Wednesday, October 19 2011
Ezekiel 48
Verse of the Week: V35 “It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.”
1. The Lord Supplies (V1-11)
V1 “Now these are the name of the tribes. From then north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.”
The Lord supplied and rewarded all the tribes of the nation of Israel. However, God only supplied and rewarded the priests of the sons of Zadok, one of the families of the Levites because they were on God’s side while the rest of them had departed from God.
V11 “It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.”
2. The Lord Sanctifies (V12-20)
V12 “And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.”
God sanctified the land on conditions that the land must not be sold or exchanged for anything, and they must live holy lives. However, they sinned against God, and God punished them by sending their enemies to defeat them and occupy their land. Today Israel is still fighting for their land, but it is in vain, unless they believe in the true God.
V14 “And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.”
3. The Lord Stays (V13-23)
V35 “It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.”
The Lord stayed with prophet Ezekiel from the beginning to the end of his life and ministry, as he trusted the Lord. This was why Ezekiel inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote the book of Ezekiel beginning with seeing the visions of God by the river of Chebar, and concluding with naming the holy city as “The LORD is there” or “The presence of God.”
“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” (Ezekiel 1:1)
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You that I am on Your side.
