Day 245 - 2 Sept 2021 reflections
Day 245, 2 September 2021
Ezekiel 23 -24
Ezekiel 23
The Sins of Oholah and Oholibah
1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying:
2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother.
3 (Lev 17:7; Jos 24:14) And they committed harlotries in Egypt.
They committed harlotries in their youth. There their breasts were pressed,
and there their virgin bosom was handled.
4 (Eze 16:8) Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister.
And they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names,
Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
Samaria
5 (2Ki 15:19; 16:7) Oholah played the harlot when she was Mine. And
she lusted after her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,
6 who were clothed in purple, captains and rulers, all of them desirable
young men, horsemen riding on horses.
7 (Hos 5:3; 6:10) Thus she committed her harlotries with them, with all those
who were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted,
with all their idols she defiled herself.
8 (Ex 32:4; Eze 23:3) She did not forsake her harlotries from the time
in Egypt. For in her youth they lay with her, and they handled her virgin
bosom and poured their harlotry upon her.
9 (2Ki 15:29; 17:23) Therefore I have delivered her into the hand
of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians after whom she doted.
10 (Eze 23:29; Hos 2:10) They uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons
and her daughters and killed her with the sword. And she became
a byword among women, for they had executed judgments on her.
Jerusalem
11 (Jer 3:8-11) Now her sister Oholibah saw this, but she was more corrupt
in her inordinate love than she, and in her harlotries more than her sister
in her harlotries.
12 (2Ki 16:7-15) She lusted after the Assyrians her neighbors,
captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses,
all of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that they both took the same way.
14 (Eze 8:10; Jer 22:14) So she increased her harlotries. And she saw men
portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,
15 girded with belts on their loins, exceeding in dyed attire on their heads,
all of them looking like officials, after the manner of the Babylonians
of Chaldea, the land of their nativity.
16 (Eze 16:29; Mt 5:28) And as soon as she saw them with her eyes,
she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.
17 (Eze 23:22; 23:28) The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love,
and they defiled her with their harlotry, and she was polluted with them,
and her soul became disgusted with them.
18 (Ps 78:59; 106:40) So she uncovered her harlotries and uncovered
her nakedness. Then My soul became disgusted with her, as My soul
became disgusted with her sister.
19 (Eze 23:3) Yet she multiplied her harlotries while remembering
the days of her youth in which she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 (Eze 16:26; 17:15) For she lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is
as the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth when the Egyptians handled
your bosom because of the breasts of your youth.
Judgment on Jerusalem
22 (Eze 16:37) Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God:
I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom you were alienated,
and I will bring them against you on every side:
23 (Jer 50:21; 2Ki 20:14-17) the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans,
Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them.
All of them are desirable young men, captains and rulers,
officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.
24 (Jer 39:5-6; 47:3) They shall come against you with weapons,
chariots and wagons, and with an assembly of peoples. They shall set
themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet.
And I will set the judgment before them, and they shall judge you according
to their customs.
25 (Eze 23:47; Ex 34:14) I will set My jealousy against you, so that they deal
furiously with you. They shall take away your nose and your ears.
And your remnant shall fall by the sword. They shall take your sons
and your daughters. And your remnant shall be devoured by the fire.
26 (Eze 16:39; Jer 13:22) They shall also strip you of your clothes
and take away your fair jewels.
27 (Eze 16:41; 23:3) Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought
from the land of Egypt to cease from you so that you shall not lift up
your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.
28 (Jer 34:20; Eze 16:37) For thus says the Lord God: I will deliver you
into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom
you were alienated.
29 (Eze 16:39; 23:25-26) And they shall deal with you hatefully,
and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bare.
And the nakedness of your harlotries shall be uncovered,
both your lewdness and your harlotries.
30 (Eze 6:9) I will do these things to you because you have gone whoring
after the nations, because you have polluted yourself with their idols.
31 (2Ki 21:13; Jer 7:14-15) You have walked in the way of your sister.
Therefore I will give her cup into your hand.
32 (Ps 60:3; Isa 51:17) Thus says the Lord God:
You shall drink of your sister's cup,
which is deep and wide;
you shall be laughed to scorn and held in derision;
it contains much.
33 (Isa 51:17; Jer 25:27) You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of horror and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.
34 (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17) You shall drink it and drain it,
then you shall gnaw at its fragments
and tear off your own breasts;
for I have spoken, says the Lord God.
35 (1Ki 14:9; Isa 17:10) Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back,
now bear the punishment of your lewdness and your harlotries.
Judgment on the Sisters
36 (Eze 22:2; Isa 58:1) The Lord moreover said to me: Son of man, will you
judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37 (Eze 16:36; 16:20-21) For they have committed adultery, and blood is in
their hands. Thus with their idols they have committed adultery
and have also caused their sons whom they bore to Me to pass through
the fire for them as food.
