Purpose of God

Are my Ways Unjust?

Dan

It was my observation that at some point there is a three-way conversation going in between God and Ezekiel and the Hebrews. In some cases, God is talking to Ezekiel about feelings concerning the mutterings of the Hebrews. God is not surprised; he knew how this would play out before creation. But still, he converses with Ezekiel to make his point.

In this passage we are about to read, something interesting happens. God turns the tables. He is clear, he knows the ordinances the Hebrews have put into place to represent their idols. He knows they have failed to follow their own rules. They are guilty in accordance with both sets of ordinances, not just the ordinances put into place by God. God tells them to pay attention to their own ordinances and repent, for they are failing by the numbers on all fronts. Goodness, what a mess. One thing is for sure, God’s action is justified, they will fall from their own words. In their arrogance they have buried themselves.

Ezekiel 18: 29-32 says — Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! [NIV]

The Hebrews have decided God’s way is unjust. The Hebrews say God is not being fair. Goodness, this is nothing but blasphemy. How can they not see the issue. Rather than owning their rebellion, they say they are walking the straight and narrow (as defined by them). They are the righteous ones. God is at fault not them. Oh my! If God is the definition of moral truth, then how can God be wrong. There is no court higher in this universe or any other universe they can take their case to. He is the Court!

We are not without precedent for this type of thinking today. How many times have you listen to somebody rail against the unfairness of God’s plan, how his ancient wisdom is no longer valid for homosexuality, open marriages, war, free will, absolute truth, honoring parents, lust, and self-control to name a few.  Is this not the same thing the Hebrews were doing?

Consider God turning the tables on us and judging us by our new and improved morality. Does not the current ‘anti morality crowd’ have the same problem? They have no court to bring their case to. There is nothing in this universe that will cause God to bend his knee. Selah.

I think that God’s reasoning is gracious. He takes the time to explain his position and then offers an wide range of rules to abide by. Rules they created on their own. And still, they are guilty of not following their own ‘homemade’ rules.

And so, we have the conclusion of this matter. We can hear God saying — ‘I have done you no wrong. Rather, you have wronged yourself by your own behavior and your own rules’. A fair trial has been accomplished. The verdict has landed on God’s side. The judgement shall be rendered. One would think that God would launch a thunderbolt and send them to the pits of Hell. But instead, one last time, he offers mercy. He shows the hand of graciousness, of kindness, and a full pardon to the Hebrews if only they would repent. It is hard to not feel the sadness of the moment as the Hebrews raise their fist in defiance one last time. They wallow in pride and choose death. I choose Jesus.

Soothsayers and Star Gazers.

Dan

It has been my observation that God has little respect for the soothsayers and star readers. He called Cyrus to pull God’s people out of Babylon and allow them to return to their homeland after 70 years of isolation and captivity in Babylon. I think there were two different things happening at the same time. First God was using Cyrus (in his heathen state) for a mission, and I think God was trying to get his attention. The message in Isaiah 47 seems to address problems in Babylon, but in a broader sense to problems with those who tried ridiculously hard to make their own version of God.

This message is partially for Cyrus, to bring him out of the sin of his legacy, to walk away from the idolatry of his ancestors, which included sorcery, star gazing, and worship of wood, metal, and stone images. Often, when people conquered a culture, they tried to act benevolent; this caused them to integrate their culture with the conquered culture. Additionally, they would often get a ‘big head’ and add a new god into the mix – themselves. I think the one true living God was trying to help Cyrus, when he when he settled into Babylon, he becomes rich and more powerful than ever. Yet he must remember that still he is but a man, and there is no God but one. Babylon fell because of Elohim, not because of Cyrus. If God wanted the Hebrews to stay in Babylon, Cyrus would have not been successful.

Isaiah 47:10-15 says You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me. Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you. Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely, they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by. That is all they are to you—these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you. [NIV]

I am not surprised to hear that the pagan rites had similar language about their puffed-up belief of self-deity. The message from the rebellious human is clear, I (the human) am, there is none (no other God) besides me. The human vainly declares – I am god! Are we astonished? Not really. The message has not changed for three centuries. Lucifer is on the job. From his viewpoint, if it is not broken, do not change it. We are told all the time by the mystics of today – look inside yourself, find the God that you are.

