All Discussion PAGE 694

I heard a pastor say that the 7 churches of Revelation are all one church, i have never heard that before am I missing something here?

I made a prayer request 3 months ago about my email, youtube, and facebook hacked. i got all of them back expect my facebook account. please keep praying that i will be able to get my facebook account back.

Ez.5:5-8 "This is Jerusalem" (2 of 2)

ncluding 'they also which pierced him.'(Re.1:7) The Jews would not hear of the offer of Pilate, instead,"When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucifyhim, crucifyhim. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucifyhim: for I find no fault in him( John 19:4-6)".

Jerusalem as it is inhabited now is more of controversy and what is occupying all their attention: How to divide Jerusalem into two states? These are spiritually wilderness that is fit for wild asses and satyrs. Isaiah hits their problem right on spot,"But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he(the Lord) shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness(Is.34:11)".

"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.(Is.25:7)" So where shall Messiah-King set up his Millennial Reign? As mentioned in the quote from Hosea it shall be latter days. The Church redeemed from the earth as in the Vision of the Woman clothed with the Son (Re.12) is represented by 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14. They are on Mount Sion seen standing with the Lamb. Gentile Nations and the remnant of the Jews who are genuinely contrite over having rejected their Savior draw to the risen Christ and flock towards him. The Vail that is spread over the nations shall be lifted.

"Thus saith the LordGod; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her./And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them."(vv.5-6)

"Therefore thus saith the LordGod; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations."(v.8)

Ez.5:5-8 "This is Jerusalem" (1 of 2)

There is a literal Jerusalem, and as mentioned in the Book of the Revelation a Jerusalem spiritually called many other cities. In short literal Jerusalem and New Jerusalem, which is to be understood spiritually are entirely consistent with the Salvation Plan of God.

When John narrates the Vision of Two Witnesses gives synonym of this great city of David with this clue, 'where also our Lord was crucified'. In rejecting the Son who was sent from God the nation of Israel brought judgment upon the city. First we shall consider the quote, "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified(Re.11:8)". Jerusalem as of old is finished. Jesus before his passion says in no uncertain terms,"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessedishe that cometh in the name of the Lord(Matt.23:39). Perhaps question arises,'Is not the present state of Israel fulfillment of prophecies of old? The prophet Hosea refers to this,"For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, andwithoutteraphim:/Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days(Hos.3:4-5)."

In order to set the sequence of events leading to their realization in proper order we have this word of our Savior Lord "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory(Matt.24:30-31)". We have another verse to consider,"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him(Re.1:7).

Ez.5:1-4 "A Third Part" (2 of 2)

Here we see judgment of God in terms of the spirit. In order to show this difference we have the Spiritual Rock Christ following the Israelites in the wilderness. Babylon exile as with diaspora after the destruction of Jerusalem completes judgment of the nations- Egypt and Jerusalem thus represent body and spirit. Literal Jerusalem as the city of God is over. Instead New Jerusalem represents the soul. Jesus has completed the mandate given by his Father.( Psalms 2 and 110 make it clear the seat for Messiah is on the Mount that is not any literal place but of the new earth. It must occur before the great tribulation and at the end satan shall be loosed for a brief period- and from then on events move very swiftly to the Judgment and the Marriage of the Lamb.

'Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.' David predicts Millennial Reign of his Lord from New Jerusalem. (He appears in mid-air and gathers his saints). These large movements of the Jews and the Gentiles constitute God's promise to Abraham (Ge.12:3) becoming fulfilled.

God commands Ezekiel to shave his head and beard, signifies that he is shorn of his glory. As a watchmen what he speaks is as though coming from Him(4:2). As a sign what he does symbolically is underwritten by God,'and I will draw out a sword after them(v.2).

In 4:7 we came across this line,'and thine arm shall be uncovered' while he prophesies to them, to indicate his helplessness in the iniquity of them. God shall avenge him which is made clear by vv.3-4. Shall not God avenge His children who cry unto him against those powers-that-be who think they are expendable on account of their color or station in life? Israel is a stand-in for many other nations. 'and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel(v.4).

