Why are you serving God? Job was considered the most prosperous, blessed man of the ancient world. Additionally, God was pleased with Job, as a man of righteousness. Satan challenged God, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands…but stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse you to your face” (1:10-11). God releases Satan to inflict suffering on Job, costing him his livestock and family. Yet Job’s perspective is, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (1:21-22). Seems like Satan was wrong about Job’s motives in serving God – it was not based on his prosperity and happy family life. Even with those highly valued elements taken from him, Job steadfastly continued to trust God. Certainly he did not understand, certainly he felt severe loss. But Job persevered in trusting God despite his personal loss. Think about it: if you lost your family, your job, and your assets – how would you respond? Would you rest in God’s sovereignty or would you complain and whine? Accusing God of unfair treatment usually reveals a lack of faith, an immature perspective on his wise plan, and personal misery. Unbelievably Job was able to take a direct hit of pain of unimaginable severity and yet speak only words of trust, confidence and faith. Probably he was speaking beyond what he was feeling; nevertheless, his words revealed his deep roots in God’s ultimate goodness. How have you responded to a severe loss? Are you serving God because of the benefits or simply because of Him?

A funny thing happened on the way to world dominance. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, had a dream in which he saw a massive tree with universal visibility and influence. Daniel the prophet interpreted the dream that though the King was indeed that great tree, it would soon be cut down to a stump unless he repented. Nebuchadnezzar did not respond and one year later was admiring his own greatness, “is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:29-30). A heavenly voice immediately brought judgment against his pride and suddenly Nebuchadnezzar fell into a bizarre mental illness. For seven years he functioned like an animal, walking on his hands and knees, eating grass like cattle and being non-communicative. Remarkably, he is given a new beginning. In his own words: “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever…He does as he pleases” (4:34-35). What an amazing conversion! Not everyone responds to such humiliation with a repentant heart. Yet Nebuchadnezzar, at one time the most powerful man on earth, turns his heart in faith to God. God restored his honor and splendor, giving him one last season of influence now as an evangelist. God is able to humble any one of us; how much better if we simply get off our own little power trip and acknowledge the obvious – He is God. How have you seen God humble your story line and gain your attention?

Ministry done God’s way. Only the priests who had not compromised were allowed to serve God in the inner court. Even there, there was no room for creativity, self-effort or hard work. Clearly God wanted his key servants to be calm and cool: “When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes; they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire” (44:17-18). What’s the point? God is contrasting the prideful effort of a man under the influence of the sinful nature with the faith-filled, worshipful effort of the Spirit-empowered servant. Sinful man sweats. Spirit-filled man is cool. God does not want one drop of perspiration in his work; nothing that is of man’s effort. He only wants the work of the Holy Spirit, operating through a person completely yielded and surrendered to Him. Like the Apostle Paul said in Phil.3:3, he “put no confidence in the flesh.” Jesus taught us, “no branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine; neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). Does your walk with God seem like a lot of sweaty work? Maybe its too much of you and not enough of Him. Consider how you can release your grip on your life and trust yourself into his loving and powerful presence. What are ways you might trust him more?

The Amazing Prince. God gives Ezekiel a vision of the future, rebuilt temple. It is an ethereal picture of something with living features like that of a city, but also a place of worship like a temple. However, the life-giving personality of note is a Prince: “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory” (43:2). His voice was like rushing waters – loud, powerful and pulsating with life. The impact upon the land was a new radiance! Unmistakably this is a picture of Jesus. The apostle John, towards the end of his life, also had a vision of this Prince. He saw someone “like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Rev.1:13-18). The center of history is Jesus Christ. He is the center of existence, authority, worship, truth, justice, grace and life itself. How are you impressed with this description?

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had erected a 90’x9’ golden idol. He demanded all people to bow down and worship the image. What do you do when you are commanded to abandon God? Three Hebrew exiles, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had a conviction as strong as steel and graciously refused to bow. The King was enraged; he made threatened death by furnace, he demanded answers. But the “three” responded: “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (3:16-18). That was not the response the king wanted to hear. Furious, he had the three thrown into the massive fire pit, which torched the soldiers handling the duties. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar was stunned by what he saw. Not only were the three alive, but a fourth “son of man” was present as well (guess that might be Jesus?). The results? “Fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them” (3:27). Though they should have burned to death, they were saved by the power of God. Even the unbelieving King was impressed and from his own mouth confessed awe: “no other god can save in this way” (3:29). Additionally, the Hebrews were then given a promotion by the King. Amazing things result when a person graciously but firmly holds to his faith in God. The Lord arranged this “faith test” not only for the benefit of the three Hebrews, but also for the King and nation of Babylon. God displayed his power and impressed a nation because three men were willing to stand firm. You may not be threatened with a furnace, but you will have your opportunities to remain faithful to the Lord in the face of peer pressure to compromise. Prepare now to stand firm, regardless of the costs, and to trust the Lord to be your portion. When have you seen a Christian stand firm in the face of persecution?