I have learned in my lifetime the stuff we pursue, the objects we place in our house (big boy toys) do not bring real comfort. The objects cannot feel the sound of my laugh or feel my gleeful giggle from the pleasure the objects provide. There is nothing. No response, no empathy, no power. Nothing. The tools of soothsayers and star gazers offer nothing that a 6-year-old cannot easily refute.

I have learned to appreciate why our glorious God formed the light we use every day, all day to see things. It is merely a precursor to the spiritual light that men feel enveloped around the throne. There is nothing like this in the universe. Spiritual light originates from the presence and person of God – injected into our heart. This light flows into our minds through the Holy Spirit who enlightens, teaches, and leads us to do the right thing (implied in John 14:26, John 16:13.) Selah.

I choose Jesus.

Reaching the Ends of the Earth.

Dan

It was my observation while digging into Cyrus, Babylon and the clay potters that make idols that I encountered an unexpected maxim; Woe unto him that strives with his Maker (Isaiah 45:9). God is the Maker of all things, and therefore our Maker, which is a good reason to avoid becoming contentious with him and never stand against him.

Let us not align ourselves accidently with the sly oppressors who plot designs against God concerning the deliverance of his people (Nehemiah 4:8), nor think to detain them any longer when the time shall come for their release. Woe to the insulting and designing Babylonians that set God at defiance, as Pharaoh did, and will not let his people go! (Ezra 4:5).

As I drive the streets of Tucson, I can see the homeless and the poor in their oppression, in the dejection of their spirits, some are murmuring and quarreling with themselves, family, government, or God. I do not have an answer to homelessness, but I can see the despair, and passionately believe Jesus is the answer. I think that the Gospel Rescue Mission (GRM) can help with mental health, addictions, or despair. The GRM can help them get back on their feet, Goodwill can help with job skills. Then, I think that Habitat for Humanity can provide them with a home, but at the same time I know this plan is too simplistic and unsatisfactory because they also need community. Who provides community? Only the Church can deliver real community. We are part of the solution. We need to be part of the solution.

Jeremiah 18:1-10 says — This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: go down to the potter’s house and there I will give you, my message. So, I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so, the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it [NIV].

One thing I know – if the homeless strive with their maker, then they will have difficulty egressing from the woeful condition they have entered. No one hardened his heart against God and prospers.

At best we are contentious people, quarrelsome brutes; but we are wise to let the potsherds strive with the potsherds and move forward as best we can. The despairing homeless, they are broken potsherds, and their trouble is magnified by their discord and friction – only God can repair them. We should encourage them to lay down the sword; but if they persist in rancor, caution them to never contend with Him that is infinitely wiser and more powerful than anything they will ever encounter.

So then, what do you say to the ones that earnestly long for change, quietly seeking their redemption from trouble and from sin. Two words — Grace abounds. I think the precepts of scripture are very clear – God is in control, he will help. He comes and He shepherds the flock. God is our strength. He can and will move in our life and their life. Then we live securely, confident of his majesty, and of his protection. His greatness reaches every corner, hidden street, culvert, everywhere. He will reach the ends of the earth to redeem anyone who calls his name (implied in Micah 5:4).

I choose Jesus.

Declared from the Distant Past

Dan

It was my observation that when Cyrus was sending the Israelis back to the promised land that God had a thing or two to say with regards to the Babylonians. God called the people of Babylon ignorant for carrying idols of wood, Isaiah made it clear there is no God but Elohim, Isaiah then tells the Babylonians clearly – sooner or later all will worship the one true living God, every knee shall bend, every tongue will swear allegiance, all who rage against Elohim will be put to shame.

Isaiah wrote — Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Declare what is to be, present it — let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength. All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But all the descendants of Israel will find deliverance in the Lord and will make their boast in him (Isaiah 45:20-25).

For 70 years the nation of Israel was banished to Babylon as punishment for not allowing their agricultural lands to rest every 7 years. Now that the banishment is complete, the Israelites are being gathered and returned to the promised land, God is being clear with the people of Babylon – the idols must be left behind, they are hollow and worthless.  I wonder what ‘important things’ we worship — cars, trucks, music, houses, degrees, job titles, we have a litany of things that we carry about like a wooden idol and look to them for comfort and strength. Yet the ‘important things’ cannot help us, they do not hear our mutterings, they have nothing we can cling to – they are an idol with no power. Nada.