Ez.5:1-4 "A Third Part " (1 of 2)

What is a third part? In the lexicon of the Spirit number Three refers to the Son. The third refers to the tripartite nature of man,body soul and spirit. In his human likeness he was identical with man in all aspects but without sin. In the Book of the Revelation also we come across it in connection with the seven angels with the seven trumpets (Re.8). In the Book of Ezekiel we read thus "...Divide the hair./Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them(5:1-2)."

The three refers to Trinity and when we translate it in terms of judgment we are looking at sin of rebellion in terms of body, spirit and soul. In Torah we have tetragrammaton which when transliterated is YHWH. It is written without vowels, Trinity is somewhat similar. When we consider the Lord Almighty he is expressed as the Father, the Son who is he but the Great Shepherd of souls, and the Holy Ghost.

In an earlier post we mentioned that God forbade Isaac from going to Egypt as his father did in the time of famine. God allowed Abraham to go since it was the necessity of his body. Similarly it was self preservation that necessitated the flight to Egypt surrounding the birth of Jesus. This was predicted by prophet( Hosea 11:1)

How did children of Israel end up in Egypt? In the eyes of God what the patriarchs did to Joseph was sin against his father Jacob. The nation of Israel had to be delivered from Egypt as a synonym for sin. It was against the spirit and crossing the red sea would be in the larger picture of Salvation Plan of God a sacrament, of dying to sin in body. The deliverance of Israelites under the hand of Moses(faithful in all his house) is like a kangaroo word and the Spirit sets him a double for Jesus 'over his own house.'

Ez.4:13-18 "Wages of Sin"

"And theLordsaid, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." (v.13)

Here the parable of the Prodigal Son comes to mind. Far away from his father's the son is reduced to eat the husks given to the swines. Diaspora of Jews exposed them to alien customs and their traditions. Defiled bread is like the catch in the Parable of the Dragnet. the bad will be thrown away.

What a terrible thing to feel hungry despite of just having had a square meal? Body craves for nourishment may be it is on account of some ailment that body cannot absorb food. We have seen patients with Bulimea, it is a disorder. In terms of spiritual ailment what is an addiction? Your craving for drugs for instance goes deeper than your need for it.

In a permissive society love of man and woman does not satisfy; experimenting before marriage does not prepare the spouse to find happiness; the more they seek it the end leaves them much worse. Wages of sin simply debases the user and the used. The exiled nation would consume away for their iniquity without addressing their rebellious nature.

Isaiah would say, "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward./Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint./From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment./Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.(Is.1:4-7)

Ez.4:5-13 "What Defiles a man?-2

The division of scribes and Pharisees merely created tradition for the Jew to observe. Did it make them perfect? As Jesus would observe, "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.'For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers (Matt.23:3-4)". Law and traditions of man in themselves did not have power to restore fellowship with God. So Jesus excused the disciples who did not wash their hands before eating, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.(Matt.15:11)" Later he explained it to his disciples thus,"Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?/But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man./For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:These are the things which defile a man: (vv.17-20)"

Ezekiel was a watchman and a sign. The sign still is as forceful now as was then. We do not know how the people took to the prophet eating defiled food. In the age where the billionaires are spared from paying taxes we see the poor scavenging. Sin has given mind its numbness, it would seem.

Ez.4:5-13 "What defiles a man?"

God first commanded Ezekiel to serve as a sign and he was to lie on his left side and on his right side for the iniquity of Israel and Judah respectively. Period also is specified, 'and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year(v.6)

He was to be rendered immobile 'till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.'. What had he to do with the siege of Jerusalem? Collective sin of Israel and Judah however exacted its toll on him. Similarly why are we held accountable for the weird climate and global warming despite of being conscious of environment and conservation? Nations who destroyed it for quick profits and continue to do with impunity shall go on from bad to verse. Every citizen as Ezekiel in his day was powerless. So siege of Jerusalem is a sign that judgment of God shall surely descend on them. Their reliance on wealth shall be plundered and it cast to the four winds as it were.

God set a diet for Ezekiel in which barley cakes baked 'with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight./And theLord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them(vv.12-13).

Have we not seen something similar becoming familiar? We are computer savvy but are we good at separating facts from alternate facts? Do we not see people figuratively gobbling up fake news and misinformation peddled through Social Media platforms? It is moral filth coming out of man.

