The Attributes of God:

A Future Dwelling Place of God Ezekiel 41-48 “The City shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is There.” (48:35)                   At first glance, it seems that Ezekiel 41-48 is just a restatement of the temple and the sacrificial system described in Leviticus. However, when we examine the passage more closely, the description of the temple and its measurements does not match any of the temples built in Jerusalem throughout history.  Its design and dimensions do not match the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, or Herod. Furthermore, while the worship procedures described have parallels with the worship set forth in the Mosaic law, there are also significant differences.  Likewise, the geographic descriptions of the tribal allotments and the river that flows from the temple do not fit any of the past or present geography...

God’s redemptive Power Ezekiel 36-40 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.  I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land.  Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it.”                   Chapters 36-37 provide a profound insight into the power of God and also one of the most debated passages in the book.  The question is not about the reality of the fulfillment, but the nature and timing of the fulfillment. Some believe this restoration was fulfilled when Israel was restored under Ezra and Nehemiah.  Others believe (including myself) that the prophecy will find its ultimate fulfillment during the Millennial reign of Christ.  The nature and extent of this restoration best point us to a ti...

Listening to the Right Preacher Ezekiel 31-35 “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”                   In our age of mobility and mass media, we are inundated with options, people, and churches that claim to speak for God but preach very different messages.  In today’s world, we can easily find a church, a preacher, a writer, a podcaster… and the list goes on… each affirming that they are proclaiming God’s message but preaching contradictory messages.  How, then, do we navigate this landscape and know we are listening to the right people with the right messages?                   This question is not just a question we deal with today; it was the same question the people of Israel were confronted with in the time of E...

The Recognition of God’s Supremacy Ezekiel 26-30 “Then they will know that I am the Lord.”                   In the daily grind of life, it is easy to forget God.  Life seems to march forward in time with little change and little awareness of God.  Because time seems to march on relentlessly and unchanged, we start to think that we control our own destiny and that, with our wealth, we can insulate ourselves from any trouble.  Instead of trusting in God and looking to him for our life and security, we start to look to ourselves and our own abilities to determine our future.  But of all the things that give us an illusion of security and safety, and there is none greater than the illusion of wealth.  We not only believe that wealth is the basis and key to happiness, but we also trust it to provide our security against the unknowns of tomorrow. ...

Becoming Tolerant of Sin Ezekiel 21-25 “They have treated father and mother lightly within you.    The alien they have oppressed in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have wronged in you.”                    Reading through Ezekiel 21-25 is like walking through a thunderstorm without an umbrella.    The storm hits, and there is nothing one can do but continue to trudge along until one arrives at a shelter.    Such is the sense the reader gets as we read through the book of Ezekiel.    Chapter after chapter proclaims the judgment of God, leaving the reader with a desire for something positive, something good, some cry of grace and mercy.    So it is easy to skip ahead, to bypass the pronouncements of judgment in search of the promise of grace and restoration that brings hope towards the end of the book.    Yet we bypass these war...

The God of Holiness and Grace Ezekiel 16-20 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn away from his ways and live?”                   Reading through the prophetic literature is always difficult, for its message seems to pound the drum of judgment over and over again. Page after page, God continues to condemn Israel and the nations for their immorality, idolatry, and refusal to obey God’s law.   However, God is not capricious and vindictive in His judgment.  He is a just and holy God who cannot leave sin unchecked or unpunished, for to do so would be to give tacit approval to sin. Injustice is not just punishing someone who does not deserve it; it is also to leave unpunished one who commits an act of sin.  Because He is a just and holy God, He will not leave sin unchecked or unpunished. This is the...