Verse of the Week: V27 “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. The Glory Of God (V1-6)
V2 “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel become holy and acceptable to God. Indeed, the greatest joy of God and His people is when the glory of God fills the house of God with God’s people gathering together in worship of the holy God in truth, in spirit, in unity, in love and in fellowship.
V5 “So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.”
2. The Law Of God (V7-17)
V12 “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel obey the law of the house or the law of God. The holy God will only bless and keep His people when they trust and obey His most holy law.
3. The Altar Of God (V18-27)
V27 “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel offer their burnt and peace offerings upon the altar of God, and most importantly, when the people offer their lives as living sacrifice upon the altar of God. Indeed, this is the only way for God to accept His people when they offer their lives as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable before Him. This is also the only reasonable service that God’s people can reciprocate their love, gratitude and thanksgiving to the holy God, and their Saviour Jesus Christ.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please accept me as I offer myself as a living sacrifice before You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:33 am
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Verse of the Week: V20 “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.”
1. The Holy Chambers (V1-13)
V13 “Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priest that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
God commanded Ezekiel to warn the priests to keep all the chambers holy and separated from any unholy things. The priests must ensure that all the offerings were holy before God including the place of sacrifice. Let us be holy in our speech and deed, and be separated from those who are unholy as we are the sons and daughters of the holy God.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
2. The Holy Garments (V14-18)
V14 “When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall out on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.”
God commanded Ezekiel that the priests’ garments could only be worn in the holy chambers and they must leave their holy garments in the holy chambers, and put on other garments when they leave the chambers. Our lives, like the priests’ holy garments, must be holy and worthy before God, as we study the Bible, pray and walk with our holy God.
Revelation 3:4 “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”
3. The Holy Sanctuary (V19-20)
V20 “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.”
Just like the sanctuary of God must be separated from the profane place, our lives must be separated from evil and wickedness in order for us to be holy before the holy God.
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please separate me from evil that I may be holy before You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:39 am
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Verse of the Week:V4 “So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.”
1. The Command (V1-6)
V4 “So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.”
God commanded prophet Ezekiel that the place he stood was the most holy place in the temple and that he must be holy in the holy place. When we believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, our body becomes the temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells within our body. This is why we must flee from sins and be holy before our holy God.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
2. The Chambers (V7-17)
V7 “And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.”
God showed Ezekiel the highest as well as the lowest chamber. It was a reminder to Ezekiel that there shall be high and low point of our service to God. The highest point is when we behold and worship God, while the lowest point is when we sin against God.
Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple.”
3. The Cherubs (V18-26)
V18 “And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;”
The cherubims, which are angels of God guarding the presence of God, had two faces. One was the face of a man, the symbol of God became man, while the other was the face of a young lion, the symbol of God as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
V19 “So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to be holy as I am the temple of Your Holy Ghost.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:39 am
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Verse of the Week: V2 “In the visions of God brought He me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.”
1. Visions Of God (V1-2)
V1 “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.”
God gave Prophet Ezekiel the visions and detailed description of the new temple of God where the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign during the Millennial kingdom. These visions were great encouragement to Ezekiel who was then a prisoner in Babylon after the Babylonians attacked Israel and destroyed the temple of God and killed thousands of the people of Israel, and took many of them as captives including Ezekiel.
V2 “In the visions of God brought He me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.”
2. Temple Of God (V3-43)
V3 “And He brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.”
God showed Ezekiel a man, who in turned showed him the new temple of God, so that Ezekiel could declare to the people of Israel the new temple he had seen, and encouraged them to trust God in spite of their intense sufferings and cruel captivity in the hands of the Babylonians. Ezekiel comforted them that one day, those who believe in the true God, shall dwell in His new temple, and shall reign together with the Lord Jesus Christ.
V4 “And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither; declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.”
3. Singers of God (V44-49)
V44 “And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.”
There shall be singers in the new temple as well as in Heaven, the home of God. Music and singing is an integral part of praise and worship of God as the people of God express our thankfulness and gratitude to God for who He is and what He has done in our lives.
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please encourage me to know that You are with me now and forever.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:52 am
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Verse of the Week: V7 “So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”
1. God’s Holy Name (V1-7)
V1 “Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:”
God was against Gog because the people of Gog were unholy before Him. However, the saddest truth was that even God’s people were also unholy. This was why God sent countless prophets to preach to His people to repent of their sins and be holy before Him.
V7 “So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”
2. God’s Holy Work (V8-16)
V8 “Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.”
Nothing could hinder God’s holy work as He shall punish and destroy the people of Gog for their wickedness and they shall be buried forever in hell. Though many times it seems that the wicked people prosper and enjoy life on earth, yet God is not mocked, as He shall surely judge and condemn the wicked in the fiery pits of hell for all eternity.
V11 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog.”
3. God’s Holy Spirit (V17-29)
V25 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;”
Though God chastised the people of Israel, yet He shall pour His Holy Spirit and mercy upon the remnant of His people who chose to repent of their sins and be holy before Him.
V29 “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to be holy because You are holy.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:16 am
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Verse of the Week: V23 “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
1. God Is All Knowing (V1-13)
V2 “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,”
GOD told prophet Ezekiel that in the last days, Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish and all the great leaders will come together, and attack Israel, and take away their silver and gold, cattle and possessions, and destroy their land and kill their people.
