Ezekiel 19
Sing a funeral song verse 1
Moreover take you up a lamentation
for the princes of Israel
Object lesson of a lion: captured- Jehoahaz verse 2- 4
And saying – What is your mother?
A lioness [Israel] – she lay down among lions
she nourished her whelps
among young lions [kings]
And she brought up one of her whelps
it became a young lion
and it learned to catch the prey
it devoured men
The nations also heard of him
he was taken in their pit
and they brought him with chains
to the land of Egypt
Object lesson of second lion: captured- Jehoiachin verse 5- 9
Now when she saw that she had waited
and her hope was lost
THEN she took another of her whelps
and made him ma young lion
And he went up and down among the lions
he became a young lion
and learned to catch the prey
and devoured men
and he knew their desolate palaces
and he laid waste their cities
and the land was desolate
and the fullness thereof
by the noise of his roaring
THEN the nations set against him on every side
from the provinces
and spread their net over him
he was taken in their pit
and they put him in ward in chains
and brought him to the king of Babylon
they brought him into holds
that his voice should no more be heard
upon the mountains of Israel
Judgment of Zedekiah verse 10- 12
Thy mother [Israel] is like a vine in your blood – planted by the waters
she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters
And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bare rule
and her stature was exalted among the think branches
and she appeared in her height
with the multitude of her branches
BUT she was plucked up in fury
she was cast down to the ground
and the east wind [Babylon] dried up her fruit
her strong rods were broken
and withered
the fire consumed them
Babylon destroyed Jerusalem verse 13- 14
NOW she is planted in the wilderness
in a dry and thirty ground
and fire is gone out of a rod of her branches
which has devoured her fruit
SO THAT she has no strong rod
to be a scepter to rule
This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 And say, What is your mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions. (7235 “nourished” [rabah] means rear offspring, be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous or multiply)
DEVOTION: The nation of Israel was likened to a pride of lions. The lioness has cubs. The cubs were raised to be great. It was the mother’s responsibility to help her cubs become great. The lioness is Israel. Her young lions are her kings.
The chapter ends with the downfall of Israel. The failure of a nation is attributed to bad leadership. When the people accept poor leadership without praying for change,
they end up in captivity. It became a wilderness because of their loss of fellowship with the LORD.
What is involved in rearing offspring? The nation has a responsibility to train her future leaders. It starts in the family. In the case of Israel, the priests were involved. So, there is family and Biblical training involved. If these two sources fail to train the future leaders correctly, then the nation will not succeed.
The first six years of a child’s life are the most important years. They say that 85% of habits are learned in the first six years of life. Children watch their parents. If they encourage, praises, and disciplines them properly – they will have a good outlook on life.
If they discourage them and discipline them mainly – they will have a negative outlook on life. Remember the father has to take the lead in the home.
Some parents don’t discipline at all. Some parents discipline too much. There is a balance and only the LORD can give direction in each family life.
One of the habits that parents need to establish for their children is attendance in a Biblical church that supports the family. Some churches are too legalistic. Others are too easy on sin. There has to be balance in their Christian education.
A bad church can cause children to leave the church later in life. Children need to be taught the whole counsel of God as they are growing up. The future king had to write out his own copy of the first five books of the Old Testament.
There are many people who would like to raise our children. There are many people who think they could do a better job than we are doing.
We raised four children to the best of our ability and the LORD has blessed us with four wonderful children. We are blessed with four Christian spouses. We have twelve, soon to be thirteen, grandchildren who are being raised in the church. We only have the LORD to praise for them. Are they perfect? NO! Are they making good decisions most of the time? YES! There was a balance of freedom from a young age and discipline.
Israel’s princes were not being raised right and they helped the nation go into captivity by their bad leadership.
We need to pray hard for young families with children today. We need strong Biblical families in our churches. That will influence the nation in the right direction. Are we headed to captivity? Are we praying for revival? Remember revival starts with us.
CHALLENGE: Training in a nation affects the future of the nation. Biblical training is necessary for the LORD to bless a nation.