Tradition gave scribes and Pharisees a stick to beat Jesus with. He knew no sin and did no sin but the tradition of man leveled charge "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread."

What was law they made much of? For example the question of divorce as instituted by the Law of Moses merely arose because of sin. Jesus explained, "because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives."

Ez.4:1-4 "Sign"

What is the role of man in the creative Will of God?

He is a sign which is understood as naturally represented in the Fellowship of God with Man. As an emblem of it in the Book of the Revelation we see four beasts and twenty-four elders seated about the throne set in heaven. These serve as memorial to the Creative Wisdom and Power of God. Whereas man and other creation serve as the reality of the divine Will on the earth. It marks peace with God. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth(Ge.1:28)".Everlasting covenant between God and Man covers both heaven and the earth.

The angel of his presence is a sign as to God's sovereignty is not only over man but also his world. The living creature that is introduced in the Book of Ezekiel brings that to our mind. Living creature symbolized the place of man in context of other creation where he was the steward. For this reason ox, eagle lion represented man as representation of the Man in the Fellowship of God. The Spirit uses Adam as a representational figure. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:(Ro.5:12)"It is connected to Jesus Christ,"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous(5:19)".

God sets Ezekiel as His watchman and as a sign. God sets Ezekiel as His watchman and as a sign. The Spirit also tells how we are to consider our days. As expressions day and night, evening and morning as mentioned in the creation account shall have their own meaning."Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity."(v.4)

Ez.3:24-27 "Lock-down"

In this age of pandemic a term like lockdown is as familiar but was as least understood at the time of Ezekiel. . God commands Ezekiel, 'Go, shut thyself within thine house.' Why Ezekiel had to suffer for the sin of rebellion that characterized the house of Israel? One answer is the nature of sin. It is an insult to the Holiness of God. God is long-suffering but that does not mean He is not taking counter measures to combat it. Secondly one always has to pay for sin of others. Towards this God had already prepared a body. The begotten Son explains it. Before his advent God raises people to control the spread virus and at times root out clusters of it. Herd immunity is achieved by partial judgments.

After the revolt of Korah and Dathan God commands Aaron thus:"You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar,so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again.6I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,dedicated to theLord to do the work at the tent of meeting.(Nu.18:5-6) Significant is this line,'so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites.' They were a gift to the people. God is particular as who should be double for his Son. He is the Mediator, High Priest and the Apostle. Whosoever chosen by God had to be by law of Gradation compatible. In the following verse he says, 'I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,dedicated to theLord to do the work." They were to work and intercession meant he has a new motto: 'God works hitherto and so I work. It is life of faith or total surrender.

"And he saw thatthere wasno man, and wondered thatthere was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him(Is.59:16)".Why there was no intercessor? What answer shall modern Christianity give?

Thanks Gigi.

Goodmorning.

That is going to be the climax to all things!

But there is atleast 1007 years of unfinished business here on earth that the Bible has a lot to say about that has not been fulfilled.

You see it disclosed chronologically in Revelation.

Revelation 20:1-3.

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Revelation 20:7-10.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and MaGog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.....

All this comes before Revelation 21:1-4.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

A day to look forward to!

Have a blessed day

Thank you so much for your down to earth clarity in this post , I don't get a lot of spiritual food other than the Bible , which is usually sufficient for me . In times of feeling a bit stressed and vulnerable it's so good to hear a kind word from a much loved brother :) . That's you that is !

Ez.3:16-23 "Fall on my face"

hen I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of theLord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.

Here v.23 ends with the expression 'fell on my face' on beholding the glory of God. It is significant we have the same expression coming at the end of the first chapter where he on witnessing the glory of God falls down ."This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake(1:28)".

When the risen Christ reveals to John we read a similar expression, 'And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead (Re.1:17).' The vision of God that Isaiah saw in the year that King Uzziah died was no less impressive but the vision crushes him,'Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts(Is.6:5)".

When God takes over the life of man there is no face to save. King Saul after becoming an enemy of God requires Old Samuel to walk with him while people are looking. So he has sense of royal dignity to save. Is it not how some behave after having made a shipwreck of their faith lives? They still for the grandstand have something to show: shake their prosperity as reward for their services to God. How clever? Saul began well but in harboring implacable hatred and jealousy he backslid from God. It is true in our times.

