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Punishment, destruction, condemnation, guilt, sin, the sword, and death. All words that we have become familiar with in our reading of Ezekiel. Words that are dark and hard to hear. Words that burn behind our eyes as we try to fathom how far Israel has fallen in her relationship with God. Let me encourage you to see more than the words that sting. Let me encourage you to see Jesus in the Book of Ezekiel. More than 90 times, Ezekiel is called the “son of man.” I think it shows us the connection that Ezekiel has to the people among whom he prophesies. It shows how he walks among them, calling them to see God, to turn from sin, and to surrender wholeheartedly. Matthew uses the same phrase approximately 29 times and Luke uses it about 25 times. In the Book of Ezekiel, it refers to the prophet. In the Gospels, it points to Jesus. It shows us how Jesus walked among us, as one of us, in the world. Jesus, too, has called us to wholehearted surrender. Jesus has made a way through sin and guilt, through destruction and judgement to offer us hope and life.

Hope often springs up in the strangest places. So far, Ezekiel has had a lot to say in our reading about judgment and destruction. He has painted, in vivid pictures, the sin of God’s people. In Ezekiel 11, we find a sudden shift; we find a message of hope. God has not deserted His people. He is planning on a time when the nation of Israel will once again inhabit the Promised Land. God promises a time when He and His people will walk again in Israel. When this time comes, the people will be faithful. Idols will be torn down and destroyed. The law of God, and His teachings, will call the people to obedience and surrender. God promises a bright future. But read again Ezekiel 11:16. God tells His people that He is with them now. That surrender and praise are a part of today. While there is a bright future for those who walk with God, never forget that God inhabits this day, this hour, this moment. He is with us wherever we go. It is a truth that makes a difference. A promise that we need to embed in our hearts.

As we read through Ezekiel, we come face to face with a man who is devoted to God. Ezekiel is a wild character, often called to live out the words of God in dramatic ways. Ezekiel himself is a priest, living in exile at the time of the Babylonian captivity. Ezekiel has been forced to leave his homeland and the temple behind. It is part of God’s plan to call Israel to repentance from idolatry. In Ezekiel 1:1, we are told that Ezekiel is living near the Chebar River in Babylon, the same place that King Jehoiachim, father of the last king of Judah, had been exiled. Ezekiel 3:15 tells us that Ezekiel lived in the city of Tel-abib. Ezekiel will talk about the temple, the glory of the Lord, the sacrificial system, and the sin of the people. He lives in a foreign land and calls God’s people to be faithful, to have hope, and to trust in God. Difficult circumstances often call us to revisit our priorities. In the Book of Ezekiel, you will find how God can work in a world that is broken and in people that are hurting.

The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, records an incredible story in his book, Jewish Antiquities (11.317-345). He tells of the time when Alexander the Great approached the city of Jerusalem. It was a time of conquest. Alexander, leading the Greek armies across the world, was close to Jerusalem. Jaddus, then High Priest, met Alexander outside the city walls. As Alexander approached, he saw Jaddus clothed in the purple and scarlet of the High Priesthood, wearing the golden breastplate of the High Priest. All the other priests stood around Jaddus, clothed in white. It is said that Alexander greeted Jaddus with honor. Jaddus then showed Alexander Daniel 8. It is the record of Daniel’s vision of a goat who would conquer. Daniel is specific. The goat is the king of Greece and the ram he tramples is the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. Alexander is said to have honored God that day by dealing kindly with His people. While we don’t know how true the story is, we know the God that works in the lives of His people. We know that God is close to us. His Word transforms our lives. His presence shapes our hearts.

An angelic visitation, visions of unimaginable beasts, interpretations, writing on the wall, a lion’s den, and a fiery furnace; the Book of Daniel holds a lot of amazing pictures. There is definitely an understanding that God is at work and on the move. Just don’t miss the story. The Book of Daniel is all about a man who stays focused in his life. A career in the government, influence with kings and governors, moving in high level circles among the strongest empires of the known world at that time, Daniel is a man who knows who he is and what lies at his center. He is a man devoted to God. In Daniel 1, there are two phrases which frame this book for me. Daniel 1:6, “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself” and Daniel 1:9, “God gave Daniel favor and compassion.” Set in the very first account of Daniel’s life, these phrases mark the life of Daniel. He is resolved to be pure. A man of integrity. A man who reflects the nature and character of the God he serves. His relationship with God is not one sided. God works in Daniel’s life and shows compassion. For more than 60 years, Daniel resolves to live with God. This week, he inspires us to do the same.

