First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Ezekiel 4

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 4

Helpful thoughts:

  • In Chapter 4, Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry begins…and in quite a peculiar way.
    • Instead of being given words to say, Ezekiel is given responsibility to act out what is going to happen to Jerusalem.
  • This prophecy would have been given approximately six years before the Babylonians laid siege against Jerusalem.
  • In the visuals, God tells the Jewish people of the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the accounting of how long they had been in sin as a nation, the issues they would have with food and water, and (With Ezekiel’s bared arms) God is letting His people know that it is His outstretched arms that are bring this punishment.
    • Handling human dung rendered a person “Unclean” and Ezekiel, having been raised in the priestly line, would have been particularly sensitive to this.
  • Ezekiel probably went out and laid by the replica of the siege and ate and drank as God prescribed each day for an allotted amount of time.  780 days was quite the commitment to share this prophecy, even if he only had to lay down for a third of the day (Or however long it was).

Questions to consider:

  1. Why, does God state, is the reason for this coming siege against Jerusalem?  What had Israel/Judah done?  What were some of the consequences?  How did the physical consequences compare to the spiritual consequences?  Which ones are worse…and yet which ones are often perceived to be worse?
  2. Given the nature and details of what God commanded Ezekiel to do, our focus might be on the difficulty of his task ahead (The 780 days of laying on the ground, etc.).  But what did this prophecy symbolize?  What might have been on the forefront of Ezekiel’s mind as he prophesied against his own people?
  3. Ezekiel’s calendar had just radically changed for the next 26 months.  God isn’t going to command you to lay on your side and eat bread cooked on cow dung next to a model of a major city (Phew!), but He has given us much to do in His Word.  How do our days get scheduled?  Where does God “fit in?”  How are we doing at being flexible when opportunities to serve arise?

Devotional: Ezekiel 3:16-27

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 3:16-27

Helpful thoughts:

  • Ezekiel is declared a watchman, commissioned to warn the people of coming judgment.
    • He would bear responsibility if he ever chose to refrain from communicating God’s Word.
  • Both the wicked and the righteous need warning against sin.
  • To give Ezekiel’s prophecies even more perceived gravity, God prevents Ezekiel from being able to speak at all until it is time for him to speak God’s Word.
    • I say “perceived” gravity because God’s Word is never less important, we only ever perceive it to be more or less important.

Questions to consider:

  1. How did the impact of Ezekiel’s experience in seeing the glory of God and being commissioned to speak His word differ from what so many have tried to describe in books and movies in our time?  Does this passage appear to preach any kind of prosperity Gospel?
  2. What would have been the hardships of Ezekiel’s experience thus far in this book?  How would you like to carry the responsibility of having people’s “blood required at your hand” or to become mute in order to be a spokesman for the Lord?
  3. At the same time, what an honor for Ezekiel to be given this responsibility!  What would have been the joys of Ezekiel’s experience thus far in this book?  How would Ezekiel’s knowledge of God’s glory have changed the way he saw the “hardships?”

Devotional: Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

Helpful thoughts:

  • Today, we read the calling and commissioning of Ezekiel as a prophet.  He was to be a prophet to a rebellious people.  Ezekiel was responsible to rightly communicate the Word of God, but he was not responsible for the way the people responded.
    • Ezekiel would need to be hardened in a different way to minister to those who were hard of heart (3:8-9).
  • Ezekiel had no ability to stand before God without the ministry of the Spirit.  The Spirit is still present when Ezekiel obeys and eats the scroll, which contrasts with the rebellion of Israel.
  • Eating the scroll pictures the words of God being in Ezekiel’s mouth.  His prophecy was not his own opinion, but the very words of God (2 Peter 1:20-21).
    • The true words of God, even though they spoke of rebuke and rebellion, were sweet as honey.

