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April 21st - Chapter Four and Five

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April 21st - Chapter Four and Five Empty April 21st - Chapter Four and Five

Post by James Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:07 am

In summary, these two chapters contain four "arrows" of judgment that God had prophesied through Ezekiel.
Famine, disease, sword, and wild beasts (5:16-17).
And to hear that Ezekiel would lie on his left side for 390 days to acknowledge the 390 years between Solomon's unfaithfulness to the fall of Jerusalem, I thought that it was kind of harsh for a sin that he did not commit.
But Ezekiel was called to bear the sins of Israel which I don't think he would be the sacrifice instead a representative as his actions (lying on the side) symbolized the punishment that Israel would have to suffer for their sins.
Interesting how God would do this, not exactly bad or good - but a side of God that I didn't recognize.
In all honestly, I would ABSOLUTELY hate to be lying on my side for 390 days but to represent God's judgment in love for His people is definitely an honour (now that I kind of, sort of, get it... lel).
God is clear as to why He would bring this kind of judgment upon them.
This was because of their rebellious hearts against God's laws and the "vile images defiling the sanctuary" which was idolatry (5:9 and 5:11).
I'm starting to understand what kind of jealous God that our God is, through his judgments and his wrath - verse 13 especially highlights this idea.

5:7 reminds me of the verse in Hebrews (Hebrews 5:12) where it said that the Israelites should've been teachers by now, as God's chosen people.
And in this context within Ezekiel, God's people truly truly truly have rebelled against God as their surrounding nations followed their own laws and their own morals. And hearing that God's people were wicked and in contrast brought out the righteousness of surrounding nations (who didn't have God's laws) is probably one of the most shameful things that God that revealed to His people.
And in today's world, do we stand out as Christians? Do people observe God's laws or the governing authorities more than we do?
Not to the point of being legalistic with God's laws, but to the point where our fruits should've already been changed based on our faith.

Conviction is real today.

James
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April 21st - Chapter Four and Five Empty Re: April 21st - Chapter Four and Five

Post by StephenRYUUUU Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:02 pm

Scary yet powerful two chapters.  God tells Ezekiel of the punishment He will inflict onto the Israelites yet also Ezekiel bears the sins of Israel and Judah.  Obviously to us this is completely unfair for Ezekiel to bear the sins of so many, especially just lying on his side for a long time.  To me this reminds me a lot of Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sins.  Because we are so sinful, God used His own son to bear our sins.  The sins of not x number (x being finite loool) of years but rather the past, present, and future.  To me it just exemplifies and shows how much it would cost to bear our own sins, yet Jesus did it for everyone.  

Honestly, most of the time when people tell us about God and His character, they describe Him as one who only gives love unconditionally.  This is very true yet in Ezekiel, we view God with emotion.  God shows His anger by inflicting all this wrath to Jerusalem.  I think it shows just how much He cares for His people that He needed to do this.  When God says how inflicting wrath will show He is angry (verse 13) (From not following His commands), and after reading what James has said, it really makes me reflect on how we need to be obedient to His word. The more I read, the more I begin to realize the Greatness of our God.

StephenRYUUUU

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Post by teamc_jeremy Fri Apr 24, 2015 11:29 pm

Chapter 4 really shows God's wrath and punishment for sins. Even though Ezekiel did not commit the sins of his people, God placed upon him the punishment of the house of Israel as well as the house of Judah. I can't imagine the frustration Ezekiel must have felt: disappointment/anger towards those who deserved the punishment and confusion as to why the punishment of an entire people group was being placed on him. The language in the chapter really goes to show God's wrath and justice for sin, "I will do this that they may lack bread and water, and look at one another in dismay, and rot away because of their punishment." Chapter 5 describes that God will destroy Jerusalem because its people have defiled his sanctuary with "detestable things". Again, the language in this chapter captures God's anger, "Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself."

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