V13 “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?”
2. God Is In Control (V14-15)
V14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?”
GOD allows these countries from the north of Israel to invade Israel in order to humble the people of Israel, and let them know that the Lord God is in control of everything, including the punishment of His own people for their unbelief and disobedience.
V15 “And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:”
3. God Is Great (V16-23)
V16 “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.”
Today, many people in Israel do not believe in God, but one day they shall believe. God shall send the mighty nations to humble Israel, so that not only the people of Israel, but all the people of the world, shall know that the God of Israel is the one and only great God, and there is none beside Him.
V23 “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please humble me to know that You are the one and only great God.
Posted by: Pator Davy Sim AT 02:19 am
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Verse of the Week:V5 “Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:”
1. The Dead Lives (V1-10)
V3 “And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.”
The Lord GOD brought prophet Ezekiel to an open valley full of dry bones, and asked Ezekiel whether these dry bones could live. Ezekiel, the man of God, knew that with God nothing shall be impossible, and God could certainly make the dry bones lived. Indeed, God spoke to the dry bones, and caused breath to enter into the dry bones, and they lived.
V5 “Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live;”
2. The Nation Lives (V11-14)
V11 “Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.”
The Lord GOD showed prophet Ezekiel the dry bones of the whole house or nation of Israel, and again, asked Ezekiel whether Israel could live and had hope in the Almighty God. Again, Ezekiel believed that with God nothing shall be impossible. Indeed, God put His spirit in the people of Israel, and Israel lived, and had hope in the Almighty God.
V14 “And shall put My spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.”
3. The LORD Lives (V15-28)
V24 “And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.”
The one shepherd is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. One day, the Lord shall reign forever, and everyone who believes in Him shall live and reign with Him for evermore.
V26 “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You for saving my soul; I once was dead spiritually, but now I live, yet not I, but You live in me.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:02 am
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Verse of the Week: V23 “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.”
1. The House Of God (V1-15)
V1 “Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:”
The mountains or the people of Israel were the house or the family of the Almighty God. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel that whichever nation or people who shall attack and destroy His house or family, He shall attack and destroy that nation or people.
V12 “Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.”
2. The Holiness Of God (V16-24)
V22 “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.”
God chose the people of Israel not because of what they had done, but because God loved them. Though they sinned against God time and again, yet for the sake of God’s holy name or great name, God kept forgiving them, and even sanctified them in His holiness.
V23 “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.”
3. The Heart Of God (V25-38)
V26 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”
God was so good to His people that He gave them a new heart, a new spirit that they could live a new life serving Him. Indeed, when we believe in the true and living God and become God’s people, whatever God promises to us, He shall fulfil them.
V36 “Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You that I am great and holy because You are great and holy.
Posted by: Pastor Dave Sim AT 05:10 pm
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Verse of the Week: V13 “Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.”
1. Perpetual Hatred (V1-8)
V2 “Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,”
The Almighty God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel pronouncing judgement upon the people of mount Seir or Edom, who were the perpetual or long time enemy of Israel. God pronounced severe judgement upon mount Seir because they continued to hate and harm Israel, who was God’s chosen nation. Similarly, God shall judge the people who constantly hate and harm Christians because Christians are God’s people, God’s children.
V5 “Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:”
2. Perpetual Desolation (V9-12)
V9 “I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”
God severely punished mount Seir and until today, mount Seir remains a wasteland with few inhabitants. Indeed, God is not mocked and whosoever mock God’s people are actually mocking God, and God shall punish them.
V11 “Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee.”
3. Perpetual Love (V12-15)
V13 “Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.”
The people of mount Seir were proud and boastful and they thought they could live without God. God heard their boasting and He severely judged and punished them. Indeed, when we humble ourselves and trust in God, we shall be under His perpetual and everlasting love and protection, however, if we are proud and boastful and refuse to believe in God, we shall be under His perpetual judgement and condemnation.
V15 “As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You for Your everlasting love and protection.
Posted by: Pastor Dave Sim AT 10:17 am
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Verse of the Week: V2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
1. The Selfless Shepherd (V1-10)
V2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Instead of feeding the flock, the shepherds of Israel fed themselves! These were the false prophets of God who preached and prophesied God’s Word for their own selfish gain. They served God with the motive of what they could get out of their service instead of serving selflessly. Today, we are also experiencing the same attitude from the false pastors who preach for their own selfish gain instead of the salvation of the people that they may come to know the Lord Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour and Shepherd.
2. The Seeking Shepherd (V11-19)
V11 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”
Ezekiel, like the Lord GOD, was the true shepherd who searched and sought for the lost sheep of Israel, the people of Israel, to repent of their sins and turn to God. Indeed, the true pastor will search and seek for lost souls and share with them the Gospel so that they may know the Lord Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour and Lord.
V12 “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”
3. The Serving Shepherd (V20-31)
V23 “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”
God’s one shepherd or God’s servant David was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall feed His sheep or the people of God, with the Word of God, and they shall never be hungry or thirsty again. Indeed, the true Shepherd is a serving Shepherd who came to serve, and to die for the sins of the whole world, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
V31 “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You for being my true Shepherd and Saviour.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 03:37 pm
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