Month: November 2024

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 18:1-19:14
  Hebrews 9:1-10
  Psalm 106:32-48
  Proverbs 27:10

Ezekiel 18:2 — This verse should sound familiar. We read about the “sour grape proverb” in Jeremiah 31:29-30.

Ezekiel 18:5-10 — What does it take to live with God?

• Perfect obedience in relationship with God
  1. Not breaking the Second Commandment (Ezekiel 18:6 – mountains)
  2. Not breaking the First Commandment (Ezekiel 18:6 – idols)
• Perfect obedience in relationship with man
  1. Not breaking the Seventh Commandment (Ezekiel 18:6 – defiled)
  2. Not breaking the Eighth Commandment (Ezekiel 18:8 – robber)
  3. Not breaking the Sixth Commandment (Ezekiele 18:8 – shedder)
• Perfect obedience in ceremonial law
  1. Not breaking Torah law of uncleanness (Leviticus 15:19, Leviticus 18:19 – menstruous)
• Perfect obedience in community
  1. Not breaking Torah law of non-oppression (strangers – Exodus 22:21, brethren – Leviticus 25:14, servants – Deuteronomy 24:14)
  2. Not breaking Proverbs law of sharing (Exodus 23:4/Proverbs 25:21)
  3. Not breaking Noahide law of covering (Genesis 9:23 – positive, Leviticus 18:6 – negative).
  4. Not breaking Noahide law of judgment (Exodus 23:2)
• Perfect obedience in contract law
  1. Not breaking Torah law of not keeping pledge (Deuteronomy 24:6, Deuteronomy 24:12-13, Deuteronomy 24:17)
  2. Not breaking Torah law of confiscation (Leviticus 6:2)
  3. Not breaking Torah law of usury (Exodus 22;25, Leviticus 25:36)
  4. Not breaking Torah law of profiting off relatives (Deuteronomy 23:19).

In other words, perfect obedience of the entire Law (James 2:10).

Ezekiel 18:32 — We read the same thing in the New Testament (2 Peter 3:9).

Ezekiel 19:14 — The fire is gone out. One of three examples of disengagement; the others being the enslaved lion (Ezekiel 19:9) and the weak rod (Ezekiel 19:14).

Hebrews 9:8 — As we saw in Ezekiel, the followers of God are in an exclusive club – one person, once a year (Hebrews 9:7) would go to the Tabernacle/Temple seeking forgiveness for his own sins.

Psalm 106:37 — Yes, again we are reminded of this grave sin. The children that belonged to God were sacrificed to devils.

Psalm 106:45 — What is the lesson from reciting all of Israel’s woes? That God is merciful again and again and again and again to us!

Proverbs 27:10 — Sometimes blood isn’t thicker than water!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 16:42-17:24
  Hebrews 8:1-13
  Psalm 106:13-31
  Proverbs 27:7-9

Ezekiel 16:44 — A church ladies’ group came across this verse and thought it’d be a fitting tribute for the upcoming mother-daughter banquet. Please be sure to check the context of the next verse you use for an event!

Ezekiel 16:49 — Today, liberal theologians will say “See, the sin of Sodom was not sodomy but was pride and not showing compassion to the poor.” Unfortunately, they do not look at the context any more than the unfortunate ladies’ ministry!

Ezekiel 16:50 — We see in Ezekiel 16:49 the origin of their sin: pride, a mental sin. This is repeated in Romans 1:21 – “… vain in their imaginations.” Lot felt the call of the beauty of the land; it looked like the Garden of Eden (Genesis 13:10).

Then we see in Ezekiel 16:49 Phase II of their sin: a wrong attitude toward resources, a financial sin. Their covetousness prevented them from giving, like it prevented the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:22. In Romans 1:21, we see that the sinners addressed were not thankful – they forgot who gave them their resources in the first place. In Genesis 14:21, the King of Sodom offers to Abraham his wealth, but Abraham rejects it (Genesis 14:23) and accepts only what food his (needy) men have eaten already.

This led to Phase III of their sin: abomination. What was this abomination? The same Hebrew word is used in Leviticus 20:13 when referring to homosexuality. In Genesis 19:5, we see that the Sodomites were referring to homosexuality. In Romans 1:26-27, we see that Paul is referring to homosexuality. It seems clear that this abomination is a coded reference to homosexuality as well, a sexual sin. In Ezekiel 16:47, Ezekiel says that Jerusalem hasn’t “done” after Sodom’s abominations, but they were corrupted in other ways. Ezekiel said earlier in this chapter (Ezekiel 16:20) that they sacrificed their children as burnt offerings to idols!