38 (Eze 20:13; 2Ki 21:4) Moreover they have done this to Me:
They have defiled My sanctuary in the same day and have profaned My Sabbaths.
39 (2Ki 21:4; Jer 23:11) For when they had slain their children to their idols,
then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it. And thus
they have done in the midst of My house.
40 (2Ki 9:30; Jer 4:30) Furthermore, they have even sent for men to come
from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and they came. For them you washed
yourself, painted your eyes, and decked yourself with ornaments.
41 (Est 1:6; Isa 65:11) And you sat on a stately couch with a table prepared
before it on which you had set My incense and My oil.
42 (Eze 16:11-12) A sound of a multitude at ease was with her,
and drunkards were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort.
And they put bracelets on the hands of the women and beautiful crowns
on their heads.
43 Then I said to her who was worn out by adulteries, "Will they now commit
harlotries with her when she is so?"
44 Yet they went in to her as they go in to a woman who plays the harlot.
So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
45 (Lev 20:10; Hos 6:5) But righteous men shall judge them
after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed
blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
46 (Eze 16:40; Jer 15:4) For thus says the Lord God: Bring up a company
against them and give them over to terror and devastation.
47 (Jer 39:8; Eze 16:40-41) The company shall stone them with stones
and cut them down with their swords. They shall slay their sons
and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
48 (Eze 16:41; 23:27) Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land,
that all women may be warned and not commit lewdness as you have done.
49 (Eze 7:4; 9:10) Your lewdness shall be recompensed upon you, and you shall
bear the punishment of worshipping your idols. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord God.
Ezekiel 24
The Siege of Jerusalem
1 (Eze 8:1; 20:1) And in the ninth year, in the tenth month,
on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 (2Ki 25:1; Jer 39:1) Son of man, write the name of the day, this same day.
The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this same day.
3 (Eze 11:3; 17:2) Utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them,
Thus says the Lord God:
Put on the pot, put it on,
and also pour water into it.
4 (Mic 3:2-3) Gather the pieces into it,
even every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder.
Fill it with the choice bones;
5 (Jer 52:10; 52:24-27) take the choicest of the flock,
and also pile the bones under it;
make it boil well,
also seethe its bones in it.
6 (Eze 22:2; Na 3:1) Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Woe to the bloody city,
to the pot whose rust is in it,
and whose rust has not gone out of it!
Take out of it piece by piece
without choosing.
7 (Lev 17:13; Dt 12:16) For her blood is in her midst;
she set it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground
to cover it with dust.
8 That it may cause fury to come up to take vengeance,
I have set her blood on the bare rock,
that it may not be covered.
9 (Isa 30:33; Eze 24:6) Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Woe to the bloody city!
I will also make the pile great.
10 Heap on wood,
kindle the fire;
boil the flesh,
and spice it well,
and let the bones be burned.
11 (Jer 21:10; Mal 4:1) Then set it empty on its coals,
so that it may be hot and its bronze may glow,
and its filthiness may be melted in it,
and its rust may be consumed.
12 (Jer 9:5) She has wearied Me with toil,
and her great rust has not gone from her.
Let her rust be in the fire.
13 (Jer 6:28-30; Eze 5:13) In your filthiness is lewdness.
Because I would have purged you, yet you are not purged,
you shall not be purged from your filthiness anymore until
I have caused My fury to rest on you.
14 (Eze 18:30; Nu 23:19) I the Lord have spoken. It shall come to pass
and I will act. I will not go back, nor will I spare, nor will I be sorry.
According to your ways and according to your deeds, I shall judge you,
says the Lord God.
The Death of Ezekiel's Wife
15 Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
16 (Jer 13:17; 22:10) Son of man, I am about to take away from you the desire
of your eyes with a stroke. Yet you shall not mourn or weep,
nor shall your tears run down.
17 (Hos 9:4; Lev 10:6) Groan silently. Make no mourning for the dead.
Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet and do not cover
your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died.
And in the morning I did as I was commanded.
19 (Eze 12:9; 37:18) And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these
things mean forus, that you are behaving this way?"
20 Then I answered them: The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
21 (Eze 23:47; Ps 27:4) Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God:
I will profane My sanctuary, the pride of your strength,
the desire of your eyes and the delight of your soul.
And your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall
by the sword.
22 You shall do as I have done. You shall not cover your mustache,
nor will you eat the bread of men.
23 (Lev 26:39; Eze 4:17) Your turbans shall be on your heads,
and your shoes on your feet. You shall not mourn or weep.
But you shall pine away for your iniquities and groan toward one another.
24 (Eze 4:3; Isa 20:3) Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you. According to all that
he has done you shall do. And when it comes about, then you shall know that
I am the Lord God.
25 (Eze 24:21; Ps 48:2) As for you, son of man, shall it not be on the day
when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire
of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds,
their sons and their daughters,
26 (Job 1:15-19; Eze 33:21-22) that on that day he who escapes shall come
to you to cause you to hear it with your ears?
