anitasanecdotes

Ezekiel 32 continues the diatribe against Egypt.

Ezekiel 33 speaks to those who are in exile in Babylon. They are called again to repent from their sins. Even if they believe they are righteous, if they commit unrighteous acts they will be declared unrighteous. If they are unrighteous, but turn away from that unrighteousness they will be forgive.

They may feel that God is not being fair to them, but they continue to sin. They are responsible for what is happening to them They are not saved simply because of their lineage, they must live in accordance with God’s law.

2 Peter 1 encourages believers to support their faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance and godliness. Without these things we forget that our sins have been forgiven.

Peter believes that his calling is to continue to remind the faithful of the message of the gospel and the importance of keeping the faith in actions as well as belief.

Ezekiel 30 and 31 continue to speak of the doom and peril that will come upon Egypt.

Psalm 123 speaks of looking to God on His throne in heaven. It is a plea for mercy from those that love Him.

Psalm 124 is a prayer of thanksgiving to God who delivered Israel from its enemies.

Psalm 125 speaks of the solid protection of God for the people of Jerusalem who are faithful to Him.

Ezekiel 28 and 29 speak against the prince of Tyre and the pharaoh of Egypt. Both of these kingdoms will fall to Babylon. Those who arrogantly flaunt their disdain for God will ultimately receive their unfortunate reward. They may believe they are immune from God’s punishment, but they are not. God is in control and is sovereign.

1 Peter 5 charges elders to lead by example and those who are younger in the faith to follow their lead. All of us should be humble in our dealings. We should not waste time being anxious but rather, we should give our cares to God.  We need to maintain spiritual discipline and resist evil.

Ezekiel 26 and 27 are judgments against Tyre. Tyre may have been a successful city by human standards but God has the power to lay it to waste.

1 Peter 4 continues to speak about the gospel being proclaimed to the dead. We are encouraged to die to our old lives and to embrace holy living. Those who suffer because of their faith should rejoice. They share in the sufferings of Christ. They glorify God.

We must always remember that we are called to live different lives because of Christ. We may feel hurt and resentment but we may not act on those feelings. In treating others with the love that Christ has given us we will be transformed and will be able to forgive as well. Our lives are not defined by our experiences on earth. Rather, they are defined by our encounter with our living Lord.

Ezekiel 24 speaks of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It will be used up and the people will suffer because of their sin.

Ezekiel 25 speaks out against Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia enemies of Judah. Even though the people of Judah are being punished God still acts against those that attack it.

1 Peter 3 speaks about a mutual respect in marriage. While women are to accept the authority of their husbands, husbands also have the responsibility of honoring their wives.

The entire family of God is to treat one another with love and respect. When evil is perpetrated it is to be repaid with blessing. We are not to be intimidated by those who would try to hurt us. We are to act as Christ acted, with love, so that they may witness what it means to be in Christ.

Verses 18 through 20 speak of Christ speaking to the spirits in prison. This is a reference to Jesus meeting those who were disobedient in this life.

Ezekiel 22 and 23 proclaims judgment on Jerusalem and Samaria. Because they have taken the gods of other nations, now those nations will take them. Ezekiel uses very graphic imagery comparing these places to women of ill repute.

Psalm 120 is a cry for help in a war-torn land.

Psalm 121 is a familiar psalm of comfort. God is always with us. There is no time when God is not awake and actively watching over us.

Psalm 122 is a prayer for Jerusalem. It is a prayer for peace.

In Ezekiel 20 and 21 the elders have come to counsel with Ezekiel. God recounts how time after time the people of Israel have received God’s mercy only to revert to their sinful ways. God does not want to give these elders counsel if they are not willing to give up their wickedness. They will be exiled from their land. Only when they turn to God will the land be restored.

Everyone will be banished form the land. Only the righteous will be restored.

1 Peter 2 is a reminder of what holy living entails. They are to be built into a spiritual house with Christ as their cornerstone. They are to turn from all insincerity and malice even in their dealings with the Gentiles. They are to accept the authority of human institutions so that no one may find fault in them. Their lives are a witness to Christ. If others see that they honor everyone and love each other they will know that Jesus is Lord. They may suffer as Christ suffered but they have also been redeemed by him.

Ezekiel 18 and 19 states that no longer will future generations pay for the sins of the present generation. Until this time the children and children’s children also paid for the sins of the present generation. Now everyone will be responsible for their own sins and each generation will be responsible for themselves. If a righteous person does unrighteous acts, that person will be responsible for those sins. Past righteousness will not exonerate a current sinner. But if a sinner turns from wickedness forgiveness is offered. This means that they no longer commit unrighteous acts, not that they can correct a bad act with a good act. Their lives have been changed.

Israel needs to turn away from all its unrighteousness. Then it will be forgiven.

1 Peter 1 is written to the Jewish Christians that are spread throughout the known world. Peter reminds them to live according to the salvation that has been given them through Jesus Christ. Because he is holy they have been made holy. Now they are to live holy lives. They may suffer for a time on this earth but they will receive the heavenly glory of eternal life with Christ. He gives them joy in their suffering. They are now able to obey the word of God and live lives of love for Christ and for others.

Ezekiel 16 contains a very explicit allegory of Jerusalem as a woman. God claimed Jerusalem, cared for her and made a covenant with her and yet she strayed. Now she must endure punishment for her actions. God promises to restore the covenant He has established, forgiving all of her sins.

In Ezekiel 17 God is thwarting the plan the king of Israel has made to try to free Israel from Babylon. No attempts to save themselves will succeed. Only God can make things right again.

Psalm 119:145 – 176 ends the psalm with a plea for help. The writer commits to being faithful to God and loving His word. He cries for help against his oppressors. He acknowledges that once he strayed but now he will remain loyal to God.

In Ezekiel 14 and 15 some of the elders have come to Ezekiel. While they still worship idols they also want to consult with him as if to hedge their bets. The Lord is not fooled by this activity. He knows that they have not turned from their idols. Ezekiel is to tell them to turn to God or they will be punished. This admonition goes for both the people of Israel and the resident aliens in Jerusalem.

The intention of the punishment, even though it is hard to the point of killing the unfaithful is to shoe the God is the Lord. The people have believed that they can do whatever they want and God will not act against them because of who they are. God is saying that birthright alone will not save them. They will be punished because of their own unrighteousness. There is an interesting passage where God refers to Noah, Job, and Daniel. He says that even if these three righteous men were with them that would not protect them from God’s punishment. Their righteousness cannot save the unrighteous. The righteous will only save themselves. There is no one coming on their behalf.

James 5 speaks to the rich who have gotten their wealth by evil means. They are warned about their behavior. The righteous who have suffered under their oppression are told to be patient. When the Lord comes, the wicked will be punished. It is important for the righteous not to complain since in their complaint they will receive the judgment of the Lord. It is better to endure in silence and so not to sin. The key to dealing with problem is to pray. We should also actively bring others to prayer so they can turn form sin.