Misunderstanding God. People saw their world crumbling and blamed God for their disaster. Yet, their problems were a result of their own sin. “Your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so” (33:17-19). God is frequently accused of being ‘unfair’ or ‘unloving’ by people who only see immediate, unpleasant circumstances. Their premise is that God is obligated to provide us with pleasant, happy, problem-free lives. Anything less than that and God is being unfair. Yet even when we don’t understand why things happen, God is never preoccupied, misguided or lacking in judgment. He is never deficient in power or resources. When things go bad, rather than blaming God, a wiser approach would be to examine our own lives for areas of rebellion against God. The more quickly I turn from my evil ways and trust God for forgiveness and grace, the sooner I experience his peace. You see the emphasis on life-change? The sequence seems to be: Change your attitude, change your actions, change your destiny. Blaming God for the difficulties in your life will never bring peace or joy. How have you previously blamed God for difficult times in your life? How has he graciously brought you beyond that perspective?

God gave a stunning, eerie vision to Ezekiel. He walked the prophet through a valley full of dry, human bones. Hard to imagine a scene more depressing, hopeless and desecrated; this was the picture of death. Yet, God was inviting Ezekiel into a miracle: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’” (37:4-5). God told Ezekiel to speak in faith to a valley full of bones. To obey God, Ezekiel had to temporarily suspend his rational judgment, the obvious facts he saw with his eyes, and his own natural fear. He had to speak a promise of life to what conclusively was death. What would he do, trust God’s promise and speak in faith or live with current circumstances? “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.” (37:10) Beyond the primary purpose of the vision (Judah’s future restoration to spiritual life) is a secondary lesson to learn: God wants you to live by faith, not by sight. Sometimes you must speak the promises and purposes and will of God into your situation that is out of synch with His plan. This is how faith expresses itself, by what you say. Your relationship with God begins by you speaking and believing what God promises (Rom.10:9 “If you confess with your mouth…and believe in your heart…you will be saved”). You can wallow in your circumstances and remain depressed and hopeless or you can speak God’s promises over your life, despite your circumstances. God is the one who “calls things that are not as though they were” (Rom.4:17). Try it. Use your mouth to speak in faith a promise from God’s word directly into your situation – see if faith doesn’t grow a bit in your heart!

Promise of a new heart. Even though Judah is currently away from God and away from their homeland, God has a promise for them: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (36:25-27). Think of the imagery God uses to describe the current condition of Judah’s heart – a stone. Stones are hard, heavy, lifeless and inflexible. Their stone hearts are beyond repaired or reformed; a transplant is the only hope. That is the plan of God! He will remove the old, rebellious, unresponsive heart of stone and replace with a tender, flexible God-formed heart. He makes all things new. A new spirit that now desires God; a new heart that desires to trust and obey God; a new heart that loves God. When people receive the Spirit of God into their lives, change begins to happen! Are you experiencing transformation in your life as a result of God’s Spirit alive in your life?

Do you really want to know? Judah had been reduced to a small remnant of people, desperate to survive. Outwardly, it would appear that the Babylonians were the enemy and only in Egypt could they survive. Additionally, Judah was so compromised, the women were drawn to the Egyptian goddess, the Queen of Heaven. So though they approached Jeremiah with a desperate plea for help and guidance, it was also disingenuous. “All the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, ‘please hear our petition and pray to the Lord your God for this entire remnant.’” (42:1-2) Jeremiah heard from the Lord and reported what God had to say: “If you stay in this land…I am with you and will save you.” (42:11). Here is the problem – the people already had their heart set on going to Egypt, not remaining in their destitute homeland. From all appearances, Judah looked hopeless; Egypt looked promising. What is a person to do when they hear guidance from the Lord they disagree with? Depends on their attitude. If your heart is proud, you blame other people: “All the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are lying!’” (43:2). Simple. Just call the messenger a liar. However, if you will live by faith, not sight, God will bring a mighty deliverance. This is easy to say, but very difficult to do. We are hardwired to live by sight, not faith. But God knows all things. He was prepared to richly provide for them if they obeyed him. But Judah missed their opportunity. They rejected God’s word, went off to Egypt as they had planned to do, and lost their lives in the process. Funny thing – seeking God’s will. If you come to Him with your mind already made up, you are wasting your time. But if you come prepared to obey, whatever God says, you will discover his peace. George Mueller, the 19^th century British evangelist and orphanage director had this to say about finding the will of God. “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are over come when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be.” Where have you struggled to know God’s will? How has God provided direction?

