August 19 - Ezekiel 14:1-16:63

Good morning everyone,

Today we begin with a group of elders, leaders in Jerusalem, who have called a meeting with Ezekiel to inquire what was going with on with God, however, they lacked sincerity, their motives were not pure as they were still heavily involved in idolatry. To look at them you would not know that they were anything but a God fearing people, appearing to do all the right things, but on the inside and in the quiet times of their lives they were dabbling with, some even deeply engulfed in, the worship of false gods and idols, their hearts were adulterated. The applications this has for our lives today is endless, but for now it will suffice to say, any preoccupation that turns your heart away from God is an idol, we all need to be checking our own hearts. Amen?

Chapter 15, is a parable of the useless vine, the vine being a symbol of the nation Israel. Apart from the vine’s ability to produce fruit it is useless. The wood of the vine is not good for anything, it’s unusable, so its single responsibility, it’s only purpose, is to bear fruit; when it stops doing that it it has no benefit. In Isaiah 5 we’re told a story is about a vineyard that had many advantages. It belonged to a loving person. It was planted on very fruitful hill where the ground had been carefully prepared. It was planted with the choicest vine stock, it was protected and provided for and yet, yet with all of these advantages, though expecting a good crop, instead the yield was wild grapes. God had made a huge investment in Israel, lavished them with riches and love, in return He got sour berries. 

  

Like Israel, we too are the branches on the vine.  Jesus said in the book of John that “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” We are suppose to be out there sharing God’s good news of salvation, right?, spreading the absolute truth of what Jesus died for, producing mega, rich, juicy berries. Joseph in Genesis, we’re told, was a fruitful vine, even a fruitful vine by a well; whose branches run over the wall. This is a great example of what Christians do, right?, we are fruitful, we live by the well of Living Water, we live a life that is pleasing to God. 

In the book of Colossians we’re told Paul prayed for the people of Colossae, continually asking God that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will and that through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so too they would live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work. (paraphrased) Friends, that so needs to be our prayer. We do not want to be useless pieces of wood that will eventually get chucked into the fire. It is possible for the vineyard to produce two types of grapes. One pleasing to God, and the other pleasing to the flesh and the world. I would encourage you to be careful to please God. His Word will set you free from being held captive in the Babylon of today’s world. 

I just have to say one more thing, though a little unrelated, dude my heart breaks for God and how the people just turned their backs on Him not only in antiquity but today as well when all He wants to do is love us and bless us with a life that is beautiful beyond imagination. Put yourself in His position, if your own son or daughter, who you have sacrificed for and poured all yourself into were to reject you, walk away from your love, and all you desire to share with them, your heart would break, it would hurt to see them shun you, discard your offers. Well, God loves us more than we could ever love our own children and He simply asks we honor Him above all else. I would encourage you to take the time to learn God, not just read the words but feel His heart, know His desperate desire to have you be apart of His life, how deep His love runs for us, realize the sacrifice He made with His Son, sending Him to the cross so that He could be in company with us. It is amazing grace! He agapes, He unconditionally loves us. Amen?

Have a good day and to God be all glory, honor and praise.

God bless you all …..