descendants’ right

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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descendants’ rights

Ezekiel 33:23-29 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:23 Then the word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said:
Ezekiel 33:24 “Son of Adam, those who live in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person, yet he received possession of the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’
Ezekiel 33:25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: You eat meat with blood in it, look to your idols, and shed blood. Should you then receive possession of the land?
Ezekiel 33:26 You have relied on your swords, you have committed repulsive acts, and each of you has defiled his neighbor’s wife. Should you then receive possession of the land? ‘
Ezekiel 33:27 “Tell them this: ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: As surely as I live, those who are in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the open field I have given to wild animals to be devoured, and those in the strongholds and caves will die by an epidemic.
Ezekiel 33:28 I will make the land a sinister desolation and waste, and its proud strength will be destroyed. The mountains of Israel will become desolate, with no one passing through.
Ezekiel 33:29 They will know that I am Yahveh when I make the land a sinister desolation because of all the repulsive acts they have committed.’

descendants’ rights

Jamieson, Faucett, and Brown suggest that the people are arguing that God has to give them the land because they are many, and they can all be traced back to the one — Abraham — whom God chose to bless. 1

But Ezekiel responds to that argument by saying in essence “Can you really be traced back to Abraham? Look at what you are doing. Abraham was chosen and has a right to inheritance. These rebellion descendants do not.

On what are you basing your right to the permanent inheritance? Only the blood of the Lamb counts.

1 Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, David Brown, and William Smith. A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Toledo, Ohio: J.B. Names & Co, 1882. p. 250.

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unmute mode

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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unmute mode

Ezekiel 33:21-22 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and reported, “The city has been taken!”
Ezekiel 33:22 Now the hand of Yahveh had been on me the evening before the fugitive arrived, and he opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer mute.

unmute mode

Ashish Raichur points out that “the hand of the Lord” — a phrase I translate “the hand of Yahveh” … “is used often throughout the book of Ezekiel in connection with him receiving the word or having a prophetic experience.” 1

In this case, the hand of Yahveh had made the prophet mute — until the time was right for him to proclaim the word. Such would be the case for John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah as well.

What mode are you in right now? Are you in mute mode, waiting for the opportunity, or unmute mode, ready to speak?

1 Raichur, Ashish. Understanding the Prophetic: A Training Manual for Prophetic Ministry. 2010. p. 27

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God’s fairness

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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God’s fairness

Ezekiel 33:17-20 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:17 ” ‘But your people say, “Yahveh’s way isn’t fair,” even though it is their own way that isn’t fair.
Ezekiel 33:18 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, he will die for it.
Ezekiel 33:19 But if a guilty person turns from his guilt and does what is just and right, he will live because of it.
Ezekiel 33:20 Yet you say, “Yahveh’s way isn’t fair.” I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.'”

God’s fairness

When Ezekiel heard his people complain that God’s way was not fair, he responded that God would not be judging his people by his way. He would judge each one by their own way. God knows each heart. He knows that each of us has enough sin and evil to destroy himself.

Hell will not contain a single life that is wrongfully condemned. The new creation will not contain a single life that is spared by virtue of what that person has done. Hell is fair because we all deserve it. Grace is fair because only God can give it.

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just one sin, just one prayer

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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just one sin, just one prayer

Ezekiel 33:12-16 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:12 “Now, son of Adam, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him on the day of his rebellion; neither will the guilt of the guilty person cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his guilt. The righteous person won’t be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he fails.
Ezekiel 33:13 When I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, but he trusts in his righteousness and acts unjustly, then none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the injustice he has committed.
Ezekiel 33:14 ” ‘So when I tell the guilty person, “You will surely die,” but he repents of his failure and does what is just and right –
Ezekiel 33:15 he returns collateral, makes reparation for what he has stolen, and walks in the prescriptions of life without committing injustice – he will certainly live; he will not die.
Ezekiel 33:16 None of the failures he committed will be held against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.

just one sin, just one prayer

We all know people who have lived upright lives, only to fail later on. It is a tragedy, but it highlights a truth that Ezekiel teaches here. No one is going to be saved by his or her track record. Just one sin can ruin a life. Just one prayer can rescue a life.

LORD, every day we seek you afresh. We need your forgiveness and renewal.

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the way out

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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the way out

Ezekiel 33:10-11 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:10 “Now as for you, son of Adam, say to the house of Israel, ‘You have said this: “Our rebellions and our failures are heavy on us, and we are rotting away because of them! How then can we survive?” ‘
Ezekiel 33:11 Tell them, ‘As I live – this is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh – I take no pleasure in the death of the guilty, but rather that the guilty person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel? ‘

the way out

God’s judgment will not come upon the innocent. It is reserved for the guilty. But God has given every sinner a way out. Repentance is what God wants. God takes no pleasure in the destruction in hell that we all deserve. He has provided a way out. Jesus is the way, and repentance is what he commands.

LORD, thank you for the way out.