What do you say when your world is crumbling around you? “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lam.3:22-26). Jeremiah’s environment could not have been worse. His city was destroyed. People were hopeless, desperate, starving and dying. Yet Jeremiah remembered God’s unfailing compassion. The Lord would be his portion and the Lord would prove to be all-sufficient. Have you experienced God at this level? To know that He is all you need especially during times when He is all you have? If you are in a difficult place today, remember: His compassions never fail; He is faithful and He is worth waiting upon. What hopeless experience have you had that caused you to fall upon God’s compassion?

Worthless Ministry. Judah was now destroyed. The unthinkable has happened. Jeremiah, along with few other prophets, had predicted Jerusalem’s fall unless the people turned away from their idolatry. However, there were many other voices predicting just the opposite. Most of the religious leaders were bringing visions, messages and prophecies of peace and prosperity. Most telling of all was this: “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity” (2:14). All the bluster of the popular prophets of the day was worthless because it did not help people recognize their rebellion against God. Independence from God’s leadership in your life may give you the illusion of freedom. However, God is the only truly free being in the universe. If you are in right relation to him, you are truly free. To the degree that you have accommodated sin in your life, is the degree of your bondage. Sin brings no freedom; only bondage. If the voices you listen to rarely or never challenge your heart to greater fidelity to the Lord, find a new source. Truth brings freedom. What messages have you heard that caused you to turn away from sin?

Setting things straight. God had been patient in his appeals to Judah to repent. However, the day finally came when the Babylonians broke down the physical wall of Jerusalem, killed nearly all the people and destroyed the Temple and all the key buildings. The physical destruction also served as an illustration of the internal, spiritual destruction that had already taken place within the hearts of God’s people. Judah had compromised and devalued her worship of God; so God allowed the Temple to be destroyed and its treasures stolen. Judah had followed spiritually lost kings; now King Zedekiah was imprisoned and blinded. Judah had preferred its lifeless existence to the life-giving word of God; so God brought death in judgment. God was giving people what they wanted – complete independence from him. God was also bringing things back into line with his design: Judah had abused its own poor countrymen; now with the rich deported God saw to it that the poor were given land. Judah had ignored the Sabbath rests; now “the land enjoyed its Sabbath rests and all the time of its desolation it rested until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah” II Chron.36:21). God had the final say. Even Jeremiah who had been abused, ignored, beaten and imprisoned was now released from Judah’s prison by the Babylonian king and treated as a dignitary: “the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go” (Jer.40:5). It didn’t have to end so badly for Judah, if they would have only listened to the warnings God had been sending through his prophets. What would you say God has been impressing on you lately, to adjust in your life?

Used and Abused. Jeremiah was speaking for God, warning the people of Jerusalem that the Babylonians were coming to destroy the city. But that was not what the people, the officials or the king wanted to hear. As Jeremiah left the city, an official falsely accused him of desertion. Though he denied it, “they were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned. Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time” (37:16). With the king’s approval, Jeremiah is later thrown into a well and left to starve to death. Only a foreigner’s appeal to the king saves Jeremiah. Thirty men pull him out with a rope made of old rags. The king decides to ask for Jeremiah’s counsel. The prophet says, “If I tell you, you will kill me; plus, you won’t even receive what I say” (38:15). Nevertheless, Jeremiah challenges the king to obey the Lord. This prophet was used and abused. He defended himself against the false accusations and wrong motives of others, even though his life was in their hands. What was God’s purpose in all of his pain? There is no indication that Jeremiah had crippling sin in his life. No, the suffering he tried to avoid but had to endure provided the striking contrast to the sinfulness of the people accusing him. Only the foreigner saved Jeremiah, using rags others had discarded. Sometimes in the ministry, things do not work out so well. Maybe you have been falsely accused, mistreated or attacked by others. If you find yourself in a pit of despair, take hope – God is there with you. Jesus understands unjust suffering. He will meet you there.