There is no yea and no with God. Either your heart is entirely given to do His bidding or none at all. Total surrender is total sanctification which in the case of Ezekiel makes him 'fall on his face.'

It is what faith does. Its effect is total. So whether it is mind's eye or physical vision in question faith cannot be divided from the heart. Flesh profits nothing so the glory of God when seen must draw the entire body to respond.

Ez.3:10-15 "Led by the Spirit"

God is speaking to us this very day, "unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the LordGod; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear." Ezekiel was only required to receive it in faith 'that in the parlance of the Spirit has this phrase,'in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.' Compare with the Spirit's expression at the end of each message to the seven churches in Asia minor.'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Re.2:7)'

This message is the testimony of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ sent to the angel of the church of Ephesus. Having become familiar with the living creatures what does this expression of angel signify? Is it not the Angel of his Presence or the spirit of Christ? When we read these expressions we need understand faith is the currency on which messages of God are tendered and received. No other.

Vv. 12-15Consider these expressions,'Then the spirit took me up' and 'So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away,' and these shows he was led by the Spirit and not any miraculous transportation in spirit. Jesus was led by the Spirit before he was fully ready to begin his ministry. Forty days is an indication of preparation that we see after he was risen as well. 'Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt.4:1)".

In the episode of Evangelist Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch the Spirit took the initiative. "Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot(Ac.8:29). At the end we are told,"The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing./But Philip was found at Azotus:(8:39-40)" It does not profit us to read into lines not intended by the Spirit so we may assume Philip was led by the Spirit and he did all was told in faith. Travel plans of personages are not the main point but instruction in righteousness.

Ez.3:1-11 "One Language Two Continents"

House of Israel was one entity because of the language they spoke was common. But here from what God tells the prophet it is clear that absence of faith was the root cause. Because of their disbelief they were split every one as two continents. On one level every one was connected with the other by a common language. Their speech did not help the state of their heart. In departing from God they demonstrated their heart was evil with disbelief. As writer to the Hebrews said,"They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways (He.3:10-12)."Their speech was merely adequate to feed and satisfy the requirements of flesh and blood; but in persisting backsliding heart revealed it was not at rest with the body. In short body was at odds with the spirit.

When God commands Ezekiel,"Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel we know already what it carried. It was full of woe and lamentations.

"So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 'Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.' Prophet Ezekiel would indeed taste it as such because he received his word in faith and his command, "Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears". For those whose heart was astir because of disbelief shall resist him as they resisted Moses earlier and even wanted to stone him. His task was to warn them in all seriousness and leave it at that.

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God (He.7:19). This better hope required faith by which they could cleave unto God. St Paul explains it "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members(Ro.7:23)".

Ez.2:8-10 "Written within and without" (2 of 2)

"a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits./Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it (Ze.5:2-3)". Curse for stealing is written on one side whereas for swearing is limited to the other side. By the same rationale when it is made into a book or folded up what is written on the within and without are about different things.

It is as different as clean plates without and unclean within; similarly white sepulchres holding rotting bones and flesh within. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness(Matt.23;27)". The Book with seven seals was similar to the roll: "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals(Re.5:1).As each seal is broke open woeful events are rolled out which is more in keeping with God's judgment on Israel.

But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

9And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;

10And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Ez.2:8-10 "Written within and without" (1 of 2)

In order to have an insight into the narrative mode of the Spirit we shall begin with examples. He organizes the narrative arc from the stand point of the divine Will and How it is accomplished. When a hand writes on the Wall judgment is executed the same night. "And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin (Dan.5:25)," and it is done,"That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed (Dan.5:30-ESV)". So God sent the hand that wrote the inscription (v.24). In short the visual sign of the hand is the judgment part of divine Will.

From John's Gospel we are told that "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:( John 5:22)" Having said this let us go back to the vision concerning the living creatures. "And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides;(1:8)" What does the hand of the angel of his presence indicate? Judgment on disobedient whether north south, east or west shall be equal. God is no respecter of persons. (Ro.2:11). No an hand was sent unto me. It holds out a roll of book or a scroll.

