Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Ezek. 24:15-25:17; 29:1-16; 30:20-31:18; Jer. 21; 34

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Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-Four

(Outline continues from yesterday)

  1. Ezekiel’s next work assignment is to silently endure the loss of his beloved wife, without any mourning (Ezek. 24:16-24).
  2. The chapter closes with the Lord’s promise to release Ezekiel’s mouth on the day that word of Jerusalem’s destruction arrives in Babylon (Ezek. 24:25-27).
  3. Summary thoughts on the chapter:
    1. The plan of God is precise, determining the perfect days for His perfect will (Ps. 139:16; Dan. 12:11,12; 9:24-27 cp. Matt. 21:2,3; 26:18; Acts 1:7).
    2. Believers are admonished to keep their vessels pure (2nd Tim. 2:21).
    3. Personal tragedies have a purpose—to teach us, and others the grace of God (Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28; Heb. 5:8).
    4. The Old Testament prophets endured a tremendous amount of testing and suffering, for purposes that were left incomplete until this present age of grace (Heb. 11:32-40).

Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-Five

  1. Chapter 25 begins an 8 chapter section of prophecies directed against the gentile nations.
  2. Ammon is rebuked for the pleasure they took in the fall of Jerusalem (Ezek. 25:3,6).
    1. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:32; 33:11).
    2. Ezekiel was also to clap and stamp his foot (Ezek. 6:11), but with God’s mental attitude, and not with the scorn of his soul (Ezek. 25:6).
    3. Ammon’s Divine discipline will result in their knowledge of the Lord (Ezek. 25:5,7).
  3. Moab is rebuked for their insult of the Lord (Ezek. 25:8-11).
    1. Moab & Seir claimed that Judah is “like” all the nations (Ezek. 25:8).
    2. The Lord states that there is no nation on earth like His chosen people (Ex. 34:10; Num. 23:9; Deut. 26:18-19; 28:1; and see also 1st Sam. 8:5,20).
    3. Moab’s Divine discipline will result in their knowledge of the LORD (Ezek. 25:11).
  4. Edom is rebuked for acting upon their mental-attitude of celebration & scorn by exacting vengeance upon Judah (Ezek. 25:12-14).
    1. They took vengeance of vengeance, בִּנְקֹם נָקָם.
    2. They are guilty of guilt, וַיֶּאְשְׁמוּ אָשׁוֹם.
    3. Edom’s Divine discipline will result in their knowledge of the vengeance of the Lord (Ezek. 25:14).
  5. Philistia’s rebuke is like Edom’s as a result of their own vengeance upon Judah (Ezek. 25:15-17).  Their Divine discipline also results in a knowledge of the Lord (v.17).

Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-Nine

  1. Chapter 29 contains the first two of seven messages directed against Egypt.
  2. Like chapter 28, there is an earthly ruler (Pharaoh) and the dragon who empowers him (Ezek. 29:3).
    1. הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל hattanniym haggadowl.  תַּנִּין tanniyn #8577: dragon, serpent, sea monster.  (Job 7:12; Ps. 74:13*; Isa. 27:1*; 51:9**; Jer. 51:34; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2).  * || לִוְיָתָן livyāthān #3882 ** || רַהַב rahab #7294. 
    2. The dragon claims Creator status (v.3).
    3. God intends to spear this dragon, and leave his dead physical body for the beasts and the birds to eat (vv.4,5; Ps. 74:13,14; Job 41:1,2).
    4. See the TTB Day 032 for Job 41, TTB Day 203 for Isaiah 27, and TTB Day 211 for Isaiah 51.
  3. The message to Egypt highlights a 40 year captivity & a return (Ezek. 29:9b-16).
  4. Egypt’s Divine discipline results in their knowledge of the Lord (Ezek. 29:6,9,16).

(Chapter Twenty-Nine continues on Day 257)

Ezekiel Chapter Thirty

(Outline continues from Day 257)

  1. Even as the Lord breaks Egypt’s arms, He is strengthening Babylon’s arm (Ezek. 30:20-26).
    1. Historically, the conflict of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon with Egypt is well documented.
    2. Prophetic Babylon (Rev. 17:5) led by Antichrist will clash with Egypt and her helpers (Dan. 11:40-43).

Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-One

  1. Chapter 31 is a descriptive allegory of Egypt & Assyria.
  2. The Satanic glory of Assyria is described (Ezek. 31:2-17).
    1. Assyria rose to become the world’s only great superpower (Ezek. 31:3-5).
    2. Fallen angels infested Assyria’s upper branches, and oversaw the daily human activity (Ezek. 31:6 cf. Dan. 4:12,21; Matt. 13:32; Eph. 2:2).
    3. Edenic trees were jealous of Assyria’s glory (Ezek. 31:8-9).
    4. God judges Assyria because of their pride (Ezek. 31:10-14; Nahum; Jonah).
    5. Assyria was welcomed into Sheol by other trees, who were “comforted” by Assyria’s downfall (Ezek. 31:15-17 cf. Isa. 14:15-17).
  3. Pharaoh is reminded that his glory and greatness doesn’t rise to Assyria’s level, and that he will share Assyria’s fate (Ezek. 31:18).

Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-One

  1. Chapter 21 begins a series of rebukes against Judah’s kings.
    1. Zedekiah (Jer. 21:12-2:9).
    2. Shallum (Jehoahaz) (Jer. 22:10-12).
    3. Jehoiakim (Jer. 22:13-19).
    4. Jehoiachin (Jer. 22:24-30).
  2. Zedekiah dispatched two officials to inquire of the LORD concerning Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 21:2).
    1. This appears to be a good thing on Zedekiah’s part, but the Divine commentary against him is clear (2nd Kgs. 24:19).
    2. His inquiry of the Lord was apparently one of a number of gods he consulted looking for hope against Babylon.
  3. Jeremiah’s message is not a happy one for King Zedekiah—stay in the city and die, or go out of the city and volunteer for exile (Jer. 21:3-14).

Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Four

  1. Jeremiah personally delivers the Lord’s message of judgment to King Zedekiah (Jer. 34:1-7).
  2. King Zedekiah attempted a release of all Hebrew slaves (Jer. 34:8-10,15), as an act of obedience to the Law of Moses (Jer. 34:12-14).
  3. The release was short-lived, however, as the slave-owners re-enslaved their Hebrew slaves (Jer. 34:11,16).
  4. The consequence for their disingenuous release would be a true release—death (Jer. 34:17-22).