Questions to consider:

  1. How does God calling Ezekiel, “Son of man” clarify their differences?  Who is Ezekiel before his holy Creator and God?  How does this name, “Son of man” better help us understand what Jesus was willing to do when He took on flesh to die in our place? (Daniel 7:13-14)
  2. How would you describe (Or contrast) the hardness of Israel with the hardness God had to give Ezekiel for his ministry?  How would that translate to the ministry God has called us to proclaim to the world today?
  3. When Ezekiel was forced to leave the presence of the glory of God, and with the knowledge of the life and sinfulness to which he was returning, what was his countenance (Verses 14-15)?  How did seeing and hearing from the Lord make him feel about sin in this life?  How can this encourage us to “walk in a manner worthy?” (Ephesians 4:1)

Devotional: Ezekiel 1

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 1

Helpful thoughts:

  • Ezekiel came from the priestly line and prophesied during the exile between 593-571 B.C.
    • Many believe the reference to the “thirtieth year” in verse 1 relates to his age when the first prophetic vision occurred.  Therefore, Ezekiel would have been just over 50 years old by the end of this book.  These visions we will read didn’t happen every day, but over a 22 year period of time.
  • Ezekiel does his best (With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) to describe what he saw in words.  All that Ezekiel sees resounds to the glory of God!
    • The Ark of the Covenant was a shadow or a symbol of the real thing! (Exodus 25:10-22)
  • When the thunderous, glorious presences of God is realized, Ezekiel doesn’t need to think twice, he is ready to listen.

Questions to consider:

  1. What was Ezekiel’s response to all that he saw and heard (Verse 28)?  What does this teach us about the glory of God, His nature, and what happens when He decides He will be heard?  Do you think Ezekiel even felt his listening at that moment was optional?
  2. How does Ezekiel’s immediate response to this vision compare to the Apostle John’s (Revelation 1:17)? Isaiah’s (Isaiah 6:5)?  What are the similarities?  How does this help us to learn more about who and all that God is?
  3. How does a right understanding of who God is change our perspective on our lives and actions?  How does it impact our thinking about who Christ is and why He came to die for our sins?

Devotional: Esther 9:20-10:3

Today’s passage: Esther 9:20-10:3

Helpful thoughts:

  • At Mordecai’s (And later Esther’s) request, the celebration of the events of the book of Esther became the holiday (Or feast) known as Purim.  It is still observed today.
  • The name “Purim” comes from 3:7 where Haman was casting Purim (or lots) to determine when to attack the Jews.  This is explained in verse 24.
  • At the end of the exile, the Jews not only have been able to return to their land and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple…but their own people were serving as the queen and the second in commands of the empire.

Questions to consider:

  1. How would the lives of the Jews changed with this change of leadership in the empire?  For what reasons would they have been thankful?
  2. Who deserved the praise and thanksgiving?  What did God accomplish in this book?  Who did He use to do it (Not just Jewish people, but others as well)?
  3. What are some big things we can learn about God from this book?  How can we apply this to our lives today?

Devotional: Esther 9:1-19

Today’s passage: Esther 9:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

  • In the time between the Mordecai’s edict and the day of Haman’s planned attack, more and more people (Including officials in the empire) rallied around the Jews to protect and fight together with them.
    • At the same time, even after all that had transpired, there were people all over the empire who still wanted to attack the Jews, against all odds!  Haman was not the only man who hated the Jews.
  • At the request of Esther, the Jews in Susa had two days to defeat their enemies.  The Jews across the empire fought only on the one day.  75,800 people died.
    • We never read of any Jews who were killed on these two days.  Remember, the edict allowed the Jews to defend themselves against those who would attack them.  Had the Jewish people lost in all of their fighting, the casualties would have gone the other way!
  • The Jews had been given permission to take plunder from these victories, yet none of them did (8:11).

Questions to consider:

  1. In what way was it apparent that God had given the Jews protection and victory on these days?  Why did all of this resolve the way that it did?
  2. How did King Ahasuerus show evidence how he viewed the uniqueness of this event?  What would have been the reasoning behind his second offer to Esther in verse 12?
  3. What do you think the Jews’ refusal to take any possessions/plunder from those who perished would have communicated to the leaders and people of the empire?