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DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion. (8615 “hope” [tiqvah] means expectation, optimistic outlook, general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled, a confidence in regard to a good and beneficial future or looking forward to.)
DEVOTION: Here we have a nation having confidence in a leader that could or should lead them to a time of prosperity. This was not true in Israel and even today we find that people have false confidence in the leaders because they are choosing individuals who are not true to the LORD.
The nation of Judah was optimistic in the king that was on the throne to help them overcome the nation that was trying to conquer them. However, the nation as a whole was not faithful to the LORD and HE had sent judgment because of the leadership and the general public.
When a nation that is founded on principles given in the Word of God and they wander from those principles God has to judge that nation. Here was Israel being conquered by Babylon because that was the chosen instrument the LORD used to correct HIS people.
Today we have so many people thinking that if they elect the right president the nation can return to its former glory. That will not happen unless there is a general revival of the people who vote.
Too many people are religious in that they worship the false gods of today and sometimes decide to worship the true God of the Bible. That is not how the LORD wants us to worship. HE wants to be exclusive and if HE is not then HE will send judgment.
Some are counting on a new president to turn things around. Only a general revival in our nation could possibly change the thinking of our nation from PC to Biblical standards. Judah had gone too far and the LORD sent judgment. There was going to be a remnant that would be spared.
Our expectations have to be centered on the LORD Jesus Christ every moment of every day. HE is the only one who can give a genuine optimistic outlook. It is one that will last throughout eternity.
CHALLENGE: We need to be part of the remnant in our nation that will honor the LORD no matter what is going on around us. We are to be faithful witnesses to all who will listen.
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DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. (6772 “thirsty” [tsama] means arid, parched ground, or dryness.)
DEVOTION: God had promised the children of Israel a land of milk and honey. The land was given to them by the LORD for them to worship HIM alone. HE promised to bless them if they faithfully served HIM.
This didn’t happen. Throughout the years of their living in the Promised Land the children of Israel continually served false gods. The LORD sent HIS servants the prophets to warn them that judgment was coming.
However, because the LORD was longsuffering, they had the opinion that judgment was never coming. They continued to serve themselves and other gods. They took their blessings for granted.
Now we find that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed and the land was no longer going to be a land of milk and honey but a parched ground with no fruit to show for their labors.
They had settled for the appearance of greatness rather than a reality. Ezekiel was given the command to record the present condition of Israel. Now they were like a people planted in a wilderness. The beauty of the land was gone.
God can provide blessings for any country that serves HIM now. America had been faithful in sending missionaries around the world to encourage nations to become followers of the LORD. Many nations responded to the message. The problem is now these nations are sending more missionaries to America because they have forgotten the message they brought to the nations.
Our nation will have to suffer for their lack of service to the LORD. The church is suffering for its lack of service to the LORD. The families are suffering because of their lack of service to the LORD.
Can this change? Some think that we are too far gone. Others believe that revival is still possible even in America. With God all things are possible. Our prayer should be that our land doesn’t become like Jerusalem. A wilderness that is parched and fruitless.
CHALLENGE: The LORD continually told the children of Israel to turn from their sin and confess their sin and follow HIM. That is still a possibility today. Is that our prayer or are we willing to sit by and watch our nation die?
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: 14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which has devoured her fruit, so that she has no strong rod to be a scepter to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. (7015 “lamentation” [qiynah] means dirge, elegy, a song of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person, or funeral song)
DEVOTION: Judah was responsible to God for their sin against HIM> Now in this chapter we find that because Judah was already spiritually dead, so was its political life dead.
God is judging the nation because of their failure to follow HIM. They thought they could disobey and still be a kingdom that God would bless. They were wrong. HE allowed them to go into captivity because they didn’t want to live by HIS laws.
Today we find that many people who claim to be followers of the LORD but are not willing to live according to the commands of the LORD are going to be surprised to find themselves being judges as others who have never even claimed to be followers of the LORD. Both groups will spend eternity in hell because of their lack of obedience to the commands of the LORD.