As an aside, God isn’t picking on people who struggle with same-sex attraction. God has strong warnings on premarital relations (Hebrews 13:4), extramarital relations (Exodus 20:14), post-marital relations (Matthew 19:9), mental relations (Matthew 5:28), intergenerational relations (1 Corinthians 5:1), interspecies relations (Exodus 22:19), desires for forbidden relations (Colossians 3:5), and even hints of the above types of relations (Ephesians 5:3). If you haven’t noticed it yet, God wants a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). If you’re still unsure about this point, feel free to re-read Leviticus.

Ezekiel 17:15 — What was the problem in defending oneself against the Babylonians? Like we read earlier in Deuteronomy 17:16, God specifically forbade that activity.

Ezekiel 17:18 — Even though the oath was made to an enemy (Ezekiel 17:18), God takes oaths seriously (Ezekiel 17:19).

Ezekiel 17:24 — As James 4:6 says, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Hebrews 8:10 — Not only is Jesus a better priest, but He is priest of a better promise to us. The author is quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34 to show that this was the promised “Better Covenant.”

Psalm 106:13 — The Psalmist recounts the problems the Hebrews caused on their Exodus from Egypt. Forgetting God. Tempting God. Challenging God’s servant. Changing God’s glory. Despising God’s land. Disbelieving God’s Word. Interesting that we read it in conjunction with Ezekiel 16 & 17.

Proverbs 27:7 — You may not be the greatest chef, but to a hungry soul, you’re the only chef!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 14:12-16:41
  Hebrews 7:18-28
  Psalm 106:1-12
  Proverbs 27:4-6

Ezekiel 14:14 — God would spare Sodom and Gomorrah for 10 righteous people (Genesis 18:32). Yet, now God says that if Noah (the one who roughly 2,000 years earlier had preached and worked for decades), Job (the one who roughly 2,000 years earlier had passed Satan’s tests), and Daniel (wait a minute … Daniel is a contemporary of Ezekiel … and Abraham didn’t even make the list!) were in Jerusalem, God wouldn’t even give them the opportunity He gave Lot to get his family out (Genesis 19:12). On a side note, notice that Daniel is the only one listed in 2,000 years as an example of a righteous man. When we get into Daniel soon, remember what God had to say about Daniel.

Ezekiel 16:4 — This is the longest chapter in Ezekiel. Some of the customs are foreign to us (salting a newborn), but were a common practice. From EnduringWord.com:

Cutting the cord, washing, rubbing down with salt, and clothing the newborn were also customary legal acts of legitimation. In the neglect and abandonment of the infant in the open field, the parent legally relinquished all rights to and responsibilities for the child.

Daniel Block

Ezekiel 16:15 — You could draw a comparison to America here. The Pilgrims who arrived in America had nothing. Half of them died the first winter. Now America is “decked with gold and silver” (Ezekiel 16:13). But like Israel, America is trusting in the blessings she has received as opposed to the One who gave the blessings to her!

Ezekiel 16:21 — Jeremiah mentioned this sin once (Jeremiah 32:35), but this is the first of three references by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 20:26, Ezekiel 20:31). God made it clear in the Torah (Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 18:10), and yet in the historical books it was done (2 Kings 16:3, 2 Kings 17:17, 2 Kings 21:6, 2 Kings 23:10, 2 Chronicles 33:6). As we talked about in Jeremiah, instead of the children being redeemed for the LORD (Exodus 13:2, Exodus 22:29, Exodus 34:20, Numbers 3:13), the children were sacrificed to Satan. Tragically in America we have said this is a right guaranteed by our highest governing document.

Ezekiel 16:41 — Breaking a sinful habit is tough. But God is willing to go to drastic measures to “cause thee to cease from playing the harlot.” In the New Testament we read about this in Hebrews 12:6.

Hebrews 7:22 — How was Jesus better?

• Priests were many – Jesus is one (Hebrews 7:23-24)
• Priests would die – Jesus “continueth ever” (Hebrews 7:23-24)
• Priests’ sacrifices last maybe 24 hours – Jesus can save to the uttermost/eternally (Hebrews 7:25-27)
• Priests offer sacrifices every day – Jesus offered a sacrifice once (Hebrews 7:27)
• Priests have infirmities – Jesus is perfect (Hebrews 7:28)

Hebrews 7:25 — From Earl Martin:

Psalm 106:3 — Righteousness won’t get you to heaven (Psalm 14:3), but those who seek righteousness (Matthew 6:33) by obeying God (John 14:15) will find eternal life. The first step is repentance (Psalm 106:6), then belief (Psalm 106:12).

