{"id":11006,"date":"2020-08-18T20:00:13","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T03:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ezekiel-29_1-21-copy\/"},"modified":"2020-08-16T17:12:46","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T00:12:46","slug":"ezekiel-30_1-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ezekiel-30_1-26\/","title":{"rendered":"How We Respond to God\u2019s Blessings Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ezekiel 30:1-26 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezekiel 30:1-26.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 30:1-9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The word of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came to me:
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: “‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!”
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For the day is near, the day of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0is near– a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘This is what the\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: “‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign\u00a0LORD.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then they will know that I am the\u00a0LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-9:\u00a0 Here the Lord has a message concerning the nation of Egypt, warning that \u201cthe day is near\u201d (v3) when \u201ca sword will come against Egypt\u201d (v4) causing widespread destruction there.\u00a0 Despite \u201cher proud strength\u201d (v6) and her allies supporting her, Egypt would be defeated and made desolate (v7), and her allies would be crushed (v8).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0If God is against you, it doesn\u2019t matter who else is for you or on your side.\u00a0 But the reverse is also true: if God is for you, it doesn\u2019t matter who is against you or who is on your enemy\u2019s side.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0As Romans 8:31 says, \u201cIf God is for us, who can be against us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Praise God.\u00a0\u00a0Because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we can know that God is definitely for us and not against us.<\/strong>\u00a0 That is especially the case if you have responded in faith to what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, for now by faith in Jesus Christ you are God\u2019s child, endowed with God\u2019s Holy Spirit, an heir of His kingdom, a citizen of heaven and a member of God\u2019s team and family on earth.\u00a0 Because of Jesus Christ, we know that God is for us and not against us.<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 30:10-12 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘This is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: “‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He and his army–the most ruthless of nations– will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will dry up the streams of the Nile and sell the land to evil men; by the hand of foreigners I will lay waste the land and everything in it. I the\u00a0LORD\u00a0have spoken.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 10-12:\u00a0 Here the Lord reveals how He intends to punish Egypt: \u201cby the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon\u201d (v10).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0God uses people to accomplish His will, whether they themselves are aware of it or not.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ezekiel 30:13-19 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘This is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: “‘I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. No longer will there be a prince in Egypt, and I will spread fear throughout the land.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will lay waste Upper Egypt, set fire to Zoan and inflict punishment on Thebes.
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the hordes of Thebes.
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony. Thebes will be taken by storm; Memphis will be in constant distress.
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will fall by the sword, and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
\n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt; there her proud strength will come to an end. She will be covered with clouds, and her villages will go into captivity.
\n19\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So I will inflict punishment on Egypt, and they will know that I am the\u00a0LORD.'”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 13-19:\u00a0 In centuries past, when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, the Lord performed incredible miracles which the Egyptians witnessed first hand.\u00a0 Through miracle after miracle, God showed the Egyptians that He alone is God.\u00a0 Nevertheless, for centuries the Egyptians continued to worship their own gods.\u00a0 According to some scholars, the Egyptians had as many as 1,200 different idols that they worshiped.\u00a0 God was now calling the Egyptians to account for their idolatry \u2013 \u201cI will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis\u201d (v13).\u00a0 In verses 13-19 the Lord mentions various Egyptians cities, many of which were commercial, religious or political centres in Egypt, to suggest that all of Egypt will feel the punishment that God will dole out on the nation for its pride and idolatry.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0God will hold us accountable to the miracles and revelations about Him we have received from Him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>In other words, God will ask us one day, \u201cWhat did you do with the miracles, the blessings and the ways I revealed Myself to you?\u00a0 How did you respond to God\u2019s goodness in your life?\u00a0 Did you respond with humility, praise, worship and living for Him, or did you respond selfishly, lazily, or indifferently?\u201d\u00a0 If God has done amazing miracles and revealed Himself in your life \u2013 and He has \u2013 then God will hold you accountable to the revelation about Himself that you received from Him.\u00a0 How we respond to God\u2019s goodness matters.<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 30:20 (NIV)<\/strong><\/em>
\n20\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came to me:<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 20:\u00a0 According to scholars, this means that the message described in verses 21-26 came to Ezekiel on April 29, 587 B.C.<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 30:21-26 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n21\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up for healing or put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword.
\n22\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Therefore this is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.
\n23\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.
\n24\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.
\n25\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the\u00a0LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.
\n26\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the\u00a0LORD.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 21-26:\u00a0 Why does the Lord describe Pharaoh as a ruler with a broken arm (v21)?\u00a0 That is because in 588 B.C. Egypt had tried to help Jerusalem against the Babylonians.\u00a0 Egypt was unsuccessful in its efforts, Jerusalem was conquered, and Egypt itself was left in an injured and weakened state.\u00a0 Egypt\u2019s arm, representing her overall strength and her ability to defend herself, was broken.\u00a0\u00a0 Now Ezekiel was foretelling that the Babylonians would attack and defeat the already injured Egypt, thereby breaking both arms (v22, 24-25).\u00a0 This attack would result in the Egyptians being scattered across various countries (v23, 26).<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are for me and not against me.\u00a0 Thank You for being the only all-powerful ally we have in life.\u00a0 May we place our trust in You and not in anything less than You.\u00a0 I realize today that You will hold me accountable to the miracles, the goodness and the revelations about You that You have shown me in the past.\u00a0\u00a0 May I never take for granted Your miracles, Your goodness and the ways You have revealed Yourself to me, but instead may I live humbly, joyfully and wisely in light of them.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezekiel 30:1-26.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

On verses 1-9:\u00a0 Here the Lord has a message concerning the nation of Egypt, warning that \u201cthe day is near\u201d (v3) when \u201ca sword will come against Egypt\u201d (v4) causing widespread destruction there.\u00a0 Despite \u201cher proud strength\u201d (v6) and her allies supporting her, Egypt would be defeated and made desolate (v7), and her allies would be crushed (v8).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0If God is against you, it doesn\u2019t matter who else is for you or on your side.\u00a0 But the reverse is also true: if God is for you, it doesn\u2019t matter who is against you or who is on your enemy\u2019s side.\u00a0\u00a0As Romans 8:31 says, \u201cIf God is for us, who can be against us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Praise God.\u00a0\u00a0Because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we can know that God is definitely for us and not against us.\u00a0 That is especially the case if you have responded in faith to what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, for now by faith in Jesus Christ you are God\u2019s child, endowed with God\u2019s Holy Spirit, an heir of His kingdom, a citizen of heaven and a member of God\u2019s team and family on earth.\u00a0 Because of Jesus Christ, we know that God is for us and not against us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11006"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11006\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11007,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11006\/revisions\/11007"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}