There are people who will pretend to be followers of the LORD by attending church and sometimes even speaking the language of salvation but not have a personal relationship with the LORD.
It is only those who have been following the LORD in the Old Testament and those who are in a proper relationship with Jesus Christ in the New Testament that will be blessed of the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Just to have the name of being a Jew in the Old Testament and those who have the name of a church attender in the New Testament will still spend eternity in a place called Hell for eternity.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lamentation verse 1, 14
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nations verse 4, 8
Egypt verse 4
King of Babylon verse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Nourish verse 2
Learned verse 3, 6
Hope verse 5
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Princes of Israel verse 1- 14
Young lions
One of her whelps
Learned to catch the prey
Devoured men
Nations heard of him
Brought with chains to land of Egypt
Mountains of Israel verse 9
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
The funeral dirge is an appropriate form for chap. 19 since it is about the last days of Judah, the death of the kings, the death of Jerusalem, and the death of the nation. This poem has three parts: (1) a lament for the loss of a leader (19:1–4), (2) a lament for the loss of another leader (19:5–9), and (3) a lament for the fall of Judah (19:10–14). (Cooper, L. E. (1994). Ezekiel (Vol. 17, p. 196). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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The final question raised by the recipients of Ezekiel’s messages concerned the trustworthiness of the contemporary rulers of Judah to lead the nation back to prominence. Should they trust in their present rulers?
Ezekiel responded with a funeral dirge for Judah’s princes. The contemporary rulers were not worthy of anyone’s trust. They were examples of the wicked man whom Ezekiel described in chapter 18. These rulers had been responsible for Judah’s present condition. They would die. No true rulers would be left in Judah.
A dirge was normally sung, or chanted, by professional mourners after the death of the deceased and during his funeral. Ezekiel expressed the Lord’s sadness over the Judean leadership’s failure by chanting this elegy over her final rulers prior to their deaths (v.1).
The lament centered first around the imagery of a lioness and her whelps. The figurative use of a lion was not uncommon in the OT and normally had royal overtones, especially in reference to those of the Davidic line (cf. Gen 49:9; Num 23:24; 1 Kings 10:19–20; Mic 5:8; Rev 5:5). Contextually the lioness must be identified as the nation of Israel (v.2). Israel had taken her place among the nations. The young whelps represented given kings of Israel, and in historical and biblical context they signified certain latter rulers in the kingdom of Judah. The portrayal of nations and kings as lions being captured can be seen in the famous lion-hunting bas-reliefs of Ashurbannipal and Esarhaddon (cf. ANET, p. 300; Pritchard, Ancient Pictures, plate 447). The symbol of the lion was also found at Megiddo on the royal seal of Shema, a servant of Jeroboam II (ZPEB, 5:323).
The first whelp was Jehoahaz (vv.3–4), who had been placed on the throne by the Judeans following the death of his father, Josiah (2 Kings 23:31). Jehoahaz learned, as a young lion, to tear and devour mankind, doing evil in the sight of the Lord (v.3; 2 Kings 23:32). Becoming world renowned for the violence in his reign of three months, he was seized in 609 b.c. like a hunted lion and brought bound to Egypt where he ultimately died (v.4; 2 Kings 23:33–34; 2 Chronicles 36:1–4, Jer 22:10–12).
The second whelp was Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, (vv.5–9; cf. 2 Kings 24:8–17; 2 Chronicles 36:8–10); Jehoiakim was bypassed. Judah’s hope had perished with the nation’s decline under Jehoiakim’s pro-Egyptian leadership. Hope was renewed as the young eighteen-year-old prince Jehoiachin became king (vv.5–6). However, his reign was not substantially different from his father’s, for Jehoiachin too learned to devour mankind.