Proverbs 27:6 — Patch the Pirate released an album on the importance of a faithful friend (The Friendship Mutiny).

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 12:1-14:11
  Hebrews 7:1-17
  Psalm 105:37-45
  Proverbs 27:3

Ezekiel 12:28 — Interesting to compare this to Peter’s words in 2 Peter 3:4.

Ezekiel 13:6 — The sin of presumption to speak on God’s behalf is quite serious. I was reading a book on Christian ministry leadership, and it shared that leaders need to be careful in saying “God told me that we need to do this” because when presenting an opportunity to your trusted counselors (Proverbs 15:22), it’s hard to argue with God. And if God didn’t tell you this – “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die” (Deuteronomy 18:20).

Ezekiel 13:18 – What’s all this about pillows? From the Pulpit Commentary:

Ezekiel’s minute description, though it is from a different standpoint, reminds us of that in Isaiah 3:18-26. In both cases there are the difficulties inseparable from the fact that he had seen what he describes, and that we have not; and that he uses words which were familiar enough then, but are now found nowhere else. so that (as in the case of the ἐξουσία of 1 Corinthians 11:10) we have to guess their meaning. The picture which he draws of a false prophetess is obviously taken from the life, and the dress, we can scarcely doubt, was one that belonged to her calling.

Ezekiel 14:1 — Just what every religious leader wants: high ranking political figures to schmooze with … right!? This isn’t a group of religious leaders with the President, but a group of political leaders sitting before one religious leader.

Ezekiel 14:6 — No warm platitudes for the political figures of ancient Israel! They are idolaters (Ezekiel 14:3), they were warned by God (Ezekiel 14:4) Who called for their repentance (Ezekiel 14:6) and threatened them with divine excommunication (Ezekiel 14:8).

Ezekiel 14:11 — Why does God judge His people? So that they may be His people, and He can be their God. God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). He will not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8).

Hebrews 7:3 — Was Melchizedek a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ? Or … was he shown to be a type of Christ because his lineage wasn’t recorded? Hard to say.

Hebrews 7:8 — The Israelite priests were mortal (Hebrews 7:8), “better” than the people (Hebrews 7:7), and they received the tithes (Hebrews 7:5). But there is someone greater than the Levitical Priests because Abraham paid tithes to this person (Hebrews 7:9). In effect, the Jews were paying tithes to the priests in exchange for a blessing. But the priests (through great Father Abraham) paid Someone else for a blessing. Because Jesus was the King, He must be of the tribe of Judah. To be the Priest, though, He did not have to be from the tribe of Levi; He only needed to be from the tribe of Melchizedek.

Psalm 105:37 — Notice God’s abundant provision for those who lack:

• money – silver and gold (Psalm 105:37)
• light – fire in the night (Psalm 105:39)
• food – quails and bread (Psalm 105:40)
• water – gushing from the rock (Psalm 105:41)
• property – lands of the heathen (Psalm 105:44)

Let’s join with the psalmist and shout, “Hallelujah! Praise ye the LORD!”

Proverbs 27:3 — Got the idea that Solomon did not suffer fools? Don’t let your “mentorees” grow up to be fools!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 10:1-11:25
  Hebrews 6:1-20
  Psalm 105:16-36
  Proverbs 27:1-2

Ezekiel 10 includes references to several gems, and because I’m not used to thinking in terms of the color Beryl, I find it helpful to see what Beryl looks like.

Ezekiel 10:11 — Sound familiar? We read about this in Ezekiel 1. Interestingly, this is the 5th time we’ve seen this phrase “… they turned not when they went …”

Ezekiel 11:1 — We saw the “five and twenty men” earlier in Ezekiel 8:16.

Ezekiel 11:3 — From the Pulpit Commentary:

As in most proverbs of this kind, the thought is condensed to the very verge of obscurity, and the words have received very different interpretations. “It (the judgment of which the true prophets spoke) is not near. Let us build houses, not, as Jeremiah bids (Jeremiah 39:5), in the land of exile, but here in Jerusalem, where we shall remain in safety. Are we threatened with the imagery of the ‘seething pot’ (Jeremiah 1:13)? Let us remember that the caldron protects the meat in it from the fire. The walls of the city will protect us from the army of the Chaldeans.”

