Thursday, December 27, 2018
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Who Is He In Yonder Stall?
Who is He in yonder stall
At Whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?
Chorus
’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!
Who is He the people bless
For His words of gentleness?
Who is He to Whom they bring
All the sick and sorrowing?
Who is He that stands and weeps
At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?
Who is He the gathering throng
Greet with loud triumphant song
Lo! at midnight, who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?
Who is He that from the grave
Comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from His throne
Rules through all the world alone?
Benjamin Russell Hanby (1833-1867)
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Monday, December 10, 2018
Human Effort is Useless in Sustaining Righteousness
Ezekiel 33:12-20
12 “And now, Son of Man, say this to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous won’t save them when they keep on committing crimes against me, the wickedness of the wicked won’t keep them from remaining away when they’re turning from their wickedness, and no righteous person will keep on living by their righteousness when they sin.’
13 “If I tell the righteous person that he will certainly live, if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits evil, none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the wrong that he commits.
14 “If I tell the wicked person that he will certainly die, if he turns from his sin and acts with justice and righteousness, 15 returning what has been placed as collateral for a loan, paying back what he has taken, following the regulations that promote life, and committing no iniquity, he will certainly live, and not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. Since he did what is just and right, he will certainly live.
17 “Nevertheless, your people’s children keep saying, ‘Living life the Lord’s way isn’t right,’ when all the while it is their way of living that isn’t right. 18 When a righteous man forsakes his own righteousness and commits evil acts, he will die because of those acts, 19 and when the wicked turn away from their wickedness and do what is just and right, he will certainly live because of that. 20 “And yet you keep saying, ‘Living life the Lord’s way isn’t right,’ But I will judge every one of you according to the way you live, you house of Israel!”
12 “And now, Son of Man, say this to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous won’t save them when they keep on committing crimes against me, the wickedness of the wicked won’t keep them from remaining away when they’re turning from their wickedness, and no righteous person will keep on living by their righteousness when they sin.’
13 “If I tell the righteous person that he will certainly live, if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits evil, none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the wrong that he commits.
14 “If I tell the wicked person that he will certainly die, if he turns from his sin and acts with justice and righteousness, 15 returning what has been placed as collateral for a loan, paying back what he has taken, following the regulations that promote life, and committing no iniquity, he will certainly live, and not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. Since he did what is just and right, he will certainly live.
17 “Nevertheless, your people’s children keep saying, ‘Living life the Lord’s way isn’t right,’ when all the while it is their way of living that isn’t right. 18 When a righteous man forsakes his own righteousness and commits evil acts, he will die because of those acts, 19 and when the wicked turn away from their wickedness and do what is just and right, he will certainly live because of that. 20 “And yet you keep saying, ‘Living life the Lord’s way isn’t right,’ But I will judge every one of you according to the way you live, you house of Israel!”
God Hates the Death of the Wicked
Ezekiel 33:10-11
10 “‘Now, Son of Man, tell this to the house of Israel:
‘You keep saying, “Our crimes and sins burden us so much that we’re rotting away, so how can we keep on living?”’
11 “Tell them, ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I receive no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, my pleasure is that the wicked repent from their behavior and live. Turn back! Turn back, all of you, from your wicked behavior! Why do you have to die, you house of Israel?’”
10 “‘Now, Son of Man, tell this to the house of Israel:
‘You keep saying, “Our crimes and sins burden us so much that we’re rotting away, so how can we keep on living?”’
11 “Tell them, ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I receive no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, my pleasure is that the wicked repent from their behavior and live. Turn back! Turn back, all of you, from your wicked behavior! Why do you have to die, you house of Israel?’”
The Word and the Watchman
Ezekiel 33 - Warnings for Watchmen
33 This message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of Man, speak to your nation’s children and tell them: ‘If I bring war to a land, and the people of that land appoint one of their conscripted men to serve as a sentinel, 3 and if he notices that violence is approaching and sounds an alarm to warn the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the alarm does not heed the warning, when the sword arrives and destroys him, his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. 5 After all, he heard the alarm sounding, but did not heed the warning, so his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved himself. 6 If that sentinel notices that violence is approaching, but does not sound an alarm, then because the nation does not take warning and the sword arrives and destroys their lives because of their guilt, I’ll seek retribution for their shed blood from the one who was acting as sentinel.’”