Jehoiachin destroyed cities and desolated the land (v.7). Yet he also did not escape the snare of the “lion-hunting” nations that trapped him in their “pit” and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar in a “cage” in 597 b.c. Later he was released (2 Kings 25:27–30; 2 Chronicles 36:9–11). No longer would he “roar” in Judah. (Alexander, R. H. (1986). Ezekiel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 830). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Ezekiel had made it clear that individual Jews were responsible for their own sins, but it was also true that their leaders had led them astray because they had rebelled against God. Jeremiah had told the kings of Judah to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar because he was God’s chosen servant to chasten Israel, but they had refused to obey. Zedekiah, Judah’s last king, had agreed to a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar but then had broken it and sought help from Egypt. It was this foolish act that moved Nebuchadnezzar to send his army to Jerusalem and destroy the city and the temple.
Whether you read secular or sacred history, you soon discover that people become like their leaders. The same people who applauded Solomon when he built the temple also applauded Jeroboam when he set up the golden calves and instituted a new religion. One of the hardest tasks of Christian leaders today is to keep our churches true to the Word of God so that people don’t follow every religious celebrity whose ideas run contrary to Scripture. It appears that being popular and being “successful” are more important today than being faithful.
In discussing the sins of the leaders, Ezekiel used two familiar images—the lion (vv. 1–9) and the vine (vv. 10–14)—and he couched his message in the form of a funeral dirge for “the princes of Israel.” David’s exalted dynasty had come to an end, but the men holding the scepter were nothing like David. Ezekiel wouldn’t even call them “kings” but instead referred to them as “princes” (v. 1; see 7:27; 12:10, 12). Instead of lamenting their demise, the “funeral dirge” actually ridiculed the rulers of Israel; but later (21:27) Ezekiel would announce the coming of Messiah, the Son of David, who would be a worthy king.
Israel is like a lioness (Ezek. 19:1–9). The lioness represents the nation of Israel, or at least the royal tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:9; Num. 23:23; 24:9; 1 Kings 10:18–20; Micah 5:8). The first royal “whelp” was Jehoahaz, who reigned over Judah for only three months (Ezek. 19:2–4; 2 Kings 23:31–35). He was also known as “Shallum” (Jer. 22:10–12). Pharaoh Neco took him captive to Egypt where he died. The second royal “whelp” was Jehoiachin, who reigned three months and ten days (Ezek. 19:5–9; 2 Kings 24:8–16; 2 Chron. 36:9–10). Ezekiel describes him “strutting” and “roaring” (Ezek. 19:6–7) among the princes and the nations. Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon along with 10,000 captives and the temple treasures, and there he died. Jehoiachin turned a deaf ear to the preaching of Jeremiah, and the prophet didn’t have anything good to say about him (Jer. 22:18–19). In this brief parable, the Lord made it clear that these two kings of Judah thought themselves to be great leaders, but they ignored the Word of God and He cut them down after their brief reigns. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be reverent (pp. 89–90). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor/Cook Communications.)
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Ver. 5. Now when she saw, &c.] That is, his mother, as the Syriac version expresses it; not his natural mother; as the mother of Sisera looked out and waited for him; but the congregation of Israel, as Jarchi interprets it, the body of the Jewish people: that she had waited; for the return of Jehoahaz out of Egypt, which was expected for some time: or, that she was become sick; or weak, and feeble, and brought to a low estate by his captivity, and by the tax the king of Egypt put upon her: and her hope was lost; of his return to her any more, and so of being eased of the tribute imposed, and of being restored by him to liberty and glory; for the Lord had declared that he should return no more to his native country, but die in the place where he was carried captive, Jer. 22:10, 11, 12: then she took another of her whelps; or sons, as the Targum: and made him a young lion; a king, as the same Targum paraphrases it; that is, Jehoiakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, who before was called Eliakim, but his name was changed by Pharaoh-necho; and though he is said to make him king, yet it was by the consent of the people of the Jews. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, pp. 92–93). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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19:12–14. The vine’s past glory contrasted sharply with its condition in Ezekiel’s day. Israel the vine was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. It was shriveled and its branches were burned. Ezekiel did not explain the cause for this judgment, but in chapters 16–17 he had already stated why Israel went from blessing to disaster. The vine forgot that God was her source of blessing. Therefore God “uprooted” the nation, deporting her from the land. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1263). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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HOPE: This root means to wait or to look for with eager expectation. It is used for the wicked who make an attempt to destroy the life of the righteous (Ps 56:6 [H 7]; 119:95). Waiting with steadfast endurance is a great expression of faith. It means enduring patiently in confident hope that God will decisively act for the salvation of his people (Gen 49:18). Waiting involves the very essence of a person’s being, his soul (nepeš; Ps 130:5). Those who wait in true faith are renewed in strength so that they can continue to serve the Lord while looking for his saving work (Isa 40:31). There will come a time when all that God has promised will be realized and fulfilled (Isa 49:23; Ps 37:9). In the meantime the believer survives by means of his integrity and uprightness as he trusts in God’s grace and power (Ps 25:21). His faith is strengthened through his testings, and his character is further developed (Ps 27:14). Israel is encouraged to hold fast to love and justice, i.e. they are to follow the law faithfully and maintain consistently the standards of justice, at the same time preserving an attitude of godly love (Hos 12:6 [H 7]; cf. Ps 37:34; Job 4:6).