Ezekiel 11:5 — Whoa! “I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them!” Sometimes when reading the prophets, a phrase will jump out at you. You know that God is omniscient, but you don’t think of how His omniscience affects you. You sometimes pray to Him when you think of Him, but you don’t always live with a conscious awareness of His presence. Yet, He knows every thought in your mind!

Ezekiel 11:17 — We see a special promise in these verses:

• “I will give you the land of Israel” – interesting to think that just 80 years ago this seemed to be an allegorical promise. Since 1948, there is a nation of Israel again, but the nation still doesn’t possess all the promised land.
• “I will put a new spirit within you … I will be their God” – unfortunately, Paul’s heart’s desire has not been fulfilled yet (Romans 10:1). Interestingly, 20% of Jewish Millennials believe Jesus is the Son of God.

Ezekiel 11:23 — What mountain is on the east side of the city?

Hebrews 6:4-6 — Here’s another scary part of the third warning passage from Hebrews. It is impossible for partakers of the Holy Ghost to be saved again. They cannot crucify the Son of God again. This is a reiteration of Hebrews 6:1 – we cannot again repent, believe, and identify with Jesus.

Hebrews 6:10 — Paul balances his warning with his word of encouragement for those who have supported God’s work!

Hebrews 6:19 — Our salvation could be lost if it were up to us. But God swore by Himself (Hebrews 6:13). We have a refuge (Hebrews 6:18), an anchor for the soul, and my anchor holds!

Psalm 105:18 — Interesting that we didn’t know this about Joseph in Genesis.

Psalm 105:25 — The Egyptians were grateful for Joseph, but they proceeded to enslave his descendants. As Bob Jones Sr. said, “When gratitude dies on the altar of a man’s heart, that man is well nigh hopeless.”

Proverbs 27:1-2 — Two verses that talk about humility. Boasts of tomorrow and boasts of thyself. Recognition of the inability to prognosticate and the inappropriateness of self-congratulations.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 7:1-9:11
  Hebrews 5:1-14
  Psalm 105:1-15
  Proverbs 26:28

Ezekiel 7:19 — ”Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD.” Money can buy many things, but it can’t buy protection from God’s wrath!

Ezekiel 7:24 — I talked to someone who said “I’m okay with God judging me. He’s God after all. But Him using others to judge me, that’s harder to swallow.” But as we see in Ezekiel, that’s exactly what God uses: “the worst of the heathen” to judge us!

Ezekiel 8:14 — Tammuz wasn’t a suffering sister but an ancient Mesopotamian god of shepherds. Responsible for fertility and crops growing, Tammuz death was mourned every year, marking the rotation of seasons. On the Arabic calendar, Tammuz is the name of the month of July. During the month, his death and resurrection were celebrated. His consort was the “Queen of Heaven,” Ishtar (Jeremiah 7:18, Jeremiah 44:17-25), who was worshiped with cake offerings. The cult of Tammuz survived until the 1700’s AD.

Ezekiel 8:16 — Inside the house of the LORD, at the very altar of the LORD, twenty-five men have turned their backs on the Temple and are worshiping the sunrise and not the Creator of the sun.

Ezekiel 9:4 — God marks His people throughout different times:

• Past – Exodus 12:13
• Present – 2 Corinthians 1:22
• Future – Revelation 7:3

Ezekiel 9:10 — This is the 5th time we see the expression, “no pity.” Judgment time is coming and fake repentance will not get you out of Judgement Day.

Hebrews 5:6 — The mystery of Psalm 110:4 is solved! Who was the LORD talking to that is a “priest forever?” Who is the coming King (Psalm 110:1)? This is the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah!

Hebrews 5:8 — God learned from suffering. The omnipotent Creator of the World learned obedience from suffering. My mind struggles to grasp that. And before we can go on to more incredible truths, we are reminded that we should be further down the road (Hebrews 5:12).

Psalm 105:5 — In this psalm, we see not an emphasis on the Word of God (Psalm 119), but on the works of God. The works are proof that He remembered His covenant (Psalm 105:8).

Psalm 105:8 — How long is a thousand generations? By some estimates, we’re only 150 generations from Adam and Eve. God’s faithfulness extends farther and wider than we can imagine!

Proverbs 26:28 — Be careful with your tongue!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.