Warnings for Ezekiel
7 “Now as for you, Son of Man, I’ve established you as a sentinel for the house of Israel. So whenever you hear a message from me, you are to warn the people from me. 8 If I should say to a certain wicked person, ‘You wicked man, you’re certainly about to die,’ but you don’t warn him to turn from his wicked behavior, he’ll die in his guilt, but I’ll seek retribution for his bloodshed from you. 9 However, if you warn the wicked to turn from his behavior and he does not do so, he will die in his guilt, and you will have saved yourself.”
33 This message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of Man, speak to your nation’s children and tell them: ‘If I bring war to a land, and the people of that land appoint one of their conscripted men to serve as a sentinel, 3 and if he notices that violence is approaching and sounds an alarm to warn the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the alarm does not heed the warning, when the sword arrives and destroys him, his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. 5 After all, he heard the alarm sounding, but did not heed the warning, so his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved himself. 6 If that sentinel notices that violence is approaching, but does not sound an alarm, then because the nation does not take warning and the sword arrives and destroys their lives because of their guilt, I’ll seek retribution for their shed blood from the one who was acting as sentinel.’”
Warnings for Ezekiel
7 “Now as for you, Son of Man, I’ve established you as a sentinel for the house of Israel. So whenever you hear a message from me, you are to warn the people from me. 8 If I should say to a certain wicked person, ‘You wicked man, you’re certainly about to die,’ but you don’t warn him to turn from his wicked behavior, he’ll die in his guilt, but I’ll seek retribution for his bloodshed from you. 9 However, if you warn the wicked to turn from his behavior and he does not do so, he will die in his guilt, and you will have saved yourself.”
God and His Throne
Ezekiel 1 - Ezekiel’s Vision of God
1 On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year of the exile to Babylon, while I was among the captives on the bank of the Chebar River, heaven opened up and I saw visions from God.
The Vision of the Fire Cloud
2 On the fifth day[c] of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s imprisonment in exile, 3 a message from the Lord came directly to Buzi’s son Ezekiel, the priest, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans. The hand of the Lord rested upon him there. 4 I was amazed to see a wind storm blow in from the north, consisting of a massive cloud and fire that was flashing back and forth, surrounded by bright light. From deep within the cloud, something was shining that appeared to have a color like bronze that had been placed in fire until it glowed.
The Vision of the Four Beings
5 Deep inside it, the likenesses of four living beings were visible. Their appearances were similar to human forms, 6 except that they each had four faces, four pairs of wings, 7 and straight legs. Their feet resembled calves’ hooves, but they gleamed like polished bronze. 8 From under their wings there were human hands on their four sides.
Now as to their four faces and four pairs of wings, 9 their pairs of wings overlapped each other. They moved in straight directions without turning their faces around as they moved. 10 The form of their faces was human, but each of the four also had the face of a lion to the right, the face of an ox to the left, and the face of an eagle behind them. 11 That’s what their faces were like. Their wings spread out above and around them, one pair overlapping another, with one pair covering themselves. 12 Each moved in straight directions. Wherever they decided to go, they went without turning themselves.
13 Now, in the midst of the living beings there was something that[m] appeared to glow like coals kindled by a fire, like torches that moved back and forth between the living beings. The fire was dazzling, and lightning flashed from the fire. 14 The living beings moved around, in appearance resembling lightning.
The Vision of the Wheels
15 As I observed the living beings, I noticed one wheel on the earth beside each being—that is, for the four of them. 16 Their wheels and their construction details looked like gold-colored beryl. Each wheel was identical in form to the others, and they appeared to have been constructed and designed as if one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever the four moved, no matter which of four directions, they moved without turning around.
18 Their wheel rims were ornate[r] and terrifying. They were full of eyes that surrounded the four of them. 19 Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved, too. Whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 Whatever direction these spirits went, the wheels would be lifted up along with them, because the wheels were alive. 21 They moved around whenever they wanted to move around, and they stood still whenever they wanted to stand still; and whenever they rose from the earth, the wheels remained close beside them, because the wheels were also alive.
The Vision of the Wings
22 There was spread out over the heads of the living beings what looked like a canopy, in outward appearance resembling ice, 23 and underneath the canopy, their wings spread out straight over their heads toward each other. They each also had two wings with which they covered themselves, one wing covering its body on one side and one wing covering itself on the other side.