During times of visitation and judgment, the righteous must exercise great faith (Isa 26:8; Lam 3:19–33). Thus Isa confidently asserts, “I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him” (Isa 8:17). When God arrives on the scene with redemptive power, the response of those who have waited will be jubilant joy and great singing (Isa 25:9).
Job amid his intense trial claimed that God was pulling up his hope like a tree (Job 19:10). Perhaps this statement is a response to his assertion of faith: “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease” (Job 14:7). But his complete frustration had been expressed in exclaiming, “My days … come to their end without hope” (Job 7:6; cf. Prov 11:7).
The wicked too have hope. But since it has a false basis, it shall end with their death (Prov 11:7, 23; cf. 10:28). God himself will cut them off (Job 8:13; 27:8). Job says, “Their hope is to breathe their last” (Job 11:20).
Hope has an eternal home in man’s heart. As long as there is a future, there is hope (Prov 23:18; probably an eternal future is intended). But only the believer can really express his hope in the future, for it belongs to Yahweh alone. And God supplies wisdom to insure that future (ʾahărît) and to substantiate hope (Prov 24:14). The wicked have no such future, ʾahărît (Prov 24:20), nor hope, tiqwâ (Prov 10:28). God is the source of hope for his people, and he has promised them a future and a hope (Ps 62:5 [H 6]; Jer 29:11). Jer says to besieged Judah, “There is hope for your future” (31:17). Zechariah calls God’s people, “prisoners of hope.” And he summons them to look forward to experiencing God’s restoration (Zech 9:12). Therefore, Yahweh himself is called “the hope of Israel” (Jer 14:8; 17:13; 50:7; cf. Ps 71:5).
God expresses hope in man. He planted Israel and made her a fully prepared vineyard. His hope or purpose was for her success, i.e. that she yield fruit; this was parabolically expressed by placing a wine press in the vineyard (Isa 5:2ff.). However, she only yielded wild grapes. Therefore he had to judge her severely (v. 5f.). But his hope continued, for he planned a new vineyard that could some day be productive (Isa 27:2–6). (Hartley, J. E. (1999). 1994 קָוָה. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 791). Chicago: Moody Press.)
