Daily Readings & Thought for September 11th. “DISASTER AFTER DISASTER: BEHOLD IT COMES”

Our Ezekiel reading (ch.7)  is initially about the disaster coming on the people still living in Jerusalem.  Ezekiel was a priest and is among those taken into captivity (ch.1 v.1) some years before Jerusalem is destroyed. Those taken away are earnestly hoping to return to the land of their birth, but God gives Ezekiel only bad news for them.

Indeed the words he is inspired to write appear to have an application beyond the destruction of Jerusalem at that time – and we know there was a great and terrible destruction, including its’ Temple, after the time of Jesus, which he prophesied and which we will read later this month.  Yet the language of God to Ezekiel is such that we can see a potential application to events in these final days, for more and more are turning their minds away from any belief in a Creator of any kind!  Contemplate God’s attitude here and now and the potential for his actions!

So many are living totally for the moment, for opportunities to follow fleshly desires each day. Note some of the words of the LORD that come to Ezekiel, “Now the end is upon you, I will judge you according to your ways, and I will punish you for all your abominations, my eye will not spare you … I will punish you for your ways … Thus says the Lord GOD; Disaster after disaster! Behold, it comes. An end has come; the end has come …” [v.3-6]

This language is so emphatic that we are convinced it has a wider application than the impending news about the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple.  God’s words through Ezekiel are repeated with emphasis in v.10-11; “Behold it comes! Your doom has come; the rod has budded. Violence has grown up into a rod of wickedness.  None of them shall remain, nor their abundance, nor their wealth …”    The abundance of Jerusalem had already been dissipated by previous conquests, so this is surely looking to more than the immediate situation.

When we came to our Luke reading (ch.4) we noted in the preaching of John the Baptist words which have also not yet been fulfilled! They are about the work of the Messiah, that “his winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” [v.17] That has not happened – yet.   Long range prophecies are a feature of God’s word!  What shocks await our world!? God says, “I will punish you for all your abominations  … disaster after disaster, behold it comes.”

It was 12 years ago TODAY that the massive twin towers collapsed in New York!  How long before tomorrow?  Are you ready for tomorrow?  We will all need “the strength that God supplies” – read 1 Peter 4 v.7-11..