11/27/12

Feed the cat...now!!!!

I think the dog gets it!!!  FEED THE CAT!!!  Sometimes it takes pain to be willing to listen.  This was true for the nation of Israel and they needed to hear this message...

Ezekiel, Chapter 6
  1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,  2 Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy to them,  3 and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places. 4 Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.  5 I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars.  6 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.  7 The slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am Yahweh.  8 Yet will I leave a remnant, in that you shall have some that escape the sword among the nations, when you shall be scattered through the countries.  9 Those of you that escape shall remember me among the nations where they shall be carried captive, how that I have been broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. 10 They shall know that I am Yahweh: I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.  11 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.  12 He who is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath on them. 13 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when their slain men shall be among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the places where they offered pleasant aroma to all their idols.
14 I will stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their habitations: and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Today's message is simple. If Israel was eventually punished for their sin, so America will be for rejecting God.  While I am certainly NOT A PROPHET, it doesn't take one to see where we are headed.  Destruction awaits any country that flagrantly rejects God as the United States of America has. There remain a great many faithful Christians that reside within its borders, but not enough to overturn the ungodly laws of our leftist government.  I ask all Christians everywhere to pray for our nation; that a spiritual revival might take place BEFORE GOD DEALS WITH US AS HE DID WITH ANCIENT ISRAEL!!!  Please forward this blog post to everyone on your e-mail list, so that the prayers of all Christians might go up to God!  Please, before its too late!!!!!!!

Bible Reading, Nov. 27


Nov. 27
Ezekiel 1-4

Eze 1:1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Eze 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
Eze 1:3 the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was there on him.
Eze 1:4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
Eze 1:7 Their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.
Eze 1:8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus:
Eze 1:9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward.
Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.
Eze 1:11 Their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of each one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Eze 1:12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn when they went.
Eze 1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
Eze 1:14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Eze 1:15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
Eze 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
Eze 1:17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went.
Eze 1:18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes all around.
Eze 1:19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
Eze 1:20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Eze 1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Eze 1:22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.
Eze 1:23 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies.
Eze 1:24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.
Eze 1:25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.
Eze 1:26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
Eze 1:27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
 

Eze 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.
Eze 2:2 The Spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard him who spoke to me.
Eze 2:3 He said to me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day.
Eze 2:4 The children are impudent and stiff-hearted: I am sending you to them; and you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh.
Eze 2:5 They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.
Eze 2:6 You, son of man, don't be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Eze 2:7 You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious.
Eze 2:8 But you, son of man, hear what I tell you; don't be you rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that which I give you.
Eze 2:9 When I looked, behold, a hand was put forth to me; and, behold, a scroll of a book was therein;
Eze 2:10 He spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
 

Eze 3:1 He said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
Eze 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll.
Eze 3:3 He said to me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your bowels with this scroll that I give you. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
Eze 3:4 He said to me, Son of man, go, get you to the house of Israel, and speak with my words to them.
Eze 3:5 For you are not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Eze 3:6 not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words you can not understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.
Eze 3:7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; for they will not listen to me: for all the house of Israel are of hard forehead and of a stiff heart.
Eze 3:8 Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.
Eze 3:9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead: don't be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Eze 3:10 Moreover he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.
Eze 3:11 Go, get you to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Eze 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from his place.
Eze 3:13 I heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.
Eze 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of Yahweh was strong on me.
Eze 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Aviv, that lived by the river Chebar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
Eze 3:16 It happened at the end of seven days, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18 When I tell the wicked, You shall surely die; and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.
Eze 3:19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, when a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.
Eze 3:22 The hand of Yahweh was there on me; and he said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with you.
Eze 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and behold, the glory of Yahweh stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.
Eze 3:24 Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet; and he spoke with me, and said to me, Go, shut yourself within your house.
Eze 3:25 But you, son of man, behold, they shall lay bands on you, and shall bind you with them, and you shall not go out among them:
Eze 3:26 and I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth, that you shall be mute, and shall not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house.
Eze 3:27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: He who hears, let him hear; and he who forbears, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
 