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HILLSONG’S FALSE GOSPEL (Friday Church News Notes, May 17, 2019, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – Hillsong is one of the most influential names in contemporary Christian music. Hillsong began in a mega-church in Sydney, Australia, with music produced under the direction of worship leader Darlene Zschech. It has since multiplied into a group of churches in 21 countries. Hillsong is Pentecostal (the original Hillsong was an Assemblies of God church) and radically ecumenical, with close ties to the Roman Catholic Church. It preaches the Word-Faith heresy and a no-repentance, “you don’t have to change anything” false gospel. Joel Houston, Hillsong United worship leader who is currently on tour in the United States, says, “God loves you more than you could ever imagine just the way you are, you don’t have to change anything, just you, He knows you” (“Hillsong’s Joel Houston declares God is doing something new in America,” Christian Post, May 10, 2019). God does love sinners, and He does love them as they are, in their sins, which is why Christ shed His blood in the sinner’s behalf; but the “you don’t have to change anything” is a damnable lie. Consider the clear Word of God: “Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). “O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:19-20). Salvation is God’s free gift without works, but it is received by repentance and faith and always produces a dramatic change of lifestyle. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). Hillsong is lying to this generation, offering no-repentance “cheap grace” which is no grace at all. It wasn’t that long ago that Hillsong was too charismatic, too radical, too hard rocking to be heard in an Independent Baptist church, but that has changed. “Toned down” editions of Hillsong’s music are heard in many Independent Baptist churches and schools today. We suggest that if a church is going to use CCM, it should use it properly, which requires full-blown rock & roll that captures the people’s very souls and sweeps them into fleshly, charismatic mysticism. It requires giving oneself over 100% to the power of the music. That’s what CCM is all about and that’s where it always leads. So if you intend to go in that direction, then go for it full bore and skip the ridiculous “adaptation” middle ground. If you love CCM, stop pretending that you don’t!
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The Way and the Glory
“Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” (Exodus 33:13)
“Moses the man of God” (Deuteronomy 33:1) was surely one of the greatest men who ever lived. He was the leader of a great nation, he received the tablets of the law from God, and he compiled and wrote the Pentateuch. It was said that “there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10). Yet, “the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).
It was such a man as this who made two remarkable requests of God. The first was, as above: “Shew me now thy way.” The second, just a moment later, was: “Shew me thy glory” (Exodus 33:18).
These were not selfish requests. Moses desired the way of the Lord on behalf of his people. God answered this request with the gracious promise: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14).
But then he also asked to see the glory of God. So God placed Moses “in a clift of the rock,” covering him with His hand as His glory passed by, allowing him to see the remnants of His glory, as it were (Exodus 33:22-23), since he could not have endured any more. With such a vision of God’s glory, Moses was then able to lead the Israelite multitude for 40 years in a terrible wilderness, transforming them from a mob of slaves into God’s chosen nation, ready to bring God’s Word, and God’s Son, into the world.
We also can see His way and His glory. Jesus said: “I am the way” (John 14:6). Then He prayed: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory” (John 17:24). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Boaz, a close relative of Naomi, agrees to marry Ruth.
INSIGHT
The custom in the Old Testament is that when a relative dies without leaving a male heir, the next nearest relative marries the surviving spouse to preserve the family name and property rights. Naomi thinks Boaz is the next of kin; therefore, there is nothing forward in Ruth’s actions. Boaz exercises admirable restraint, knowing that there is closer kin. His concern for Ruth’s good name again shows his nobility of character, for he is surely attracted to Ruth already. (Quiet Walk)
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“ALL THINGS”
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Matthew 11:27
The Lord Jesus Christ made the following astounding claim for Himself: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father.” Now let me try to reconstruct the whole situation. There is someone speaking. You look at Him and see He is a man. He is surrounded by a group of people who have attached themselves to Him and who have been following Him and listening to His teaching. They have been with Him as He has traveled back and forth in the ancient land of Palestine. They have seen the works that He performed, and there He is, as it were, a man speaking to men. But when He says, “All things,” there is no limit to that word “all”; it is as all-inclusive as a word can be. So who is this person who is speaking?
He says that He is in a unique sense the Son of God. In John chapter 5 the Jews turned upon Him because He claimed God as His Father and said that He claimed equality with God. Now I feel that our real difficulty with the New Testament is that we are so familiar with these facts that we miss their extraordinary character. Our whole danger, is it not, is to fail to realize and remember that this is literal history. The fact of Jesus Christ is history, and what I am calling your attention to here is something that has actually happened. This person was on earth and was born in Bethlehem. He worked as a carpenter in Nazareth, and He told people that He was the Son of God in a way that no one else was.
A Thought to Ponder: He told people that He was the Son of God in a way that no one else was. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 133,135, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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