TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26
Hebrews 11:32-12:13
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 27:17
Ezekiel 29:1 — Did you notice the precision of Ezekiel’s dates? Continual references to the “Xth” year, in the “Yth” month, in the “Zth” day of the month. This is a formal dating system used at least 15 times in the Bible; twelve of those times are found in Ezekiel and none in Isaiah. This may be rooted in Ezekiel’s priestly heritage as opposed to Isaiah’s non-priestly heritage. Was the priest in exile careful to follow the details and dates of the Mosaic feasts?
Ezekiel 29:6 — Speaking of common phrases in Ezekiel, 51 of the 57 times that the phrase “shall know that I am the LORD” occurs in the Old Testament, it occurs in Ezekiel. We’ll see it 19 more times in this book. Compare this to the priestly declarations in Leviticus – 45 times we find the phrase “I am the LORD” as a justification (the reason why) for the laws that He created. Now 850 years later, God is using this as a justification for His judgment. The priests (representing God to man) had taught the Law as a way to know the LORD; now, 850 years later, they are teaching the judgments because people did not know the LORD.
Ezekiel 29:12 — Ellicott contends that Nebuchadnezzar sent the Egyptians captive to Babylon.
Ezekiel 30:15 — Sin in this verse is a geographical location (Sinai Peninsula) as opposed to a theological declaration.
Sin (“bush”). [1] A city on the eastern side of the Nile (Ezek. 30:15, 16). It is possibly Pelusium; but is also identified with Syene, which is present-day Aswan at the first cataract of the Nile. [2] A wilderness area located between the Gulf of Suez and Sinai (Ex. 16:1; Num. 33:11, 12).
William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), lxvii.
Hebrews 11:32 — Jephthah and Samson were some of the less thrilling biblical judges, yet they were used by God in the same way as Gideon and David were!
Hebrews 11:33 — We have a godly legacy of heroes who wrought great exploits and suffered great losses (Hebrews 11:36-37). They lived by faith, and we can be glad for the Faith of our Fathers.
Hebrews 12:1-2 — How do we respond after we’ve walked through the Hall of Faith? Follow their example, run our race, look to Jesus, and ask God to make us a faithful man as well. This song is from our friend, Patch the Pirate, who named the tune after a pastor from Wisconsin that he respected for his faithful stand for the Bible.
Hebrews 12:8 — This is some of the harshest language in the Bible, yet it conveys a scary truth. If you are sinning on your race and God does not chastise you, you are an illegitimate son. John Bunyan paints a harsh scene of whipping in Pilgrim’s Progress for Christian when he was deceived off the path.
Psalm 112:1 — What does a modern day faithful man of Hebrews 12:1-2 look like? One that fears the LORD and delights in His commandments. Read through this Psalm and see the blessings that come to the faithful man.
Proverbs 27:17 — How does a faithful man stay sharp? With faithful friends! From Earl Martin:
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