Welcome to a group of women who's goal is to encourage each other to put down some serious roots in the Word of God. This blog is dedicated to reading through the Bible in a year. Hopefully you will find the encouragement and accountability here that you need to push through the tough parts- or when life just gets in the way. The reading plan is located at the bottom of the blog. It contains links to the passages we are reading through biblegateway.com. You can use those links or read your own Bible, whichever you prefer.
We are all members of Oak Hill Baptist Church in Griffin, Georgia and felt the need in our own life for a little bit of the Lord's splendor. Please join us!!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Then They Will Know That I Am the Lord


All ladies love their hairdresser - or if we don't - we will change - and quickly. Well, how about a new "hair do" with a sword?? Cut it all off! But wait - save your hair and here's what you are to do with it. These are the instructions that God gives to Ezekiel in Chapter 5.

Take a sword and cut off your beard and all of your hair - cut it in thirds and then burn one third inside the city; cut up one third and throw all around the city; and scatter the last third to the wind. But wait - save a few strands of hair and put them in your pocket - but then take a few of those hairs and throw into the fire and burn them up. Lesson? One third of the people would be burned up in Jerusalem; one third killed with the sword; and one third scattered in exile. Only a remnant would be saved and only a few of those who were faithful. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

Chapter 6: Ezekiel's prophecy against the Mountains. The beautiful high mountains of Israel had become the "high places" used in idol worship. Exodus 20:3-4 - You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself any graven images. God was preparing to destroy all of these high places - those places of idol worship would be demolished and the bones of the idol worshipers would be scattered around the altars. Then they will know that I am the Lord.


Gold is Trash - Ezek. 7:19 (from www.ClipArt.com )

Chapter 7: The end has come for the people of Judah. Ezekiel here prophesies the complete destruction of this nation. Unheard of disaster is fixing to come on these people. Violence, famine, fire and death - nothing of value would be left. No wealth, no homes, no temple, no gold or silver. All the treasures of gold they had put their trust in would be meaningless. They had made idols of gold and silver and now they were of no use or value to anyone. These idols, made with human hands, could not save them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Chapter 8: And here is the saddest part to me - Ezekiel now sees a vision from the Lord inside the temple. The Spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem. How sad and horrible the visions he saw - an idol of jealousy - probably the image of Asherah, the Canaanite goddess of fertility inside the inner court of the temple. Seventy of the Jewish elders were burning incense before painted pictures on the walls of all kinds of crawling things and detestable animals, and then he saw women sitting at the entrance to the north gate weeping before the Babylonian god of spring.
These elders and women thought that the Lord does not see because all of this was done in "secret." What an object lesson for us. What do I do in "secret" that I think God does not see? These verses reminded me of breaking news stories of well known politicians and yes even some religious leaders who have done things in secret that were finally brought to light. Nothing is hidden to our God. What is done in secret shall be brought to light - what is whispered in secret shall be shouted from the rooftops. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Think on these things . . .
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4 comments:

  1. BootsSeptember 15, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    Good post Barbara. When I read some of the things they did back then, I wonder if they ever was going to learn. Then, I think of myself and ask myself the same question. Sometimes I guess we just need to be beat over the head with something before we understand what God is trying to tell us.

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  2. MindySeptember 15, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    The book of Ezekiel is VERY interesting, mysterious, and intriguing to say the least! I see a lot of the same imagery in the book of Revelation as I am studying it with my high school Bible class. I just LOVE the way Scripture is SO consistent all the way through! God seemed to be really big on having Ezekiel demonstrate His message to the Israelites and give them a clear visual lesson. Of course they still did not listen! You gave us some great things to think about Ms. Barbara...thank you for that! Wonderful, thought-provoking post!

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  3. NatalieSeptember 16, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    God is a jealous God...he wants his people to serve and love him only. He's been reminding me over and over that He alone is God. The process may be slightly painful, but worth it. How wonderful that you pointed out that the truth will always come to light. When you are on the side of truth, there is hope in that. When you aren't...there is fear. I pray I am always on the side of truth, although the Lord knows he's had to teach me that lesson the hard way a number of time!

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  4. TerrySeptember 19, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Wonderful post, Barbara! The repeated reasons God gives for his actions also jumped out at me: "Then they will know that I am the Lord."

    I also ponder and wonder at the reasoning for God showing the secret acts to Ezekiel (chapter 8). If I were Ezekiel, I would need to be shown the true ugliness of sin. I imagine these images and visions from God helped Ezekiel to be confident and bold when delivering these messages to the Israelites.

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