After Isaiah completes the idolatry message, he starts comparing the one true living God with the Idols. First, the obvious statement appears; There is (and never has been) another God like Elohim. Let us take a deeper dive into this idea.  When considering our ‘important things’ such as our job title, does that job title make us a ruler? Are we trained to rule? By what authority to we operate; some ‘man given’ authorization to act? Does this authorization have boundaries? Are we limited? Well, you know job titles are limited.  And you know — only God can help in every situation. Does our job title give us the ability to help anyone in all cases? I think not, our Job title authority is limited. Who has more power, your Job Title or God?  When you weigh the value of ‘important things’ vs God I think we should note — Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand (Proverbs 19:21)

This I know for sure — Elohim will be exalted. We read in Hebrews – when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:13-20)

I choose Jesus.

What has been Hid in your Heart? (part 2)

Dan

It was my observation when digging into the message of Ezekiel chapter 14, that God usually responds to idolatry by returning them to the idol for answers rather than providing the answer as requested. They ask the idol for help, then stand expectantly in front of their idol, waiting for help to be dispatched from the Idol Help desk and resolve their issue (see Judges 10:13-14). In this passage, God sends the inquiries to the god they have chosen. This coy judgement is just what they request. They receive what they want. The unmitigated support and attention from the idol they serve no matter what their walk in life is or their profession. You can guess the outcome.  Eventual despair.

Their trouble is heightened because they refuse to narrow the gap between themselves and God; they have yielded to some creature from the valley of death and gave that creature dominion over their heart. This is the sad endgame for those who mock God and his ways. Their heart is at war with him. We do not see the war, but we can see the effect of the war on their life and their families.  Despair.

Ezekiel 14:6-8 says — This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices! When any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. I will set my face against them and make them an example and a byword. I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord. [NIV]

This message from Ezekiel is not directed like a shotgun towards all Hebrews in earshot, rather it is a nuanced message directed at a specific type of sin, a specific group of people. It brings to mind a despondent soul drifting because his anchors of society and power have been destroyed. Our target group is hiding in plain sight, thinking that their absence from the shadow of the temple gives license to drift from the truth in their heart.

In private, he worships the idols of his father, yet he is publicly a Hebrew, an alleged worshiper of Elohim. He has learned to not expect any useful or pertinent message from Elohim’s prophets, even his friends who have their secrets and their own demons; they may not be aware of his drifting. He is gradually separating himself from God, the temple, and the people of God. His service (no matter how distracted and lame the service was) is diminishing in importance, like a distant whiff of incense, it fades.

But we see there is even a smaller crowd that have all but separated themselves from God, yet they come and hang out with ‘God’s people’ looking for scraps of advice and messages that might be useful. Not because they want to repent but because they are looking for a way out of the mess they created. They want out on their terms, not God’s terms. They want a clue, a light in the distance they can target to wander and get away from their problems but not solve their problems and climb into the light.

This kind of behavior is dangerous. We should not trifle with God or his people. Hoping to leverage their kindness into an edge that gets them past the issues they face. If you make a mess, own it, don’t tiptoe through the facts to find a few facts that can be used to extract help from the faithful.

For people who are maneuvering amongst God’s people they are the target of this message from Ezekiel. It is necessary to repent. This person may be thinking they can save their situation, but Ezekiel says God will make him a sign and inflict such judgements on him as to make him contemptable in the eyes of his friends (see Matthew 24:51). His life will be a warning to others to get close to God, cling to God, never waver in your gaze. Avoid the misery. Stay close to him in all your ways! I choose Jesus.

What has been Hid in your Heart? (part 1)

Dan

It was my observation when evaluating the 14th chapter of Ezekiel that a few things of interest emerged. First of all, let us state a universal truth – hearing the word of God and communication with God (prayer) are wonderful ordinances of God, useful to grow us and comfort us. In both of these activities we give honor to him. They lead us to acceptance and favor from him in times of strife. We seek these things to find solutions for problems and answers to questions. So, it is with some aghast I find this chapter addressing those who wait on God for a few things but not all things. The elders come to Ezekiel in all their finery, heads held high, expecting Ezekiel to pay homage to their obvious strength and position in the community. Yet, because they are not qualified to consult with Ezekiel, they hear a rebuke rather than acceptance. Then Ezekiel quickly takes to the offensive (rather than a ‘follower’ role) and calls on them to repent and reform their lifestyle; else it will be a perilous adventure to enquire of God’s wisdom.

