One Year Bible - November 4

EZEKIEL 10:1 - 11:25                                                                                               

ICHABOD: (1Sam 4:19) The glory departed. It is gradual, and before we know it, He's gone. This is how people backslide - in increments.  But God is in control of all the forces of judgment that He uses. God's judgment comes from the midst of His revealed character in the Wheels. The LINEN-ROBED Person will then scatter fire from the chariot-throne and burn the City.

THOSE CHERUBIM: Remember, the elders believed that God had already left the country and wouldn't see their abominations. And here the cherubim are, COVERED WITH EYES. God's Presence sees everything.  The face of the OX, the burden-bearer, is missing and is now a cherub! The ox was sacrificed and now God's Presence (cherubim) covers the earth.

Two cherubim covered the Mercy Seat of the Ark of Covenant. (See Psa 80:1; 99:1; 2 Sam 6:2).  They were ONE (in union) with the Mercy Seat.  They were in the Holy of Holies, the Throneroom of God.  They had fire that went up and down among them.  The Spirit was in the wheels.  They were full of eyes and had hands and wings and straight feet, as well as wheels. As Ezekiel watched, the glory of God departed the threshold and stood over the cherubims. Then the cherubims carried Him away.

THE PRINCE AND THE PROPHET:  A group of 25 men still in Jerusalem, led by the princes, are plotting revolt against Babylon, saying they must free Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is now a boiling pot doomed to destruction. They think that because they are still in the Land and not in captivity yet, that they have God's favor.  God told them, however, that those in exile are the "sanctuary of God's Presence" - for it is God's Presence that make the Sanctuary, not the other way around.  Filled with the Spirit, the prophet, Ezekiel, tells them they will be destroyed if they continue in their rebellion.   While he is still prophesying, his prince falls dead at his feet. Heartbroken, Ezekiel falls down and cries out to God wondering if God will destroy even the righteous REMNANT!

A FUTURE HOPE: There will be a re-gathering through the Cross.   We will have an "undivided heart" and a "new spirit", a "soft heart".  But the idolaters will be destroyed.  Then the cherubim went out of the city and rested on the Mount of Olives, foretelling the day when Jesus would leave the Temple courts, pronouncing judgment on them, and make His way across the Kidron to the Mount of Olives from which, after His crucifixion, He would ascend to the Father.

RESPONSE: I used to think my mother was covered with eyes, too. She seemed to see everything we did!  Even if she didn't actually see it, she knew about it.  God's Presence is even more invasive.  He knows our thoughts before we express them.  There is no such thing as secret idolatry from God.   If there is anything that we use as a substitute for God to satisfy the hunger in our soul, God knows about it.   The glory of God is hesitating at the threshold, waiting for us to repent.   God considers our substitute an "image of jealousy".  Don't wait for the fire.  Repent now.

HEBREWS 6:1-20                                                                                                       
BACKGROUND: This is a continuation from chapter 5, and contains the third warning. Keep in mind that the books of Hebrews thru Revelation are ALL ABOUT FAITH.  Hebrews teaches us the purpose of faith - to push us thru self-sacrifice and into spiritual maturity.  The motive given here is that everything on the "other side" is "better" than what we've known in our spiritual IMmaturity.  There are two opposite results given here: The five (5) warnings of NOT going on to maturity OR having access to five (5) "eternals" that are discussed in Hebrews.

FIRST WARNING: Heb 2:3 warns us of apathy, carelessness, and indifference on our part. Our flesh wants nothing to do with "God's Rest" - which is entered thru self-sacrifice.  It is a condition of being "in faith" - resting in God's promises.  It is "natural" to be self-centered, self-serving, and selfish. It goes against our flesh-nature to be self-sacrificial and God-centered. We have to re-program ourselves by forming new righteous habits (the process of "sanctification").  EXHORTATION: Stay aggressive and purposeful about your pursuit of God and His Presence.  Consciously go after God, constantly remind yourself to stay God-centered.

SECOND WARNING: Heb 3:7-4:1 warns us of "an evil heart of unbelief".  Whenever we refuse to obey God (those promptings) because of fear or self-preservation, our hearts "harden" and over time, we become "dull of hearing"- and deceived.  There is no rest in that condition, and we are in danger of dying "in the wilderness" - without ever achieving our purpose or our spiritual goal of Christlikeness.  EXHORTATION:  Hold fast to what you know. Exhort one another. Continually instruct your own heart with Truth about God's goodness and greatness.

THIRD WARNING: Heb 6:4-6 warns of the impossibility of continually "starting over" as Christians.  We can't keep "getting saved" so we can start over.   INSTEAD, once we are born again, if we "fall",  we must truly repent and then show the fruit of repentance - an EXchanged life (His for mine, letting my SELF die thru obedience).   When we sin, we have an Advocate (1Jo 2:1-2) and we go to Him, Jesus, for forgiveness, and then "go on unto perfection".   Don't get tangled up in that cycle of sin -> repent -> sin the same sin -> repent again -> repeat -> repeat.   Instead, consider the wasted years, wasted efforts, wasted life burned up ("thorns and thistles") and begin producing "better things...that accompany salvation."  "go on" in the original language means "endure; bring forth fruit; be driven by the wind".  It is aggressive, pushing forward; leaning into it.  You are overcoming spiritual inertia.  It will require ALL your "rocket boosters" to get you back into orbit, so to speak. YOU MUST GROW UP, AND IT WILL COST YOU EVERYTHING.  You are not "starting over" - you are going on from here - you can't go back to the beginning - you MUST go on and grow up and show "the same diligence ... to the end."   If we don't "go on" and gain maturity, we are in danger of God's discipline, and a failure to "inherit".   We WILL suffer losses in eternity for sure, and forfeitures here. 

