have an aversion to sin. 
2. It’s cringy when you see others sin and convicted of your own sin.
3. You must hate sin.

What are the promises when you turn away from sin?

1. You will save your soul and live eternally.
2. Your sin will not rise up in judgment against you.
3. You will live in righteousness, not for it. 

What happens if you turn towards evil and away from righteousness? The same outcome as an unrepentant sinner. Your former righteousness will not save you. 

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Ezekiel 18:24

Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:8-9

Sun in Front of the Clouds

March 7, 2025

Some time ago, I asked God to fill in the gaps in my understanding, and of course, He has been faithful in answering me. One such thing is about the vine and the branches; he is the vine, and we are the branches. 

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:5-6

It seems simple enough to comprehend, but He added another layer showing its depth. In saying this, Jesus knew the people following him would get the comparison because Ezekiel mentions it in his prophecy to Judah. Ezekiel may have been thinking about how beautiful Jerusalem was when God gave him a word about its destruction and compared it to a useless vine being set on fire. We’ve all experienced a noxious weed with a vine stretching beyond our reach, and Judah and Jerusalem were unfruitful weeds that had turned their back on God. However, Jesus calls us the branches of his vine, and because we belong to him and continue to produce fruit, we can avoid being trimmed off and thrown into the fire. The added layer of understanding: Our fruitful branch will twine around the enemy and choke out his temptations, continue to grow, produce fruit, and expand, making other branches that also produce fruit. The fire will not consume us because we are attached to Jesus. It’s a simple concept with added layers showing how thoughtful our Father is.

God’s word to Jerusalem:

Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Ezekiel 15:5-6

March 6, 2025

During the time that Ezekiel was captive in Babylon, and before all of Jerusalem was conquered, some elders came from Jerusalem to enquire of Ezekiel and get a word of prophecy from him. It seems they had come to test him to see if his prophecy matched Jeremiah’s.  There was something fishy about them, and Ezekiel knew something was amiss. Then, his instincts were right because God gave him a word and said to tell them that He knew they had idols in their hearts, though they pretended to believe in Him, and because they tried to trip up a prophet, He would answer them according to their multitude of idols. And then God told them this:

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 14:14

Daniel was still alive at this point in the scriptures and must have been well known, even during this time. What’s also notable is that most of us already understand that they cannot bring anyone with them and that each person is responsible for their own salvation. Then God gave them the bad news about His judgments against Judah of sword, famine, beast, and pest, which would match Jeremiah’s prophecy.

Though the world is in a shambles, it is a mess that God uses to bring people back under His care, but the idols they’ve built in their hearts must go! What might be blocking your blessings? I’m not talking about material things but genuine blessings. Search your heart for anything that you’ve allowed that might hurt God. Repent and come back to Him. 

March 5, 2025

When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah and Israel, the inhabitants were carried away at different times. Ezekiel lived in Babylon during his visions and when God spoke to him. During this point in his prophecy, Zedekiah was installed as king, which gave the captives hope that he would come to save them because they remembered back to Jeremiah’s prophecy about him coming to Babylon. They thought he would come to conquer Nebuchadnezzar and rescue them. God needed to clarify his word to Ezekiel so the people would understand they were there for the long haul. So God told him to gather his belongings like he was moving, cover his face so he couldn’t see the ground, make it look like he was moving secretly, and dig a hole in the wall to go out that way. God told him to tell them there would be a prince among them, pointing to King Zedekiah. If you remember, in Jeremiah, he tells of Zedekiah being carried off as a captive and then having his eyes plucked out, meaning he couldn’t see where he was going. Ezekiel had to act out his prophecy because the people were too blind to see the truth, so acting it out would help their dull brains understand. 

We are no different; there are so many signs before our eyes telling us where the world is going, but we cannot see them because our brains are so dulled by our unbelief, environmental issues, possible food contamination, and pharmaceuticals. All these factors can lead our minds only to be able to see what is right before us but not to understand the truth about what is happening in general. Has someone cast a spell and made the worldwide population fall asleep? The awakening will be rude! Stay connected to the Father; He will protect you in His mighty hands. He is our hope for brighter days.

And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. Ezekiel 12:12

March 4, 2025

We must remember that God's words are to help save us from disaster, not to bring depression, but to encourage us to be righteous. I am overjoyed to find Jesus in Ezekiel 9. He was counted with the angels sent to destroy Jerusalem, but he was there to mark the foreheads of the righteous so they wouldn't be slain. He was clothed in linen and carried an inkhorn as the writers did during Ezekiel's time; he was commissioned to write the names to be saved from destruction in the Book of Life during the cleansing of Jerusalem. Much like the blood over the doorpost in Egypt, we are marked on the forehead for salvation in Jesus. One of those saved during that time was Jeremiah. "Baruch and Ebed-Melech were secured, and, it is likely, others of Jeremiah's friends, for his sake." Matthew Henry. It makes so much more sense why Jeremiah was so sad and crying all the time; his heart broke for the sinners who were being destroyed or left for starvation. These words give us hope that during tribulation in the last days, if we are here, God will have mercy on us and not be slain by His wrath. That doesn't mean we will not die by other means, but it won't be because of God's fury. 