Ezekiel 14:1-5 says — Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. Then the word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire about me at all? Therefore, speak to them and tell them, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: when any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols. [NIV]

I think we can assume that the elders who dropped in on Ezekiel were not regulars. They were not people who heard him speak very often, if ever. I think they were the social elite of those stranded in Babylon near the river. They may have even been on business, like an emissary from a local Hebrew leader (inside the slave community). They called upon the prophet, wanting to know if he had a specific message for them that might give them an edge with the leaders of Babylon.

Ezekiel was riled up when he replies. He feels God’s indignation. Perhaps the elders were on the job, getting feedback from Ezekiel and comparing it to Jeremiah looking for places to discount their respective messages. Of course, Ezekiel was stern in his reply. He knew the elders to be idolater’s, they were treating Ezekiel as they would treat any local oracle. They were curious and probing into his message and authenticity.

They pretend to put away their idolatry to entice Ezekiel to start talking. They kept them in their hearts and had every intention of returning to their vomit. This is how it flows with spiritual idolatry. They respond to the pull of their sensual patterns wallowing in their mind with thoughts of the economy and their businesses. Some look to idols to provide power, some look to idols to provide wealth, others look to idols to provide companions.  I suspect that in their days the pull on their heart would be power and companionship. Today I suspect we are allured by the beauty of wealth and economic power. With this stumbling block we often fall into sin and land in ruin. I should note that we are our own worst trouble. Every person has these temptations, and for those who step into the snare, they are taken down by their own hand, their own mind, their own bank account.

The deeper truth – sin and shame are our own doing. We create the mess by ignoring the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We die from 1000 small infractions that gradually tear our character down, shredding our dignity. The process is gradual, once we realize what happened we often find it difficult to repent because of pride. But repent we must, that is the first step to healing, the first step to mercy, the first step to restoration. I choose Jesus.

Condemnation does not seem like Enough (Part 2)

Dan

It was my observation while reading and processing Ezekiel 13 that the message delivered was not the usual prose they were accustom to hearing. This was a much stronger message similar to what we read in 1 John 1:1 — That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life [NIV]. Just as the readers of Johns letter felt, the Hebrews were feeling as Ezekiel is talking. He is firmly saying to walk away from the false prophets. Get away. Their dreams and visions are homemade. They are not real. They are mere vanity and divination, stuff made up and presented as something they heard or saw when in fact nothing happened.

Ezekiel 13:6-9 says — Their visions are false and their divinations a lie Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, the Lord declares, and expects him to fulfill their words. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, The Lord declares, though I have not spoken? Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord [NIV].

It goes without saying – the message from Lucifer is false, he is the father of lies, he will never change. He will work hard to prove that God has lied, God is no longer relevant, God’s form of moral judgement is outdated and no longer pertinent to the issues we face. We need a new message from a new kind of God. Perhaps a well-meaning software program known as AI (or perhaps we call it HAL?). Lucifer has many new shades of the same old tricks. Expect him to exploit the woke community and redefine God’s character and attributes to match their needs. In the end they reshape God (1000 small edits to his character) until we no longer have confidence in the one true living God.

They are like the coyotes of the desert, good hunters, skillful at finding our weakness, attacking when we are at our most vulnerable position. They run to-and-fro, giving the appearance of being in a great hurry, but they are working to snare us. They flatter people into a vain kind of hope, not well defined, not easy to gauge when you have achieved the goal. They suggest that we can have hope and have all our vices at the same time. They suggest we are not shackled by the tired outdated rules of Ozzy and Harriet. They suggest we have woken from a great slumber in antiquity and we are now free of God’s oppression.

They are pretenders. They spew their woke concepts in a neat package as some new and improved truth. But, the one true living God has made it clear – I am the Lord your God – I change not. Goodness, what folly we engage in when we think that absolute truth is not so absolute.

We read in Matthew 5:19 — anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven [NIV]. In a woke world, at the very least, followers of the one true living God are discounted by the community, at worst they are pushed out of the community, ashamed to lift their head in the midst of their friends, the woke people who are deceived find it necessary to hold believers at bay, being careful to avoid their message.

No one wants to be trapped in captivity, marginalized in their woe. Once the truth comes out, when God’s word prevails, the mercy and grace of God play a dominate role. For the troubled who repent from wokeness, forgiveness is always available. God’s mercy is renewed every morning. Restoration is possible. I choose Jesus.