Eze 4:1 You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem:
Eze 4:2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.
Eze 4:3 Take for yourself an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between you and the city: and set your face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
Eze 4:4 Moreover lie you on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.
Eze 4:5 For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred ninety days: so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
Eze 4:6 Again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah: forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it to you.
Eze 4:7 You shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm uncovered; and you shall prophesy against it.
Eze 4:8 Behold, I lay bands on you, and you shall not turn you from one side to the other, until you have accomplished the days of your siege.
Eze 4:9 Take for yourself also wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make you bread of it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred ninety days, you shall eat of it.
Eze 4:10 Your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time you shall eat it.
Eze 4:11 You shall drink water by measure, the sixth part of a hin: from time to time you shall drink.
Eze 4:12 You shall eat it as barley cakes, and you shall bake it in their sight with dung that comes out of man.
Eze 4:13 Yahweh said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.
Eze 4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord Yahweh! behold, my soul has not been polluted; for from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn of animals; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
Eze 4:15 Then he said to me, Behold, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.
Eze 4:16 Moreover he said to me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and in dismay:
Eze 4:17 that they may want bread and water, and be dismayed one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.



Nov. 27
Hebrews 13

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
Heb 13:2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Heb 13:3 Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
Heb 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Heb 13:5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you."
Heb 13:6 So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Heb 13:9 Don't be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
Heb 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.
Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp.
Heb 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.
Heb 13:13 Let us therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14 For we don't have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.
Heb 13:15 Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
Heb 13:16 But don't forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Heb 13:18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
Heb 13:19 I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.
Heb 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,
Heb 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Heb 13:22 But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.
Heb 13:23 Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
Heb 13:24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.
Heb 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

Ruth: I will Go, by Mark Copeland

                           "THE BOOK OF RUTH"

               Ruth's Noble Choice:  "I Will Go" (1:1-22)

INTRODUCTION

1. The book of Ruth is a beautiful "interlude of love," set in...
   a. The period when judges ruled Israel - Ru 1:1
   b. An era marked by immorality, idolatry, and war - cf. Judg 21:25

2. It tells a heartwarming story of devotion and faithfulness...
   a. Concerning a Moabite widow (Ruth) who leaves her homeland
   b. To live with her Jewish mother-in-law (Naomi)  in the land of
      Israel

3. God honors Ruth's commitment...
   a. By guiding her to the field of Boaz (a near kinsman to Naomi)
   b. Where she gathers grain and finds a place in the genealogy of
      Christ!

4. It has been said the book serves two purposes...
   a. To illustrate how Jehovah rewards those who make wise spiritual
      choices and show steadfast filial loyalty
   b. To explain how Ruth, a Moabitess, came to be an ancestor of David,
      and ultimately, the Messiah - cf. Ru 4:21-22; Mt 1:5-6

[While the book's brevity and beauty makes it easy to read in one
sitting, we will let it serve as the basis for four sermons, one for
each chapter.  In chapter one, we learn of "Ruth's Noble Choice"...]

I. A FATEFUL SOJOURN IN MOAB

   A. FAMINE PROMPTS THE JOURNEY...
      1. The setting - Ru 1:1
         a. In the days of the judges (prior to the period of the kings
            of Israel)
         b. There is famine in the land of Judah
         c. A family of four leave Bethlehem to dwell in Moab
            1) Bethlehem, city located 5 mi. S of Jerusalem; birthplace
               of David and Jesus
            2) Moab, country located due E of the Dead Sea
               a) Descendants of Lot - Gen 19:36-37
               b) Sometimes enemies, friends, of Israel - Judg 3:12-30;
                  1Sa 22:3-4
      2. The family - Ru 1:2
         a. Elimelech the father, Naomi the mother
         b. Their two sons:  Mahlon and Chilion
         c. Ephrathites - Bethlehem was also known as Ephrath - Gen
            35:19; Mic 5:2
      3. The move
         a. Prompted by the famine
         b. Perhaps indicating a lack of faith in God, who made
            provision for when His children became impoverished - cf.
            Lev 25:35