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Ezekiel 9:4-5

March 3, 2025

I searched everywhere for words of encouragement in Ezekiel 7, but there are none. God had given the children of Israel multiple warnings from the prophets, and now Ezekiel is prophesying destruction. The only warning this time was to prepare for the wrath! I hoped to candy coat it like the false prophets, but when it’s God’s word, I dare not write anything but the truth. So, I will share my heart with you; if you don’t want God’s discipline to affect you and everyone else, pray for our country, and if there is anything wicked in you, repent and ask forgiveness. Though we are not Israel, we are a Christian nation, so God expects more from us than nations that worship idols and false deities. We’ve allowed into our country unbelievers, and it seems that their presence has had a substantial impact on us because they brought with them the demons associated with their cultish religion. However, we can’t always blame someone else for disobedience, so we need to look within and ensure there is nothing detestable in us, and maybe He will relent from giving us what we deserve in the form of His wrath. Pray before it’s too late and God sends His wrath upon us as He did Israel and Judah. 

There is good news: we have Jesus! If we are caught in the crossfire of God’s destruction, we can count on Jesus standing up from his throne and welcoming us into heaven. I’m okay with that; how about you? 

An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come. Ezekiel 7:6

March 2, 2025

The Lord God will hold his children accountable if they stray from Him to worship fake idols or so-called deities. The timeline for Ezekiel's next prophecy is thought to be after he had finished the 430 days of demonstration of God's plan. God gave him another prophecy concerning Israel and Judah about the worship of idols, the high places, and altars they rebuilt after Josiah had destroyed them. God vowed to cut down their idols once again and scatter the people's carcasses at the base of their altars.  We are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God, so when we introduce anything that replaces God in our hearts and minds, we can expect consequences. He is a jealous God! I know we have Jesus, and he covers our sins, but how do you think he feels about us worshipping another god? I can assure you that he will come into your temple with a whip to break down the altars to such gods. Do you want that to happen? If not, it may be a good idea to rid yourself of those idols and repent. Consider that an idol is something or someone you give a higher importance than God. Search your heart, and if you don't see it, ask God to show it to you. If you are sincere about wanting a cleansing of the filth of an idol, He will make it obvious so you see where you went wrong so you can ask forgiveness. God gives us grace and is very merciful, especially if we are sincere. 

Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. Ezekiel 6:13

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. John 2:15-16

March 1, 2025

God told Ezekiel that if he didn’t warn the people of their sins, their blood would be on his hands. Then God closed his mouth so he couldn’t speak, but when He decided it was time, He would open his mouth. Rather than speak his prophetic warning, he was required to act it out because words didn’t seem to affect people’s behavior, so he had to treat them like children and give them pictures. God told Ezekiel to set up a diorama showing a siege against them, gather less than ideal grain for bread to last for the entire time, and cook it over dung. This act would show them that they would eat defiled bread among the Gentiles, which would be measured so they couldn’t consume too much. He was to lay on his side for 390 days for the sins of Israel and 40 days for the sins of Judah; this represented how long they would be under siege. Ezekiel was acting so he could get up and move about while the people weren’t there to see him. Understanding this may be hard for us because times are different, but in that day and time, it would have penetrated their hearts if they weren’t hardened against God. 

The point for us is to use whatever means necessary to get our message across to the sinful people around us; God will show us how. Though we may not be prophets like Ezekiel, we have been given a commission by Jesus to tell the world about him. Not doing so could put their blood on our hands. If they don’t turn, that’s their problem, but your hands will be clean if you warn them of their coming doom. 

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Ezekiel 3:18-19

Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. Ezekiel 4:4

February 28, 2025

Ezekiel was sent to the children of Israel during their captivity in Babylon. God sent them there because of their rebellion against Him. Even though Ezekiel was a priest before the captivity, God called him to be His prophet and to take His message to them. We can see from the stories in Ezekiel and Daniel that though God loved these two prophets, they were still sent to Babylon as captives along with the defiant children. God needed them as messengers for Him. He loved Israel and didn't want them to forget about their heritage, but also wanted them to submit to Him and love Him. The scriptures tell us that the Holy Spirit entered Ezekiel, and he heard God speak. God told him not to be afraid of the people as obstinate as they were. Then he saw a hand, and it rolled out a scroll in front of him. God told him to eat it. This portion of God's word clearly indicates His desire for us to consume His scriptures and feed our spirit with His words. How else are we going to know how He wants us to behave? 