In v.10 we read thus:"And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe."In the Book of Zechariah we are given the Vision of a Flying Roll.

Ez.2:5-8 "Of Whose are we?

Here we have a terrible indictment coming from God at a nation whom He had once qualified as His Firstborn. It is how God wanted his servant Moses to introduce them as His people to Pharaoh. 'They are a rebellious house' and God wants them to be shown what they had become. It was the task of Ezekiel to speak his words and serve as a sign as well as suffer personally for their sins. Social distancing during the pandemic became mandatory. Rebelling against sensible laws set in place for order and safety, for public good is to be blamed. They are in fact rebelling against God.

Without ensuring faith of theIn the following verse we have this line,"Sothe LORD alone did lead him, andthere was no strange god with him(v.12)."God as the Maker of the heaven and the earth has placed man in His house. Moses was faithful and his role was as one entrusted with the upkeep of it. "For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God./ And Moses verily was faithful in all his house(He.3:4-5), From the Book of Moses the Lord alone did lead him shows the nature of faith and it was pretty obvious from his infancy so much so the writer to the Hebrews testifies thus,"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;(He.11:24)" So what proves your antecedents that you belong to the House of God? Is it not faith?

Every verse here God repeats their rebellious character. In their bondage He had respect and concern. He gave them commandments and delivered them with a mighty hand from a furnace that the land of Egypt had become ."As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings(De.32:11)":

5And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Ez.2:1-4 "Son of man"

Here we have the Gospel and its role in the frame of reference which is Fellowship of God with Man. It is established by Law. It is eternally enshrined in the heavens (Ps.119:89)

Jesus called him by preference as Son of man. When he comes into the house of Zacchaeus what does he say? "This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham./For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost( Luke 19:10)" The house of the man, of a tax-collector is a microcosm for the world. Jesus had no place to lay his head, just as well. Any home that opened the doors to him received the Son sent by his Father. John 3:16. Zacchaeus despised by the Jews is a case in point. The Spirit one might say is the driver of the gospel. The Spirit supplies each component in the mechanism of the earth (a house to live in.') God is the Maker of heaven and the earth and His visions ought to convince us the House is very much lived in. God uses the vision to impress Ezekiel upon His sovereignty. Just as the Spirit reins in living creature in such least reducible world of motion voice of speech supplied by the Lord God control the history of mankind. The Gospel is the gospel of reconciliation as well as serves judgment upon the disobedient. So gospel is as the writer to the Hebrews would say, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart(He.4:12)".

When God addresses the prophet as Son of man the same title the Son shall use when the time comes therefore by law of Gradation is a stand-in for every believer.

And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

2And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

Ez.14:16-20 "Arise, Shine Forth"

In vv.16-20 The Spirit lays stress on three names, as exemplars of righteousness. They lived in faith despite of the circumstances.

"Noah found grace in the eyes of theLord./....Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God(Ge.6:8-9)". He lived at a time when it was not different from what we are living. Truth is alternate truth and revising reality to buttress the wicked ideology is same as those who lived when 'the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually(v.6:5)'. Their culture wars was muck that a great flood simply washed away. At such a time Noah condemned them by patiently deepening his faith. The ark that he built was a sign.

Daniel was in exile but he would not defile himself with the royal dishes offered to their gods. So God gave him gifts and grace to live among them. He interpreted dreams of his royal master but in order to be faithful he relied on the Wisdom of God. He was righteous in his generation. Job despite of his losses clung to God in order to place his life in its proper context. "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee./Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes( Job 42:5-6)". He realized wealth or lack of it along with whatever the flesh stands for is trifle to the knowledge of God from hearing and seeing. What is hearing but the Word and what is seeing but end of our faith, salvation? Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.(Is.60:1)"

Their righteousness delivered them. And God was justified in exacting vengeance on the wicked as we shall see with our own eyes God judging every ungodliness.'And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God

Please pray for my Daughter Jessica and her family

Ez.14:12-15 "Take Three" (2 of 2)

"That her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein(12:18-19)"

14:14-16

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the LordGod./If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:/Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the LordGod, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

Each saint is set as a sign for his generation. In serving God faithfully shall deliver his souls. There is no second term. It is the reason why the writer to the Hebrews warned,"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,/But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries./He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: /Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?(He.10:26-29)"

Jesus died for our sins once thereafter God has set him above every other name and as the co-heir of the kingdom of God. It would presumptuous for any man to think he can after deliberately sinning find grace. In doing so we tempt God.