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his warning a rescue

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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his warning a rescue

Ezekiel 33:7-9 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:7 “As for you, son of Adam, I have made you a guard for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me.
Ezekiel 33:8 If I say to the guilty, ‘Guilty one, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that guilty person will die for his violation, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.
Ezekiel 33:9 But if you warn a guilty person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his violation, but you will have rescued your throat.

his warning a rescue

Ezekiel is charged to give a warning from God. Whether or not the guilty heed that warning is up to them. But giving the warning itself is a means of rescue for the prophet.

Likewise, there will be many (hopefully) who will hear our proclamations of the gospel. Whether they turn from their sin and toward God and his truth is up to each of them individually. But our faithful obedience in sharing the gospel will rescue us from being accomplices in their guilt.

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the trumpet in our hands

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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the trumpet in our hands

Ezekiel 33:1-6 (JDV)

Ezekiel 33:1 The word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said:
Ezekiel 33:2 “Son of Adam, speak to the sons among your people and tell them, ‘Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their guard.
Ezekiel 33:3 And suppose he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his trumpet to warn the people.
Ezekiel 33:4 Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his death will be his own fault.
Ezekiel 33:5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but ignored the warning, his death is his own fault. If he had taken warning, he would have saved his throat.
Ezekiel 33:6 However, suppose the guard sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away one of their throats. Then he has been taken away because of his violation, but I will hold the guard accountable for his blood.’

the trumpet in our hands

John Elliot cited this text and commented “Christ’s ministers are stationed on Zion’s heights with the trumpet of the gospel in their hands, to sound the alarm of approaching danger to a perishing world, and point them to the city of refuge provided by infinite mercy. They are totally inexcusable if they neglect to do all in their power to save men. Nothing must be omitted which could contribute to this end. The least omission contracts guilt.” 1

Just like the prophet, given the trumpet to sound, we who are possessors of the word of God today are commanded to sound the alarm. If we refuse to do so, we will be held accountable for all those who die unprepared for judgment day.

1 Elliott, John. A Sermon, …Hartford: George Goodwin & Sons, printers, 1818. p. 7.

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what Pharaoh saw

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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what Pharaoh saw

Ezekiel 32:29-32 (JDV)

Ezekiel 32:29 “Edom is there, her kings and all her princes, who, despite their strength, have been placed among those murdered ones by the sword. They lie down with the uncircumcised, with those who descend to the Pit.
Ezekiel 32:30 All the leaders of the north and all the Sidonians are there. They went down in shame with the murdered ones, despite the terror their strength inspired. They lie down uncircumcised with those murdered ones by the sword. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit.
Ezekiel 32:31 “Pharaoh will see them and be comforted over all his processions – Pharaoh and his whole army, murdered by the sword.” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh.
Ezekiel 32:32 “Because I will spread my terror in the land of the living, so Pharaoh and all his processions will be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those murdered ones by the sword.” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh.

what Pharaoh saw

In what sense will Pharaoh see the other armies who died? Does this indicate “a knowledge of others in the unseen world”? 1 Not necessarily. Pharaoh will be dead too. He will share that grave, and in that grave, there is no awareness (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Pharaoh is going to be laid to rest, and it is with utter irony that Ezekiel tells him that he will be comforted by all those he controlled in life being down in the dirt with him.

If all we want out of life is power now, we will share all that “power” with everybody else in the grave.

1 Shrewsbury, W. J., and J. V. B. Shrewsbury. Notes on Ezekiel, Critical and Explanatory: [With the English Text]. 1863. p. 132.

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their terror was once spread

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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their terror was once spread

Ezekiel 32:26-28 (JDV)

Ezekiel 32:26 “Meshech and Tubal are there, with all their processions. Their graves are all around them. All of them are uncircumcised, murdered by the sword, although their terror was once spread in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:27 They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads and their shields rested on their bones, although the terror of these warriors was once in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:28 But you will be shattered and will lie down among the uncircumcised, with those murdered ones by the sword.

their terror was once spread

The memory of these terrorist nations was still fresh in the memory of Ezekiel’s people. But now the terrorists are gone, destroyed by an even greater enemy. We can take comfort in the fact that God does not allow evil tyrants and their minions to stay in power for long. He has a plan to wipe out all his enemies.

LORD, give us the courage to face today’s troubles, knowing that you have a plan to end all evil.

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the disgraceful dead

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Jefferson Vann

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the disgraceful dead

Ezekiel 32:24-25 (JDV)

Ezekiel 32:24 “Elam is there with all her processions around her grave. All of them are murdered ones, fallen by the sword – those who went down to below the ground uncircumcised, who once spread their terror in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit.
Ezekiel 32:25 Among the murdered ones they prepare a bed for Elam with all her processions. Her graves are all around her. All of them are uncircumcised, murdered by the sword, although their terror was once spread in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit. They are placed among the murdered ones.

the disgraceful dead

Elam joins Assyria in this vast graveyard after God’s judgment upon them. They are dead, and bear their disgrace at having been conquered and are no longer terrorists. The fact that they bear their disgrace does not imply that they are conscious of it. Anyone who is dead is no longer in the land of the living.

One day, all of God’s enemies will be similarly silenced, and suffer the permanent contempt of the living.

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