Today’s Reading:  Ezek 21:1–22:31, Rev 10:1–11, Job 35:1–8

Today’s Theme: Bitter and Sweet

Today’s there looks at the bitter and sweet nature of God’s word and our call to sanctification in particular

Ezekiel 21:1–22:31

Judgement by war

Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.(Ezekiel 21:4, ESV)

This is the reality of judgement that comes in war or military conquest

Love the rod

sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! (Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.)(Ezekiel 21:10, ESV)

Lord we need to love the rod of guidance and correction, we don’t want a rebellious attitude to lead me to the sword instead

Things could change at any point

thus says the Lord God: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted.(Ezekiel 21:26, ESV)

We must not buy into the false security of things staying the way they are or the apparent linearity of everyday life… at any point personal, national or global crisis can strike for which we must be braced and ready by walking in daily humility before God and man.

The breakdown of society

Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you. You have despised my holy things and profaned my Sabbaths.(Ezekiel 22:7–8, ESV)

These two verses describe complete societal breakdown, children disrespect parents, business is corrupt, there is no social justice and the rights of Christians are challenged… sounds like London.

To consume uncleanness

I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your uncleanness out of you.(Ezekiel 22:15, ESV)

Gods purpose in the discipline of his people

Sanctification and holiness

Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.(Ezekiel 22:26, ESV)

We must teach Gods people the truth of sanctification and holiness before God which involves very clear definitions of right and wrong, expedient and useless, helpful and harmful.

This reminds us that Church is a sacred place and enterprise and must remain holy and respectful in its operation.

Intercede

And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.(Ezekiel 22:30, ESV)

We must be intercessors for our wicked city

Revelation 10:1–11

God reveals what he chooses

And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”(Revelation 10:4, ESV)

We must remember the bible is the truth God has chosen to revel to us, there are still some secrets that we do not know

God, The Eternal, Living Creator

and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay,(Revelation 10:6, ESV)

God is eternal and is alive

God created everything, evolution is a big disrespect

God’s word, bitter and sweet

So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”(Revelation 10:9, ESV)

This can be our experience with the word of God, Gods word brings me great joy and pleasure but the application of it can bring bitterness to the flesh and toil to the spirit

God’s word is fuel

And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”(Revelation 10:11, ESV)

God’s word is not just for us it is to fuel us to teach and reach others. What has happened to John is a parallel with what happened to Ezekiel

Job 35:1–8

Sinning is pointless

If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?(Job 35:6, ESV)

Sinning is the maddest position we can take before God, It is like when I tell off Josh and he would go to bite or scratch me (when he was younger), it is not going to achieve anything good for him…