Jesus taught that all scripture testifies about him so that in him we might have life (John 5v39-40). King David taught that it is only by living according to God's word that we're kept on the right path (Psalm 119v9). What then could be better than reading the entire Bible? Click the menu to read about the program, choose a month or Bible book - or just work through the blog posts day by day.
BEGIN WITH PRAYER
"Lord open my eyes and my heart."
Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.
Wisdom to chew on
Understanding to grow in
This picture of a woman growing to be married tells the story of Israel. Born to Abraham and Sarai, God's love caused their descendants to grow to be a nation - the young woman, who God then "married" through the Mosaic covenant, and caused to become a beautiful queen of nations in the time of Solomon, whose fame was known throughout the world of the day. But she then turned from God as her husband to numerous nations and their gods, prostituting herself to them for the sake of gain in acceptance, trade and security that she should have looked for in God. Ezekiel's message is that God's love for the nation is seen in his jeleous fury at what she has done, that will result in her humiliation before those nations when his wrath brings her destruction at the hands of Babylon. It's a powerful and rather uncomfortable passage. But that is God's intent, so that we grasp just how serious a spiritual adultery that turns away from him is. But there is incredible grace here too. The chapter ends with God making atonement for his wife's sin and marrying himself to her eternally. More than that, he promises that her sisters (other nations that have done as she did) will become her daughters. This looks to how Jews and Gentiles come together as one people through faith in Christ (Eph 2v11-18), And so as his bride, we are urged to remain faithful to him. As you read note the seriousness of unfaithfulness.
Ezekiel 16
Ezekiel 16
Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:
1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then praise him for this.
2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then pray that home.
Devotion to offer up
You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboard to further prayer.