24 I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of roaring[x] water, like the voice of the Almighty, or like a boisterous crowd within an army camp. Whenever they stopped flying, they lowered their wings. 25 A sound came from above the canopy that was spread out over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings. 26 From above the canopy that was spread out over their heads, there appeared to be something reminiscent of a throne, resembling sapphire in form.
The Vision of the Glory of God
There was the likeness of the appearance of a human being seated on the likeness of the throne high above. 27 I noticed that from what appeared to look like his waist upward there was something that looked like metal that glowed as if it were immersed in fire. Below this there was something resembling fire, with a radiant light surrounding him. 28 The appearance of the radiant light resembled that of a rainbow shining in a cloud on a rainy day. This was what the appearance of the form of the glory of the Lord resembled. When I saw all of this, I fell flat on my face. Then I heard a voice speaking.
1 On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year of the exile to Babylon, while I was among the captives on the bank of the Chebar River, heaven opened up and I saw visions from God.
The Vision of the Fire Cloud
2 On the fifth day[c] of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s imprisonment in exile, 3 a message from the Lord came directly to Buzi’s son Ezekiel, the priest, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans. The hand of the Lord rested upon him there. 4 I was amazed to see a wind storm blow in from the north, consisting of a massive cloud and fire that was flashing back and forth, surrounded by bright light. From deep within the cloud, something was shining that appeared to have a color like bronze that had been placed in fire until it glowed.
The Vision of the Four Beings
5 Deep inside it, the likenesses of four living beings were visible. Their appearances were similar to human forms, 6 except that they each had four faces, four pairs of wings, 7 and straight legs. Their feet resembled calves’ hooves, but they gleamed like polished bronze. 8 From under their wings there were human hands on their four sides.
Now as to their four faces and four pairs of wings, 9 their pairs of wings overlapped each other. They moved in straight directions without turning their faces around as they moved. 10 The form of their faces was human, but each of the four also had the face of a lion to the right, the face of an ox to the left, and the face of an eagle behind them. 11 That’s what their faces were like. Their wings spread out above and around them, one pair overlapping another, with one pair covering themselves. 12 Each moved in straight directions. Wherever they decided to go, they went without turning themselves.
13 Now, in the midst of the living beings there was something that[m] appeared to glow like coals kindled by a fire, like torches that moved back and forth between the living beings. The fire was dazzling, and lightning flashed from the fire. 14 The living beings moved around, in appearance resembling lightning.
The Vision of the Wheels
15 As I observed the living beings, I noticed one wheel on the earth beside each being—that is, for the four of them. 16 Their wheels and their construction details looked like gold-colored beryl. Each wheel was identical in form to the others, and they appeared to have been constructed and designed as if one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever the four moved, no matter which of four directions, they moved without turning around.
18 Their wheel rims were ornate[r] and terrifying. They were full of eyes that surrounded the four of them. 19 Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved, too. Whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 Whatever direction these spirits went, the wheels would be lifted up along with them, because the wheels were alive. 21 They moved around whenever they wanted to move around, and they stood still whenever they wanted to stand still; and whenever they rose from the earth, the wheels remained close beside them, because the wheels were also alive.
The Vision of the Wings
22 There was spread out over the heads of the living beings what looked like a canopy, in outward appearance resembling ice, 23 and underneath the canopy, their wings spread out straight over their heads toward each other. They each also had two wings with which they covered themselves, one wing covering its body on one side and one wing covering itself on the other side.
24 I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of roaring[x] water, like the voice of the Almighty, or like a boisterous crowd within an army camp. Whenever they stopped flying, they lowered their wings. 25 A sound came from above the canopy that was spread out over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings. 26 From above the canopy that was spread out over their heads, there appeared to be something reminiscent of a throne, resembling sapphire in form.
The Vision of the Glory of God
There was the likeness of the appearance of a human being seated on the likeness of the throne high above. 27 I noticed that from what appeared to look like his waist upward there was something that looked like metal that glowed as if it were immersed in fire. Below this there was something resembling fire, with a radiant light surrounding him. 28 The appearance of the radiant light resembled that of a rainbow shining in a cloud on a rainy day. This was what the appearance of the form of the glory of the Lord resembled. When I saw all of this, I fell flat on my face. Then I heard a voice speaking.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)