27 (Eze 33:22; 3:26-27) On that day your mouth shall be opened to him who
escaped, and you shall speak and be mute no more. Thus you shall be a sign
to them. And they shall know that I am the Lord.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 September 2021
https://odb.org/CA/2021/09/02/the-bigger-picture
Entitled The Big Story of the Bible
Genesis 11:26–32
26 Now Terah lived seventy years,
and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Terah's Descendants
27 These are the generations of Terah.
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran,
and Haran became the father of Lot.
28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth,
in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives.
The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife,
Milkah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milkah and the father of Iskah.
30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
31 Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, son of Haran,
and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife,
and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans
to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Harran,
they settled there.
32 The days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Harran.
2 Timothy 3:16
16 (Ro 15:4) All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
When Colin opened the box of stained-glass pieces he'd purchased, instead
of finding the fragments he'd ordered for a project, he discovered intact,
whole windows. He sleuthed out the windows' origin and learned they'd been
removed from a church to protect them from World War II bombings.
Colin marveled at the quality of work and how the "fragments"
formed a beautiful picture.
If I'm honest, there are times when I open particular passages of the Bible
-such as chapters containing lists of genealogies-and I don't immediately see
how they fit within the bigger picture of Scripture. Such is the case with
Genesis 11-a chapter that contains a repetitive cadence of unfamiliar names
and their families, such as Shem, Shelah, Eber, Nahor, and Terah (vv. 10-32).
I'm often tempted to gloss over these sections and skip to a part
that contains something that feels familiar and fits more easily
into my "window" of understanding of the Bible's narrative.
Since "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful" (2 Timothy 3:16),
the Holy Spirit can help us better understand how a fragment fits
into the whole, opening our eyes to see, for example, how Shelah
is related to Abram (Genesis 11:12-26), the ancestor of David and-more
importantly-Jesus (Matthew 1:2, 6, 16). He delights in surprising us
with the treasure of a perfectly intact window where even the smaller parts
reveal the story of God's mission throughout the Bible.
By: Kirsten Holmberg
Reflect & Pray
Why is it important to recognize each portion of Scripture
as a fragment of God's bigger story?
Father, please help me to see You and Your work more clearly.
Grow deeper in your understanding of the Bible,
visit https://ChristianUniversity.org/SF106 .
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 5 When you pray
Mark 11:25
25 And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything
against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may
also forgive you your sins.
"My prayer don't seem to be very effective," a man told his pastor." I try
to make contact with God, but my prayers seem to hit the ceiling and bounce
back."
The pastor thought for a moment, then gently suggested,
"Is there someone in your life you haven't forgiven?"
"What do you meam?" The man's face flushed; the pastir has obviuosly struck
a nerve. "Well, I guess I've had some struggles with my mother ... and then,
my wife, and I ... ." The hidden truth cme to light: the man was bound in
unforgiving relationships with five of the closest people to him.
Forgiveness is an essential element in prayer. For a very good reason,
worship services in litugical churches place the confession of sin and the
absolution near the beginning of the service, before the reading of God's
Word, prayer, and the sermon. Forgiveness - both the Lord's forgiveness
of us and our forgiveness of others - clears the way for unhindered
communication between God and his people.
When we carry anger and bitterness, or even deeply buired, well-subliminated
unforgiveness, into the presence of God, our prayers will be affected. We can,
however, free the Hopy Spirit to work in our lives and the lives of others
through forgiveness. We can choose to forgive in light of God's forgiveness
of us. And when we do, the channels are re-established;
we can pray in power and opene ourselves to an awareness of his activity
in our lives.
Application
a) Have my prayers ever been affected by unforgiveness in my life?
b) Is there someone in my life whom I need to forgive,
whether or not I can work toward
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Hebrews 7:8
8 In the one case mortal men receive tithes,
but in the other he of whom it is witnessed
that he is alive receives them.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Facing Pain and Suffering
2 Cor 12:7-10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance
of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan,
to torment me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 I asked the Lord three times that this thing might depart from me.
9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships,
in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ’s sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Nova Scotia
Total population 942700
Muslim population (est.) 14629
With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is
a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,
a harvest field in itself.
Pray for Nova Scotoa and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia
with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas
(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques
in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truto.
Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of
newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration
has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic
is the second most spoken language in Halifax.
while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000
in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population
somewhere between 25000 to 30000.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
2nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians
(
Rom 10:14-15 -
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
who bring good news of good things!"
)
b) Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision,
wisdom and direction.
(Jer 33:3 - Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. )
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and seek Him in all that you do.
Pray to the Lord "Father, please help me to see You and Your work more clearly."
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a true forgiver .
Pray to the Lord and give tithes and offerings.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to give your strength.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have God's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all
Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision,
wisdom and direction.
Pray that the Lord will change the hearts of persecutors in India
and they will turn to Christ.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.