Devilish Pride. The King of Tyre had a serious character problem – he was proud. God expands the prophetic judgment to include not only the king, but also Satan: “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth” (28:17). Did you catch the characteristics that had soured? Beauty, wisdom and splendor – all can be touched of God and used in a wonderful way to reflect His excellence. But separated from Him, all attributes become a curse. If you are basing your security in your appearance, your knowledge (even bible knowledge), or your network of friends, you will someday experience severe loss. Some of the most miserable people on earth are listed among the rich & famous. None of those things have lasting meaning apart from a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. How have you experienced God leading you away from trusting in lesser things like appearance, knowledge and reputation?

Arrogance and Demotion. God had raised up godless Egypt for his own purposes, including using them to judge other godless nations. But Egypt had become quite proud of its conquests and power: “Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of the height, I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it” (31:10-12). God wanted Egypt to know that He had raised them up and he would bring them down. This happened 60 years later at the hands of the Persian Empire. As a basis of comparison, he pointed Egypt to its neighbor, Assyria. Assyria had risen and fallen as a world power. God was telling Egypt, ‘you’re next.’ Jesus said, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Have you experienced this yet? God wants us all to know that He is the one who promotes, and he is the one who demotes. And the demotion is redemptive – he uses it to help us see our need for him – so he can promote us into his service with the right heart. How do you see God doing this today in the church, government, entertainment, education, or business?

External or Internal? There was total failure on Israel’s part to keep her covenant agreement with God. Judgment followed. But with God’s forgiving love, there is a new plan in his heart for Israel’s future: “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (31:33). God was creating a new covenant between Himself and man, a permanent agreement that would supernaturally impart God’s word into the minds and hearts of people. God’s law externally was so perfect and righteous, no one could ever fully obey it. But God always wanted his people to not simply admire his law, but to experience it. The law of God represented his wisdom, holiness, power, and sovereignty. The only way people could experience God’s law was if God supernaturally implanted that law into their spirit and soul. That is exactly what he does with the new covenant. The Lawgiver himself enters into the person who trusts him by faith. The Holy Spirit who fills the believer is the internal law of God as well. Now we have the power and desire to completely fulfill the law at its highest expression – to love one another. Are you experiencing the freedom of the internal Lawgiver and Savior in your life? How do you struggle to overcome the cycle of failure, guilt, regret in your experience?

Hope. Generations of rebellion brought God’s judgment against Judah. The people were exiled to Babylon, their homeland overtaken by foreigners, their cities now empty and in ruins. But with God there is always hope: “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste…” Yet…there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.” (33:10-11). Sometimes you may feel like your situation is a “desolate waste.” But our God restores what has been lost. Listen for his promises of restoration in the mess of life. He is always good and his love for you does endure, regardless of your failures. Let God speak his words of hope into your soul. How do you need God’s restoration to work in your life?

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (32:27). This statement is all the more remarkable because of Jeremiah’s historical setting. Jerusalem was under attack as they spoke! Babylonians were ransacking the city, putting the citizens to the sword and destroying everything. Jeremiah was in jail due to yet another one of his prophecies offending Judah’s king. From that lowly place, God brought an amazing future vision for a people who have experienced his discipline: “I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me” (32:37-40). God promises dramatic change. He will change the hearts of people so that they have a new desire to respond to him. That was certainly their only hope – a new heart. The people had proven repeatedly that on their own, they would always rebel. Yet, God intends to redeem rebellious, hopeless people. He plans to never stop doing them good. He makes this promise in the midst of the most painful and horrifying circumstances imaginable. God intends to never stop doing good to you, even when the circumstances look impossible. There is nothing too hard for the Lord! How do you see God doing you good despite difficult circumstances?

Ezekiel’s wife becomes the object lesson. Incredibly, God reveals to Ezekiel that his wife will be dying soon. Her death will be a sign to Judah that the very thing they delight in (their hometown city, Jerusalem) is about to be taken from them. “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes” (24:16). How painful for Ezekiel to suffer the loss of his loved one, then not be allowed to grieve openly. This is the intensity of God’s enormous pain over the unfaithfulness of Judah. Judah will be overtaken and her capital city destroyed. Her captors will disallow any grief, but will haul them away in exile. Eventually, the people will see what they have lost. The day will come when they will grieve and mourn the loss of what God had lovingly provided – namely, Himself. Application for us might be to consider all the great things God has done. Maybe this is a day to be grateful and not take for granted the richness of God’s love?