   B. DEATH STRIKES THREE TIMES...
      1. Elimelech dies - Ru 1:3
         a. Leaving Naomi a widow with two sons
         b. Rabbinic tradition suggests his death was punishment for
            greed or having forsaken his homeland (Expositor's Bible
            Commentary)
      2. Mahlon and Chilion marry women of Moab - Ru 1:4
         a. Mahlon married Ruth, Chilion married Orpah - cf. Ru 4:10
         b. Such marriages with women of Moab were strongly suspect,
            if not wrong - cf. Deut 23:3; 1Ki 11:1-2; Neh 13:23-27
         c. They live in Moab about ten years
      3. Mahlon and Chilion die - Ru 1:5
         a. Rabbinic tradition suggests it was because of leaving Judah,
            and their marriages
         b. Leaving Naomi a widow and childless, which she took as
            divine judgment against her - Ru 1:13,20-21

[Elimelech and his sons went to Moab to find bread, instead they found
graves (Baxter).  Bereaved of her husband and two sons, Naomi gives
thought to return to her homeland...]

II. A FAITHFUL RETURN TO JUDAH

   A. NAOMI CHOOSES TO RETURN HOME...
      1. The famine in Judah had ended - Ru 1:6
         a. The Lord's blessings had return to Judah
         b. The Lord had given them bread
      2. Naomi encourages her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab - Ru
         1:7-9
         a. As they were on their way to leave
         b. Naomi encourages them to return to their mothers' house
         c. Naomi prays God's blessings upon them
            1) To treat them kindly, because their kindness to her
            2) To find rest in the homes of future husbands
         d. Prompting sorrowful displays a great affection

   B. RUTH CHOOSES TO RETURN WITH HER...
      1. At first, both daughters-in-law desire to go with Naomi - Ru
         1:10
         a. Willing to return with her to her people
         b. Which speaks highly of their love for Naomi and duty as
            daughters-in-law
      2. Naomi seeks to dissuade them - Ru 1:11-13
         a. She has no sons to offer them
         b. She is too old to have a husband
         c. If she did marry and have sons, would they wait until they
            were old enough?
         d. It grieves her to see them suffer because of God's
            chastisement of her
      3. Ruth cannot be dissuaded - Ru 1:14-18
         a. Weeping, Orpah kisses her mother-in-law and leaves
         b. Ruth clings to her mother-in-law, and Naomi tries once again
            to persuade her to return
         c. Ruth's noble choice
            1) To go wherever Naomi goes
            2) To live wherever Naomi lives
            3) To make the people of Naomi her people
            4) To make the God of Naomi her God
            5) To die and be buried where Naomi is buried
            6) To let nothing but death come between them
            -- In making such a choice, Ruth has become a proselyte to
               Judaism
         d. Naomi realizes Ruth is determined to go with her

   C. NAOMI AND RUTH ARRIVE IN BETHLEHEM...
      1. Their arrival sparks excitement in the city - Ru 1:19
      2. Naomi believes she should be called Mara - Ru 1:20-21
         a. No longer Naomi ("Pleasant"), but Mara ("Bitter")
         b. For she feels the Lord has dealt bitterly with her
            1) She left Judah full, and has returned empty
            2) She believes the Lord has testified against her, and has
               afflicted her
         c. This may be true - cf. Deut 28:15-19
            1) Yet not all suffering is indicative of divine
               chastisement (cf. Job)
            2) She may have been the innocent victim of others' sins
      3. Naomi and Ruth settle in Bethlehem - Ru 1:22
         a. Naomi, a woman without husband and sons
         b. Ruth, the Moabitess living in a strange land

CONCLUSION

1. Their arrival was at the beginning of the barley harvest...
   a. Which sets the stage for the events in the next chapter
   b. Which portends a new beginning in the lives of Naomi and Ruth

2. This story certainly illustrates the importance of making choices...
   a. Choices come with consequences, sometimes good, sometimes bad
   b. Elimelech and his sons made choices...
      1) Which may have appeared to be a good business decision
      2) But ultimately left a wife and mother a widow and motherless in
         a strange land
   c. Ruth made a choice
      1) To leave family and false religion, for the true God and His
         family
      2) One that would have provide both temporal and eternal blessings
         - cf. Mk 10:29-30

Sometimes the choice is not between right and wrong, but between good
and better.  Yet any choice we make will be the right one if made with
these words of Jesus in mind:

   "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
   these things shall be added to you." - Mt 6:33

"Ruth's Noble Choice" to follow Naomi and her God illustrates the truth
of Jesus' words!