Noah Job Daniel are all stand -in for Jesus as the Son. Who are Noah,Daniel and Job? Are they not our teachers?"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:(Is.30:20)"

Ez.14:12-15 "Take Three" (1 of 2)

We came across already what God wanted Ezekiel was to be a watchman for his countrymen. He was trusted with their safety and if he had failed to warn them all that God said he was to be accountable to him direct. So if death was his portion it was no matter. He had by faith delivered his soul. In the case of Isaiah and Jeremiah tradition has it that they died martyrs. It is very clear that loving God with all our heart, mind and soul is not to whitewash flesh that is perishable, but soul that is immortal. For this reason Jesus said whom we should really fear, I mean in the sense of reverence, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell(Matt.10:28)". How foolish it is to refurbish the stable after the horse has bolted? After your character is shambles like a pigsty whatever you claim as your greatness is mere hogwash. So loving God with all heart, mind and soul means to suffer if that was demanded of you. We have the example of Moses "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;(He.11:24-25)" God tells Ezekiel to suffer along with the nation in order to bring to focus the real requirements of a Mediator to which Jesus Christ shall fill to perfection 'in the fulness of time.' So we consider the passage from Ezekiel skipped as we discussed many other topics. Here it is more apt and we are considering the lives of Noah, Daniel and Job. First here is the text:

"Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;/ And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the LordGodof the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment,

Ez.14:1-11 "Stumbling block" (2 of 2)

Glory of a man like the kingdom, leaves as quickly as it came to the fore. Similarly the glory of an Empire on which the sun never set is now like one inured for long austerity. Bulldog quality long associated with Great Britain is more the yelp of a mongrel. Man like nations choose his own stumbling block when his heart departs from God. For this reason when God set Ezekiel as His watchman he had to say thus:"When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.(Ez.3:26)

4Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the LordGod; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I theLordwill answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

5That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

6Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the LordGod; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I theLordwill answer him by myself:

8And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

Ez.14:1-11 "Stumbling block" (1 of 2)

"Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me./And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,/Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?" (vv.1-3)

Here we have the significance of a stumbling block in the history of Israel. It is their sin becoming obvious. In the case of the golden calf what was their sin? It became established along with their rejection of Judges appointed by God. God allowed Old Samuel to agree to their wishes and choose a king from their midst. Instead of God leading them they were led by kings both good and evil. Only when Jeroboam became the king of the Northern kingdom the people came to realize what really was taking place in their national lives. The golden calf they had repudiated once as evil became their gods.. "After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he becameoneof the priests of the high places(1 Ki.13:33)".In the next verse we are shown what it is to reject the living God for an idol. It removed even the memory of his house from the face of the earth. This we even now find happening around us where nations by making wealth above the wellbeing of the nation are made a byword for their foolishness. "And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cutitoff, and to destroyitfrom off the face of the earth(v.34).

God sent Ahijah the Shilonite to pronounce the doom for the royal house,"Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall,andhim that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone(1 Ki.14:10)".

Ez.15 "The Living Vine" (2 of 2)

In God's mind there is only one Son, whose humility was such to obey his Will perfectly. There is no second. Likewise there is only one Jerusalem and not another that has been scorched by sin of disobedience as often as its history shows. What is this holy city of God? It is of this city Prophet Isaiah has sung: "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation willGodappointforwalls and bulwarks./ Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in(Is.26:1-2)".

It is the city of God that the living vine refers to and God is the Maker and Builder. He is also the Husbandman and Jesus Christ as the true vine. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me(John15:4)". Holiness of God brings it glory into it. Unlike the city we discussed at the beginning it is his righteousness that the saints redeemed for the earth shall bring. Their baggage was nothing of their own but freely issued to each and each received in faith.

God tells Ezekiel why the city was reduced to rubble by strangers. The wood when it was whole was no good for anything; much less was when fire had taken its toll. "Therefore thus saith the LordGod; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem./And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am theLord, when I set my face against them(vv.6-7)".