Something we learn from the people of the Wilderness is that bitterness causes unbelief, and hardness of heart comes from complaining against God for how He deals with us.  Our choice is to surrender or to rebel.  This THIRD WARNING is about using our spiritual knowledge in life situations - making our faith practical - and growing up. There is more to the Christian life than just being saved from hell. We must also LIVE saved.  Because we can't be saved more than once, everything we do after we are born again, will be examined, judged, and either burned or blessed (see also 1Co 3:13-15).   It is not that our good works done along our way are not noted and appreciated, but that God expects us to live up to our full potential, finish our course in faith, in pursuit of Him.  Faith is manifested in obedience and in patient endurance.  Unbelief is manifested in loss and forfeiture.

GOD'S IMMUTABLE (UNCHANGEABLE) PURPOSE": God's purpose is so good, so holy, so powerful, that it is impossible to pervert it.  God's "unchangeable purpose" is also our "anchor of the soul" and it is this:  that we become a family of sons in God's image, who minister in His Name and in His place (Gen 1:26-28; Psa 8; Rom 8:17-18,30; Heb 2:6-10). God's "Divine nature" being produced in us keeps us stable (anchored).   That "HOPE" (our hope is that we will be like Him 1 Jo 3:2-3)  is "within the veil" - and to access it, will COST US EVERYTHING because the veil represents the "rending of our flesh".  Jesus preceded us thru the veil of His own flesh as our "forerunner" - meaning that it is His intent that we follow Him AND follow His example.   EXHORTATION: Press forward. Don't keep repeating the same cycle - repent and go forward from here.  It is better to let it all burn than to forfeit everything. (Mat 5:29-30)  Submit and obey, conquering your pride and letting it die the humiliating death of crucifixion.  We are not victims; we are sacrifices.  It only FEELS like being a victim because our flesh isn't used to being denied yet. 

"BETTER": Heb 1:4 says we will obtain a "better Name" of "son" that speaks of responsibility, obligations, and relationship to the Father. Now Heb 6:9 speaks of "better things...that are fruit of salvation" which is talking about access to and fulfillment of the promises of God in our lives (because of our new maturity (see Gal. 4).

"ETERNALS": Heb 5:9, "eternal salvation" , refers to the Life (Jo 3:16) that is set on a foundation of unchangeable absoluteness.  It is a quality of practical life that we inherit when we "obey Him".  It is accessed thru "crucifixion of the flesh" (Gal 5:24*), which are opportunities for self-sacrifice in everyday life.  The "eternal salvation" that takes place is the salvation of our LIFE - not just our spiritual parts. Heb 6:2 "eternal judgment" refers to judgment that is past, present and future.  It is what tells us that we "messed up" and must repent. That is a good thing!  Repent and go on.  Don't dwell on it.  The thing judged will then be burned or blessed. That is also a good thing!  I don't want to drag "thorns and thistles" around with me!  The "eternals" are about a saved LIFE, not just going to heaven some day. 

RESPONSE:   I get "hung up" on Heb 6:15 and obtaining the promise thru "patient endurance".  It means to "not lose heart".  It is the word "loooooong-suffering".   It is faith that is not relaxed by waiting!   Faith must continue to be lively, aggressive in believing and in speaking in order to obtain the promise of spiritual maturity.  Faith is always tested by delay.  ***That interval of "patient endurance" must be accompanied by blameless, obedient walking, because one of the purposes of delay is to DEVELOP OBEDIENCE!!!!***

PSALM 105:16-36                                                                                                     

This Psalm, one of the "Numbers" Psalms, was originally written to celebrate the coming of the Presence of God into our midst.  It instructs our hearts of the faithfulness and the power of God. Vs. 16-45 trace the history from Joseph to the Exodus (Gen 37-50).  Some interesting information is gleaned here that must have been passed down by oral tradition:  Joseph was kept in stocks that were painful, while in Egypt's prisons (13 years), and it caused "iron to come into his soul" - it made Joseph more determined than ever to glorify God with his life.  The "word of the Lord" (God's promises) "tried him" (destroyed his SELF-life with fire).  We also learn that it was God who caused Pharaoh to deal with the Israelite slaves deceptively. V.30 tells us that God put frogs in the kings' toilet!  The important point made here is that God is in complete control, even tho it APPEARS as tho His people are being victimized. Appearances can be deceiving; God does what He says He will do, despite appearances.

PROVERBS 27:1-2                                                                                                  
Preparing is okay; presuming is not.