God is pretty upset. He compares Israel and Judah to two sisters who become prostitutes. They brazenly disregard God’s morality and fidelity, and sell themselves over to lust for the godless nations around them. God responds with this: “I will stir up your lovers against you” (23:22). Isn’t that ironic? The very thing that the people thought would be their exciting indulgence would eventually become their destruction. We sin when we are no longer satisfied with God. We think some other experience, relationship or possession will fulfill us. Why do we believe that? Because we do not believe God is good. We doubt he is really going to satisfy, or that he has our best interest at heart. So off we go looking for life among the dead, only to experience great suffering and loss after the “god substitution.” Only God can satisfy your soul. Don’t waste your life running to everything but him.

Judah had forgotten God. The evidence God brought against her was her many acts of rebellion including no care for the foreigners, orphans, or widows; idolatry, shedding innocent blood, dishonoring parents, various acts of immorality and taking financial advantage of one another. Judgment was hanging over their heads like a dark cloud. God’s broken heart prompted the prophet Ezekiel to speak to the physical land – the Promised Land – because the people were no longer listening: “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it but I found none” (22:30). The desperate need was not to judge everyone else for not being good, but to address one’s own sin. But nobody was interested in that kind of repentance. God was hoping someone would care enough to build a wall of protection from evil and serve as a connector to righteousness. No one was interested or available. Very sad day for the people; very sad day for God. Sometimes the only solution is personal repentance. That’s the starting point of being useful to God.

Playing the Blame Game? Idolatry and apostasy had become progressively worse over the generations. The people were out of touch when it came to following God. Whatever problems resulted from that spiritual disconnection, they were blaming on their parents. But God wanted to clarify that each one is responsible for his or her own decisions. “The soul who sins is the soul who will die” (18:4, 20). “Because of the sins he has committed he will die” (18:24, 26). However, the Lord offered great hope: “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die” (18:21). God was challenging his people to choose righteousness as their life course. “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (18:30-31). God’s heart is one of both Truth and Mercy. If I am willing to respond to his offer of a new heart and spirit, my life can move in a righteous direction – true life! However, if I blame others for my problems and continue to sin, I will be the one who suffers. May the Lord help me to accept responsibility for my life.

Elders Gone Wild. This is how bad it had gotten in Judah, just before another mass exile to Babylon. The elders of the people, though rebels at heart, still practiced the routine of feigning interest in what God had to say through the prophets: “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 of me at all?” (14:1-3). On the outside, the elders looked as godly as ever – they appeared to be seeking God’s word. But on the inside, God saw a completely different story. Hidden beneath their religious exterior was a rebellious heart. They had made gods for themselves, ones they could control and that would accommodate their sinful nature. God is not fooled. He sees right through to the core of our hearts and weighs the motive. God insists that his people avoid the hypocrisy game. He had one word for those double-minded people: Repent. Same would be true for you and me. Start with repentance; then come before the Lord to discern his guidance and track with his wisdom. How are some ways people miss God’s best by playing the hypocrite?

God’s people had been pretending that he could not see their wickedness. Big mistake. Ezekiel has a vision of a supernatural being who has eyes all over its body – graphically making the point – God sees everything. Judgment follows the sin and the people are scattered. But God intends to bring them back and change their heart. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered…I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God” (11:17-20). The old stone heart of man will be replaced with a new heart that is undivided in devotion to the Lord. See how dramatically God changes lives? They become “his people” and He becomes “their God.” That is precisely what God continues to do – transforming lost and miserable people into those who have undivided loyalty to Him. How has God changed your heart?

At 30 years old, God calls the priest Ezekiel to function as his prophet to the exiles in Babylon. Unfortunately, it is an assignment to a resistant audience – God’s people will not be listening to him. Nevertheless, Ezekiel is given a vision of God’s word on a scroll. “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat…so I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them” (3:1-4). Even though the words of God were words of sorrow and lament over Israel’s sin, to Ezekiel the scroll tasted sweet. Apparently for the one who has a right heart toward God, his word is sweet to the taste and all satisfying. God wanted him to eat this truth before speaking it to others. Seems like he could have simply read the information to the people. However, God wanted him to internalize and feed upon the truth before sharing it with others. The Lord cares about how his ministry is done. He wants his messengers to be filled with his truth, feeding their souls upon it, before attempting to speak for Him. May you develop an appetite for the word of God and fill your heart with his truth. How has God’s word nourished you?