Ez.15 "The Living Vine" (1 of 2)

Here Jerusalem is compared to a vine tree, among many other trees of the forest. People make the city. It can be made a city of renown or be made a den of robbers. But how long can they hold on to it by their own might without adding something of their character? When Jesus went into the temple what he saw there was enough. He made a whip of cords 'he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do notmakemy Father's house a house of trade ( John 2:13-16)". People have their baggage that they bring along and before long the city is cut up into so many sections and many of which become no-go zones after dark or it is a turf war each claiming a piece as his own.

One man's sin is like a fire setting fire to a tree and the next to it. It is what God tells Ezekiel of the vine tree. The living vine was aflame with prejudices and others simply let it as their own. It is thus a nation whose walls are done with untempered mortar may look for some couple of centuries like a shining city on a hill, but it is of untempered mortar, nevertheless concealing the rot beneath. In Georgia we saw a father and son gunning down a jogger in broad daylight simply because his color brought their bile up. For two months the city fathers and law simply pretended to have not noticed anything amiss. So the hatred in one had become the general hatred passing for the norm. It is thus the city of David became a city of violence. In God's eye David was a man after his heart; nevertheless from the time Jerusalem became known as the city of David, it never had a chance. With the rebellious house of Israel ever backsliding from God it was for Ezekiel to tell the people.

Ez.16:1-14 "Bride of Christ" (2 of 2)

Ezekiel's account we are given vignettes of Israel in its beginnings:In terms of their beginnings they were drawn from Hittites and Amorites whose blood carried whatever was sinful in God's sight. Esau's many Hittite wives caused his mother sorrow so much so ' Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women(Ge,27:46a). According to human standards nothing in them merited favor from other tribes. In Ge.26 we see an example why they sued peace with Israel.

Abimelech the king of Gerar along with his men went to Isaac "And they said, We saw certainly that theLordwas with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;...thou art now the blessed of the Lord(vv.26-29)" In short they were as bad as the tribes against whom they had to compete for living space but God had predestined them and adopted in his Son. In the Adam and Eve episode the creation of Eve refers to the Fellowship of God with Man.

Spiritual significance of New Jerusalem in terms of Christ is different from Israel that went whoring after foreign gods; when God sets Ezekiel as his Watchmen the doomed city of Jerusalem shall be destroyed and it merely provides a historical context to the divine Will that it immutable. This Jerusalem is of the same significance as Egypt and Sodom that were judged and continues in various forms in the unfaithful Israel. When God tells here He is talking of New Jerusalem that is on the making in heaven "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies (Hos.2:19)."

Ez,16:1-14 "Bride of Christ" (1 of 2)

Overview:

In order to understand this chapter we shall examine the manner the Spirit sets Core Will by rearranging the narrative of God document. Core Will of God is of two parts. Firstly Fellowship of God with Man and lastly Salvation Plan of God. We shall take up the second aspect of the Salvation Plan of God. Thereafter we shall take up the Bride of Christ which is core value of the Fellowship of God with Man.

In order to illustrate the Holiness of God, we have this promise in Ge.12:3. All families of the earth are to be blessed through Abraham. Thus we are given a narrative where Israel is in focus. In keeping with the literary mode of the Spirit, we have this verse,"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen(Matt.20:16)". Mode of inversion explains Jesus as the home chord to which everything else moves. So Moses as a stand-in leads the children of Israel to the Promised Land into which the Church is presented as the glorious Bride, 'forthe marriage of the Lamb has come,

andhis Bride has made herself ready (Re.19:6-7). Here is another: what is the significance of the 12 spies who brought a false report? (Nu.12:32). Joshua and Caleb were twospies who broughtback a goodreportand believed that God would help them succeed. Does not prosperity theology misinterpret to teach another gospel and another Christ? It indicates the same rebellious spirit of Israel, they chose instead to give a false report. Faith is the key.

The theme of Bride of Christ is already set in the Adam and Eve episode. God created man in 'our image' and male and female created he them. God led the house of Israel but their disbelief was so astounding. Isaiah speaks of the nation thus:"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters. they have forsaken theLord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backwards."(Is.1:4-7)