Devotional: Esther 8

Today’s passage: Esther 8

Helpful thoughts:

  • Esther risked her life again and went before the king, Haman’s terrible law was still in place.  Something would have to be done to save the Jewish people.
    • The acquisition of Haman’s house and Mordecai’s promotion would have meant nothing if Haman’s plan had been fulfilled.
  • Mordecai is given the same honor Haman had abused, to right a law in the name of the king.
    • Because Haman’s law could not be revoked, Mordecai gave the Jews the right to defend themselves.
    • With this law, the day that Haman called for could have been entirely peaceful as long as no one attacked the Jews.  We will see if that happens in the passage ahead.
  • This string of events and the rise of Mordecai in the empire resulted in people either converting to Judaism or just pretending/professing to be Jewish.  Potentially for fear of the Jewish people or simply because they saw how favored and powerful they had become in the empire.

Questions to consider:

  1. What has God just done?  What positions are Jewish people now in in the Persian Empire?  What position had they been in not long before?  How would man’s perspective throughout this entire narrative have been different than God’s?
  2. Why would Mordecai have needed to use wisdom and discretion when he wrote this new law?  Had he used it recklessly, how long would he have held his place of authority in the empire?
  3. Why might we question the sincerity of all these “conversions” after Esther’s and Mordecai’s rise?  Can a government coerce people to believe with all sincerity?  What is true of human nature that would have made the label of Judaism more attractive to the people in that day?

Devotional: Esther 6:14-7:10

Today’s passage: Esther 6:14-7:10

Helpful thoughts:

  • What a scene…  Read verse 13 before 14.  Just as Haman’s loved ones and advisors told him his downfall was coming, he was ushered away.  He had thought these banquets were to his glory, but today would prove much different.
  • Half the kingdom was never really on the table for Esther to take.  This phrase was a figure of speech, showing desire to offer generosity.
  • All of the poor decisions Haman has made in the blindness of his pride and hunger for self-glory come to the surface in a matter of moments.
    • Esther is not the only one who used tact in helping the king to understand the need for justice (Verse 9).

Questions to consider:

  1. When Haman got caught in his sin, what was he most upset about?  Did he beg for forgiveness, or something else?  What does this evidence about his motives and focus?
  2. What must we remember about God’s sovereignty throughout this narrative?  Did Haman get caught solely because of Esther’s way with words?  If Esther had stumbled over her words, would the Jews have been exterminated against all God’s promises?  If we read this chapter today and said, “I could never be as eloquent as Esther so I won’t speak up in my situation,” why wouldn’t that be a right application?
  3. What has God accomplished up to this point in the narrative of Esther?  What problem is still  needing to be addressed?  Did God need to be made aware of it, or was He already working and knew its end?  What does God know about you and your situation right now?  How can this encourage you to pray, trust Him, and seek to please Him in and through the situation?

Devotional: Esther 6:1-13

Today’s passage: Esther 6:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

  • God is not mentioned by name in this book, but He is certainly seen as we read these events.
  • Haman’s obsession with himself is also put on display in these verses (Verse 6).
  • Even Haman’s own family and friends can see, this is not going to end well for Haman.

Questions to consider:

  1. How many instances of God’s providence are displayed in these events?  What would they have looked like in real time, just happy accidents?  How can we be encouraged by these things as we seek to follow God according to His Word?
  2. What would be a false application from this passage?  Is everyone and anyone right to assume that God will and must make everything go their way?  Did things go Haman’s way?  Why would it be wrong for Haman to be upset with God for what happened?  What had been his goals?
  3. How can we know our goals are in line with God’s?  What do we know about Him that can remind us that it is never Him that “botches” good plans?  And if our plans get botched, what can we be confident God is doing? (Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Romans 8:28-30)