Whatever happened to the Golden Rule? Judah had a slight issue of conscience. They knew it was morally wrong to force some of their fellow Hebrews into personal slaves, but somehow had justified doing so for years. But then God spoke. “The word of the Lord came, “Proclaim freedom for the slaves” so all the officials and people entered into this covenant and agreed that they would free their slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed to set them free, but afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again” (34:8-11). The Lord’s response was that they had repented and done what is right by proclaiming freedom. “But now you have turned around and profaned my name…you have forced them to become your slaves again” (34:16). Very bad move on Judah’s part; it reflected poorly on God’s reputation. God’s response was essentially, “you reap what you sow.” The Lord allowed Judah the “freedom” to fall by the sword, plague and famine. How you treat others will come back upon you. It should not be difficult to understand – be considerate of others in the same way you would want them to be considerate of you. Who makes this kind of arrangement possible? God. He has taken the first step of grace in our direction; not treating us as our sins deserve, but providing forgiveness and love. The intention is that we would also treat one another in the same way. How do you see this approach healing relationships?

Redeemer. The people of God (Judah) will be conquered by a godless nation (Babylon). For 70 years, Judah will be in exile and powerless to overcome. Though the people have forgotten God; He will not forget his people: “All their captors hold them fast, refusing to let them go. Yet their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land” (50:33-34). The title, “Redeemer” provides a window into God’s heart for oppressed people. He is strong, He is Almighty and He will defend the cause of the helpless. The Redeemer will purchase his people for himself, whatever the cost. When you feel you are trapped, helpless or powerless to overcome, remember – there is a Redeemer. He has not forgotten you. He will surely come to save you, and bring you into the freedom of knowing Him. When have you experienced God defending you or rescuing you?

No Authority to speak for God. Here’s the problem: many people were going around supposedly speaking for God, but in fact, God had not sent them. Their message was one of peace, prosperity and grace. But God’s heart was on repentance, truth and righteousness. The measurement that God used was not “are people pleased and happy?” but “are they turning away from their selfishness and pride (expressed in their idolatry)?” God had a message. He did not need better marketing, or better communication tools. He wanted faithful messengers. “Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully…Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces?” (Jer.23:28-29). Think about it – do you receive correction from the word of God on a regular basis? Or have you reshaped god into something that allows you to live life on your own terms? A fire and a hammer are transformative agents. God loves you too much to leave you in your present condition. He will speak not only words of comfort, but also words of correction. Will you receive it? How do you think most people deal with morally challenging or character refining messages from the bible?

Hope for the Future. It must have seemed like a hopeless situation for Israel. Oppressed as exiles in a foreign, pagan nation. They must have asked the question, “God, have you abandoned us?” But God had not forgotten his people – he never does. God always has a plan: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord” (Jer.29:11-14). The plan is a relationship with God. What is the solution to your present problem? A deeper relationship with God. Everything else is just a detail. God would take care of Israel’s needs and they would be drawn to him. He anticipated that his people would call, come, pray and seek Him – he anticipated a close, intimate, heart-to-heart relationship with his sons and daughters. His promise is that you will find him – the ultimate One who satisfies your needs. Right now, stop with the worry and stray thoughts. Set your mind to seek the Lord. Call to him about your needs and listen attentively to his voice. This is his plan for you. What do you hear him saying to you today?

Shocking End. No one ever thought God would allow his people to be overtaken by a foreign, pagan nation. The people viewed God as relatively harmless and distant. But the people overestimated God’s patience and underestimated God’s righteousness. In the end, nearly all the Jews were deported to Babylon as slaves, never to return to their homeland. “All the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful…The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy” (II Chron.36:14-16). How did the people respond to God’s message through his prophets? They “mocked, despised and scoffed” at the word of God. When a person, community or nation continually rejects God’s wisdom and ways, it always ends badly. The people had ignored what God was saying and replaced him with a god of their own making – one that would never bring correction or punishment. So when the discipline came, it shocked them all. The point is: listen and respond to God’s word. He is always good; trust him even if you do not fully understand or agree. What is your evaluation of how people today in your nation are responding to God’s word?

Things going badly. It seemed as if the nation of Moab had always gotten its way. God raised up and strengthened Moab as his tool to bring discipline to his wayward child, Judah. But each person is held responsible for personal wrongs. Eventually, God would expose Moab’s pride and coming judgment: “Since you trust in your deeds and riches you too will be taken captive” (48:7). “Moab will be destroyed as a nation because she defied the Lord” (48:42). When a nation turns away from God, it is simply a matter of time until there is failure and humiliation. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Prov.21:30). What do you think? Is God justified in bringing discipline against an entire nation?