Jesus rolls out the scripture before us every day. You probably have an app on your phone or a dusty Bible in your home, and he calls us all to witness to others to help bring them into submission to the Lord, the equivalent of eating the scroll. Feed your spirit every day by consuming God's word, and He will use you in unimaginable ways. I pray that you see Him working in your life and the lives of others as confirmation of your calling.

But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; Ezekiel 2:8-9

February 27, 2025

Ezekiel was in captivity in Babylon by the river Chebar. He had an incredible vision of God's spirit surrounded by the image of angels. He does his best to describe what he saw, but I cannot picture it. God may have given him this vision as a precursor to his calling to be His prophet to the captive Israelites in Babylon. It was probably a shocking scene that would get his attention and let him know that what he was about to see and hear was coming from the Almighty God. 

God speaks to us in different ways; He knows us well, so He communicates in ways he knows we will hear Him. In my case, it started with simple observations of birds, understanding what their colors and mannerisms conveyed. He made use of them so that I would understand what He meant when He presented them to me. For instance, in my understanding of God's voice, the American Egret, a big white bird, represents purity and holiness; the owl, who is a night predator, represents demonic activity; the Roseate Spoonbill, a beautiful pink bird, is a blessing because I love seeing them. He will likely use something you enjoy or can relate to when He speaks to you. Ultimately, God speaks through the Bible; however, sometimes, He reaches out to us in ways that suit our understanding. 

The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. Ezekiel 1:3

February 26, 2025

Everything Jeremiah told King Zedekiah was coming true; the fall of Jerusalem was at hand. Nebuchadnezzar and his army besieged the city, and his generals came in and sat at the middle gate. Zedekiah took off but was caught before he got to Jericho. The soldiers took him to Nebuchadnezzar, where he had his sons and nobles killed, then gouged his eyes out, put him in chains, and carried him off to Babylon. The Chaldeans burned down the palace and the homes of the people, then knocked down the walls. However, Nebuchadnezzar had a soft spot in his heart for Jeremiah, had his people treat him well, and let him out of prison. He had probably heard Jeremiah's warnings from God to Zedekiah about his invasion and conquering of Jerusalem. Before Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, Jeremiah got word from God to tell Zedekiah's servant, Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, that the invasion wouldn't harm him and God would deliver him out of the hands of men because he helped Jeremiah and listened to the Lord more than His own people.

Though we may go through tough times, we can see from this story that because we love Jesus and do our best to obey God, He will honor us by protecting us from His wrath, just as he did Jeremiah and Edebmelech. 

Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. Jeremiah 39:11-12

February 25, 2025

God gave many warnings to the king and princes of Jerusalem, but they were met with indignation, especially from the princes. They were angry that Jeremiah brought nothing but bad news. In their anger, they lowered Jeremiah into a cistern that had no water but was muddy, and he sank in the mud. The Bible doesn't specify how long Jeremiah was there, but it was long enough that he was in danger of starvation. Fortunately for him, an Ethiopian servant, Ebedmelech, in the king's house got word of the evil done to Jeremiah by being put in the cistern and asked King Zedekiah if they could get him out before he died. The king commanded Ebedmelech to take thirty men with him to get him out. Ebedmelech took soft rags and cords to lift Jeremiah out of the pit gently. 

King Zedekiah then had Jeremiah brought to him to get a word from God. Jeremiah was careful about what he said, fearing retribution because there were only warnings and bad news for all of them. Zedekiah promised not to kill him, so Jeremiah told him to turn himself over to the king of Babylon, or the Chaldeans would burn the city. Zedekiah had no intention of doing what God told him through Jeremiah. 

What is the point of listening to preaching or reading the Bible if you don't plan on following the advice given? Do you get credit for showing up to church or reading the Bible? No! Don't waste your time inquiring of God if you don't plan to do what He says. We must be obedient to God so it fares well for us.

So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was therewhen Jerusalem was taken. Jeremiah 38:28

February 24, 2025

God told Jeremiah to gather the older people and older priests at the east gate, the valley of the son of Hinnom, and to take a clay bottle with him. He told the people that he was about to bring evil upon this place because they were burning incense to other gods, and they were burning their sons as an offering to Baal, which was something He had never even considered requiring them to do. They had rejected the laws of God but worshipped their fake gods more than the one true God. He told them that the valley of the son of Hinton would soon be called the valley of slaughter because many would be scattered there and left for the birds and animals to devour their carcasses. He then broke the bottle as an active prophecy to them that there would be no putting the country back together unless God did it.

Many countries in the world, but especially the United States and Europe, are guilty of heinous crimes against children, whether it is abortion or trafficking for the pleasure of sick adults. We are waiting on God’s retribution and are unsure how long He will allow it to continue. Hopefully, the madness will stop before God decides to pour his wrath upon us. 

Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Jeremiah 19:10-11