Written at a time when the power of Assyria is about to be eclipsed by the Babylonian Empire, the Book of Habakkuk points to the sovereignty of God. Babylon will punish Assyria and, in turn, be punished at a later time. When the people of Judah wonder how God can use such powerful, ungodly nations to fulfill His plan, Habakkuk responds to the question in a beautiful way. We know that the mind of God is not something we can entirely understand. But God has revealed Himself to us in a way that calls us to trust in Him. Habakkuk reminds us of that in Habakkuk 2:4, “the righteous shall live by his faith.” We are a people who can have faith in God. He has shown Himself in history to be a God who is trustworthy. This beautiful passage is quoted three times in the New Testament. Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38 all call us to place our faith in God and live as His people in this world. We may not know everything about the mind of God, but we know more than we can fathom. God is faithful. Trust Him.

The deed is done. Judgment has fallen. God’s people have begun the Babylonian captivity. Seventy years of separation from the Promised Land, national identity, temple worship, and independence will bring drastic changes to the children of Israel. But for now, it is just starting. Jeremiah continues to preach, but his grief seems overwhelming. He documents the destruction of the temple and the continued rebellion of God’s people. As the Book of Jeremiah ends, there is a note of hope. God promises to redeem His people. Jeremiah follows his prophetic book with the Book of Lamentations, a closer look at the destruction of Jerusalem. It is another look at a terrible time in the history of Israel. But again, there is hope. Jeremiah writes in Lamentation 3:22-24, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.” It is a beautiful reminder that God is steadfast in His love for us. No matter what may happen in this world, God brings mercy and sustenance with each new morning. Today, look for the steadfast love of the Lord as you walk through your day.

Jeremiah 36-45 can be difficult reading. Time after time, Jeremiah pleads with the people of Judah to repent. His warnings are emphatic and specific. Babylon is going to destroy Jerusalem unless the people repent. King Zedekiah is warned in writing, by messenger, and in person. Jeremiah talks to soldiers and prisoners, and the people of Jerusalem. Babylon lays siege to the city, and still the people will not listen. They choose to follow idols rather than listen to God. Zedekiah tries to find his own solutions, only to end up losing his family, his kingdom, and his freedom. Great suffering takes place as the kingdom falls. There truth is presented. The love of God drives Jeremiah to extend a chance for mercy and deliverance. But the people persist in their sin. Jeremiah becomes a living picture of the persistence of God’s love. Even though he is threatened, thrown in prison, dropped in a pit, beaten, mocked, and ignored, Jeremiah continues to point the people to God. God is steadfast in His love for us. He continues to call us into relationship with Him. There is healing and forgiveness available. God wants us to be His. It is a pursuit beyond explanation. But it is true. God loves you.

Jeremiah 30 and 31 have been called the “Book of Comfort” by many scholars. The Book of Comfort is a series of promises made by God to His people. Though the punishment for their sin seemed high, it was necessary for the people to be stripped of their idolatry and failing hearts. But God had not given up on His people. He promised to save them. God promised to continue to honor His covenant with His people and bring them back from captivity. God even promised a new covenant to be written on the hearts of His people. Jeremiah’s prophecy of the new covenant was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Book of Hebrews calls Jesus the mediator of the new covenant (9:15 and 12:24). Through the blood of Jesus, forgiveness comes to man. The closeness promised in the Book of Comfort, the direct access to God is seen in the life and death of Jesus, as well as the promised Holy Spirit. Jeremiah’s words are a reality for us today. As we embed the Bible, we take comfort in knowing that God is faithful and continues to shape us every day through the power of the cross.

Embedding the Bible is about learning how to live in a relationship with God. It is also about knowing God and allowing Him to guide our lives. When we embed the Bible, we learn about God’s love, His plan, Jesus, how to treat others, how to manage money, how to be family, and much more. Embedding the Bible also means getting a sense of the history and the story of the Bible. Reading Jeremiah brings us into encounters with the last five kings of Judah before captivity. When we know who they are, it makes reading Jeremiah easier. So, in order of their reign, starting with Josiah, where Jeremiah began, the last five kings are… Josiah, a godly king who brought reform to Judah and removed the idols from the worship of the people. He died in battle against Pharaoh Neco. Jehoahaz (also called Shallum) was King Josiah’s son who reigned for three months. Pharaoh Neco took him off the throne and carried him into Egypt as a captive. Johoiakim was King Josiah’s son who did not follow in the footsteps of his father. He followed idols and led the people away from God. He died a disgraceful death and was given the burial of a donkey. Jehoiachin was Johoiakim’s son who was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and spent thirty- seven years in prison. And finally, Zedekiah was Josiah’s son and the last king in Judah. He was also an idol worshipper and led the people away from God. He was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar after Jehoiachin was taken captive. Eventually, he would be taken captive to Babylon where he would see his sons die.