God gives signs of judgement

EZEKIEL     CHAPTER 5

God told Ezekiel to take a sharp sword and use it to shave his head and beard, then weigh the hair in three equal parts. Place one third at the center of the map of Jerusalem . Then to act out the siege, burn it , then scatter another third of hair across the map and slash it with the sword. Last, he told him to scatter the last third to the wind, like the Lord would scatter his people. He told him to keep a bit of hair to tie it up in his robe, then throw them into the fire. Because a fire would spread from their remnant and destroy all of Israel.

The Lord God explained that these actions wold illustrate what would happen to Jerusalem. He placed her at the center of nations, but she rebelled. She refused to obey his laws, so he would punish her most publicly. And because of  her idols, he would punish them more severly than anyone before or ever again. Parents would eat thir own children, and children their own parents. A third would die in the city of famine and disease. A third would die and be slaughtered by the enemy outside the city walls. A third would be scattered to the winds while he chased them with his sword.

The Lord would turn Isreal into a ruin and it would become an object of mockery, taunting and horror and a warning to all nations. They would see what happens when the Lord turns against  a nation in furious rebuke.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Shaving one's head was a sign of mourning, humiliation and repentance.  Along with verbal prophecies, God asked Ezekiel to use dramatic visual images to command the people's attention. The few strands of hair tied in his robe, represented the small remnant of faithful people who would be preserved

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY?  The people acted like children who needed discipline and God like the parent who follows through when they don't listen and learn. Haven't we all heard parents who threaten their kids all the time, but use only words and do not back them up?  Too many people ignore God's warnings, but from our world's history we have learned that God really means what he says.

Defiling God's Temple by worshiping idols was a big sin. In the New Testament, we learn that our body is God's temple. We defile God's temple by gossiping, bitterness, love of money, lying or other wrong actions. But by asking for the Holy Spirit's help, we can keep from defiling his temple, our body.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH:

Pray for my grandson, new baby Gunar who was born with kidney problems.

Pray for my grandson Hunter who is lost and afraid and far away from home.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and who recently underwent major surgery.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our farmers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought. Pray for us consumers who will face higher grocery prices and the poor who won’t be able to adjust what little budget they have.