Prayer: Father, may I not have to learn the tough lessons on my own but learn from the folly and sins of others. Amen.
Reading: Ezekiel 23 key: vs. 47-49 “The assembly will stone them to death and dispatch them with their swords. They will slaughter their sons and daughters. They will burn down their houses. So I will make obscenity cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to imitate your obscenity. They will repay you both for wickedness and you will bear the sins of your idols. So you will know that I am Adonai.” TLV
Attention: There is a saying (I am paraphrasing), If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Adonai tells Ezekiel of two sisters (cities) who learned the art of harlotry while young and living in Egypt. What they learned of the ways of Egypt (a nation whose belief system included a plurality of gods, Israel was a monotheistic nation who worshipped One God, Adonai), they carried with themselves into the promised land. These two sisters’, Oholah and Oholibah, did not turn toward Adonai, they multiplied their sin.
I will not get into the graphic details of their sin. I hope that like God, you find the graphic details offensive and repulsive.
My reflection on this chapter is to ask myself, are their practices in the American culture, which offends God? Are we more concerned with blending into our culture, or do we separate ourselves because of the Word of God? Do we demonstrate our exclusive ownership to a holy, righteous God.
Israel moved further away from the God who loved Israel and covenanted with her. Oholah and Oholibah’s sins and wickedness, brought God’s judgement. God’s closing statement, “So (they) you will know that I am Adonai.” Adonai is sovereign, be not deceived. Our sin brings the penalty of His wrath.
Today, our sin brings God’s discipline for those He calls His own. If you belong to God, consider (ponder) your actions. He is in the business of refining and transforming us. We will never be complete until we are with Him, face to face.
Action: I choose to listen to the warnings of scripture.
Yield: I choose to yield to the warnings given to me through Holy Spirit inspired scriptures.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in living for Messiah.
Relationship: I choose to live in holy, obedient, submission to Adonai.
Prayer: Father, may we choose freedom from slavery and that which enslaves us. May we learn from the lives and examples of others the cost of disobedience. May we choose to live in humble obedience unto You. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:6 “Now these things happened as examples for us, so we wouldn’t crave evil things, just as they did.” TLV
Music Video: Don Francisco—Got To Tell Somebody https://youtu.be/7VknKAoxDiI?si=2vSiyhqECvurTIvg
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”